מְגַר
to overthrow
Definition
The Aramaic verb מְגַר (mᵉgar) means 'to overthrow' or 'to destroy,' specifically referring to the act of tearing down or causing something to fall. In its single biblical occurrence, it describes the divine judgment against any king or people who would attempt to alter or hinder the rebuilding of the Jerusalem temple. The term conveys a sense of complete and decisive ruin, not merely a setback. It is used in a legal and prophetic decree to emphasize the certainty and severity of God's intervention against opposition.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the Old Testament, in Ezra 6:12, within a formal decree issued by King Darius. The context is a royal proclamation supporting the Jewish exiles' temple reconstruction. The usage is juridical and divine: Darius invokes the God of Jerusalem to 'destroy' any king or people who would alter the decree. It functions as a severe warning of divinely sanctioned overthrow, blending Persian imperial authority with a theological assertion of God's protective power over His people's worship.
Etymology
מְגַר is an Aramaic verb, corresponding to the Hebrew root מָגַר (H4048, māgar), which also means 'to overthrow' or 'to cast down.' The Aramaic form appears in the biblical text because the book of Ezra contains sections written in Aramaic, the administrative language of the Persian Empire. The root conveys the idea of pulling down or causing to fall, and its use in Ezra aligns with this core sense of demolition or ruin.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it highlights God's sovereignty over human kingdoms and His commitment to His covenant purposes. In Ezra 6:12, a pagan king unknowingly becomes an instrument of divine justice, decreeing that God Himself will 'overthrow' those who oppose the restoration of worship. It underscores that God actively protects the means of proper worship and fulfills His promises, even through foreign decrees. Understanding this Aramaic term enriches reading by showing the seriousness of opposing God's ordained work.
In the cultural context of the Persian Empire, royal decrees were considered unchangeable law (similar to the 'laws of the Medes and Persians' in Daniel 6:8). The use of a strong term like מְגַר in Darius's decree would be understood as a capital threat, invoking both imperial punishment and divine retribution. This reflects a period where Jewish life was under foreign rule, yet their God was recognized as a powerful divine enforcer even in official state documents.
הָרַס (hāras, H2040) — a more common Hebrew verb for 'to tear down' or 'demolish,' often used for cities and altars. שָׁמַד (shāmad, H8045) — means 'to destroy' or 'exterminate,' frequently used in contexts of divine judgment. נָתַץ (nāṯaṣ, H5422) — 'to break down' or 'pull down,' used for tearing down buildings and idols.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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