H8323 H8323
Rule, act as prince; denominative from sar, to exercise authority, govern, or lord it over others.
A denominative verb built on sar ('prince, ruler'), expressing the activity of princely rule and governance. The Hitpael stem in Numbers 16:13 carries a pejorative tone -- Korah's faction accuses Moses of 'lording it over' them, playing the prince. By contrast, Isaiah 32:1 and Proverbs 8:16 use the Qal to describe righteous and legitimate governance. The semantic range thus stretches from proper authority to overreach. Spanish gobernarán (they will govern) versus enseñoreando (lording it) mirrors this tension between legitimate rule and domineering pretension. Esther 1:22 extends the concept to domestic headship.
Senses
1. rule, act as prince — To exercise princely authority, govern, or domineer, depending on stem and context. In Isaiah 32:1, princes 'rule' justly in parallel with a righteous king -- legitimate governance. In Numbers 16:13, the Hitpael with infinitive absolute intensifies into an accusation of tyrannical overreach: 'you keep playing the prince over us.' Proverbs 8:16 places it in Wisdom's mouth, affirming that rulers govern by her counsel. Esther 1:22 applies it to household authority. The German and French glosses show difficulty rendering the nuance, while Spanish gobernarán versus enseñoreando neatly captures the legitimate-to-overreaching spectrum. 6×
AR["أَقاموا-رُؤَساءَ", "تَتَسَلَّطُ", "تَسَلُّطًا", "سَيِّدًا", "يَتَرَأَّسُونَ", "يَحْكُمُونَ"]·ben["অধ্যক্ষ-নিযুক্ত-করেছে", "কর্তা", "তারা-শাসন-করবে", "তুমি-রাজা-হও", "রাজত্ব-করতে", "শাসন-করে"]·DE["[ישרו]", "[שרר]", "der-singt", "du-herr-es", "lording-es"]·EN["lording-it", "made-princes", "rule", "ruling", "they-shall-rule", "you-lord-it"]·FR["[ישרו]", "[שרר]", "lording-cela", "régner", "tu-seigneur-cela", "ישרו"]·heb["השירו", "השתרר", "ישורו", "שרר", "תשתרר"]·HI["तू-राजा-बनता-है", "राजा-बनता-है", "वे-शासन-करेंगे", "शासन-करते-हैं", "सरदार-ठहराए", "स्वामी-हो"]·ID["berkuasa", "engkau-mau-menjadi-tuan", "memimpin", "mengangkat-pemimpin", "menjadi-tuan"]·IT["[השירו]", "[ישרו]", "[שרר]", "lording-esso", "rule", "tu-signore-esso"]·jav["dados-pangarsaning", "mimpin", "mrentah", "panguwasa", "panjenengan-dados-pangarsaning", "sami-ngangkat-panggedhé"]·KO["너가-다스리는가", "다스리기를", "다스리는-자라", "다스린다", "다스릴-것이다", "장관을-세웠으나"]·PT["dominando", "dominas", "fizeram-príncipes", "governam", "governando", "governarão"]·RU["будут-управлять", "властвуешь", "властвуя", "господином", "поставляли-князей", "управляют,"]·ES["enseñoreando?", "establecieron-príncipes", "gobernarán", "gobiernan", "señor", "te-enseñoreas"]·SW["kama-lugha", "kujifanya-mkuu", "unajifanya-mkuu", "waliweka-wakuu", "wanatawala", "watatawala"]·TR["efendi", "egemenlik-ederek", "egemenlik-ediyorsun", "yonetecekler", "yönetir", "önder-yaptılar"]·urd["بنایا-سردار", "تو-حکمرانی-کرنے-لگا", "حاکم", "حکمرانی-کرنا", "حکومت-کرتے-ہیں", "حکومت-کریں-گے"]
Related Senses
G2962 1. Lord (divine title) (661×)H0136 1. Lord (divine title) (440×)H0113 1. lord, human superior (249×)G1849 1. authority, power (91×)H6485a 2. Qal: punish, bring judgment (63×)H8198 1. maidservant, female slave (63×)G2962 2. master, lord (human authority) (61×)H0034 1. needy, poor, destitute (61×)H0519 1. female servant, maidservant (56×)H6041 1. poor, needy person (55×)H0113 2. master, owner of servants (49×)H4910 1. Qal: to have dominion, exercise power over (44×)H1800 1. poor, needy (socioeconomic) (38×)H3515 1. heavy, severe, grievous (36×)G4434 1. (34×)G5092 1. honor, esteem, respect (33×)H6485a 4. Qal: visit, attend to, care for (32×)H3513 1. honor / show respect (Piel) (30×)H4910 2. Qal: to rule, govern (administrative authority) (27×)H4513 1. withhold, restrain, hold back (25×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [שָׂרַר] vb. denom. (Gerber20) be, or act as, prince, rule;— Qal Impf. 3 ms. וַיָּ֫שַׂר עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל Ju 9:22 Abim. ruled over Isr. three years; 3 mpl. שָׂרִים … יָשׂ֑רוּ Is 32:1 princes shall govern (prince it) justly (‖ יִמְלָךְ־מֶלֶךְ), cf. Pr 8:16; Pt. לִהְיוֹת … שֹׂרֵר Est 1:22 that every man should bear rule בְּבֵיתוֹ. Hithp. Impf., 2 ms. + Inf. abs. כִּי־תִשְׂתָּרֵר עָלֵינוּ…