אֶדְרַע (ed.ra)
ed.ra
force
A:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- A:N-F
Word Overview
The Aramaic noun edraʿ appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, at Ezra 4:23. It translates to force or power, serving as the Aramaic equivalent of the Hebrew zroa (Strong’s H2220), which literally means arm. In this context, it describes the strength or authority behind an action.
Its sole occurrence highlights a historical moment where officials acted with decisive energy. The text notes that the work proceeded with force and completed successfully. This usage underscores the practical application of power in administrative or political settings within the Persian empire.
As a loanword from Hebrew into Imperial Aramaic, edraʿ illustrates how biblical authors adapted vocabulary to fit the linguistic environment of their time. The term carries no abstract theological weight here; it simply denotes the effective force used to achieve a specific outcome.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word edraʿ appears only once in the Bible, at Ezra 4:23. It describes the decisive force used by officials to stop the rebuilding of Jerusalem. This single occurrence reminds us that history is shaped by real power and human decisions.
For your faith, this verse shows that God’s plans can face strong opposition. Yet the text notes that the work stopped only temporarily. Your own challenges may feel overwhelming, but they do not have the final word. Trust in the sovereignty of God over all earthly powers.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- with/ force1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- בְּ/אֶדְרָ֥ע1×
Key Verses
-
Ezra 4:23
Then when the copy of King Artaxerxes’ letter was read before Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went in haste to Jerusalem to the Jews, and made them to cease by force of arms.
This verse uses edraʿ to describe the physical force employed by opponents to halt the Jewish rebuilding efforts, highlighting a specific historical moment of resistance.