אַרְתַּחְשַׁשְׂתָּא
ar.tach.shash.ta
Artaxerxes
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
ExploredThe Hebrew word אַרְתַּחְשַׁשְׁתָּא (ar.tach.shash.ta) is a proper name, specifically referring to a person. Its transliteration, Artaxerxes, suggests a non-Hebrew origin, likely from the Persian Empire. This name appears 9 times in the Bible, indicating its significance in the narrative. The frequency of its occurrence suggests that Artaxerxes played a notable role in the biblical story. Given the historical context of the Persian Empire's influence over the ancient Near East, it is likely that Artaxerxes was a king or ruler who interacted with the Israelites or other biblical figures. The biblical narrative may have used Artaxerxes as a representative of the Persian Empire's power and influence in the region.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
9 total occurrences across the text
In the days of Artaxerxes, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his companions, wrote to Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in Syrian, and delivered in the Syrian language.
Ezra 4:7In the days of Artaxerxes, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his companions, wrote to Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in Syrian, and delivered in the Syrian language.
Ezra 7:1Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,
Ezra 7:7Some of the children of Israel, including some of the priests, the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants went up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.
Ezra 7:11Now this is the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, even the scribe of the words of Yahweh’s commandments, and of his statutes to Israel:
Ezra 8:1Now these are the heads of their fathers’ households, and this is the genealogy of those who went up with me from Babylon, in the reign of Artaxerxes the king:
Nehemiah 2:1In the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, when wine was before him, I picked up the wine, and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad before in his presence.
Nehemiah 5:14Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even to the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brothers have not eaten the bread of the governor.
Nehemiah 13:6But in all this, I was not at Jerusalem; for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I went to the king; and after some days I asked leave of the king,