BDB8348 [H8269 H3256]

1. chieftain, leader:
\ \ a. plural of Israel Num 21:18 (poem in J E; || נְדִיֹב הָעָם), of Issachar Judg 5:15 (poem); שָׂרֵי גִלְעָד Judg 10:18 is dubious (we should expect ׳וְשׂ, and compare ׳זִקְנֵי ג, instead, Judg 11:5-11); of Midian Judg 7:25; Judg 8:3 Philistines 1Sam 29:3 (twice in verse); 1Sam 29:4 (twice in verse); 1Sam 29:9 (apparently = סְרָנִים v1Sam 29:2 v1Sam 29:6 v1Sam 29:7 [We], yet distinguished by HPS and [with reserve] Bu; ᵐ5 ᵑ6 ᵑ9 Th Bu strike out in v1Sam 29:4 b), compare 1Sam 18:30 in poetry, of כְּמוֺשׁ (i.e. the leading Moabites) Jer 48:7, of מָלכם (q. v.; i.e. the leading Ammonites) Amos 1:15 = Jer 49:3.
\ \ b. singular David as leader of freebooters 1Sam 22:2 compare גְּדוּד ׳שׂ 1Kgs 11:24, plural 2Sam 4:2.

2. vassal, noble, official, under king (acting, on occasion, as counselor, commander, etc.):
\ \ a. plural, in Egypt Gen 12:15 (J) + 3 t. Is + Gen 30:4 Di Du Skinner (>of foreign embassy [compare || מַלְאָכָיו] Che and others reading [Che^Heb.Hpt. Marti] שָׁשׂרִים), Ps 105:22 Moab Num 22:8 + 8 t. 22, 23 (JE), Amos 2:3 Edom Isa 34:12 (|| הֹרִים); Assyrian Isa 10:8; Isa 31:9 Babylonian Isa 21:5 + 7 t. Jeremiah + 2Chr 32:31 (but here perhaps vaguely = authorities); other nations Jer 49:38 + 17 t. Ezra, Esther; in general Isa 49:7 officials, official class, under kings of Israel: David (only Chronicles) 1Chr 22:17 + 5 t. 1 Chronicles; Ezra 8:20 Solomon 1Kgs 4:2 Jehoiachin 2Kgs 24:12; 2Kgs 24:14 Zedak. Jer 34:21; 2Chr 36:18 other kings 19 t. 2 Chronicles; in general Eccl 10:16; Eccl 10:17 see also (Judah) Jer 1:18 + 31 t. Jeremiah (Jer 17:25 a strike out ׳שׂ Gf Che Gie Du), 4 t. Lamentations; Ezek 17:12; Zeph 1:8 (where distinguished from בְּנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ, who are never called ׳שׂ); so, in general, Neh 9:32; Neh 9:34; Dan 9:6; Dan 9:8 and (Northern Israel) Hos 3:4 + 6 t. Hosea.
\ \ b. as having powers of magistrate (‡adi) Exod 2:14 (E + שֹׁפֵט); under Moses (over groups of 1000, 100, 50, 10) Exod 18:21 + 7 t. 18 (E), Deut 1:15 (4 t. in verse); later in Judah Hos 5:10 (Now reads ׳שָׂרֵי תִשׁ), Isa 1:23, compare Isa 3:4; Isa 3:14; Isa 32:1; Mic 7:3 (singular; || שֹׁפֵט), Zeph 3:3 (|| id.), Ezek 22:27, compare Prov 8:16 (|| נְדִיבִים); Prov 28:2 read perhaps צָרֶיהָ, see Toy.
\ \ c. as ruler or magistrate of a district (מְרִינָה), 1Kgs 20:14; 1Kgs 20:15; 1Kgs 20:17; 1Kgs 20:19 (compare Esth 1:3; Esth 8:9; Esth 9:3, שָׂרֵי עַם וָעָם Esth 3:12).
\ \ d. as commandant of city, הָעִיר ׳שׂ Judg 9:30, compare 1Kgs 22:26 = 2Chr 18:25; 2Kgs 23:8; 2Chr 34:8 of citadel, הַבִּירָה ׳שׂ Neh 7:2 plural of city officials סֻכּוֺת ׳שׂ Judg 8:6; Judg 8:14 (distinguished from זְקֵנִים), compare 2Kgs 10:1; 2Chr 29:20.

3. specifically military, = captain, general:
\ \ a. שַׂרֿ(ה)צבא Gen 21:22; Gen 21:32 (E), Gen 26:26 (J), 1Sam 12:9 + 23 t., + ׳יֿ׳צֿ׳שׂ Josh 5:14; Josh 5:15 (J E; צָבָא 1 b), angel-captain in vision; see also 8, 9; ׳שָׂרֵי הַצּ 1Kgs 1:25 + 3 t. Chronicles, ׳שָׂרִים בַּצּ 1Chr 12:22 (Gi Baer; van d. H. v.1Chr 12:21); שָׂרֵי צְבָאוֺת Deut 20:9; 1Kgs 2:5; 1Chr 27:3 שַׂרהַֿחַ֫יִל 2Sam 24:2 (but read וְאֶלשָֿׂרֵי as ᵐ5^L and || 1Chr 21:2 Th We Dr HPS Bu), ׳שָׂרֵי (הַ)ח v1Chr 21:4 v1Chr 21:4; 2Kgs 9:5; 2Chr 33:14; Neh 2:9, שָׂרֵי הַחֲיָלִים 1Kgs 15:20 = 2Chr 16:4; 2Kgs 25:23; 2Kgs 25:26; Jer 40:7; Jer 40:13 + 7 t. Jeremiah; שָׂרֵי מִלְחָמוֺת 2Chr 32:6 so (ה)שׂר alone 2Sam 18:5; 2Sam 19:7; 1Kgs 9:22 = 2Chr 8:9 ᵐ5.:B Be Kit (שָׁרָיו וְשָׁלִישָׁיו, for ᵑ0 ׳שָׂרֵי שׁ), 2Kgs 9:5 (twice in verse); 1Chr 11:6; 1Chr 11:21 + 9 t., + Job 39:25; Dan 11:5 וְגָדוֺל ׳שׂ 2Sam 3:38 (of Abner); possibly military figurative also in שַׂר שָׁלוֺם Isa 9:5 (Messianic name).
\ \ b. leading companies of 50 2Kgs 1:9-14; Isa 3:3, of 100 1Sam 22:7 + 16 t. + 1Sam 8:12 (reading מֵאוֺת for חֲמִשִּׁים ᵐ5 HPS, compare We; Bu insert שָׂרֵי מֵאוֺת), of 1000 1Sam 17:18 + 11 t., + שָׂרֵי הָאֲלָפִים וְהַמֵּאוֺת 1Chr 13:1; 1Chr 26:26 (distinguished from שָׂרֵי הַצָּבָא), 1Chr 27:1; 1Chr 29:6; 2Chr 1:2 also הָרֶכֶב ׳שׂ captain of the chariotry 1Kgs 22:31; 1Kgs 22:32; 1Kgs 22:33 = 2Chr 18:30; 2Chr 18:31; 2Chr 18:32 + 3 t. + שָׂרֵי וּפָרָשָׁיו ׳ר 1Kgs 9:22 = 2Chr 8:9.

4. a. chief, head, of other official classes: שַׂר הַטַּבָּחִים, Egypt, Gen 37:36 + 5 t.; שָׂרֵי הָרָצִים 1Kgs 14:27 = 2Chr 12:10 שָׂרֵי הַנִּצָּבִים 1Kgs 5:30; 1Kgs 9:23 = 2Chr 8:10 even domestic positions (court of Pharaoh), שַׂר הַמַּשְׁקִים Gen 40:2 + 5 t., שַׂר הָאוֺפוֺת Gen 40:2 + 4 t. (all E); שָׂרֵי הַמּחְלְקוֺת 1Chr 28:1, i.e. of the successive courses of royal military officials; compare הַשַּׂר 1Chr 27:28 שַׂר הַסָּרִיסִים Dan 1:7; Dan 1:8; Dan 1:9; Dan 1:10; Dan 1:11; Dan 1:18 שַׂר מְנוּחָה Jer 51:59.
\ \ b. = overseer: שַׂר בֵּית הַסֹּהַר Gen 39:21; Gen 39:23, שָׂרֵי מִקְנֶה Gen 47:6 (all J; compare אַבִּיר הָרֹעִים 1Sam 21:8), שָׂרֵי מִסִּים Exod 1:11 (J); compare 1Chr 15:27; 1Chr 29:6; 1Chr 27:31; 1Chr 28:1. — In 1Chr 15:22 read probably סַר הַמַּשָּׂא (= שַׂר) overseer of the carrying (for ᵑ0 בְּמַשָּׂא יָסֹר בַּמַּשָּׂא), so ᵐ5 Benz Kit, Be יָסֹר = יָשׂר; see another view יָסַר

Qal. 5. of religious office: שָׂרֵי הַכֹּהֲנִים Ezra 8:24; Ezra 8:29; Ezra 10:5; 2Chr 36:14 הַלְוִיִּם ׳שׂ 1Chr 15:16; 1Chr 15:22; 2Chr 35:9, compare 1Chr 15:5; 1Chr 15:6; 1Chr 15:7; 1Chr 15:8; 1Chr 15:10 (twice in verse); heads of classes or courses of priests, called שָׂרֵי קֹרֶשׁ 1Chr 24:5, אֱלֹהִים ׳שׂ v1Chr 24:5 — ׳שָׂרֵי ק Isa 43:28 (usually consecrated princes, whether priests, or kings, or both) is probably corrupt, read perhaps שַׁעֲרֵי (Du) or וַיְחַלְּלוּ שָׂרֶיךָ קָרְשִׁי ᵐ5 Houb Klo Che^Hpt Gr (substantially).

6. late, of representative leaders of people, tribal heads, ׳שׂ ׳שִׁבְטֵי יִשׂ 1Chr 27:22; 1Chr 29:6, compare 1Chr 28:1 apparently = elders, הָעָם ׳שׂ Ezek 11:1; 2Chr 24:23 ׳שׂ alone, Ps 68:28 (3 t. in verse); in post-exilic Jerusalem Ezra 9:1; Ezra 9:2; Neh 4:10; Neh 10:1; Neh 11:1 (שָׂרֵי הָעָם), + elders Ezra 10:8; Ezra 10:14 called שָׂרֵי יְהוּדָה Neh 12:31; Neh 12:32 of district-rulers Neh 3:9; Neh 3:12; Neh 3:14; Neh 3:15; Neh 3:16; Neh 3:17; Neh 3:18; Neh 3:19 of heads of families, שָׂרֵי הָאָבוֺת Ezra 8:29; 1Chr 29:6 (= רָאשֵׁי ׳הָא 1Chr 24:31; 1Chr 27:1; Neh 7:70).

7. late, as term of rank and dignity, Isa 23:8 (compare 'merchant- princes'), Job 3:15; Job 29:9 (|| נְגִירִים), Job 34:19; Ps 45:17; Ps 82:7; Ps 148:11, opposed to עבד(יםׅ Prov 19:10; Eccl 10:7 formidable foes Ps 119:23; Ps 119:161.

8. = patron-angel, only Daniel: שַׂר (מַלְכוּת) פָּרַס Dan 10:13; Dan 10:20, יָוָן ׳שׂ vDan 10:20 specifically of מִיכָאֵל vDan 10:13; Dan 10:21; Dan 12:1

9. שַׂרהַֿצָּבָא Dan 8:11 = God (probably, compare צָרָא 1 c; yet see also ׳צ 1 b), so שַׂר שְׂרִים vDan 8:25.