Lexical Summary gedaberayya: Gedaberayya Original Word: גְּדָבָר Strong's Exhaustive Concordance treasurer (Aramaic) corresponding to gizbar; a treasurer -- treasurer. see HEBREW gizbar NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origin(Aramaic) of uncertain derivation, perhaps corresponding to gizbar Definition perhaps treasurer NASB Translation treasurers (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs דְָֽבְרַיָּא noun masculine plural emphatic Daniel 3:2,3, dubious: most think "" form of [גַּזְבָּר] treasurer (or, MeyEntst. J. 23, textual error for ׳גז); Gr Bev and others read הַדָּֽבְרַיָּא ministers (Daniel 3:24); possibly (see Lag Dr and others) dittograph for following דְּתָֽבְרַיָּא. Topical Lexicon Meaning and Role The term designates high-ranking financial officers—“treasurers” or “finance ministers”—within the imperial bureaucracy. They superintended royal revenues, tax collection, and the allocation of state resources, acting as stewards of the monarch’s wealth and as guarantors of fiscal stability across the provinces. Historical Setting in Babylonian Administration Nebuchadnezzar’s empire spanned multiple peoples and languages, demanding a tiered civil service. Treasurers formed part of an eight-fold hierarchy of officials (Daniel 3:2-3), sitting between the king’s legal counselors and judicial authorities. Cuneiform archives from Neo-Babylonian and Achaemenid periods attest positions such as “rab-šaqu” (chief cup-bearer) and “ganzabaru” (treasurer), confirming Scripture’s picture of a sophisticated treasury apparatus entrusted with bullion, temple revenues, and military payrolls. Their presence at the dedication of the golden image underscores both the political gravity of the event and the enormous expenditure required for such idolatrous pageantry. Biblical Occurrences Daniel 3:2 “Then King Nebuchadnezzar summoned the satraps, prefects, governors, counselors, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the other officials of the provinces to come to the dedication of the statue he had set up.” Daniel 3:3 repeats the list as the officials assemble. In both verses the treasurers stand publicly aligned with an act of state idolatry, contrasting with the faithful resolve of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego recorded later in the chapter. Theological Themes and Ministry Principles 1. Stewardship versus Idolatry 2. Accountability of Public Officers 3. God’s Sovereignty over Empires Intertextual Connections • Joseph acted as royal treasurer-like steward in Egypt (Genesis 41:40), using wealth to preserve life, foreshadowing Christ who administers the treasures of grace (Ephesians 2:7). Practical Application for Today Believers entrusted with budgets, assets, or institutional authority must guard against the subtle shift from stewardship to self-service. Financial expertise is a gift to be laid before Christ, not an idol to be paraded before the world. Churches and ministries should cultivate transparent accounting (2 Corinthians 8:20-21), recognizing that faithful treasurers contribute to gospel advance, whereas compromised officers can facilitate spiritual regression. Summary Strong’s 1411 draws attention to a scarcely mentioned yet spiritually significant office. Positioned at a pivotal moment of confrontation between imperial idolatry and covenant fidelity, the treasurers in Daniel challenge every generation to use resources in service of the living God, lest wealth become fuel for false worship. Forms and Transliterations גְדָ֨בְרַיָּ֤א גְדָבְרַיָּא֩ גדבריא ḡə·ḏā·ḇə·ray·yā ḡəḏāḇərayyā geDaveraiYaLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Daniel 3:2 HEB: וּֽפַחֲוָתָ֡א אֲדַרְגָּזְרַיָּא֩ גְדָ֨בְרַיָּ֤א דְּתָבְרַיָּא֙ תִּפְתָּיֵ֔א NAS: the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, KJV: the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, INT: and the governors the counselors the treasurers the judges the magistrates Daniel 3:3 2 Occurrences |
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