שַׂר
prince
also: ruler, leader, chief, chieftain fuller range ↓
Full lexicon entry — Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB)
From Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB)
Where this word appears
See every Construct-state word in the Hebrew Bible →
Grammar key — what these labels mean
Part of speech
- Noun
- A naming word — a person, place, thing, or idea.
Noun type
- Common
- A common noun — a general class of person, place, or thing (“king,” “city,” “water”), not a specific name.
State
- Construct
- A noun bound to a following noun in a possessive / “of” relationship (the construct chain).
- Absolute
- The independent form of a noun, not bound to a following word.
Gender
- Masculine
- Grammatically masculine.
Number
- Plural
- More than one (in Hebrew, generally three or more).
- Singular
- One.
Grammatical forms
- Noun, Common, Masculine, Plural, Construct 234 times (56%)
- Noun, Common, Masculine, Singular, Construct 89 times (21%)
- Noun, Common, Masculine, Plural, Absolute 76 times (18%)
- Noun, Common, Masculine, Singular, Absolute 22 times (5%)
Parsed forms decoded from the imported morphology (morphhb / Westminster Leningrad Codex — WLC text public domain, morphhb tagging CC BY 4.0), counted across 421 parsed occurrences — not distinct verses.
Page 2 of 2 — showing verses 201–368 of 368 distinct verses where H8269 appears, across 28 books. Click any verse to open its interlinear word-by-word view. Verse text shown in the World English Bible for context — . Each verse’s Hebrew form is shown with its reference; the English is not keyword-highlighted, since the data carries no word-level English alignment. Use “Compare translations” on any verse to read it across multiple English versions. This concordance covers the Hebrew Bible; Septuagint (Greek Old Testament) occurrences are not indexed here.
2 Chronicles 47 verses
- 2 Chronicles 32:31 שָׂרֵ֣י n c mp cs However in [the business of] the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent to him to inquire of the wonder that was done in the land, God left him, to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart.
- 2 Chronicles 33:11 שָׂרֵ֤י n c mp cs Therefore Yahweh brought on them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh in chains, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon.
- 2 Chronicles 33:14 שָֽׂרֵי n c mp cs Now after this he built an outer wall to the city of David, on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, even to the entrance at the fish gate; and he compassed Ophel about [with it], and raised it up to a very great height: and he put valiant captains in all the fortified cities of Judah.
- 2 Chronicles 34:8 שַׂר n c ms cs Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the recorder, to repair the house of Yahweh his God.
- 2 Chronicles 35:8 וְ/שָׂרָ֞י/ו conj + n c mp cs + sfx pers 3ms His princes gave for a freewill-offering to the people, to the priests, and to the Levites. Hilkiah and Zechariah and Jehiel, the rulers of the house of God, gave to the priests for the Passover offerings two thousand and six hundred [small cattle], and three hundred oxen.
- 2 Chronicles 35:9 שָׂרֵ֣י n c mp cs Conaniah also, and Shemaiah and Nethanel, his brothers, and Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jozabad, the chiefs of the Levites, gave to the Levites for the Passover offerings five thousand [small cattle], and five hundred oxen.
- 2 Chronicles 36:14 שָׂרֵ֨י n c mp cs Moreover all the chiefs of the priests, and the people, trespassed very greatly after all the abominations of the nations; and they polluted the house of Yahweh which he had made holy in Jerusalem.
- 2 Chronicles 36:18 וְ/שָׂרָ֑י/ו conj + n c mp cs + sfx pers 3ms All the vessels of the house of God, great and small, and the treasures of the house of Yahweh, and the treasures of the king, and of his princes, all these he brought to Babylon.
Ezra 10 verses
- Ezra 7:28 שָׂרֵ֥י n c mp cs and has extended loving kindness to me before the king, and his counselors, and before all the king's mighty princes. I was strengthened according to the hand of Yahweh my God on me, and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me.
- Ezra 8:20 וְ/הַ/שָּׂרִים֙ conj + ptcl def.art + n c mp and of the Nethinim, whom David and the princes had given for the service of the Levites, two hundred and twenty Nethinim: all of them were mentioned by name.
- Ezra 8:24 מִ/שָּׂרֵ֥י prep + n c mp cs Then I set apart twelve of the chiefs of the priests, even Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brothers with them,
- Ezra 8:25 וְ/שָׂרָ֔י/ו conj + n c mp cs + sfx pers 3ms and weighed to them the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, even the offering for the house of our God, which the king, and his counselors, and his princes, and all Israel there present, had offered:
- Ezra 8:29 שָׂרֵ֨י וְ/שָׂרֵֽי n c mp cs conj + n c mp cs Watch you, and keep them, until you weigh them before the chiefs of the priests and the Levites, and the princes of the fathers' [houses] of Israel, at Jerusalem, in the chambers of the house of Yahweh.
- Ezra 9:1 הַ/שָּׂרִים֙ ptcl def.art + n c mp Now when these things were done, the princes drew near to me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands, [doing] according to their abominations, even of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.
- Ezra 9:2 הַ/שָּׂרִ֣ים ptcl def.art + n c mp For they have taken of their daughters for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy seed have mixed themselves with the peoples of the lands: yes, the hand of the princes and rulers has been chief in this trespass.
- Ezra 10:5 שָׂרֵי֩ n c mp cs Then arose Ezra, and made the chiefs of the priests, the Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they would do according to this word. So they swore.
- Ezra 10:8 הַ/שָּׂרִים֙ ptcl def.art + n c mp and that whoever didn't come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his substance should be forfeited, and himself separated from the assembly of the captivity.
- Ezra 10:14 שָׂ֠רֵי/נוּ n c mp cs + sfx pers 1cp Let now our princes be appointed for all the assembly, and let all those who are in our cities who have married foreign women come at appointed times, and with them the elders of every city, and the judges of it, until the fierce wrath of our God be turned from us, until this matter be dispatched.
Nehemiah 17 verses
- Nehemiah 2:9 שָׂ֥רֵי n c mp cs Then I came to the governors beyond the River, and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent with me captains of the army and horsemen.
- Nehemiah 3:9 שַׂ֕ר n c ms cs Next to them repaired Rephaiah the son of Hur, the ruler of half the district of Jerusalem.
- Nehemiah 3:12 שַׂ֕ר n c ms cs Next to him repaired Shallum the son of Hallohesh, the ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, he and his daughters.
- Nehemiah 3:14 שַׂ֖ר n c ms cs The dung gate repaired Malchijah the son of Rechab, the ruler of the district of Beth Haccherem; he built it, and set up the doors of it, the bolts of it, and the bars of it.
- Nehemiah 3:15 שַׂ֣ר n c ms cs The spring gate repaired Shallun the son of Colhozeh, the ruler of the district of Mizpah; he built it, and covered it, and set up the doors of it, the bolts of it, and the bars of it, and the wall of the pool of Shelah by the king's garden, even to the stairs that go down from the city of David.
- Nehemiah 3:16 שַׂ֕ר n c ms cs After him repaired Nehemiah the son of Azbuk, the ruler of half the district of Beth Zur, to the place over against the tombs of David, and to the pool that was made, and to the house of the mighty men.
- Nehemiah 3:17 שַׂר n c ms cs After him repaired the Levites, Rehum the son of Bani. Next to him repaired Hashabiah, the ruler of half the district of Keilah, for his district.
- Nehemiah 3:18 שַׂ֕ר n c ms cs After him repaired their brothers, Bavvai the son of Henadad, the ruler of half the district of Keilah.
- Nehemiah 3:19 שַׂ֥ר n c ms cs Next to him repaired Ezer the son of Jeshua, the ruler of Mizpah, another portion, over against the ascent to the armory at the turning [of the wall].
- Nehemiah 4:16 וְ/הַ֨/שָּׂרִ֔ים conj + ptcl def.art + n c mp It happened from that time forth, that half of my servants worked in the work, and half of them held the spears, the shields, and the bows, and the coats of mail; and the rulers were behind all the house of Judah.
- Nehemiah 7:2 שַׂ֥ר n c ms cs that I gave my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the governor of the castle, charge over Jerusalem; for he was a faithful man, and feared God above many.
- Nehemiah 9:32 לְ/שָׂרֵ֧י/נוּ prep + n c mp cs + sfx pers 1cp Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who keep covenant and loving kindness, don't let all the travail seem little before you, that has come on us, on our kings, on our princes, and on our priests, and on our prophets, and on our fathers, and on all your people, since the time of the kings of Assyria to this day.
- Nehemiah 9:34 שָׂרֵ֨י/נוּ֙ n c mp cs + sfx pers 1cp neither have our kings, our princes, our priests, nor our fathers, kept your law, nor listened to your commandments and your testimonies with which you did testify against them.
- Nehemiah 9:38 שָׂרֵ֥י/נוּ n c mp cs + sfx pers 1cp Yet for all this we make a sure covenant, and write it; and our princes, our Levites, [and] our priests, seal to it.
- Nehemiah 11:1 שָׂרֵֽי n c mp cs The princes of the people lived in Jerusalem: the rest of the people also cast lots, to bring one of ten to dwell in Jerusalem the holy city, and nine parts in the [other] cities.
- Nehemiah 12:31 שָׂרֵ֣י n c mp cs Then I brought up the princes of Judah on the wall, and appointed two great companies who gave thanks and went in procession. [One went] on the right hand on the wall toward the dung gate;
- Nehemiah 12:32 שָׂרֵ֥י n c mp cs and after them went Hoshaiah, and half of the princes of Judah,
Esther 13 verses
- Esther 1:3 שָׂרָ֖י/ו וְ/שָׂרֵ֥י n c mp cs + sfx pers 3ms conj + n c mp cs in the third year of his reign, he made a feast to all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him;
- Esther 1:11 וְ/הַ/שָּׂרִים֙ conj + ptcl def.art + n c mp to bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to show the peoples and the princes her beauty; for she was beautiful to look on.
- Esther 1:14 שָׂרֵ֣י n c mp cs and the next to him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who saw the king's face, and sat first in the kingdom),
- Esther 1:16 וְ/הַ/שָּׂרִ֔ים הַ/שָּׂרִים֙ conj + ptcl def.art + n c mp ptcl def.art + n c mp Memucan answered before the king and the princes, Vashti the queen has not done wrong to the king only, but also to all the princes, and to all the peoples who are in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus.
- Esther 1:18 שָׂרֵ֣י n c mp cs This day will the princesses of Persia and Media who have heard of the deed of the queen say [the like] to all the king's princes. So [will there arise] much contempt and wrath.
- Esther 1:21 וְ/הַ/שָּׂרִ֑ים conj + ptcl def.art + n c mp The saying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did according to the word of Memucan:
- Esther 2:18 שָׂרָי/ו֙ n c mp cs + sfx pers 3ms Then the king made a great feast to all his princes and his servants, even Esther's feast; and he made a release to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the bounty of the king.
- Esther 3:1 הַ/שָּׂרִ֖ים ptcl def.art + n c mp After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes who were with him.
- Esther 3:12 שָׂ֤רֵי n c mp cs Then were the king's scribes called in the first month, on the thirteenth day of it; and there was written according to all that Haman commanded to the king's satraps, and to the governors who were over every province, and to the princes of every people, to every province according to the writing of it, and to every people after their language; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and it was sealed with the king's ring.
- Esther 5:11 הַ/שָּׂרִ֖ים ptcl def.art + n c mp Haman recounted to them the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his children, and all the things in which the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the princes and servants of the king.
- Esther 6:9 מִ/שָּׂרֵ֤י prep + n c mp cs and let the clothing and the horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king's most noble princes, that they may array the man therewith whom the king delights to honor, and cause him to ride on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaim before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor.
- Esther 8:9 וְ/שָׂרֵ֨י conj + n c mp cs Then were the king's scribes called at that time, in the third month Sivan, on the three and twentieth [day] of it; and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded to the Jews, and to the satraps, and the governors and princes of the provinces which are from India to Ethiopia, one hundred twenty-seven provinces, to every province according to the writing of it, and to every people after their language, and to the Jews according to their writing, and according to their language.
- Esther 9:3 שָׂרֵ֨י n c mp cs All the princes of the provinces, and the satraps, and the governors, and those who did the king's business, helped the Jews; because the fear of Mordecai was fallen on them.
Job 4 verses
- Job 3:15 שָׂ֭רִים n c mp Or with princes who had gold, Who filled their houses with silver:
- Job 29:9 שָׂ֭רִים n c mp The princes refrained from talking, And laid their hand on their mouth;
- Job 34:19 שָׂרִ֗ים n c mp Who doesn't respect the persons of princes, Nor regards the rich more than the poor; For they all are the work of his hands.
- Job 39:25 שָׂ֝רִים n c mp As often as the trumpet sounds he snorts, 'Aha!' He smells the battle afar off, The thunder of the captains, and the shouting.
Psalms 7 verses
- Psalms 45:16 לְ֝/שָׂרִ֗ים prep + n c mp Your sons will take the place of your fathers. You shall make them princes in all the earth.
- Psalms 68:27 שָׂרֵ֣י שָׂרֵ֥י שָׂרֵ֥י n c mp cs n c mp cs n c mp cs There is little Benjamin, their ruler, The princes of Judah, their council, The princes of Zebulun, and the princes of Naphtali.
- Psalms 82:7 הַ/שָּׂרִ֣ים ptcl def.art + n c mp Nevertheless you shall die like men, And fall like one of the rulers."
- Psalms 105:22 שָׂרָ֣י/ו n c mp cs + sfx pers 3ms To discipline his princes at his pleasure, And to teach his elders wisdom.
- Psalms 119:23 שָׂ֭רִים n c mp Though princes sit and slander me, Your servant will meditate on your statutes.
- Psalms 119:161 שָׂ֭רִים n c mp Princes have persecuted me without a cause, But my heart stands in awe of your words.
- Psalms 148:11 שָׂ֝רִ֗ים n c mp Kings of the earth and all peoples; Princes and all judges of the earth;
Proverbs 3 verses
- Proverbs 8:16 שָׂרִ֣ים n c mp By me princes rule; Nobles, and all the righteous rulers of the earth.
- Proverbs 19:10 בְּ/שָׂרִֽים prep + n c mp Delicate living is not appropriate for a fool, Much less for a servant to have rule over princes.
- Proverbs 28:2 שָׂרֶ֑י/הָ n c mp cs + sfx pers 3fs In rebellion, a land has many rulers, But order is maintained by a man of understanding and knowledge.
Ecclesiastes 3 verses
- Ecclesiastes 10:7 וְ/שָׂרִ֛ים conj + n c mp I have seen servants on horses, and princes walking like servants on the earth.
- Ecclesiastes 10:16 וְ/שָׂרַ֖יִ/ךְ conj + n c mp cs + sfx pers 2fs Woe to you, land, when your king is a child, And your princes eat in the morning!
- Ecclesiastes 10:17 וְ/שָׂרַ֨יִ/ךְ֙ conj + n c mp cs + sfx pers 2fs Happy are you, land, when your king is the son of nobles, And your princes eat in due season, For strength, and not for drunkenness!
Isaiah 16 verses
- Isaiah 1:23 שָׂרַ֣יִ/ךְ n c mp cs + sfx pers 2fs Your princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves. Everyone loves bribes, and follows after rewards. They don't judge the fatherless, Neither does the cause of the widow come to them.
- Isaiah 3:3 שַׂר n c ms cs The captain of fifty, The honorable man, The counselor, The skilled craftsman, And the clever enchanter.
- Isaiah 3:4 שָׂרֵי/הֶ֑ם n c mp cs + sfx pers 3mp I will give boys to be their princes, And children shall rule over them.
- Isaiah 3:14 וְ/שָׂרָ֑י/ו conj + n c mp cs + sfx pers 3ms Yahweh will enter into judgment with the elders of his people, And their leaders: "It is you who have eaten up the vineyard. The spoil of the poor is in your houses.
- Isaiah 9:6 שַׂר n c ms cs For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be on his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
- Isaiah 10:8 שָׂרַ֛/י n c mp cs + sfx pers 1cs For he says, Aren't my princes all of them kings?
- Isaiah 19:11 שָׂ֣רֵי n c mp cs The princes of Zoan are utterly foolish; the counsel of the wisest counselors of Pharaoh is become brutish: how do you say to Pharaoh, I am the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings?
- Isaiah 19:13 שָׂ֣רֵי שָׂ֣רֵי n c mp cs n c mp cs The princes of Zoan are become fools, the princes of Memphis are deceived; they have caused Egypt to go astray, who are the corner-stone of her tribes.
- Isaiah 21:5 הַ/שָּׂרִ֖ים ptcl def.art + n c mp They prepare the table, they set the watch, they eat, they drink: rise up, you princes, anoint the shield.
- Isaiah 23:8 שָׂרִ֔ים n c mp Who has purposed this against Tyre, the giver of crowns, whose merchants are princes, whose traffickers are the honorable of the earth?
- Isaiah 30:4 שָׂרָ֑י/ו n c mp cs + sfx pers 3ms For their princes are at Zoan, and their ambassadors are come to Hanes.
- Isaiah 31:9 שָׂרָ֑י/ו n c mp cs + sfx pers 3ms His rock shall pass away by reason of terror, and his princes shall be dismayed at the ensign, says Yahweh, whose fire is in Zion, and his furnace in Jerusalem.
- Isaiah 32:1 וּ/לְ/שָׂרִ֖ים conj + prep + n c mp Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in justice.
- Isaiah 34:12 שָׂרֶ֖י/הָ n c mp cs + sfx pers 3fs They shall call the nobles of it to the kingdom, but none shall be there; and all its princes shall be nothing.
- Isaiah 43:28 שָׂ֣רֵי n c mp cs Therefore I will profane the princes of the sanctuary; and I will make Jacob a curse, and Israel a reviling.
- Isaiah 49:7 שָׂרִ֖ים n c mp Thus says Yahweh, the Redeemer of Israel, [and] his Holy One, to him whom man despises, to him whom the nation abhors, to a servant of rulers: Kings shall see and arise; princes, and they shall worship; because of Yahweh who is faithful, [even] the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.
Jeremiah 52 verses
- Jeremiah 1:18 לְ/שָׂרֶ֔י/הָ prep + n c mp cs + sfx pers 3fs For, behold, I have made you this day a fortified city, and an iron pillar, and brazen walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes of it, against the priests of it, and against the people of the land.
- Jeremiah 2:26 שָֽׂרֵי/הֶ֔ם n c mp cs + sfx pers 3mp As the thief is ashamed when he is found, so is the house of Israel ashamed; they, their kings, their princes, and their priests, and their prophets;
- Jeremiah 4:9 הַ/שָּׂרִ֑ים ptcl def.art + n c mp It shall happen at that day, says Yahweh, that the heart of the king shall perish, and the heart of the princes; and the priests shall be astonished, and the prophets shall wonder.
- Jeremiah 8:1 שָׂרָי/ו֩ n c mp cs + sfx pers 3ms At that time, says Yahweh, they shall bring out the bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of his princes, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, out of their graves;
- Jeremiah 17:25 וְ/שָׂרִ֡ים וְ/שָׂ֣רֵי/הֶ֔ם conj + n c mp conj + n c mp cs + sfx pers 3mp then shall there enter in by the gates of this city kings and princes sitting on the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they, and their princes, the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and this city shall remain forever.
- Jeremiah 24:1 שָׂרֵ֨י n c mp cs Yahweh shown me, and, behold, two baskets of figs set before the temple of Yahweh, after that Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon had carried away captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and the princes of Judah, with the craftsmen and smiths, from Jerusalem, and had brought them to Babylon.
- Jeremiah 24:8 שָׂרָי/ו֙ n c mp cs + sfx pers 3ms As the bad figs, which can't be eaten, they are so bad, surely thus says Yahweh, So will I give up Zedekiah the king of Judah, and his princes, and the residue of Jerusalem, who remain in this land, and those who dwell in the land of Egypt,
- Jeremiah 25:18 שָׂרֶ֑י/הָ n c mp cs + sfx pers 3fs [to wit], Jerusalem, and the cities of Judah, and the kings of it, and the princes of it, to make them a desolation, an astonishment, a hissing, and a curse, as it is this day;
- Jeremiah 25:19 שָׂרָ֖י/ו n c mp cs + sfx pers 3ms Pharaoh king of Egypt, and his servants, and his princes, and all his people;
- Jeremiah 26:10 שָׂרֵ֣י n c mp cs When the princes of Judah heard these things, they came up from the king's house to the house of Yahweh; and they sat in the entry of the new gate of Yahweh's [house].
- Jeremiah 26:11 הַ/שָּׂרִ֔ים ptcl def.art + n c mp Then spoke the priests and the prophets to the princes and to all the people, saying, This man is worthy of death; for he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your ears.
- Jeremiah 26:12 הַ/שָּׂרִ֔ים ptcl def.art + n c mp Then spoke Jeremiah to all the princes and to all the people, saying, Yahweh sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that you have heard.
- Jeremiah 26:16 הַ/שָּׂרִים֙ ptcl def.art + n c mp Then said the princes and all the people to the priests and to the prophets: This man is not worthy of death; for he has spoken to us in the name of Yahweh our God.
- Jeremiah 26:21 הַ/שָּׂרִים֙ ptcl def.art + n c mp and when Jehoiakim the king, with all his mighty-men, and all the princes, heard his words, the king sought to put him to death; but when Uriah heard it, he was afraid, and fled, and went into Egypt:
- Jeremiah 29:2 שָׂרֵ֨י n c mp cs (after that Jeconiah the king, and the queen-mother, and the eunuchs, [and] the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, and the craftsmen, and the smiths, were departed from Jerusalem),
- Jeremiah 32:32 שָֽׂרֵי/הֶ֔ם n c mp cs + sfx pers 3mp because of all the evil of the children of Israel and of the children of Judah, which they have done to provoke me to anger, they, their kings, their princes, their priests, and their prophets, and the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
- Jeremiah 34:10 הַ/שָּׂרִ֨ים ptcl def.art + n c mp All the princes and all the people obeyed, who had entered into the covenant, that everyone should let his man-servant, and everyone his maid-servant, go free, that none should make bondservants of them any more; they obeyed, and let them go:
- Jeremiah 34:19 שָׂרֵ֨י וְ/שָׂרֵ֣י n c mp cs conj + n c mp cs the princes of Judah, and the princes of Jerusalem, the eunuchs, and the priests, and all the people of the land, who passed between the parts of the calf;
- Jeremiah 34:21 שָׂרָ֗י/ו n c mp cs + sfx pers 3ms Zedekiah king of Judah and his princes will I give into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those who seek their life, and into the hand of the king of Babylon's army, who have gone away from you.
- Jeremiah 35:4 הַ/שָּׂרִ֔ים ptcl def.art + n c mp and I brought them into the house of Yahweh, into the chamber of the sons of Hanan the son of Igdaliah, the man of God, which was by the chamber of the princes, which was above the chamber of Maaseiah the son of Shallum, the keeper of the threshold.
- Jeremiah 36:12 הַ/שָּׂרִ֖ים הַ/שָּׂרִֽים ptcl def.art + n c mp ptcl def.art + n c mp he went down into the king's house, into the scribe's chamber: and, behold, all the princes were sitting there, [to wit], Elishama the scribe, and Delaiah the son of Shemaiah, and Elnathan the son of Achbor, and Gemariah the son of Shaphan, and Zedekiah the son of Hananiah, and all the princes.
- Jeremiah 36:14 הַ/שָּׂרִ֜ים ptcl def.art + n c mp Therefore all the princes sent Jehudi the son of Nethaniah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Cushi, to Baruch, saying, Take in your hand the scroll in which you have read in the ears of the people, and come. So Baruch the son of Neriah took the scroll in his hand, and came to them.
- Jeremiah 36:19 הַ/שָּׂרִים֙ ptcl def.art + n c mp Then said the princes to Baruch, Go, hide you, you and Jeremiah; and let no man know where you are.
- Jeremiah 36:21 הַ/שָּׂרִ֔ים ptcl def.art + n c mp So the king sent Jehudi to get the scroll; and he took it out of the chamber of Elishama the scribe. Jehudi read it in the ears of the king, and in the ears of all the princes who stood beside the king.
- Jeremiah 37:14 הַ/שָּׂרִֽים ptcl def.art + n c mp Then said Jeremiah, It is false; I am not falling away to the Chaldeans. But he didn't listen to him; so Irijah laid hold on Jeremiah, and brought him to the princes.
- Jeremiah 37:15 הַ/שָּׂרִ֛ים ptcl def.art + n c mp The princes were angry with Jeremiah, and struck him, and put him in prison in the house of Jonathan the scribe; for they had made that the prison.
- Jeremiah 38:4 הַ/שָּׂרִ֜ים ptcl def.art + n c mp Then the princes said to the king, Let this man, we pray you, be put to death; because he weakens the hands of the men of war who remain in this city, and the hands of all the people, in speaking such words to them: for this man doesn't seek the welfare of this people, but the hurt.
- Jeremiah 38:17 שָׂרֵ֤י n c mp cs Then said Jeremiah to Zedekiah, Thus says Yahweh, the God of hosts, the God of Israel: If you will go forth to the king of Babylon's princes, then your soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire; and you shall live, and your house.
- Jeremiah 38:18 שָׂרֵי֙ n c mp cs But if you will not go forth to the king of Babylon's princes, then shall this city be given into the hand of the Chaldeans, and they shall burn it with fire, and you shall not escape out of their hand.
- Jeremiah 38:22 שָׂרֵ֖י n c mp cs behold, all the women who are left in the king of Judah's house shall be brought forth to the king of Babylon's princes, and those women shall say, Your familiar friends have set you on, and have prevailed over you: [now that] your feet are sunk in the mire, they are turned away back.
- Jeremiah 38:25 הַ/שָּׂרִים֮ ptcl def.art + n c mp But if the princes hear that I have talked with you, and they come to you, and tell you, Declare to us now what you have said to the king; don't hide it from us, and we will not put you to death; also what the king said to you:
- Jeremiah 38:27 הַ/שָּׂרִ֤ים ptcl def.art + n c mp Then came all the princes to Jeremiah, and asked him; and he told them according to all these words that the king had commanded. So they left off speaking with him; for the matter was not perceived.
- Jeremiah 39:3 שָׂרֵ֣י שָׂרֵ֖י n c mp cs n c mp cs that all the princes of the king of Babylon came in, and sat in the middle gate, [to wit], Nergal Sharezer, Samgar-nebo, Sarsechim, Rabsaris, Nergal Sharezer, Rabmag, with all the rest of the princes of the king of Babylon.
- Jeremiah 40:7 שָׂרֵ֨י n c mp cs Now when all the captains of the forces who were in the fields, even they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam governor in the land, and had committed to him men, and women, and children, and of the poorest of the land, of those who were not carried away captive to Babylon;
- Jeremiah 40:13 שָׂרֵ֥י n c mp cs Moreover Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces who were in the fields, came to Gedaliah to Mizpah,
- Jeremiah 41:11 שָׂרֵ֥י n c mp cs But when Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces who were with him, heard of all the evil that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had done,
- Jeremiah 41:13 שָׂרֵ֥י n c mp cs Now it happened that, when all the people who were with Ishmael saw Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces who were with him, then they were glad.
- Jeremiah 41:16 שָׂרֵ֧י n c mp cs Then took Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces who were with him, all the remnant of the people whom he had recovered from Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, from Mizpah, after that he had killed Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, [to wit], the men of war, and the women, and the children, and the eunuchs, whom he had brought back from Gibeon:
- Jeremiah 42:1 שָׂרֵ֣י n c mp cs Then all the captains of the forces, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least even to the greatest, came near,
- Jeremiah 42:8 שָׂרֵ֥י n c mp cs Then called he Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces who were with him, and all the people from the least even to the greatest,
- Jeremiah 43:4 שָׂרֵ֧י n c mp cs So Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces, and all the people, didn't obey the voice of Yahweh, to dwell in the land of Judah.
- Jeremiah 43:5 שָׂרֵ֣י n c mp cs But Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces, took all the remnant of Judah, who were returned from all the nations where they had been driven, to sojourn in the land of Judah;
- Jeremiah 44:17 וְ/שָׂרֵ֔י/נוּ conj + n c mp cs + sfx pers 1cp But we will certainly perform every word that is gone forth out of our mouth, to burn incense to the queen of the sky, and to pour out drink-offerings to her, as we have done, we and our fathers, our kings and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem; for then had we plenty of food, and were well, and saw no evil.
- Jeremiah 44:21 וְ/שָׂרֵי/כֶ֖ם conj + n c mp cs + sfx pers 2mp The incense that you burned in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, you and your fathers, your kings and your princes, and the people of the land, didn't Yahweh remember them, and didn't it come into his mind?
- Jeremiah 48:7 וְ/שָׂרָ֖י/ו conj + n c mp cs + sfx pers 3ms For, because you have trusted in your works and in your treasures, you also shall be taken: and Chemosh shall go forth into captivity, his priests and his princes together.
- Jeremiah 49:3 וְ/שָׂרָ֖י/ו conj + n c mp cs + sfx pers 3ms Wail, Heshbon, for Ai is laid waste; cry, you daughters of Rabbah, gird you with sackcloth: lament, and run back and forth among the fences; for Malcam shall go into captivity, his priests and his princes together.
- Jeremiah 49:38 וְ/שָׂרִ֖ים conj + n c mp and I will set my throne in Elam, and will destroy from there king and princes, says Yahweh.
- Jeremiah 50:35 שָׂרֶ֖י/הָ n c mp cs + sfx pers 3fs A sword is on the Chaldeans, says Yahweh, and on the inhabitants of Babylon, and on her princes, and on her wise men.
- Jeremiah 51:57 שָׂרֶ֨י/הָ n c mp cs + sfx pers 3fs I will make drunk her princes and her wise men, her governors and her deputies, and her mighty men; and they shall sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake up, says the King, whose name is Yahweh of Hosts.
- Jeremiah 51:59 שַׂ֥ר n c ms cs The word which Jeremiah the prophet commanded Seraiah the son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, when he went with Zedekiah the king of Judah to Babylon in the fourth year of his reign. Now Seraiah was chief chamberlain.
- Jeremiah 52:10 שָׂרֵ֥י n c mp cs The king of Babylon killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes: he killed also all the princes of Judah in Riblah.
- Jeremiah 52:25 שַׂ֣ר n c ms cs and out of the city he took an officer who was set over the men of war; and seven men of those who saw the king's face, who were found in the city; and the scribe of the captain of the host, who mustered the people of the land; and sixty men of the people of the land, who were found in the midst of the city.
Lamentations 4 verses
- Lamentations 1:6 שָׂרֶ֗י/הָ n c mp cs + sfx pers 3fs From the daughter of Zion all her majesty is departed: Her princes are become like harts that find no pasture, They are gone without strength before the pursuer.
- Lamentations 2:2 וְ/שָׂרֶֽי/הָ conj + n c mp cs + sfx pers 3fs The Lord has swallowed up all the habitations of Jacob, and has not pitied: He has thrown down in his wrath the strongholds of the daughter of Judah; He has brought them down to the ground; he has profaned the kingdom and the princes of it.
- Lamentations 2:9 וְ/שָׂרֶ֤י/הָ conj + n c mp cs + sfx pers 3fs Her gates are sunk into the ground; he has destroyed and broken her bars: Her king and her princes are among the nations where the law is not; Yes, her prophets find no vision from Yahweh.
- Lamentations 5:12 שָׂרִים֙ n c mp Princes were hanged up by their hand: The faces of elders were not honored.
Ezekiel 3 verses
- Ezekiel 11:1 שָׂרֵ֖י n c mp cs Moreover the Spirit lifted me up, and brought me to the east gate of Yahweh's house, which looks eastward: and see, at the door of the gate twenty-five men; and I saw in the midst of them Jaazaniah the son of Azzur, and Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, princes of the people.
- Ezekiel 17:12 שָׂרֶ֔י/הָ n c mp cs + sfx pers 3fs Say now to the rebellious house, Don't you know what these things mean? tell them, Behold, the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, and took the king of it, and the princes of it, and brought them to him to Babylon:
- Ezekiel 22:27 שָׂרֶ֣י/הָ n c mp cs + sfx pers 3fs Her princes in the midst of it are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, [and] to destroy souls, that they may get dishonest gain.
Daniel 15 verses
- Daniel 1:7 שַׂ֥ר n c ms cs The prince of the eunuchs gave names to them: to Daniel he gave [the name of] Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, [of] Shadrach; and to Mishael, [of] Meshach; and to Azariah, [of] Abednego.
- Daniel 1:8 מִ/שַּׂ֣ר prep + n c ms cs But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king's dainties, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
- Daniel 1:9 שַׂ֥ר n c ms cs Now God made Daniel to find kindness and compassion in the sight of the prince of the eunuchs.
- Daniel 1:10 שַׂ֤ר n c ms cs The prince of the eunuchs said to Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who has appointed your food and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse looking than the youths who are of your own age? so would you endanger my head with the king.
- Daniel 1:11 שַׂ֣ר n c ms cs Then said Daniel to the steward whom the prince of the eunuchs had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:
- Daniel 1:18 שַׂ֣ר n c ms cs At the end of the days which the king had appointed for bringing them in, the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.
- Daniel 8:11 שַֽׂר n c ms cs Yes, it magnified itself, even to the prince of the host; and it took away from him the continual [burnt offering], and the place of his sanctuary was cast down.
- Daniel 8:25 שַׂר שָׂרִים֙ n c ms cs n c mp Through his policy he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and in [their] security shall he destroy many: he shall also stand up against the prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.
- Daniel 9:6 שָׂרֵ֖י/נוּ n c mp cs + sfx pers 1cp neither have we listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.
- Daniel 9:8 לְ/שָׂרֵ֖י/נוּ prep + n c mp cs + sfx pers 1cp Lord, to us belongs confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against you.
- Daniel 10:13 וְ/שַׂ֣ר הַ/שָּׂרִ֥ים conj + n c ms cs ptcl def.art + n c mp But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; but, behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me: and I remained there with the kings of Persia.
- Daniel 10:20 שַׂ֣ר שַׂר n c ms cs n c ms cs Then he said, "Do you know why I have come to you? Now I will return to fight with the prince of Persia. When I go forth, behold, the prince of Greece shall come.
- Daniel 10:21 שַׂרְ/כֶֽם n c ms cs + sfx pers 2mp But I will tell you that which is inscribed in the writing of truth: and there is none who holds with me against these, but Michael your prince."
- Daniel 11:5 שָׂרָ֑י/ו n c mp cs + sfx pers 3ms The king of the south shall be strong, and [one] of his princes; and he shall be strong above him, and have dominion; his dominion shall be a great dominion.
- Daniel 12:1 הַ/שַּׂ֣ר ptcl def.art + n c ms "At that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince who stands for the children of your people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who shall be found written in the book.
Hosea 8 verses
- Hosea 3:4 שָׂ֔ר n c ms For the children of Israel shall abide many days without king, and without prince, and without sacrifice, and without sacred stone, and without ephod or idols.
- Hosea 5:10 שָׂרֵ֣י n c mp cs The princes of Judah are like those who remove a landmark. I will pour out my wrath on them like water.
- Hosea 7:3 שָׂרִֽים n c mp They make the king glad with their wickedness, And the princes with their lies.
- Hosea 7:5 שָׂרִ֖ים n c mp On the day of our king, the princes made themselves sick with the heat of wine. He joined his hand with mockers.
- Hosea 7:16 שָׂרֵי/הֶ֖ם n c mp cs + sfx pers 3mp They return, but not to the Most High. They are like a faulty bow. Their princes will fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue. This will be their derision in the land of Egypt.
- Hosea 8:10 שָׂרִֽים n c mp But although they sold themselves among the nations, I will now gather them; and they begin to waste away because of the oppression of the king of mighty ones.
- Hosea 9:15 שָׂרֵי/הֶ֖ם n c mp cs + sfx pers 3mp "All their wickedness is in Gilgal; For there I hated them. Because of the wickedness of their deeds I will drive them out of my house! I will love them no more. All their princes are rebels.
- Hosea 13:10 וְ/שָׂרִֽים conj + n c mp Where is your king now, that he may save you in all your cities? And your judges, of whom you said, 'Give me a king and princes?'
Amos 2 verses
Micah 1 verse
Zephaniah 2 verses
- Zephaniah 1:8 הַ/שָּׂרִ֖ים ptcl def.art + n c mp It will happen in the day of Yahweh's sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, the king's sons, and all those who as are clothed with foreign clothing.
- Zephaniah 3:3 שָׂרֶ֣י/הָ n c mp cs + sfx pers 3fs Her princes in the midst of her are roaring lions. Her judges are evening wolves. They leave nothing until the next day.
About this entry
At a glance — auto-summarized from this page’s data, not written by a person. Every figure links to its source below. This summary describes the numbers; it doesn’t interpret them.
שר — transliterated sar — is a Hebrew noun carrying the sense “prince.” The King James Version usually renders it “princes,” while modern versions prefer “commanders” (Berean Standard Bible) — see the renderings breakdown. With 368 verses in 28 books, it is a common word in the Hebrew Bible. Debuting at Genesis 12:15, it then recurs through the corpus. Alongside “prince” the lexicon also lists “ruler”, “leader”, and “chief” — part of its full sense range. Each statement above links to its evidence; the full detail follows below.
Gloss history
Strong's 1890 vs modern scholarship
About this word
Strong's H8269 catalogs a Hebrew word from the Hebrew Old Testament.
These counts are not copied from any lexicon or concordance. They are computed here, from the morphology-tagged Hebrew Old Testament. What Lemma adds →
- 368
- distinct verses
- The word appears in 368 distinct verses.
- 28 / 39
- OT books
- The word appears in 28 of 39 Old Testament books.
- #117
- by frequency
- Top 250 most frequent Hebrew words (rank 117 of 8,640 Hebrew words by occurrence).
View all 368 occurrences in the concordance →
Most concentrated in
- Jeremiah 52 verses 14%
- 2 Chronicles 47 verses 13%
- 1 Chronicles 37 verses 10%
By section of the Old Testament
By traditional corpus
Conventional, traditional groupings — biblical authorship is debated, so this is a traditional corpus grouping, not an authorship claim. Each share is this word’s portion of its verses in that division of the Hebrew canon. Each figure is a share of the word’s 368 distinct verses.
- Prophets (Nevi'im) 166 verses · 45%
- Writings (Ketuvim) 160 verses · 43%
- Torah (Pentateuch) 42 verses · 11%
How translations render this word
Counts come from each version’s own published word-to-Strong’s tagging or interlinear alignment — an approximate guide to how each version renders this word, not a word-level alignment the data otherwise carries. Because each total is that version’s own tagged count, the per-version totals vary from one another and need not match the appearance or distinct-verse counts above. These counts may also differ from a printed concordance because Lemma counts each distinctly tagged rendering and does not collapse phrase taggings into a single head-word total. This is a fixed set of word-tagged versions (KJV, ASV, BSB, ULT) and does not change with the reading translation you choose elsewhere. Each version’s license is shown beside its name below (and on Sources).
BDB lists this Strong’s number as 2 distinct words (homographs). Each count above pools all of them and is not split by sense — see the Senses section below. A low-frequency rendering may belong to a different one of those words, not the primary meaning.
- King James Version†: Princes 139×, Captains 57×, Captain 39×
- American Standard Version†: Princes 133×, Captains 54×, Captain 42×
- Berean Standard Bible†: Commanders 73×, Officials 67×, Princes 61×
- unfoldingWord Literal Text†: Princes 46×, Commanders of 39×, Leaders of 36×
King James Version Public Domain
Renders H8269 across 420† tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 62 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings. Not rendered by a distinct English word in 1 further occurrence.
American Standard Version Public Domain
Renders H8269 across 418† tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 77 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
Berean Standard Bible Public Domain
Renders H8269 across 399† tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 25 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings. Not rendered by a distinct English word in 21 further occurrences.
unfoldingWord Literal Text CC BY-SA 4.0
Renders H8269 across 390† tagged occurrences — most commonly:
Plus other, less common renderings. Plus 20 renderings that appear only once — usually multi-word phrases or single function words the recovered tagging swept in, not distinct renderings.
19 senses and sub-senses in the full BDB
What do BDB’s symbols mean?
BDB uses these scholarly abbreviations:
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 𝔊 | the Septuagint (the ancient Greek translation, LXX) |
| 𝔙 | the Vulgate (the Latin translation) |
| 𝔖 | the Syriac version (the Peshitta) |
| 𝔗 | the Targum (the Aramaic translation) |
| ψ | the Psalms |
| √ | root (the underlying root or stem) |
| ‖ | parallel passage (a synonymous or contrasted parallel) |
| † | the dagger: every passage where the word occurs is cited |
The 19 senses and sub-senses the full Brown-Driver-Briggs lexicon distinguishes for this word, in lexicon order (not ranked by frequency), with BDB’s own verbatim wording and sub-sense lettering. Shown in Hebrew script with BDB’s own scholarly abbreviations. The condensed entry is in the Lexicon Entry tab. See also the Forms in the corpus table below.
שר I be stubborn, rebellious (usually towards י׳) (NH id., (rare)
Qal
- Pf. 3 ms. ס׳ יִשְׂרָאֵל Ho 4:16 Isr. is stubborn; Pt. act. בֵּן סוֹרֵר וּמוֹרֶה Dt 21:18, cf. v 20; בָּנִים סוֹרְרִים Is 30:1, עַם סוֹרֵר 65:2, דּוֹר ס׳ וּמֹרֶה ψ 78:8 (all of Isr.); לֵב ס׳ וּמוֹרֶה Je 5:23; פָּרָה סֹרֵרָ֔ה Ho 4:16 (sim. of Isr., v. supr.); as pred. שָׂרֵיהֶם סוֹרְרִים Ho 9:15 cf. Is 1:23; סָרֵי סוֹרְרִים Je 6:28 revolters among the rebellious (? cf. סור Qal ad fin., and סַר infr.); of loose woman הֹמִיָּה הִיא וְסוֹרָ֑רֶת Pr 7:11; as subst. = the stubborn, ψ 66:7; 68:7, 19; fs. וַיִּתְּנוּ כָתֵף סֹרֶ֫רֶת Ne 9:29 and they presented a stubborn shoulder (of Isr.) = Zc 7:11 (סֹרָ֑רֶת). e.g. Hosea 4:16
שר II chieftain, chief, ruler, official, captain, prince (NH especially of angels
- 1. chieftain, leader:
- a. pl. of Isr. Nu 21:18 (poem in JE; ‖ נְדִיב הָעָם), of Issachar Ju 5:15 (poem); שָׂרֵי גִלְעָד 10:18 is dub. (we should expect וְשׂ׳, and cf. זִקְנֵי ג׳, instead, 11:5–11); of Midian 7:25; 8:3; Philistines 1 S 29:3(×2), 4(×2), 9 (appar. = סְרָנִים v 2, 6, 7 [We], yet disting. by HPS and [with reserve] Bu; 𝔊 𝔖 𝔙 Th Bu del. in v 4b), cf. 18:30; poet., of כְּמוֹשׂ (i.e. the leading Moabites) Je 48:7, of מלכם (q.v.; i.e. the leading Ammonites) Am 1:15 = Je 49:3. e.g. Numbers 21:18
- b. sg. David as leader of freebooters 1 S 22:2; cf. שׂ׳ גְּדוּד 1 K 11:24, pl. 2 S 4:2. e.g. 1 Samuel 22:2
- 2. vassal, noble, official, under king (acting, on occasion, as counsellor, commander, etc.):
- a. pl., in Egypt Gn 12:15 (J) + 3 times Is + 30:4 Di Du Skinner (> of foreign embassy [cf. ‖ מַלְאָכָיו] Che al. reading [CheHeb.Hpt. Marti] שָׂרִים), 105:22; Moab Nu 22:8 + 8 times 22, 23 (JE), Am 2:3; Edom Is 34:12 (‖ חֹרִים); As. 10:8; 31:9; Bab. 21:5 + 7 times Je + 2 Ch 32:31 (but here perhaps vaguely = authorities); other nations Je 49:38 + 17 times Ezr Est; in gen. Is 49:7; officials, officials class, under kings of Israel: David (only Chr) 1 Ch 22:17 + 5 times 1 Ch, Ezr 8:20; Sol. 1 K 4:2; Jehoiachin 2 K 24:12, 14; Zedek. Je 34:21; 2 Ch 36:18; other kings 19 times 2 Chr; in gen. Ec 10:16, 17; see also (Judah) Je 1:18 + 31 times Je (17:25a del. שׂ׳ Gf Che Gie Du), 4 times La, Ez 17:12, Zp 1:8 (where disting. from בְּנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ, who are never called שׂ׳); so, in gen., Ne 9:32, 34 Dn 9:6, 8; and (N. Isr.) Ho 3:4 + 6 times Ho. e.g. Genesis 12:15
- b. as having powers of magistrate Ex 2:14 (E. + שֹׁפֵט); under Moses (over groups of 1000, 100, 50, 10) 18:21 + 7 times 18 (E), Dt 1:15(×4); later in Judah Ho 5:10 (Now reads שָׂרֵי יִשׂ׳), Is 1:23, cf. 3:4, 14; 32:1; Mi 7:3 (sg.; ‖ שֹׁפֵט), Zp 3:3 (‖ id.), Ez 22:27, cf. Pr 8:16 (‖ נְדִיבִים); 28:2 read perhaps צָרֶיהָ, v. Toy. e.g. Exodus 2:14
- c. as ruler or magistrate of a district (מְדִינָה), 1 K 20:14, 15, 17, 19 (cf. Est 1:3; 8:9; 9:3, שָׂרֵי עַם וָעָם 3:12). e.g. 1 Kings 20:14
- d. as commandant of city, שׂ׳ הָעִיר Ju 9:30, cf. 1 K 22:26 = 2 Ch 18:25, 2 K 23:8; 2 Ch 34:8; of citadel, שׂ׳ הַבִּירָה Ne 7:2; pl. of city officials, שׂ׳ סֻכּוֹת Ju 8:6, 14 (disting. from זְקֵנִים), cf. 2 K 10:1; 2 Ch 29:20. e.g. Judges 9:30
- 3. specif. military, = captain, general:
- a. שַׂר־(ה)צבא Gn 21:22, 32 (E), 26:26 (J), 1 S 12:9 + 23 times, + שׂ׳־צ׳־י׳ Jos 5:14, 15 (JE; צָבָא 1 b), angel-captain in vision; v. also 8, 9; שָׂרֵי הַצּ׳ 1 K 1:25 + 3 times Chr, שָׂרִים בַּצּ׳ 1 Ch 12:22 (Gi Baer; van d. H. v 21); שָׂרֵי צְבָאוֹת Dt 20:9; 1 K 2:5; 1 Ch 27:3; שַׂר־הַחַ֫יִל 2 S 24:2 (but read וְאֶל־שָׂרֵי as 𝔊L and ‖ 1 Ch 21:2 Th We Dr HPS Bu), שָׂרֵי (הַ)ח׳ v 4(×2), 2 K 9:5; 2 Ch 33:14; Ne 2:9, שָׂרֵי הַחֲיָלִים 1 K 15:20 = 2 Ch 16:4; 2 K 25:23; 26 Je 40:7, 13 + 7 times Je; שָׂרֵי מִלְחָמוֹת 2 Ch 32:6; so (ה)שׂר alone 2 S 18:5; 19:7 1 K 9:22 = 2 Ch 8:9 𝔊B Be Kit (שָׂרָיו וְשָׁלִישָׁיו, for MT שָׂרֵי שׂ׳), 2 K 9:5(×2); 1 Ch 11:6, 21 + 9 times, + Jb 39:25 Dn 11:5; שׂ׳ וְגָדוֹל 2 S 3:38 (of Abner); poss. military fig. also in שַׂר שָׁלוֹם Is 9:5 (Mess. name). e.g. Genesis 21:22
- b. leading companies of 50 2 K 1:9–14; Is 3:3, of 100; 1 S 22:7 + 16 times + 8:12 (reading מֵאוֹת for חֲמִשִּׁים 𝔊 HPS, cf. We; Bu ins. שָׂרֵי מֵאוֹת), of 1000; 1 S 17:18 + 11 times, + שָׂרֵי הָאֲלָפִים וְהַמֵּאוֹת 1 Ch 13:1 26:26 (disting. from שָׂרֵי הַצָּבָא), 27:1; 29:6; 2 Ch 1:2; also שׂ׳ הָרֶכֶב captain of the chariotry 1 K 22:31, 32, 33 = 2 Ch 18:30, 31, 32 + 3 times + שָׂרֵי ר׳ וּפָרָשָׁיו 1 K 9:22 = 2 Ch 8:9. e.g. 2 Kings 1:9
- 4.
- a. chief, head, of other official classes: שַׂר הַטַּבָּחִים, Egypt, Gn 37:36 + 5 times; שָׂרֵי הָרָצִים 1 K 14:27 = 2 Ch 12:10; שָׂרֵי הַנִּצָּבִים 1 K 5:30; 9:23 = 2 Ch 8:10; even domestic positions (court of Pharaoh), שַׂר הַמַּשְׁקִים Gn 40:2 + 5 times, שַׂר הָאוֹפוֹת 40:2 + 4 times (all E); שָׂרֵי הַמַּהְלְקוֹת 1 Ch 28:1, i.e. of the successive courses of royal military officials; cf. הַשַּׂר 27:28; שַׂר הַסָּרִיסִים Dn 1:7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 18; שַׂר מְנוּחָה Je 51:59. e.g. Genesis 37:36
- b. = overseer: שַׂר בֵּית הַסֹּהַר Gn 39:21, 23, שָׂרֵי מִקְנֶה 47:6 (all J; cf. אַבִּיר הָרֹעִים 1 S 21:8), שָׂרֵי מִסִּים Ex 1:11 (J); cf. 1 Ch 15:27; 29:6; 27:31; 28:1.—In 1 Ch 15:22 read prob. סַר הַמַּשָּׂא (= שַׂר) overseer of the carrying (for MT בְּמַשָּׂא יָסֹר בַּמַּשָּׂא), so 𝔊 Benz Kit, Be יָסֹר = יָשׂר; v. another view יָסַר Qal. e.g. Genesis 39:21
- 5. of religious office: שָׂרֵי הַכֹּהֲנִים Ezr 8:24, 29; 10:5 2 Ch 36:14; שׂ׳ הַלְוִיִּם 1 Ch 15:16, 22 2 Ch 35:9, cf. 1 Ch 15:5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10; heads of classes or courses of priests, called שָׂרֵי קֹדֶשׁ 1 Ch 24:5, שׂ׳ אֱלֹהִים v 5;—שָׂרֵי ק׳ Is 43:28 (usually consecrated princes, whether priests, or kings, or both) is prob. corrupt, read perhaps שַׁעֲרֵי (Du) or וַיְחַלְּלוּ שָׂרֶיךָ קָדְשִׁי 𝔊 Houb Klo CheHpt Gr (substantially). e.g. Ezra 8:24
- 6. late, of representative leaders of people, tribal heads, שׂ׳ שִׁבְטֵי יִשׂ׳ 1 Ch 27:22; 29:6, cf. 28:1; appar. = elders, שׂ׳ הָעָם Ez 11:1; 2 Ch 24:23; שׂ׳ alone, ψ 68:28(×3); in post-exilic Jerus. Ezr 9:1; 2 Ne 4:10; 10:1; 11:1 (שָׂרֵי הָעָם), + elders Ezr 10:8, 14; called שָׂרֵי יְהוּדָה Ne 12:31, 32; of district-rulers 3:9, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19; of heads of families, שָׂרֵי הָאָבוֹת Ezr 8:29; 1 Ch 29:6 (= רָאשֵׁי הָא׳ 24:31; 27:1; Ne 7:70). e.g. 1 Chronicles 27:22
- 7. late, as term of rank and dignity, Is 23:8 (cf. ‘merchant-princes’), Jb 3:15; 29:9 (‖ נְגִידִים), 34:19 ψ 45:17; 82:7; 148:11, opp. עבד(ים) Pr 19:10; Ec 10:7; formidable foes ψ 119:23, 161. e.g. Isaiah 23:8
- 8. = patron-angel, only Dn: פָּרַס (מַלְכוּת) שַׂר 10:13, 20, שׂ׳ יָוָן v 20; specif. of מִיכָאֵל v 13, 21; 12:1. e.g. Daniel 10:13
- 9. שַׂר־הַצָבָא 8:11 = God (prob., cf. צָבָא 1 c; yet v. also צ׳ 1 b), so שַׂר שָׂרִים v 25. e.g. Daniel 8:11
Senses from the full Brown-Driver-Briggs lexicon (Brown, Driver, Briggs; Oxford 1906 — public domain), digitized via Sefaria, supplemented by the OpenScriptures HebrewLexicon (CC BY 4.0). Full attribution on Sources.
Word origin
I. vb. be stubborn, rebellious (usually towards י׳) (NH id., (rare); Assyrian sarâru);—
II. n.m. chieftain, chief, ruler, official, captain, prince (NH especially of angels; Assyrian šarru, king);—abs. שַׂר 2 S 3:38 +, הַשַּׂר Mi 7:3 +, שָׂ֑ר Ho 3:4 +; cstr. שַׂר Ju 4:2 +; sf. שַׂרְכֶם Dn 10:21; pl. שָׂרִים 1 K 4:2 +; cstr. שָׂרֵי Gn 12:15 +; sf. שָׂרַי Ju 5:15; Is 10:8, שָׂרֵיכֶם Je 44:21, שָׂרֵיהֶם Is 3:4 +;—
— Brown-Driver-Briggs (Oxford 1906, public domain), digitized via Sefaria, supplemented by the OpenScriptures HebrewLexicon (CC BY 4.0). See Sources.
Derived from שרר (sârar) (H8323) — to rule.
Jastrow Dictionary
A second Hebrew/Aramaic lexicon for comparison, covering Aramaic and post-biblical (Talmudic, Targumic, Midrashic) usage that the biblical-Hebrew BDB does not. Matched by lemma rather than by Strong’s number, so a lemma may carry more than one Jastrow headword (shown separately below), and the entries cover usage well beyond the Bible.
שֵׁר
- Tower of Sher (or Shed), Straton’s Tower (v. Hildesh. Beitr. p. 4 sq.). Sifré Deut. 51 מדבר שרשך דור, read: מגדל שר שן דור; Yalk. ib. 874 מגדל שרשן דירו (corr. acc.); Y. Shebi. VI, 36ᶜ top מגדל שיד.
שַׂר
- prince, chief.; שר (של מעלה) guardian angel, genius. Zeb. 116ᵇ שר ונגיד a prince or a nobleman. Yeb. 16ᵇ שר העולם the genius of the universe; Ḥull. 60ᵃ. Ex. R. s. 22 נטל הקב"ה שר שלהם וכ׳ the Lord took first their (the Egyptians’) guardian angel and drowned him. Pes. 118ᵃ שר הברד, v. יוּרְקָמִי. Ib. אני שר של אש I (Gabriel) am the angel of fire. B. Bath. 74ᵇ שר של ים the angel of the sea. Mekh. B’shall., Shir., s. 2 כיון שראו שָׂרָהּ של מלכות נופל (not נופלת) when they saw the genius of the (Egyptian) empire fallen; Yalk. Ex. 243; a. v. fr.—Pl. שָׂרִים. Ib. אין … משָׂרֵיהֶן תחלה the Lord will not punish governments, unless he have punished their guardian angels first. Gen. R. s. 78, beg. מיכאל … שהם ש׳ של מעלה Michael and Gabriel who are the princes on high. Yalk. l. c. קרא … לכל שָׂרֵי האומות the Lord summoned all the tutelary angels of the nations. Cant. R. to VIII, 14 ש׳ של מעלה the princes on high (angels); ש׳ של מטה the earthly (human) governors. Ib. (play on הרי בשמים, ib.) המתינו לי … על הריהם שהם שָׂרֵיהֶם שנתונים אצלי בַּשָּׁמַיִם (not שנתונות) wait until I shall have sat in judgment over their mounts, that is, their chiefs that are placed with me in heaven; a. fr.—Gen. R. s. 98 גני ש׳, v. גִּינֵּיסַר.—Fem. שָׂרָה. Tosef. Ber. I, 12 (ref. to Gen. XVII, 15) בתחלה הרי היא ש׳ על עמה ועכשיו הרי היא ש׳ על אומות העולם ed. Zuck. (Var. שָׂרַי על עמה … על כל באי העולם, v. ed. Zuck. note) at first she was a princess of her own people, and now she is a princess for the nations of the world (for all that enter into the world); Ber. 13ᵃ שרי לאומתה … ש׳ לכל העולם. e.g. Genesis 17:15
A Dictionary of the Targumim, the Talmud Babli and Yerushalmi, and the Midrashic Literature (Marcus Jastrow; London, Luzac, 1903) — Public Domain. Digitized via Sefaria. Digitized via Sefaria. Full attribution on Sources.
Forms in the corpus
The 134 distinct written forms H8269 takes in the Hebrew Bible, most frequent first — each parse links to that state’s occurrences in the concordance. Hebrew forms include their vowel points and cantillation, so a single lemma takes many written forms.
The 60 most common forms are shown; 74 rarer forms follow in the full concordance.
Same root — word family
Other BDB entries built from the same root as H8269, grouped by Strong’s listed origin. These share a root / origin per the lexicon — not necessarily a shared meaning. Each links to that word’s own entry.
Derives from
Derived from this word
Proper names from this root
People and places named from this root — a name, not an additional meaning of the word.
Compare all same-root words → 1 of the same-root words is a proper name (a person or place). They share a root, not necessarily a meaning.
Septuagint verse parallels
This word appears in 335 verses that also exist in the Greek Old Testament (Septuagint), out of the 368 Hebrew verses it occurs in. You can read those verses in Greek by switching the Old Testament edition to the Septuagint.
Read these verses in the Septuagint
- Genesis 12:15
- Exodus 1:11
- Numbers 21:18
- Deuteronomy 1:15
- Joshua 5:14
- Judges 4:2
- 1 Samuel 8:12
- 2 Samuel 2:8
- 1 Kings 1:19
- 2 Kings 1:9
- 1 Chronicles 11:6
- 2 Chronicles 1:2
This is a verse-level parallel only — the same verses exist in both the Hebrew and Greek Old Testaments. No word-level Hebrew↔Greek correspondence is claimed: the data carries no such alignment, so no Greek word is shown as this Hebrew word’s translation. Coverage is not total — the Septuagint omits the deuterocanon and renumbers the Psalms, so some Hebrew verses have no direct Greek parallel.
