governor Summary and Overview

(1.) Heb. nagid, a prominent, conspicuous person, whatever his capacity: as, chief of the royal palace (2 Chr. 28:7; compare 1 Kings 4:6), chief of the temple (1 Chr. 9:11; Jer. 20:1), the leader of the Aaronites (1 Chr. 12:27), keeper of the sacred treasury (26:24), captain of the army (13:1), the king (1 Sam. 9:16), the Messiah (Dan. 9:25). (2.) Heb. nasi, raised; exalted. Used to denote the chiefs of families (Num. 3:24, 30, 32, 35); also of tribes (2:3; 7:2; 3:32). These dignities appear to have been elective, not hereditary. (3.) Heb. pakid, an officer or magistrate. It is used of the delegate of the high priest (2 Chr. 24:11), the Levites (Neh. 11:22), a military commander (2 Kings 25:19), Joseph's officers in Egypt (Gen. 41:34). (4.) Heb. shallit, one who has power, who rules (Gen. 42:6; Ezra 4:20; Eccl. 8:8; Dan. 2:15; 5:29). (5.) Heb. aluph, literally one put over a thousand, i.e., a clan or a subdivision of a tribe. Used of the "dukes" of Edom (Gen. 36), and of the Jewish chiefs (Zech. 9:7). (6.) Heb. moshel, one who rules, holds dominion. Used of many classes of rulers (Gen. 3:16; 24:2; 45:8; Ps. 105:20); of the Messiah (Micah 5:2); of God (1 Chr. 29:12; Ps. 103:19). (7.) Heb. sar, a ruler or chief; a word of very general use. It is used of the chief baker of Pharaoh (Gen. 40:16); of the chief butler (40:2, etc. See also Gen. 47:6; Ex. 1:11; Dan. 1:7; Judg. 10:18; 1 Kings 22:26; 20:15; 2 Kings 1:9; 2 Sam. 24:2). It is used also of angels, guardian angels (Dan. 10:13, 20, 21; 12:1; 10:13; 8:25). (8.) Pehah, whence "pasha", i.e., friend of the king; adjutant; governor of a province (2 Kings 18:24; Isa. 36:9; Jer. 51: 57; Ezek. 23:6, 23; Dan. 3:2; Esther 3: 12), or a perfect (Neh. 3:7; 5:14; Ezra 5:3; Hag. 1:1). This is a foreign word, Assyrian, which was early adopted into the Hebrew idiom (1 Kings 10:15). (9.) The Chaldean word "segan" is applied to the governors of the Babylonian satrapies (Dan. 3:2, 27; 6:7); the prefects over the Magi (2:48). The corresponding Hebrew word "segan" is used of provincial rulers (Jer. 51:23, 28, 57); also of chiefs and rulers of the people of Jerusalem (Ezra 9:2; Neh. 2:16; 4:14, 19; 5:7, 17; 7:5; 12:40). In the New Testament there are also different Greek words rendered thus. (1.) Meaning an ethnarch (2 Cor. 11:32), which was an office distinct from military command, with considerable latitude of application. (2.) The procurator of Judea under the Romans (Matt. 27:2). (Compare Luke 2:2, where the verb from which the Greek word so rendered is derived is used.) (3.) Steward (Gal. 4:2). (4.) Governor of the feast (John 2:9), who appears here to have been merely an intimate friend of the bridegroom, and to have presided at the marriage banquet in his stead. (5.) A director, i.e., helmsman; Lat. gubernator, (James 3:4).

In the Authorized Version this one English word is the representative of no less than ten Hebrew and four Greek words. 1. The chief of a tribe or family. 2. A ruler in his capacity of lawgiver and dispenser of justice. 3. A ruler consider especially as having power over the property and persons of his subjects. #Ge 24:2; Jos 12:2; Ps 100:20| The "governors of the people," in #2Ch 23:20| appear to have been the king's body-guard; cf. #2Ki 11:19| 4. A prominent personage, whatever his capacity. It is applied to a king as the military and civil chief of his people, #2Sa 5:2; 6:21; 1Ch 29:22| to the general of an army, #2Ch 32:21| and to the head of a tribe. #2Ch 19:11| It denotes an officer of high rank in the palace, the lord high chamberlain. #2Ch 28:7| It is applied in #1Ki 10:15| to the petty chieftains who were tributary to Solomon, #2Ch 9:14| to the military commander of the Syrians, #1Ki 20:24| the Assyrians, #2Ki 18:24; 23:8| the Chaldeans, #Jer 51:23| and the Medes. #Jer 51:38| Under the Persian viceroys, during the Babylonian captivity, the land of the Hebrews appears to have been portioned out among "governors" (pachoth) inferior in rank to the satraps, #Ezr 8:30| like the other provinces which were under the dominion of the Persian king. #Ne 2:7,9| It is impossible to determine the precise limits of their authority or the functions which they had to perform. It appears from #Ezr 6:8| that these governors were intrusted with the collection of the king's taxes; and from #Ne 5:18; 12:26| that they were supported by a contribution levied upon the people, which was technically termed "the bread of the governor" comp. #Ezr 4:14| They were probably assisted in discharging their official duties by A council. #Ezr 4:7; 6:6| The "governor" beyond the river had a judgment-seat beyond Jerusalem, from which probably he administered justice when making a progress through his province. #Ne 3:7| At the time of Christ Judea was a Roman province, governed by a procurator (governor) appointed by Rome.

GOVERNOR . Matt 27:2. After Judaea became a province of the Roman empire, governors or procurators were appointed and sent thither from Rome. This was the office held by Pontius Pilate at the time of our Saviour's crucifixion. Sometimes the word "governor" is used as a general title for a ruler or presiding officer. Gen 42:6. See Feast.