4479. man
Lexical Summary
man: what, who, whoever

Original Word: מָן
Part of Speech: interrogative pronoun
Transliteration: man
Pronunciation: mahn
Phonetic Spelling: (mawn)
KJV: what, who(-msoever, + -so)
NASB: what, who, whoever
Word Origin: [(Aramaic) from H410 (אֵל - God)1]

1. who or what (properly, interrogatively, hence, also indefinitely and relatively)

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
what, whomsoever,

(Aramaic) from mah; who or what (properly, interrogatively, hence, also indefinitely and relatively) -- what, who(-msoever, + -so).

see HEBREW mah

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
(Aramaic) corresponding to man
Definition
who?
NASB Translation
what (2), who (2), whoever (2), whom* (1), whomever* (3).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
מַן (so Gi, with most MSS., supported by Syriac , Arabic ; see K§ 22, 1), מָן (Baer: see on Daniel 3:6),

interrogative pronoun who? (Old Aramaic, Nabataean, Palmyrene מן Lzb312 Cooke188), ᵑ7 מן, Syriac , Ethiopic Arabic WCG 123: Biblical Hebrew מִי); —

1 who? Ezra 5:3,9; strengthened by הוּא, Daniel 3:15 וּמַןהֿוּא אֱלָהּ דִּי who is the God who . . . ? (compare Syriac contracted from , and מַנּוּ in the Syriacizing ᵑ7 to Proverbs: also Biblical Hebrew מִי הוּא, הוּא 4b β); so in the plural Ezra 5:4 מִןאִֿנוּן שְׁמָהָת what (literally who: compare מִי 1a, and Genesis 32:28; Exodus 3:13 ᵑ7) are the names of . . .?

2 מַןדּֿי whosoever (literally who is there that . . .? see Biblical Hebrew מִי

g) Daniel 3:6,11 מִןדִּֿי לָא יִמֵּל, Daniel 4:14 וּלְמִן דִּי יִצְבֵּא יִתְּנִנַּהּ to whomsoever he willeth, he giveth it, Daniel 4:22; Daniel 4:29; Daniel 5:21 (so Nabataean מן די, Cooke241, 325 ff.; ᵑ7 מַן דְּ; Syriac ; compare Egyptian Aramaic S-CPap. K 7, 12 ולמן זי צבית תנתן).

Topical Lexicon
Definition and Linguistic Range

מָן is the Aramaic interrogative or indefinite pronoun “who/whom/whoever.” Its biblical usage presses the question of personal identity, responsibility, and ultimate authority.

Biblical Occurrences

1. Ezra 5:3–4, 9 – Persian officials demand, “Who gave you a decree to rebuild this temple and restore this structure?”
2. Daniel 3:5, 10, 15 – Nebuchadnezzar decrees that “whoever does not fall down and worship” the statue will be cast into the furnace.
3. Daniel 4:17, 25, 32 – Heaven’s decree stands “so that the living may know that the Most High rules over the kingdom of men and gives it to whom He wishes.”
4. Daniel 5:21 – Belshazzar is reminded that Nebuchadnezzar “was given the kingdom, greatness, glory, and honor, and whomever he wished, he exalted.”

Historical Context

Ezra 5 records opposition faced by post-exilic builders under Persian oversight. Daniel narrates life in Babylonian and Medo-Persian courts. In both settings kings and governors wield vast earthly power, yet the narrative vocabulary repeatedly raises the piercing question “Who?” to reveal where final authority rests.

Theological Emphases

1. Divine Sovereignty – Daniel 4:17 establishes that “the Most High rules over the kingdom of men.” The interrogative “whom” underscores that God alone decides recipients of kingship.
2. Human Accountability – The pronoun in Ezra 5:3 challenges the builders’ authorization, pointing to the need for legitimate commission—a theme satisfied when the decree of King Cyrus is located (Ezra 6:3-5).
3. Worship and Allegiance – Daniel 3 employs “whoever” to draw a line between compulsory idolatry and faithful obedience to God, highlighting the courage of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

Practical Ministry Insights

• Calling and Authority: Ministry endeavors must flow from a clear divine commission, answering the “Who sent you?” raised in Ezra 5.
• Discipleship under Pressure: The “whoever” clauses in Daniel 3 equip believers to stand firm when civil decrees conflict with God’s commands.
• Teaching God’s Sovereignty: Daniel 4 turns the question of “who” from human rulers to the Most High, encouraging humble dependence in leadership.

Christological and New Covenant Connections

The pattern of questioning human authority finds fulfillment in Jesus Christ, who, when challenged, declared, “I do nothing of My own authority” (compare John 8:28). He embodies the ultimate answer to “Who rules?” and “Who saves?”—themes anticipated in the Aramaic מָן passages.

Key Passages for Study and Teaching

Ezra 5:3–5 – Authority tested and validated.
Daniel 3:15–18 – “Who is the god who can deliver you out of my hands?” answered by miraculous preservation.
Daniel 4:17 – Foundational statement on divine kingship.

Summary

Through ten strategically placed occurrences, מָן frames life’s fundamental query: Who really holds authority? The response, woven through Ezra and Daniel, exalts the sovereign Lord who commissions His people, governs nations, and delivers the faithful.

Forms and Transliterations
וּלְמַן־ וּמַן־ ולמן־ ומן־ מַן־ מן־ man man- ū·lə·man- ū·man- uleman ūləman- uman ūman-
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Englishman's Concordance
Ezra 5:3
HEB: אָמְרִ֣ין לְהֹ֔ם מַן־ שָׂ֨ם לְכֹ֜ם
NAS: to them thus, Who issued
KJV: unto them, Who hath commanded
INT: thus and spoke Who issued A decree

Ezra 5:4
HEB: אֲמַ֣רְנָא לְּהֹ֑ם מַן־ אִנּוּן֙ שְׁמָהָ֣ת
NAS: them accordingly what the names
KJV: we unto them after this manner, What are
INT: accordingly told what are the names

Ezra 5:9
HEB: אֲמַ֣רְנָא לְּהֹ֑ם מַן־ שָׂ֨ם לְכֹ֜ם
NAS: to them thus, 'Who issued
KJV: unto them thus, Who commanded
INT: thus and said Who issued A decree

Daniel 3:5
HEB: נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּ֥ר מַלְכָּֽא׃ וּמַן־ דִּי־
INT: Nebuchadnezzar the king what forasmuch

Daniel 3:10
HEB: לְצֶ֥לֶם דַּהֲבָֽא׃ וּמַן־ דִּי־
INT: image the golden what who

Daniel 3:15
HEB: נוּרָ֖א יָקִֽדְתָּ֑א וּמַן־ ה֣וּא אֱלָ֔הּ
NAS: fire; and what god
KJV: furnace; and who [is] that God
INT: fire of blazing and what it god

Daniel 4:17
HEB: (אֲנָשָׁ֗א ק) וּלְמַן־ דִּ֤י יִצְבֵּא֙
KJV: and giveth it to whomsoever he will,
INT: the realm of mankind to whomsoever forasmuch wishes

Daniel 4:25
HEB: בְּמַלְכ֣וּת אֲנָשָׁ֔א וּלְמַן־ דִּ֥י יִצְבֵּ֖א
NAS: and bestows it on whomever He wishes.
KJV: and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
INT: the realm of mankind to whomsoever forasmuch wishes

Daniel 4:32
HEB: בְּמַלְכ֣וּת אֲנָשָׁ֔א וּלְמַן־ דִּ֥י יִצְבֵּ֖א
NAS: and bestows it on whomever He wishes.'
KJV: and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
INT: the realm of mankind to whomsoever forasmuch will

Daniel 5:21
HEB: בְּמַלְכ֣וּת אֲנָשָׁ֔א וּלְמַן־ דִּ֥י יִצְבֵּ֖ה
NAS: over it whomever He wishes.
KJV: over it whomsoever he will.
INT: the realm of mankind whomsoever forasmuch wishes

10 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 4479
10 Occurrences


man- — 3 Occ.
ū·lə·man- — 4 Occ.
ū·man- — 3 Occ.

4478b
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