104. iggerah

Lexicon

iggerah: Letter, Epistle

Original Word: אִגְּרָא
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: iggra'
Pronunciation: ig-geh-rah
Phonetic Spelling: (ig-er-aw')
Definition: Letter, Epistle
Meaning: an epistle

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

letter

(Aramaic) of Persian origin; an epistle (as carried by a state courier or postman) -- letter.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
(Aramaic) corresponding to iggereth
Definition
a letter
NASB Translation
letter (3).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

אִגְּרָה (K^{§ 50, 3}) noun feminine letter-missive (late Biblical Hebrew אִנָּ֫רֶת, Old Aramaic אנרת, Palmyrene אגרתא Lzb²⁰⁷); — absolute ׳א Ezra 4:8 (van d. H. רָא-); emphatic אִגַּרְתָּא Ezra 4:11; Ezra 5:6.

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from the Aramaic root אגר, which is related to the concept of gathering or collecting, often used in the context of writing or documentation.

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • G1992 (ἐπιστολή, epistolē): This Greek term is used in the New Testament to refer to letters or epistles, similar to the Aramaic אִגְּרָא. It appears in contexts such as the epistles of Paul and other apostolic letters.
• G29 (ἄγγελος, angelos): While primarily meaning "messenger" or "angel," this term can also relate to the concept of delivering messages, akin to the function of an epistle as a bearer of communication.

The use of אִגְּרָא in the biblical text underscores the significance of written documents in conveying authority and instruction, reflecting the broader cultural and historical practices of the ancient Near East.

Usage: The term אִגְּרָא appears in the context of official or formal correspondence, particularly in the Aramaic sections of the Old Testament. It is used to describe letters or written decrees, often from a king or official.

Context: The term אִגְּרָא is found in the Aramaic portions of the Old Testament, specifically in the books of Ezra and Daniel. In Ezra, it is used to describe letters sent by Persian officials concerning the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem. For example, in Ezra 4:11, the term is used to refer to a letter sent to King Artaxerxes: "This is the copy of the letter that they sent to him: 'To King Artaxerxes, From your servants, the men of Trans-Euphrates.'" The use of אִגְּרָא in these contexts highlights the importance of written communication in the administration and governance of the Persian Empire. In Daniel, the term is used in a similar context, emphasizing the role of written decrees in the narrative.

Forms and Transliterations

אִ֠גַּרְתָּא אִגְּרָ֥ה אִגַּרְתָּ֔א אגרה אגרתא ’ig·gar·tā ’ig·gə·rāh ’iggartā ’iggərāh iggarTa iggeRah

Englishman's Concordance

Ezra 4:8
HEB: סָֽפְרָ֔א כְּתַ֛בוּ אִגְּרָ֥ה חֲדָ֖ה עַל־
NAS: wrote a letter against
KJV: wrote a letter against Jerusalem
INT: the scribe wrote A letter a against

Ezra 4:11
HEB: דְּנָה֙ פַּרְשֶׁ֣גֶן אִגַּרְתָּ֔א דִּ֚י שְׁלַ֣חוּ
NAS: is the copy of the letter which
KJV: [is] the copy of the letter that
INT: this is the copy of the letter which sent

Ezra 5:6
HEB: פַּרְשֶׁ֣גֶן אִ֠גַּרְתָּא דִּֽי־ שְׁלַ֞ח
NAS: [This is] the copy of the letter which
KJV: The copy of the letter that Tatnai,
INT: the copy of the letter which sent

3 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 104
3 Occurrences

’ig·gar·tā — 2 Occ.
’ig·gə·rāh — 1 Occ.