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Governor: In the Authorized Version this one English word is the representative of no less than ten Hebrew and four Greek words.
1. The chief of a tribe or family.
2. A ruler in his capacity of lawgiver and dispenser of justice.
3. A ruler consider especially as having power over the property and persons of his subjects. Ge 24:2; Jos 12:2; Ps 100:20 The "governors of the people," in 2Ch 23:20 appear to have been the king's body-guard; cf. 2Ki 11:19
4. A prominent personage, whatever his capacity. It is applied to a king as the military and civil chief of his people, 2Sa 5:2; 6:21; 1Ch 29:22 to the general of an army, 2Ch 32:21 and to the head of a tribe. 2Ch 19:11 It denotes an officer of high rank in the palace, the lord high chamberlain. 2Ch 28:7 It is applied in 1Ki 10:15 to the petty chieftains who were tributary to Solomon, 2Ch 9:14 to the military commander of the Syrians, 1Ki 20:24 the Assyrians, 2Ki 18:24; 23:8 the Chaldeans, Jer 51:23 and the Medes. Jer 51:38 Under the Persian viceroys, during the Babylonian captivity, the land of the Hebrews appears to have been portioned out among "governors" (pachoth) inferior in rank to the satraps, Ezr 8:30 like the other provinces which were under the dominion of the Persian king. Ne 2:7,9 It is impossible to determine the precise limits of their authority or the functions which they had to perform. It appears from Ezr 6:8 that these governors were intrusted with the collection of the king's taxes; and from Ne 5:18; 12:26 that they were supported by a contribution levied upon the people, which was technically termed "the bread of the governor" comp. Ezr 4:14 They were probably assisted in discharging their official duties by A council. Ezr 4:7; 6:6 The "governor" beyond the river had a judgment-seat beyond Jerusalem, from which probably he administered justice when making a progress through his province. Ne 3:7 At the time of Christ Judea was a Roman province, governed by a procurator (governor) appointed by Rome.
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