H5633a H5633a
Seren — lord, tyrant; the distinctive title for each of the five Philistine city-state rulers
A loanword into Hebrew — likely from a pre-Semitic Aegean or Anatolian language — used exclusively for the rulers of the five Philistine city-states: Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Ekron, and Gath. Unlike the broader Hebrew terms for 'king' or 'prince,' seren is a technical political title reserved for Philistine governance, appearing only in the plural. The word may be cognate with Greek tyrannos. These lords act collectively in key narratives: negotiating with Delilah against Samson (Judg 16), returning the captured ark (1 Sam 5-6), and rejecting David's service (1 Chr 12:20).
Senses
1. lord, ruler (Philistine title) — The distinctive title for each of the five Philistine city-state rulers, always appearing in the plural (seranim). Used exclusively of Philistine political leadership in Joshua 13:3, Judges 3:3 and 16:5-30, 1 Samuel 5-7 and 29, and 1 Chronicles 12:20. The term functions as a loanword restricted to this one political context, never applied to Israelite or other rulers. Spanish 'príncipes,' German 'Herren,' and English 'lords' all approximate the sense of sovereign authority, though none captures the specifically Philistine connotation of the original. 21×
AR["أَقْطَابُ-","أَقْطَابِ","أَقْطَابِ-","أُمَراءِ","أُمَرَاءُ","أُمَرَاءِ","الأُمَراءِ","الـ-أَقْطَابِ","الْأُمَرَاءِ-الـ","رُؤَساءِ","لِ-أُمَرَاءِ","وَ-أَقْطَابُ","وَ-أُمَرَاءُ","وَ-لِـ-أَقْطَابِكُم","وَأُمَراءُ"]·ben["অধিপতিদের","এবং-অধিপতিরা","এবং-তোমাদের-সর্দারদের-জন্য","এবং-শাসকরা","এবং-সর্দারেরা","শাসকদের","শাসকরা","শাসকেরা","শাসনকর্তা","সর্দার-","সর্দারদের","সর্দারের","সর্দারেরা-"]·DE["-der-herren-von","Herren-von","der-herren","der-lords","lords-von","lords-von-","und-Herren-von","und-lords-von","und-zu-dein-lords","zu-Herren-von"]·EN["-the-lords-of","and-lords-of","and-to-your-lords","lords-of","lords-of-","the-lords","to-lords-of"]·FR["-le-lords-de","et-lords-de","et-à-ton-lords","le-lords","lords-de","lords-de-","à-lords-de"]·heb["ה-סרנים","ו-ל-סרניכם","ו-סרני","ל-סרני","סרני"]·HI["और-सरदअर","और-सरदार","और-सरदारों-तुम्हारे-के-लिए","और-सरदारोंने","सरदअरोन-कि","सरदार","सरदारों","सरदारों-के","सरदारों-को","सरदारोंने"]·ID["Dan-para-penguasa","Dan-raja-raja","dan-atas-raja-rajamu","dan-raja-raja","para-penguasa","raja","raja-raja","raja-raja-"]·IT["-il-lords-di","a-lords-di","e-a-tuo-signori","e-lords-di","e-signori-di","il-lords","il-signori","lords-di","signori-di","signori-di-"]·jav["Lan-para-pangageng","dhateng-para-pangageng","lan-kangge-para-pangageng-panjenengan","lan-para-pangageng","pangageng","para-pangageng","para-pangageng-","para-pangeran"]·KO["그-대장들의","그-방백들의","그-추장들","그리고-너희의-방백들에게","그리고-대장들이","그리고-방백들이","그리고-추장들이","대장들의","방백들","방백들을","방백들의","방백들이","에게-추장들","의-통치자들","추장들이","추장들이었다"]·PT["E-líderes-de","E-príncipes-de","aos-líderes-de","e-aos-príncipes-vossos","e-príncipes-de","líderes-de","os-líderes","os-príncipes","príncipes-de","príncipes-de-","senhores-de"]·RU["И-князья","владык","властителей","властителей-","и-властители","и-князья","и-на-властителей-ваших","князей","князья","князья-"]·ES["Y-los-príncipes-de","a-los-príncipes-de","gobernantes","gobernantes-de","los-príncipes","los-príncipes-de","príncipes-de","señores-de","y-gobernantes-de","y-para-vuestros-gobernantes"]·SW["Na-wakuu","na-kwa-wakuu-wenu","na-wakuu","na-wakuu-wa","wa-wakuu","wakuu","wakuu-wa","wakuu-wa-","watawala-wa"]·TR["-beylerin","-e-beyleri","Ve-beyleri","beyleri","beyleri-","beylerin","beylerini","beylerinin","ve-beyleri","ve-beylerinize"]·urd["اور-تمہارے-سرداروں-پر","اور-سردار","سردار","سرداروں","سرداروں-نے","سرداروں-کو","سرداروں-کے"]
Josh 13:3, Judg 3:3, Judg 16:5, Judg 16:8, Judg 16:18, Judg 16:18, Judg 16:23, Judg 16:27, Judg 16:30, 1 Sam 5:8, 1 Sam 5:11, 1 Sam 6:4 (+9 more)
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
I. [סֶ֫רֶן21] n.m. tyrant, lord (Philist. loan-word);—pl. abs. הַסְּרָנִים Ju 16:30 + 2 times; cstr. סַרְנֵי Ju 3:3 + 16 times; sf. סַרְנֵיכֶם 1 S 6:4;—only of tyrants, lords of the Philistines, five in no. Ju 3:3 Jos 13:3 (D), 1 S 6:16, 18 cf. v 4, i.e. appar., one ruling each of the five cities (named 1 S 6:17); without the numeral Ju 16:5 + 6 times Ju 16, 1 S 5:8 + 7 times 1 S, + 1 Ch 12:20 (Baer Ginsb; v 19 van d. H.).