1871. darkemon or adarkon

Lexical Summary

darkemon or adarkon: Drachma, Daric

Original Word: דַּרְכְּמוֹן
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: darkmown
Pronunciation: dar-keh-MONE or a-dar-KONE
Phonetic Spelling: (dar-kem-one')
KJV: dram
NASB: drachmas
Word Origin: [of Pers. origin]

1. a "drachma," or coin

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

dram

Of Pers. Origin; a "drachma," or coin -- dram.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
of foreign origin
Definition
(a unit of value), perhaps a drachma
NASB Translation
drachmas (4).

Topical Lexicon

Definition and Scope

דַּרְכְּמוֹן designates a gold coin, most often rendered “daric” in English translations. It appears exclusively in the lists of free-will offerings given for the rebuilding of the Temple after the Babylonian exile.

Biblical Setting and Usage

1. Ezra 2:69 – “According to their ability, they contributed to the treasury for the work: 61,000 darics of gold, 5,000 minas of silver, and 100 priestly garments.”
2. Nehemiah 7:70 – “Some of the heads of the families gave to the project. The governor gave to the treasury 1,000 darics of gold, 50 bowls, and 530 priestly garments.”
3. Nehemiah 7:71 – “Some of the heads of the families gave to the treasury for the project 20,000 darics of gold and 2,200 minas of silver.”
4. Nehemiah 7:72 – “The rest of the people gave 20,000 darics of gold, 2,000 minas of silver, and 67 priestly garments.”

Across all four occurrences, דַּרְכְּמוֹן is tied to voluntary gifts rather than taxation or tribute. The offering is connected to both community leaders and ordinary returnees, underscoring a shared commitment to worship restoration.

Historical and Economic Background

• Origin. The daric was a Persian imperial coin introduced under Darius I (circa 522 – 486 B.C.). Minted in nearly pure gold and weighing about 8.4 grams, it became the standard gold currency throughout the Achaemenid Empire.
• Purchasing Power. Contemporary records suggest one daric equated to several months’ wages for a laborer. The totals listed in Ezra and Nehemiah therefore represent a vast sum, revealing God’s provision through an impoverished remnant.
• Chronological Placement. The gifts were collected roughly 538–432 B.C., spanning the first return under Zerubbabel to the governorship of Nehemiah. Their inclusion in the narrative highlights continuity in generosity across successive generations.

Spiritual and Theological Themes

1. Voluntary Stewardship. The phrase “according to their ability” (Ezra 2:69) echoes the principle articulated in Exodus 35:21, where every heart “whose spirit moved him” supplied materials for the Tabernacle.
2. Corporate Unity. Both leaders and laypeople participate (Nehemiah 7:70–72), illustrating the body’s diverse yet complementary roles in advancing God’s house (compare 1 Corinthians 12:4–7).
3. Sacrificial Giving as Worship. Gold symbolizes purity and glory (Exodus 25:11; Revelation 21:18). By surrendering precious metal, the returnees declare that God’s glory outweighs personal security.
4. Covenant Renewal. The daric gifts affirm Israel’s covenant identity upon re-entering the land. Material generosity accompanies spiritual reforms (Nehemiah 8–10), portraying holistic obedience.

Lessons for Personal and Corporate Ministry

• God often funds His work through the willing offerings of His people rather than extraordinary miracles, fostering dependence and participation.
• Giving “according to ability” guards against both presumption and neglect. The affluent governor (Nehemiah 7:70) and the ordinary populace (Nehemiah 7:72) share the burden proportionally.
• Transparent record-keeping (specific amounts and recipients) models accountability for modern ministry finances.
• The post-exilic daric offerings prefigure New Testament exhortations: “Each one should give what he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7).
• By investing treasure in the worship of God rather than Persian or Jewish self-interest, the community exhibits the principle later expressed by Jesus: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21).

Summary

דַּרְכְּמוֹן encapsulates more than a monetary unit; it represents the restored community’s wholehearted devotion. Though few in number and recently returned from exile, they prioritized the rebuilding of the Temple, thereby aligning their economic resources with divine purposes. Their example continues to challenge believers to leverage material blessings for the advancement of God’s kingdom.

Forms and Transliterations

דַּרְכְּמֹנִ֥ים דַּרְכְּמוֹנִ֖ים דַּרְכְּמוֹנִים֙ דרכמונים דרכמנים dar·kə·mō·nîm dar·kə·mō·w·nîm darkemoNim darkəmōnîm darkəmōwnîm

Englishman's Concordance

Ezra 2:69
HEB: הַמְּלָאכָה֒ זָהָ֗ב דַּרְכְּמוֹנִים֙ שֵׁשׁ־ רִבֹּ֣אות
NAS: 61000gold drachmas and 5,000 silver
KJV: and one thousand drams of gold,
INT: of the work of gold drams six myriad

Nehemiah 7:70
HEB: לָאוֹצָ֗ר זָהָ֞ב דַּרְכְּמֹנִ֥ים אֶ֙לֶף֙ מִזְרָק֣וֹת
NAS: 1000gold drachmas, 50 basins,
KJV: a thousand drams of gold,
INT: to the treasure of gold drams A thousand basons

Nehemiah 7:71
HEB: הַמְּלָאכָ֔ה זָהָ֕ב דַּרְכְּמוֹנִ֖ים שְׁתֵּ֣י רִבּ֑וֹת
NAS: 20000gold drachmas and 2,200 silver
KJV: thousand drams of gold,
INT: of the work of gold drams twenty thousand

Nehemiah 7:72
HEB: הָעָם֒ זָהָ֗ב דַּרְכְּמוֹנִים֙ שְׁתֵּ֣י רִבּ֔וֹא
NAS: gold drachmas and 2,000
KJV: thousand drams of gold,
INT: of the people of gold drams twenty thousand

4 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 1871
4 Occurrences

dar·kə·mō·w·nîm — 4 Occ.