טִפְסָר (tiph.sar)
tiph.sar
official
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun tiph.sar refers to a high-ranking royal official, often translated as "marshal" or "scribe." It appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, in Jeremiah 39:3, where it describes officials present at the fall of Jerusalem. The term likely denotes an administrative officer with authority over court records or military logistics, reflecting the complex bureaucracy of the Neo-Babylonian empire.
Its rarity makes this single occurrence particularly significant. By naming specific officers like Nergal-sharezer and Sarsechim alongside the tiph.sar, the text emphasizes the comprehensive nature of Judah’s defeat; not even the highest imperial administrators escaped the city’s collapse. This usage highlights how foreign powers organized their control through structured hierarchies of trust.
Translators sometimes render it "marshal," suggesting a military role, while others prefer "scribe" or "official," pointing to an administrative function. The exact nature of the position remains debated due to its unique occurrence, but it clearly signifies a person of considerable influence within the royal court structure.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word tiph.sar describes a high-ranking official in the Neo-Babylonian court, likely an administrative officer or marshal. Its single occurrence in Jeremiah 39:3 places it at the very center of Jerusalem’s fall. Seeing these powerful figures inside the city walls highlights the totality of Judah’s defeat; even the highest imperial administrators were present as the old order collapsed.
For your faith, this rare term reminds us that human power structures are temporary. When empires crumble and their officials lose control, God remains sovereign over history. It invites you to trust in a kingdom that cannot be shaken, rather than relying on the shifting alliances of worldly authority. This perspective brings peace when political or social systems feel unstable.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- an official1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- טִפְסָ֔ר1×