tirshatha Summary and Overview

a word probably of Persian origin, meaning "severity," denoting a high civil dignity. The Persian governor of Judea is so called (Ezra 2:63; Neh. 7:65, 70). Nehemiah is called by this name in Neh. 8:9; 10:1, and the "governor" (pehah) in 5:18. Probably, therefore, tirshatha=pehah=the modern pasha.

(always written with the article), the title of the governor of Judea under the Persians, perhaps derived from a Persian root signifying stern, severe, is added as a title after the name of Nehemiah, #Ne 8:9; 10:1| and occurs also in three other places. In the margin of the Authorized Version #Ezr 2:63; Ne 7:65; 10:1| it is rendered "governor."

TIR'SHATHA , THE (lord of the province), the title of the Persian governors. Ezr 2:63; Neh 7:65, Neh 7:70; Rom 8:9; Dan 10:1.

The official title of the Persian governor of Judaea (Ezra 2:63; Nehemiah 7:65; Nehemiah 7:70); applied to Nehemiah (Nehemiah 8:9; Nehemiah 10:1); also to Zerubbabel (Ezra 2:63). From a Persian root, "his severity." Like the German title of consuls of free and imperial cities, gestrenger herr. So "our most dread sovereign." Pecheh (our pasha) is the title of Nehemiah in Nehemiah 12:26; Haggai 1:1; Haggai 2:2; Ezra 5:3; implying governor of a province less than a satrapy.