Lexical Summary tirgam: Translate, interpret Original Word: תִּרְגַּם Strong's Exhaustive Concordance interpret A denominative from ragam in the sense of throwing over; to transfer, i.e. Translate -- interpret. see HEBREW ragam NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originperhaps from ragam Definition to interpret, translate NASB Translation translated (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [תִּרְגֵּם] verb quadriliteral interpret, translate (Assyrian >targumânu, interpreter (so also Tel Amarna), perhaps from √ רגם, compare  , conjecture, opine WeReste Arab.Heid. 207, see also DlHWB 718 VollersZA xii. 138; Late Hebrew = Biblical Hebrew; Aramaic תַּרְגֵּם, , Arabic  ); — Passive participle מְתֻרְגָּם Ezekiel 4:7. — On Targum see WalkerHast. DB under the word תַּרְדֵּמָה see [רדם]. Topical Lexicon Occurrence and Literary Context The term appears once, in Ezra 4:7, describing the return-era letter that local adversaries sent to King Artaxerxes: “The letter was written in Aramaic and translated” (Ezra 4:7). Its single occurrence situates it within imperial bureaucracy during the early Persian period, when Jews who had begun rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem faced political resistance. The word signals that the complaint against them was not only penned in the imperial lingua franca but also rendered into a form intelligible to all levels of Persian administration. Semantic Range and Relation to “Targum” Though only attested here in the Hebrew Bible, the root underlies later Jewish usage of “Targum,” the Aramaic renderings of Scripture read in synagogue life. In Ezra the noun points to the act or product of translation, stressing accuracy and accessibility. Later tradition employed cognate forms for both the translated text and the interpreter who read it aloud, preserving the idea that Scripture must be clearly understood by its hearers. Historical Background Persian policy prized efficient communication across a vast, multilingual empire. Official memoranda were routinely presented in Aramaic, the chancery language, then recast for local archives or court proceedings. Ezra’s notation that the letter was “translated” highlights the administrative precision of the imperial system and underscores the seriousness of the opposition’s legal maneuver. It reminds readers that God’s people operated under real geopolitical pressures, yet God preserved the covenant community even when imperial paperwork was turned against them (Ezra 4:23–24; 6:1–12). Theological Significance of Translation The lone appearance of this word carries a theological weight disproportionate to its frequency: Patterns Within Scripture 1. Old Testament Precedent: The Levites “gave the sense” so that the people could grasp the Law (Nehemiah 8:8). Ministry Application • Translation is a divine mandate. Just as imperial policy required accurate rendering, the Great Commission demands that Scripture be conveyed faithfully into every language. Pastoral Reflection The brief mention of תִּרְגַּם in Ezra 4:7 is a quiet reminder that paperwork, politics, and language serve a sovereign purpose. God’s people need not fear bureaucratic hurdles or cultural barriers, for the Lord who oversaw a single hostile letter also ensures that every syllable of His own Word is preserved, proclaimed, and understood “to the ends of the earth” (Acts 13:47). Forms and Transliterations וּמְתֻרְגָּ֥ם ומתרגם ū·mə·ṯur·gām umeturGam ūməṯurgāmLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Ezra 4:7 HEB: כָּת֥וּב אֲרָמִ֖ית וּמְתֻרְגָּ֥ם אֲרָמִֽית׃ פ NAS: in Aramaic and translated [from] Aramaic. KJV: in the Syrian tongue, and interpreted in the Syrian tongue. INT: was written Aramaic and translated Aramaic 1 Occurrence |
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