טְעֵם
properly, flavor; figuratively, judgment (both subjective and objective); hence
Definition
The Hebrew word טְעֵם (ṭᵉʻêm) primarily means 'taste' or 'flavor' in a literal sense, but in the Aramaic portions of the Old Testament, it most commonly refers to a 'decree,' 'command,' or 'official judgment.' This figurative meaning stems from the idea of a decision being 'tasted' or discerned by a ruler. In Ezra, it consistently denotes the official decrees of Persian kings, such as the decree to stop rebuilding Jerusalem (Ezra 4:21). The word can also imply 'reason' or 'account,' as in giving a formal explanation (Ezra 4:19).
Biblical Usage
This word appears exclusively in the Aramaic sections of the books of Ezra and Daniel. In Ezra, it is used 25 times, almost always in the context of official correspondence and royal decrees from the Persian administration concerning the rebuilding of the temple and Jerusalem (e.g., Ezra 4:17, 5:9, 5:13). It signifies the authoritative, written commands of the king. In Daniel, it is used once in Daniel 3:10 for a royal 'decree' issued by Nebuchadnezzar.
Etymology
Derived from the Aramaic root טְעַם (ṭᵉʻam, H2939), meaning 'to taste' or 'to perceive.' It is the cognate of the Hebrew noun טַעַם (ṭaʻam, H2941), which also means 'taste' or 'understanding.' The semantic development moved from the physical sense of tasting to the mental act of discerning or judging, resulting in the meaning of an official 'decree'—a judgment issued by an authority.
Semantic Range
טְעֵם highlights the theme of God's sovereignty working through human political structures. The decrees of pagan kings, like Artaxerxes or Darius, are instruments in God's hand to fulfill His purposes for Jerusalem's restoration, as seen in Ezra. Understanding this word enriches the reading of these narratives by showing that even secular authority and law are under God's ultimate providential control, executing His will for His people.
In the context of the Persian Empire, a טְעֵם was a formal, written royal command that was irrevocable (similar to the 'laws of the Medes and Persians' in Esther 1:19). It reflects the absolute authority of the king and the bureaucratic nature of the empire. This differs from a modern understanding of a 'decree' by emphasizing its binding, documented, and often public nature as an instrument of imperial administration.
דָּת (dāṯ, H1882) — A Persian loanword also meaning 'law' or 'decree,' used in Esther and Ezra, often in a similar legal context. פִּתְגָּם (pitgām, H6599) — Another Aramaic word for 'message' or 'decree,' used in Ezra and Ecclesiastes, sometimes interchangeably with טְעֵם. מִצְוָה (miṣwâ, H4687) — The common Hebrew word for 'commandment,' typically used for divine commands rather than human royal decrees.
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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