Strong's Lexicon sar: Prince, ruler, leader, chief, captain, official Original Word: שַׂר Word Origin: Derived from a root word meaning "to have dominion" or "to rule." Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: - G758 (archon): Often translated as "ruler" or "prince," used in the New Testament to describe leaders or authorities. - G2232 (hegemon): Translated as "governor" or "leader," referring to those in positions of authority. Usage: The Hebrew word "sar" is used to denote a person of authority or leadership. It is often translated as "prince" or "ruler" and can refer to various types of leaders, including military commanders, government officials, or tribal chiefs. The term implies a position of power and responsibility, often under a higher authority, such as a king or a sovereign. Cultural and Historical Background: In ancient Israel and the surrounding Near Eastern cultures, the concept of leadership was integral to societal structure. Leaders, or "sarim" (plural of "sar"), were appointed to maintain order, execute justice, and lead in times of war. The role of a "sar" was not only political but also carried religious and social responsibilities. The term reflects the hierarchical nature of ancient societies, where authority was often centralized and hereditary. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom an unused word Definition chieftain, chief, ruler, official, captain, prince NASB Translation captain (22), captains (39), charge (1), chief (24), chief and commanders (1), chiefs (1), commander (40), commanders (49), governor (3), heads (1), leader (2), leaders (28), leading (3), officer (1), officers (14), official (9), officials (35), overseers (3), Prince (1), prince (9), prince of princes (1), princes (109), quartermaster* (1), ruler (1), rulers (10), taskmasters* (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs שַׂר420 noun masculine chieftain, chief, ruler, official, captain, prince (Late Hebrew especially of angels; Assyrian šarru, king); — absolute שַׂר 2 Samuel 3:38 +, הַשַּׂר Micah 7:3 +, שָׂ֑ר Hosea 3:4 +; construct שַׂר Judges 4:2 +; suffix שַׂרְכֶם Daniel 10:21; plural שָׂרִים 1 Kings 4:2 +; construct שָׂרֵי Genesis 12:15 +; suffix שָׂרַי Judges 5:15; Isaiah 10:8, שָׂרֵיכֶם Jeremiah 44:21, שָׂרֵיהֶם Isaiah 3:4 +; — 1 chieftain, leader: a. plural of Israel Numbers 21:18 (poem in J E; "" נְדִיֹב הָעָם), of Issachar Judges 5:15 (poem); שָׂרֵי גִלְעָד Judges 10:18 is dubious (we should expect ׳וְשׂ, and compare ׳זִקְנֵי ג, instead, Judges 11:5-11); of Midian Judges 7:25; Judges 8:3; Philistines 1 Samuel 29:3 (twice in verse); 1 Samuel 29:4 (twice in verse); 1 Samuel 29:9; (apparently = סְרָנִים 1 Samuel 29:2; 1 Samuel 29:6; 1 Samuel 29:7 [We], yet distinguished by HPS and [with reserve] Bu; ᵐ5 ᵑ6 ᵑ9 Th Bu strike out in 1 Samuel 29:4 b), compare 1 Samuel 18:30; in poetry, of כְּמוֺשׁ (i.e. the leading Moabites) Jeremiah 48:7, of מָלכם (q. v.; i.e. the leading Ammonites) Amos 1:15 = Jeremiah 49:3. b. singular David as leader of freebooters 1 Samuel 22:2; compare גְּדוּד ׳שׂ 1 Kings 11:24, plural 2 Samuel 4:2. 2 vassal, noble, official, under king (acting, on occasion, as counselor, commander, etc.): a. plural, in Egypt Genesis 12:15 (J) + 3 t. Is + Genesis 30:4 Di Du Skinner (>of foreign embassy [compare "" מַלְאָכָיו] Che and others reading [CheHeb.Hpt. Marti] שָׁשׂרִים), Psalm 105:22; Moab Numbers 22:8 8t. 22, 23 (JE), Amos 2:3; Edom Isaiah 34:12 ("" הֹרִים); Assyrian Isaiah 10:8; Isaiah 31:9; Babylonian Isaiah 21:5 7t. Jeremiah + 2Chronicles 32:31 (but here perhaps vaguely = authorities); other nations Jeremiah 49:38 17t. Ezra, Esther; in General Isaiah 49:7; officials, official class, under kings of Israel: David (only Chronicles) 1 Chronicles 22:17 5t. 1Chronicles; Ezra 8:20; Solomon 1 Kings 4:2; Jehoiachin 2 Kings 24:12,14; Zedak. Jeremiah 34:21; 2Chronicles 36:18; other kings 19 t. 2 Chronicles; in General Ecclesiastes 10:16,17; see also (Judah) Jeremiah 1:18 31t. Jeremiah (Jeremiah 17:25 a strike out ׳שׂ Gf Che Gie Du), 4 t. Lamentations; Ezekiel 17:12; Zephaniah 1:8 (where distinguished from בְּנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ, who are never called ׳שׂ); so, in General, Nehemiah 9:32,34; Daniel 9:6,8; and (Northern Israel) Hosea 3:4 6t. Hosea. b. as having powers of magistrate (‡adi) Exodus 2:14 (E + שֹׁפֵט); under Moses (over groups of 1000, 100, 50, 10) Exodus 18:21 7t. 18 (E), Deuteronomy 1:15 (4 t. in verse); later in Judah Hosea 5:10 (Now reads ׳שָׂרֵי תִשׁ), Isaiah 1:23, compare Isaiah 3:4,14; Isaiah 32:1; Micah 7:3 (singular; "" שֹׁפֵט), Zephaniah 3:3 ("" id.), Ezekiel 22:27, compare Proverbs 8:16 ("" נְדִיבִים); Proverbs 28:2 read perhaps צָרֶיהָ, see Toy. c. as ruler or magistrate of a district (מְרִינָה), 1 Kings 20:14,15,17,19; (compare Esther 1:3; Esther 8:9; Esther 9:3, שָׂרֵי עַם וָעָם Esther 3:12). d. as commandant of city, הָעִיר ׳שׂ Judges 9:30, compare 1 Kings 22:26 2Chronicles 18:25; 2 Kings 23:8; 2Chronicles 34:8; of citadel, הַבִּירָה ׳שׂ Nehemiah 7:2; plural of city officials סֻכּוֺת ׳שׂ Judges 8:6,14 (distinguished from זְקֵנִים), compare 2 Kings 10:1; 2Chronicles 29:20. 3 specifically military, = captain, General: a. שַׂרֿ(ה)צבא Genesis 21:22,32 (E), Genesis 26:26 (J), 1 Samuel 12:9 23t., + ׳יֿ׳צֿ׳שׂ Joshua 5:14,15 (J E; צָבָא 1b), angel-captain in vision; see also 8, 9; ׳שָׂרֵי הַצּ 1 Kings 1:25 3t. Chronicles, ׳שָׂרִים בַּצּ 1 Chronicles 12:22 (Gi Baer; van d. H. v.1 Chronicles 12:21); שָׂרֵי צְבָאוֺת Deuteronomy 20:9; 1 Kings 2:5; 1 Chronicles 27:3; שַׂרהַֿחַ֫יִל 2 Samuel 24:2 (but read וְאֶלשָֿׂרֵי as ᵐ5L and "" 1 Chronicles 21:2 Th We Dr HPS Bu), ׳שָׂרֵי (הַ)ח 1 Chronicles 21:4; 1 Chronicles 21:4; 2 Kings 9:5; 2Chronicles 33:14; Nehemiah 2:9, שָׂרֵי הַחֲיָלִים 1 Kings 15:20 2Chronicles 16:4; 2 Kings 25:23,26; Jeremiah 40:7,13 7t. Jeremiah; שָׂרֵי מִלְחָמוֺת2Chronicles 32:6; so (ה)שׂר alone 2 Samuel 18:5; 2 Samuel 19:7; 1 Kings 9:22 2Chronicles 8:9 ᵐ5.:B Be Kit (שָׁרָיו וְשָׁלִישָׁיו, for ᵑ0 ׳שָׂרֵי שׁ), 2 Kings 9:5 (twice in verse); 1 Chronicles 11:6,21 9t., + Job 39:25; Daniel 11:5; וְגָדוֺל ׳שׂ 2 Samuel 3:38 (of Abner); possibly military figurative also in שַׂר שָׁלוֺם Isaiah 9:5 (Messianic name). b. leading companies of 50 2 Kings 1:9-14 Isaiah 3:3, of 100 1 Samuel 22:7 16t. + 1 Samuel 8:12 (reading מֵאוֺת for חֲמִשִּׁים ᵐ5 HPS, compare We; Bu insert שָׂרֵי מֵאוֺת), of 1000 1 Samuel 17:18 11t., + שָׂרֵי הָאֲלָפִים וְהַמֵּאוֺת 1 Chronicles 13:1; 1 Chronicles 26:26 (distinguished from שָׂרֵי הַצָּבָא), 1 Chronicles 27:1; 1 Chronicles 29:6; 2Chronicles 1:2; also הָרֶכֶב ׳שׂ captain of the chariotry 1 Kings 22:31,32,33 2Chron 18:30; 18:31; 18:32 3t. + שָׂרֵי וּפָרָשָׁיו ׳ר 1 Kings 9:22 2Chronicles 8:9. 4. a. chief, head, of other official classes: שַׂר הַטַּבָּחִים, Egypt, Genesis 37:36 5t.; שָׂרֵי הָרָצִים 1 Kings 14:27 2Chronicles 12:10; שָׂרֵי הַנִּצָּבִים 1 Kings 5:30; 1 Kings 9:23 2Chronicles 8:10; even domestic positions (court of Pharaoh), שַׂר הַמַּשְׁקִים Genesis 40:2 5t., שַׂר הָאוֺפוֺת Genesis 40:2 4t. (all E); שָׂרֵי הַמּחְלְקוֺת 1 Chronicles 28:1, i.e. of the successive courses of royal military officials; compare הַשַּׂר 1 Chronicles 27:28; שַׂר הַסָּרִיסִים Daniel 1:7,8,9,10,11,18; שַׂר מְנוּחָה Jeremiah 51:59. b. = overseer: שַׂר בֵּית הַסֹּהַר Genesis 39:21,23, שָׂרֵי מִקְנֶה Genesis 47:6 (all J; compare אַבִּיר הָרֹעִים 1 Samuel 21:8), שָׂרֵי מִסִּים Exodus 1:11 (J); compare 1 Chronicles 15:27; 1 Chronicles 29:6; 1 Chronicles 27:31; 1 Chronicles 28:1. — In 1 Chronicles 15:22 read probably סַר הַמַּשָּׂא (= שַׂר) overseer of the carrying (for ᵑ0 בְּמַשָּׂא יָסֹר בַּמַּשָּׂא), so ᵐ5 Benz Kit, Be יָסֹר = יָשׂר; see another view יָסַר Qal. 5. of religious office: שָׂרֵי הַכֹּהֲנִים Ezra 8:24,29; Ezra 10:5; 2Chronicles 36:14; הַלְוִיִּם ׳שׂ 1 Chronicles 15:16,22; 2Chronicles 35:9, compare 1 Chronicles 15:5,6,7,8,10 (twice in verse); heads of classes or courses of priests, called שָׂרֵי קֹרֶשׁ 1 Chronicles 24:5, אֱלֹהִים ׳שׂ 1 Chronicles 24:5; — ׳שָׂרֵי ק Isaiah 43:28 (usually consecrated princes, whether priests, or kings, or both) is probably corrupt, read perhaps שַׁעֲרֵי (Du) or וַיְחַלְּלוּ שָׂרֶיךָ קָרְשִׁי ᵐ5 Houb Klo CheHpt Gr (substantially). 6 late, of representative leaders of people, tribal heads, ׳שׂ ׳שִׁבְטֵי יִשׂ 1 Chronicles 27:22; 1 Chronicles 29:6, compare 1 Chronicles 28:1; apparently = elders, הָעָם ׳שׂ Ezekiel 11:1; 2Chronicles 24:23; ׳שׂ alone, Psalm 68:28 (3 t. in verse); in post-exilic Jerusalem Ezra 9:1,2; Nehemiah 4:10; Nehemiah 10:1; Nehemiah 11:1 (שָׂרֵי הָעָם), + elders Ezra 10:8,14; called שָׂרֵי יְהוּדָה Nehemiah 12:31,32; of district-rulers Nehemiah 3:9,12,14,15,16,17,18,19; of heads of families, שָׂרֵי הָאָבוֺת Ezra 8:29; 1 Chronicles 29:6 (= רָאשֵׁי ׳הָא 1 Chronicles 24:31; 1 Chronicles 27:1; Nehemiah 7:70). 7 late, as term of rank and dignity, Isaiah 23:8 (compare 'merchant- princes'), Job 3:15; Job 29:9 ("" נְגִירִים), Job 34:19; Psalm 45:17; Psalm 82:7; Psalm 148:11, opposed to עבד(יםׅ Proverbs 19:10; Ecclesiastes 10:7; formidable foes Psalm 119:23; Psalm 119:161. 8 = patron-angel, only Daniel: שַׂר (מַלְכוּת) מָּרַס Daniel 10:13,20, יָוָן ׳שׂ Daniel 10:20; specifically of מִיכָאֵל Daniel 10:13,21; Daniel 12:1 9 שַׂרהַֿצָּבָא Daniel 8:11 = God (probably, compare צָרָא 1c; yet see also ׳צ 1b), so שַׂר שְׂרִים Daniel 8:25. Strong's Exhaustive Concordance chief captain, general, governor, keeper, lord, taskmaster, principal, From sarar; a head person (of any rank or class) -- captain (that had rule), chief (captain), general, governor, keeper, lord, ((-task-))master, prince(-ipal), ruler, steward. see HEBREW sarar Forms and Transliterations אָ֑לֶף אלף בְּשָׂרִֽים׃ בשרים׃ הַשַּׂ֖ר הַשַּׂ֣ר הַשַּׂ֥ר הַשָּֽׂר׃ הַשָּׂ֑ר הַשָּׂ֔ר הַשָּׂ֖ר הַשָּׂרִ֑ים הַשָּׂרִ֔ים הַשָּׂרִ֖ים הַשָּׂרִ֛ים הַשָּׂרִ֜ים הַשָּׂרִ֞ים הַשָּׂרִ֣ים הַשָּׂרִ֤ים הַשָּׂרִ֥ים הַשָּׂרִ֨ים הַשָּׂרִֽים׃ הַשָּׂרִים֙ הַשָּׂרִים֮ השר השר׃ השרים השרים׃ וְהַ֨שָּׂרִ֔ים וְהַשָּׂרִ֑ים וְהַשָּׂרִ֔ים וְהַשָּׂרִ֖ים וְהַשָּׂרִ֞ים וְהַשָּׂרִ֣ים וְהַשָּׂרִ֤ים וְהַשָּׂרִ֥ים וְהַשָּׂרִים֙ וְלַשָּׂרִ֖ים וְשַׂ֣ר ׀ וְשַׂר־ וְשָׂ֔ר וְשָׂ֣רֵיהֶ֔ם וְשָׂרִ֖ים וְשָׂרִ֛ים וְשָׂרִ֡ים וְשָׂרִֽים׃ וְשָׂרֵ֔ינוּ וְשָׂרֵ֣י וְשָׂרֵ֣י ׀ וְשָׂרֵ֤י וְשָׂרֵ֥י וְשָׂרֵ֨י וְשָׂרֵֽי־ וְשָׂרֵיכֶ֖ם וְשָׂרֶ֤יהָ וְשָׂרֶֽיהָ׃ וְשָׂרַ֖יִךְ וְשָׂרַ֙יִךְ֙ וְשָׂרַ֤י וְשָׂרָ֑יו וְשָׂרָ֔יו וְשָׂרָ֖יו וְשָׂרָ֗יו וְשָׂרָ֛יו וְשָׂרָ֞יו וְשָׂרָ֣יו וּלְשָׂ֑ר וּלְשָׂרִ֖ים וּלְשָׂרֵ֖י וּלְשָׂרֵ֣י וּלְשָׂרֵ֤י והשרים ולשר ולשרי ולשרים ושר ושר־ ושרי ושרי־ ושריה ושריה׃ ושריהם ושריו ושריך ושריכם ושרים ושרים׃ ושרינו לְ֝שָׂרִ֗ים לְשַׂ֣ר לְשַׂר־ לְשָׂ֑ר לְשָׂרֵ֖ינוּ לְשָׂרֵ֣י לְשָׂרֵ֤י לְשָׂרֵ֧ינוּ לְשָׂרֵֽי־ לְשָׂרֵי֩ לְשָׂרֶ֔יהָ לְשָׂרָיו֙ לשר לשר־ לשרי לשרי־ לשריה לשריו לשרים לשרינו מִשַּׂ֣ר מִשָּׂרֵ֖י מִשָּׂרֵ֤י מִשָּׂרֵ֥י מִשָּׂרֵ֨י משר משרי רים רינו שַֽׂר־ שַׂ֕ר שַׂ֖ר שַׂ֣ר שַׂ֤ר שַׂ֥ר שַׂרְכֶֽם׃ שַׂר־ שָֽׂרֵי־ שָֽׂרֵיהֶ֔ם שָׂ֔ר שָׂ֝רִ֗ים שָׂ֝רִים שָׂ֠רֵינוּ שָׂ֣רֵי שָׂ֤רֵי שָׂ֥רֵי שָׂ֭רִים שָׂרִ֔ים שָׂרִ֖ים שָׂרִ֗ים שָׂרִ֣ים שָׂרִֽים׃ שָׂרִים֙ שָׂרֵ֖י שָׂרֵ֖ינוּ שָׂרֵ֙ינוּ֙ שָׂרֵ֣י שָׂרֵ֣י ׀ שָׂרֵ֤י שָׂרֵ֥י שָׂרֵ֥ינוּ שָׂרֵ֧י שָׂרֵ֨י שָׂרֵֽי־ שָׂרֵי֙ שָׂרֵי֩ שָׂרֵיהֶ֑ם שָׂרֵיהֶ֖ם שָׂרֶ֑יהָ שָׂרֶ֔יהָ שָׂרֶ֖יהָ שָׂרֶ֗יהָ שָׂרֶ֛יהָ שָׂרֶ֣יהָ שָׂרֶ֨יהָ שָׂרַ֛י שָׂרַ֣יִךְ שָׂרָ֑יו שָׂרָ֔יו שָׂרָ֖יו שָׂרָ֗יו שָׂרָ֣יו שָׂרָיו֙ שָׂרָיו֩ שר שר־ שרי שרי־ שריה שריהם שריו שריך שרים שרים׃ שרינו שרכם׃ ’ā·lep̄ ’ālep̄ Alef bə·śā·rîm besaRim bəśārîm haś·śā·rîm haś·śar haś·śār hasSar haśśar haśśār hassaRim haśśārîm lə·śā·rāw lə·śā·rê lə·śā·rê- lə·śā·re·hā lə·śā·rê·nū lə·śā·rîm lə·śar lə·śār lə·śar- leSar ləśar ləśār ləśar- lesaRav ləśārāw ləśārê ləśārê- ləśārehā lesaRei lesaReiha lesaReinu ləśārênū lesaRim ləśārîm miś·śā·rê miś·śar misSar miśśar miśśārê missaRei rê·nū reinu rênū rim rîm śā·ra·yiḵ śā·rāw śā·ray śā·rê śā·rê- śā·re·hā śā·rê·hem śā·rê·nū śā·rîm sar śar śār śar- śar·ḵem saRai saRav śārāw śāray saRayich śārayiḵ sarChem śārê śārê- śārehā śārêhem saRei saReiha sareiHem saReinu śārênū saRim śārîm śarḵem ū·lə·śā·rê ū·lə·śā·rîm ū·lə·śār uleSar ūləśār ūləśārê ulesaRei ulesaRim ūləśārîm vehassaRim velassaRim vesar vesaRai vesaRav vesaRayich vesaRei vesareiChem vesaReiha veSareiHem vesaReinu vesaRim wə·haś·śā·rîm wə·laś·śā·rîm wə·śā·ra·yiḵ wə·śā·rāw wə·śā·ray wə·śā·rê wə·śā·rê- wə·śā·re·hā wə·śā·rê·hem wə·śā·rê·ḵem wə·śā·rê·nū wə·śā·rîm wə·śar wə·śār wə·śar- wəhaśśārîm wəlaśśārîm wəśar wəśār wəśar- wəśārāw wəśāray wəśārayiḵ wəśārê wəśārê- wəśārehā wəśārêhem wəśārêḵem wəśārênū wəśārîmLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 12:15 HEB: וַיִּרְא֤וּ אֹתָהּ֙ שָׂרֵ֣י פַרְעֹ֔ה וַיְהַֽלְל֥וּ NAS: Pharaoh's officials saw KJV: The princes also of Pharaoh saw INT: saw officials Pharaoh's her and praised Genesis 21:22 Genesis 21:32 Genesis 26:26 Genesis 37:36 Genesis 39:1 Genesis 39:21 Genesis 39:22 Genesis 39:23 Genesis 40:2 Genesis 40:2 Genesis 40:3 Genesis 40:4 Genesis 40:9 Genesis 40:16 Genesis 40:20 Genesis 40:20 Genesis 40:21 Genesis 40:22 Genesis 40:23 Genesis 41:9 Genesis 41:10 Genesis 41:10 Genesis 41:12 Genesis 47:6 421 Occurrences |