5406. nishtevan

Lexicon

nishtevan: Letter, document, decree

Original Word: נִשְׁתְּוָן
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: nishtvan
Pronunciation: nish-teh-VAHN
Phonetic Spelling: (nish-tev-awn')
Definition: Letter, document, decree
Meaning: an epistle

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

letter

Probably of Persian origin; an epistle -- letter.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
of foreign origin
Definition
a letter
NASB Translation
decree (1), letter (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

נִשְׁתְּוָן noun [masculine] letter (usually derived from Persian , i.e. writing, Hoffm^{ZA ii (1887), 52} yet compare Meyer^{Judenthum 22}); — absolute ׳נ Ezra 4:7; Ezra 7:11.

נתב (√ of following; Arabic swell forth, become prominent, protuberant, Lane²⁷⁶⁰).

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from Persian origin.

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • G1297 (διάταγμα, diatagma): This Greek term is used in the New Testament to refer to a decree or ordinance. It shares a similar context with נִשְׁתְּוָן in that it denotes an official or authoritative command, often with legal implications. The use of such terms in both Hebrew and Greek scriptures emphasizes the continuity of legal and administrative practices across different cultures and time periods within the biblical narrative.

Usage: The term נִשְׁתְּוָן is used in the context of official documents or letters, particularly those issued by a governing authority. It appears in the context of decrees or communications that have legal or formal significance.

Context: • נִשְׁתְּוָן (nishtəwān) is a term found in the Hebrew Bible, specifically in the book of Ezra. It refers to a formal written document, often a decree or letter, issued by a ruling authority. The use of this term highlights the administrative and bureaucratic processes of the Persian Empire, under which the events of Ezra take place.
• In Ezra 4:7, the term is used to describe a letter written to King Artaxerxes concerning the rebuilding of Jerusalem. The passage reads: "And in the days of Artaxerxes, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his associates wrote a letter to Artaxerxes. The letter was written in Aramaic and then translated." (BSB)
• The use of נִשְׁתְּוָן underscores the formal nature of the communication and the importance of written records in the administration of the Persian Empire. It reflects the historical context in which the Jewish people were subject to the decrees of foreign rulers and highlights the significance of written documentation in the governance and legal proceedings of the time.

Forms and Transliterations

הַֽנִּשְׁתְּוָ֔ן הַֽנִּשְׁתְּוָ֗ן הנשתון han·niš·tə·wān hannishteVan hanništəwān

Englishman's Concordance

Ezra 4:7
HEB: פָּרָ֑ס וּכְתָב֙ הַֽנִּשְׁתְּוָ֔ן כָּת֥וּב אֲרָמִ֖ית
NAS: and the text of the letter was written
KJV: and the writing of the letter [was] written
INT: of Persia and the text of the letter was written Aramaic

Ezra 7:11
HEB: וְזֶ֣ה ׀ פַּרְשֶׁ֣גֶן הַֽנִּשְׁתְּוָ֗ן אֲשֶׁ֤ר נָתַן֙
NAS: is the copy of the decree which
KJV: Now this [is] the copy of the letter that the king
INT: now this is the copy of the decree which gave

2 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 5406
2 Occurrences

han·niš·tə·wān — 2 Occ.