Lexical Summary sagan: Deputy, Governor, Ruler, Official Original Word: סָגָן Strong's Exhaustive Concordance prince, ruler From an unused root meaning to superintend; a prefect of a province -- prince, ruler. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof foreign origin Definition a prefect, ruler NASB Translation officials (11), prefects (3), rulers (3). Brown-Driver-Briggs [סָגָן, סֶ֫גֶן] noun masculine prefect, ruler (loan-word from Assyrian šaknu, prefect of conquered city or province (√ šakânu, set, appoint DlHWB 659, compare SchrCOT Isaiah 41:25; apparently = Late Hebrew סָגָן, סֶגֶן, Aramaic סִגְנָא a superior (not high) priest; Mandean אשגאנדא WBrandtMand. Schriften 169 a candidate for priesthood; compare Jen in Brandtib.; hence perhaps Greek ζωγάνης, compare LewyFremdw. 129); — only plural סְגָנִים Ezekiel 23:6 14t.; suffix סְגָנֶיהָ Jeremiah 51:57 + Jeremiah 51:58 (where read probably סְגָנָיו ᵐ5 Gie); — 1 prefects of Assyr. and Babylonian Ezekiel 23:6,12,23; Jeremiah 51:23,57 (all + מַּחוֺת), Isaiah 41:25, of king of Medes Jeremiah 51:28 (+ מַּחוֺת). 2 petty rulers, officials of Judah (only Nehemiah Ezra in sources): distinguished from חֹרִים nobles Nehemiah 2:16; Nehemiah 4:8; Nehemiah 4:13; Nehemiah 5:7; Nehemiah 7:5; alone, Nehemiah 2:16; Nehemiah 12:40; Nehemiah 13:11; + יְהוּדִים Nehemiah 5:17 (see also Nehemiah 2:16); + שָׂרִים Ezra 9:2. compare Biblical Aramaic סְגַן. Topical Lexicon Definition and Scope of Office The Hebrew term סָגָן (sāgān) designates a high-ranking civic or military officer—an under-governor, deputy, or prefect—who stands between the supreme ruler and the populace. The office carries weight in taxation, corvée labor, military readiness, and judicial oversight. Scripture links the sagan to nobles, commanders, and elders, revealing a mediating role that spans local and imperial structures. Historical Background 1. Assyrian milieu Ezekiel depicts Samaria and Jerusalem enamored of Assyrian “governors and commanders” (Ezekiel 23:6, 12), dazzling cavalry officers whose political power and martial splendor drew Israel into idolatrous alliances. 2. Babylonian administration Jeremiah foresees Babylon’s collapse: “With you I shatter governor and official” (Jeremiah 51:23); “Prepare the nations… their governors and all their officials” (Jeremiah 51:28); “I will make her governors [and] officials drunk” (Jeremiah 51:57). The sagan here is a provincial chief who collects tribute and commands troops—yet none can withstand the Lord’s judgment. 3. Medo-Persian context Isaiah anticipates Cyrus trampling “rulers as mortar” (Isaiah 41:25), a vivid image of Persian satraps rendered as clay under God’s chosen instrument. 4. Post-exilic Judah Under Persian rule Judah gained limited self-governance. Nehemiah leads “the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people” (Nehemiah 4:19), and keeps detailed rolls of “nobles and officials” (Nehemiah 7:5). These saganim supervised wall construction, food distribution (Nehemiah 5:17), and temple maintenance (Nehemiah 13:11), showing how imperial titles became embedded in Jewish civic life. Role in the Reforms of Ezra and Nehemiah Ezra laments that “the hands of the officials and elders have been foremost in this unfaithfulness” of intermarriage (Ezra 9:2). Nehemiah “rebuked the officials” for usury (Nehemiah 5:7) and for neglecting Levites (Nehemiah 13:11). Yet the officials also rally when called: “Do not be afraid… fight for your brothers” (Nehemiah 4:14). Their cooperation helps finish the wall in fifty-two days (Nehemiah 6:15). The sagan thus serves as both a potential source of corruption and a vital agent of reform, depending on spiritual disposition. Prophetic Imagery of Judgment Jeremiah’s triple refrain against saganim highlights comprehensive doom; Ezekiel turns them into instruments of chastisement; Isaiah records God’s ease in crushing them. The sagan becomes a literary emblem of human authority dissolved by divine fiat. Ministry Implications • Accountability: High office does not confer immunity from covenant standards (Ezra 9:2; Nehemiah 13:11). Intertextual Connections The Septuagint renders sagan with ἡγεμών and ἄρχων, linking Old Testament officials to New Testament “governors” such as Pilate. Daniel’s Aramaic section uses the cognate sāgān for provincial administrators (Daniel 3:2), reinforcing continuity across empires and languages. Summary Sāgān describes a deputy whose authority is genuine yet derivative. Arrayed in Assyrian blue, seated in Babylonian palaces, or standing on Jerusalem’s wall, the sagan illustrates both the necessity of orderly government and the futility of power divorced from reverence for the Lord. God raises up such officials to accomplish His purposes and removes them when they exalt themselves. All who bear similar responsibility today are wise to remember that even the highest prefect is but clay in the Potter’s hand. Forms and Transliterations הַסְּגָנִ֔ים הַסְּגָנִ֖ים הַסְּגָנִ֛ים הַסְּגָנִים֙ הסגנים וְהַסְּגָנִ֗ים וְהַסְּגָנִ֜ים וְלַסְּגָנִ֗ים וּסְגָנִ֔ים וּסְגָנִ֤ים וּסְגָנִֽים׃ וּסְגָנִים֙ וּסְגָנֶ֙יהָ֙ והסגנים ולסגנים וסגניה וסגנים וסגנים׃ סְגָנִים֙ סְגָנֶ֑יהָ סגניה סגנים has·sə·ḡā·nîm hassegaNim hassəḡānîm sə·ḡā·ne·hā sə·ḡā·nîm səḡānehā segaNeiha segaNim səḡānîm ū·sə·ḡā·ne·hā ū·sə·ḡā·nîm ūsəḡānehā usegaNeiha usegaNim ūsəḡānîm vehassegaNim velassegaNim wə·has·sə·ḡā·nîm wə·las·sə·ḡā·nîm wəhassəḡānîm wəlassəḡānîmLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Ezra 9:2 HEB: וְיַ֧ד הַשָּׂרִ֣ים וְהַסְּגָנִ֗ים הָ֥יְתָ֛ה בַּמַּ֥עַל NAS: of the princes and the rulers have been KJV: of the princes and rulers hath been chief INT: the hands of the princes and the rulers have been unfaithfulness Nehemiah 2:16 Nehemiah 2:16 Nehemiah 4:14 Nehemiah 4:19 Nehemiah 5:7 Nehemiah 5:17 Nehemiah 7:5 Nehemiah 12:40 Nehemiah 13:11 Isaiah 41:25 Jeremiah 51:23 Jeremiah 51:28 Jeremiah 51:57 Ezekiel 23:6 Ezekiel 23:12 Ezekiel 23:23 17 Occurrences |
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