נְזַק
to suffer (causatively, inflict) loss
Definition
The Aramaic verb נְזַק (nᵉzaq) means to suffer loss or damage, or, in its causative form, to inflict such loss. In the book of Ezra, it describes the potential financial and reputational harm the king would suffer if Jerusalem's walls were rebuilt (Ezra 4:13, 4:15, 4:22). In Daniel 6:2, the meaning shifts slightly; the satraps were appointed so the king 'might suffer no loss,' referring to a broader sense of detriment or disadvantage to his royal interests, not merely financial damage.
Biblical Usage
This word is used exclusively in Aramaic portions of the Old Testament (Ezra and Daniel). In Ezra, it appears in the context of a formal legal accusation, warning the Persian king of tangible damage to his treasury and authority. In Daniel, it is used in an administrative decree, concerned with preventing any form of detriment to the king's rule. All four occurrences involve the interests of a monarch and the potential for harm to his kingdom.
Etymology
נְזַק is an Aramaic verb corresponding to the Hebrew root נזק (n-z-q), which relates to injury or damage. Its Hebrew cognate, נֵזֶק (nēzeq, H5143), is a noun meaning 'injury' or 'damage.' The Aramaic form carries the same core semantic idea of suffering or causing loss, adapted into the language of the Persian imperial administration.
Semantic Range
This word highlights the biblical realism regarding political power and the potential for harm within human governance. Its use in Ezra underscores how earthly rulers are concerned with protecting their interests, which can directly oppose God's work of restoration. In Daniel, it shows God's sovereign hand even in the administrative details of a pagan empire, ensuring Daniel's protection and ultimately preventing the king's 'loss.' It reminds readers that God's providence operates within complex political and legal systems.
In the context of the Persian Empire, 'loss' or 'damage' (nᵉzaq) to the crown was a serious legal and financial concept. Official correspondence, like the letter in Ezra, was designed to appeal to the king's fiscal and political self-interest. The term reflects a bureaucratic worldview where the stability and revenue of the empire were paramount, and any activity perceived as threatening that stability was framed as causing 'damage' to the royal treasury and honor.
חבל (ḥāḇal, H2254) — A Hebrew verb meaning to destroy or ruin, often with a more violent or physical connotation than the administrative/legal nᵉzaq. רעע (rāʿaʿ, H7489) — A Hebrew verb meaning to be bad, evil, or to break, covering a wider range of harm, including moral evil.
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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