ἐθν-άρχης G1481
Ethnarch, ruler of a people; a governor or leader of an ethnic group or province
This title denotes an 'ethnarch' or ruler of a people—a political leader governing an ethnic group or provincial territory. In 2 Corinthians 11:32, Paul mentions 'the ethnarch under King Aretas' who guarded Damascus to arrest him. Historically, ethnarchs governed territories or ethnic groups with authority below kings but above local officials. The multilingual evidence mostly transliterates (English 'ethnarch', French 'ethnarque', Spanish 'etnarca'), recognizing this as a technical historical title, while German 'Statthalter' (governor) provides functional equivalence.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Second Corinthians 11:32 refers to 'the ethnarch (ἐθνάρχης) under Aretas the king' who controlled Damascus. Most translations transliterate this technical political title (Spanish 'etnarca', French 'ethnarque'), while German uses 'Statthalter' (governor/deputy). Classical usage shows ethnarchs ruled tribes or nations, and the title was applied to Jewish officials in Hellenistic contexts. Here it designates the Nabataean official governing Damascus under Aretas IV, who sought to arrest Paul. 1×
AR["والي"]·ben["শাসক"]·DE["Statthalter"]·EN["ethnarch"]·FR["ethnarque"]·heb["נְצִיב-הָ-עַם"]·HI["राज्यपाल-ने"]·ID["gubernur"]·IT["etnarca"]·jav["gubèrnur"]·KO["총독이"]·PT["governador"]·RU["этнарх"]·ES["etnarca"]·SW["liwali"]·TR["vali"]·urd["گورنر"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἐθν-άρχης, ου, ὁ, ruler of a tribe or nation, Ἄσανδρος ἀντὶ ἐθνάρχου βασιλεὺς ἀναγορευθεὶς βοσπόρου Refs 2nd c.AD+; sheikh, Refs; of Abraham, Refs 1st c.AD+ __2 title of Jewish official, LXX+4th c.BC+ __II adjective, ruling over nations, ἐ. θεοί Refs 4th c.AD+