H8614 H8614
magistrate, official; Aramaic title for a class of officials in Nebuchadnezzar's administration
This Aramaic loanword appears only in Daniel 3:2-3, in the long list of officials summoned to the dedication of Nebuchadnezzar's golden image. The exact meaning remains uncertain—even ancient versions struggled, with the Septuagint rendering it as 'huissier' (ushers) and other traditions suggesting 'magistrates' or 'judges.' Egyptian Aramaic papyri preserve the term in similar official contexts, confirming it as a genuine administrative title. The textual tradition shows both Ketiv (tiptaye') and Qere (tiptaye) readings.
Senses
1. sense 1 — As part of the sevenfold list of officials—satraps, prefects, governors, counselors, treasurers, magistrates, and provincial officials—this term designates a specific administrative rank in the Neo-Babylonian bureaucracy. The appearance in Egyptian Aramaic documents ('judges and magistrates and officials') confirms this was a recognized office across the Aramaic-speaking world. Modern translations generally settle on 'magistrates,' though the precise jurisdiction and function remain obscure. The uniform transliteration across languages reflects scholarly uncertainty about the exact role. 2×
AR["الْمُشِيرُونَ", "الْمُشِيرِينَ"]·ben["কর্মকর্তাদের", "কর্মকর্তারা"]·DE["[תפתיא]"]·EN["the-magistrates"]·FR["huissier"]·heb["טפתים"]·HI["न्यायाधीश", "न्यायाधीशों"]·ID["para-magistrat"]·IT["[תפתיא]"]·jav["para-juru-ukum"]·KO["치안판사들과"]·PT["magistrados"]·RU["чиновники", "чиновников"]·ES["los-magistrados"]·SW["majaji"]·TR["memurlar", "memurları"]·urd["قاضی", "قاضیوں-کو"]
Related Senses
G3588 1. definite article (18298×)H0853 1. definite direct object marker (10915×)G2532 1. (8312×)H3068 1. YHWH (the divine name) (6522×)H0834a 1. relative pronoun (who/which/that) (4839×)H3588a 1. causal: because, for (3498×)G1161 1. and (2806×)H3478 1. Israel (proper name and nation) (2507×)G4771 1. you (plural address) (1853×)H1931 1. personal pronoun he/she/it (1431×)G3739 1. relative pronoun who/which/that (1149×)H1732 1. David (proper name) (1075×)H2088 1. this, this one (demonstrative) (1059×)G1063 1. (1047×)G3778 1. this thing, these things (1003×)H???? 2. (1002×)G2424 1. (924×)G3754 1. that (content clause) (881×)H2009 1. presentative particle: behold, look (881×)H0589 1. I (first person singular pronoun) (874×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† תִּפְתָּיֵא Kt, -תָּאֵי Qr, n.m. pl. name of official Dn 3:2, 3 (so Egyptian Aramaic RÉS 361 B 4 דיניא תיפתיא וגושכיא; meaning unknown, conj. in Bev, Behrm, cf. Dr).