H2171 H2171
Singers (Aramaic); temple musicians exempt from taxation (Ezra 7:24)
This Aramaic plural noun appears in Ezra 7:24, where King Artaxerxes exempts temple singers from Persian taxation. Along with priests, Levites, and other temple servants, 'singers' were protected to ensure worship continuity in the restored Jerusalem temple. The term emphasizes their professional role—these weren't occasional worshipers but dedicated musicians whose service was valued enough to receive royal economic protection. Music was essential, not peripheral, to proper temple worship.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Professional temple singers in Ezra 7:24, exempted from Persian taxation by royal decree. Listed alongside priests and Levites, these musicians held official religious roles. The multilingual bracketing indicates technical religious terminology. Their tax exemption demonstrates Persian imperial support for maintaining authentic Judean worship, recognizing music as integral to temple function, not mere embellishment. 1×
AR["المُغَنُّون"]·ben["গায়কদের"]·DE["[זמריא]"]·EN["singers"]·FR["[זמריא]"]·heb["זמריא"]·HI["गवैयों"]·ID["para-penyanyi"]·IT["[זמריא]"]·jav["para-juru-kidung"]·KO["노래하는자들"]·PT["cantores"]·RU["певцов"]·ES["cantores"]·SW["waimbaji"]·TR["sarkilar"]·urd["گانے-والوں"]
Related Senses
H0559 1. say, speak, tell (5297×)G3004 1. say, tell, speak (2226×)H1696 1. speak, say, tell (Piel) (1105×)H7121 1. call, summon, name (575×)H6680 1. command, order, charge (483×)H6030b 1. answer, respond, reply (289×)G2980 1. speak, talk (277×)H5046 1. Hifil: to tell, report (237×)G0611 1. answer or respond verbally (232×)H1288 1. Piel: bless, invoke blessing (227×)H7650 1. swear, take an oath (Niphal) (154×)H3789 1. Qal passive participle: written, recorded (112×)H1984b 1. praise, laud (Piel) (111×)H7592 1. ask, inquire, question (96×)H3034 1. give thanks, praise (Hifil) (94×)G1321 1. teach, instruct actively (92×)H3789 2. Qal active: write, compose (89×)G1125 1. to write, compose (a letter or document) (84×)H5046 2. Hifil: to declare, proclaim (79×)H7892a 1. song, musical composition (78×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [זַמָּר K§ 59 d)] n.m. singer;—pl. emph. זַמָּרַיָּא Ezr 7:24.