Lexical Summary
teem: End, completion, perfection
Original Word: טְעֵם
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: t`em
Pronunciation: taym
Phonetic Spelling: (teh-ame')
KJV: + chancellor, + command, commandment, decree, + regard, taste, wisdom
NASB: decree, accountable, command, discernment, orders, report, tasted
Word Origin: [(Aramaic) from H293 (אֲחִינוֹעַם - Ahinoam)9, and equivalent to H294 (אֲחִיסָמָך - Ahisamach)1]
1. (properly) flavor
2. (figuratively) judgment (both subjective and objective)
3. (hence) account (both subj. and obj.)
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
chancellor, command, commandment, decree, regard, taste, wisdom
(Aramaic) from t'am, and equivalent to ta'am; properly, flavor; figuratively, judgment (both subjective and objective); hence, account (both subj. And obj.) -- + chancellor, + command, commandment, decree, + regard, taste, wisdom.
see HEBREW t'am
see HEBREW ta'am
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin(Aramaic) from
teemDefinitiontaste, judgment, command
NASB Translationaccountable (1), command (1), commanded* (1), commander* (3), decree (18), discernment (1), disregarded* (1), orders (1), report (1), tasted (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
30 Ezra 4:21 (Biblical Hebrew (late sense)); — absolute
Daniel 3:10 +, construct
Daniel 5:2;
Ezra 6:14, (of God, mere scribal distinction Nö
LCB 1896, 305 Str
§ 8 c K
Aramaismen 40)
Ezra 6:14;
Ezra 7:23; emphatic
Ezra 4:21; —
Daniel 5:2 in the taste of the wine (while they were enjoying it).
judgement, discretion, in reply, Daniel 2:14 (Proverbs 26:16); in act (person) Daniel 3:12; Daniel 6:14 (Proverbs 26:16); in act (person) Daniel 3:12; Daniel 6:14 shew proper deference to ().
report (of official), with Ezra 5:5, Daniel 6:3.
command, of God Ezra 6:14; Ezra 7:23, of king Ezra 6:14; give command, issue decree Daniel 3:10 3t., Ezra 4:19,21 (twice in verse) + 11 t.; commander Ezra 4:8,9,17.
; — absolute Daniel 2:14 (see ).
see .
Topical Lexicon
Definition and Scope טְעֵם (Strong’s Hebrew 2942) appears twenty-four times in the Aramaic sections of Ezra and Daniel. The word gathers several shades of meaning—decision, decree, order, reason, prudence or taste—yet every occurrence shares the idea of an authoritative judgment, whether expressed outwardly in an official document or inwardly as discernment.
Historical Setting
The term belongs to the language of the Persian court and the Chaldean bureaucracy. Ezra preserves copies of correspondence between regional officials and the Persian throne, while Daniel records royal proclamations within the Babylonian and Medo-Persian empires. In both books טְעֵם stands at the intersection of earthly government and the providence of God: human edicts are issued, but the unfolding narrative shows that the Most High overrules every command.
Usage in Ezra: Written Edicts and Building Authorizations
1. Copy or text of a letter (Ezra 4:8–9, 4:17).
2. Royal decisions that halt or advance temple construction (Ezra 4:19, 4:21; 5:3, 5:9, 5:17).
3. Decrees from Darius restoring the work (Ezra 6:1, 6:3, 6:8, 6:11–14).
4. Artaxerxes’ later authorization for Ezra’s journey (Ezra 7:13, 7:21).
These usages underline God’s sovereignty: opposition issues a טְעֵם to stop the project, yet the same vocabulary is later used for orders that fund and protect the work. Ezra 6:11 records one of Scripture’s most severe penalties:
“I hereby decree that if anyone alters this edict, a beam is to be pulled from his house and he is to be impaled on it.”
Usage in Daniel: Court Wisdom and Irrevocable Laws
1. Daniel’s prudence—“Daniel spoke with wisdom and tact” (Daniel 2:14)—shows טְעֵם as personal discernment.
2. Nebuchadnezzar’s and Darius’ unalterable statutes (Daniel 3:10, 3:12, 3:29; 4:6; 6:13, 6:26) illustrate the binding nature of royal decrees:
“I hereby decree that in every part of my kingdom men are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel” (Daniel 6:26).
In Daniel the word moves from the king’s law that condemns (the fiery furnace, the lions’ den) to a law that exalts the living God, revealing that even pagan rulers become instruments of divine revelation.
Theological Significance
• Divine sovereignty over human authority: every טְעֵם ultimately fulfills the larger purpose of the Lord (compare Ezra 6:14, “They finished their building… according to the command of the God of Israel and the decrees of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia”).
• The reliability of Scripture: the detailed preservation of royal documents validates the historical record and demonstrates that faith is rooted in verifiable events.
• The power of faithful witness: Daniel’s integrity and the Jews’ perseverance in rebuilding the temple influence the content of imperial decrees, turning secular legislation into testimony about God.
Practical Ministry Applications
1. Respect and engage governmental processes, trusting God to work through them.
2. Pray for civil authorities, mindful that their “decrees” are beneath God’s higher purpose (1 Timothy 2:1-2).
3. Cultivate wisdom and tact (Daniel 2:14) so that believers can speak persuasively within secular structures.
4. Stand firm when human edicts conflict with divine command (Acts 5:29), knowing the Lord can transform hostile legislation into a platform for His glory.
Messianic and New Testament Echoes
Just as Persian kings issued irrevocable decrees, so the gospel proclaims an unchangeable divine verdict: “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). The cross represents God’s final, authoritative טְעֵם concerning sin and redemption, surpassing every earthly statute.
Key Passages for Study
Ezra 6:8; Ezra 6:11; Ezra 7:21; Daniel 2:14; Daniel 3:29; Daniel 6:26.
The recurring presence of טְעֵם across imperial letters, courtroom dialogues, and life-and-death edicts reminds the reader that while kings may speak, it is the Lord who has the final word.
Forms and Transliterations
וּטְעֵ֔ם וּמִטְּעֵם֙ וטעם ומטעם טְּעֵ֔ם טְּעֵם֒ טְעֵ֑ם טְעֵ֔ם טְעֵ֗ם טְעֵם֒ טְעֵם֙ טעם ṭə‘êm ṭə·‘êm teEm ū·miṭ·ṭə·‘êm ū·ṭə·‘êm ūmiṭṭə‘êm umitteEm ūṭə‘êm uteEm
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