Tirshatha

Boyd’s Bible Dictionary:

(governor). Title of the governors of Judea under Persian rule (Ezra 2:63⁶³And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood up a priest with Urim and with Thummim. (Ezra 2:63); Neh. 7:65,70; 8:9⁶⁵And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood up a priest with Urim and Thummim. (Nehemiah 7:65)
⁷⁰And some of the chief of the fathers gave unto the work. The Tirshatha gave to the treasure a thousand drams of gold, fifty basons, five hundred and thirty priests' garments. (Nehemiah 7:70)
⁹And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the Lord your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law. (Nehemiah 8:9); Neh. 10:1¹Now those that sealed were, Nehemiah, the Tirshatha, the son of Hachaliah, and Zidkijah, (Nehemiah 10:1)).

Concise Bible Dictionary:

Persian title given to Nehemiah (Neh. 8:9⁹And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the Lord your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law. (Nehemiah 8:9); Neh. 10:1¹Now those that sealed were, Nehemiah, the Tirshatha, the son of Hachaliah, and Zidkijah, (Nehemiah 10:1)). In Ezra 2:63⁶³And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood up a priest with Urim and with Thummim. (Ezra 2:63), and Nehemiah 7:65,70⁶⁵And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood up a priest with Urim and Thummim. (Nehemiah 7:65)
⁷⁰And some of the chief of the fathers gave unto the work. The Tirshatha gave to the treasure a thousand drams of gold, fifty basons, five hundred and thirty priests' garments. (Nehemiah 7:70), the same title doubtless refers to Zerubbabel. In the margin it reads “governor.” It is thought to be similar to the modern word Pasha. This is confirmed by the Hebrew word (pechah), used for the title of Nehemiah in Nehemiah 12:26²⁶These were in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor, and of Ezra the priest, the scribe. (Nehemiah 12:26), and elsewhere for the Persian governors.

Strong’s Dictionary of Hebrew Words:

Number:

8660 (find all occurrences in KJV Bible)

Transliteration:

Tirshatha’

Phonic:

teer-shaw-thaw’

Meaning:

of foreign derivation; the title of a Persian deputy or governor

KJV Usage:

Tirshatha

Jackson’s Dictionary of Scripture Proper Names:

thou shalt possess there

Potts’ Bible Proper Names:

Who overturns the foundation; stern; severe:―title of a Persian governor, Ezra 2:63. {Qui evertit fundamentum}

From Manners and Customs of the Bible:

Nehemiah 7:65⁶⁵And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood up a priest with Urim and Thummim. (Nehemiah 7:65). And the Tirshatha said unto them.

This was the title of the Persian governor of Judea. Gesenius derives the word from the Persian torsh: “severe,” “austere,” which would make the meaning equivalent to your Severity. He compares it with the German gestrenger Herr, (that is, your “Worship”; but, literally, Severe Master,) a title which was formerly given to the magistrates of the free and imperial German cities. The English have a corresponding expression: “most dread Sovereign.”

Tirshatha

Boyd’s Bible Dictionary:

Concise Bible Dictionary:

Strong’s Dictionary of Hebrew Words:

Jackson’s Dictionary of Scripture Proper Names:

Potts’ Bible Proper Names:

From Manners and Customs of the Bible:

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