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H4756 · Hebrew · Old Testament
מָרֵא
Mare
Noun, masculine (Aramaic)
Lord / Master / Sovereign

Definition

The Aramaic noun mare (מָרֵא) is the Aramaic equivalent of the Hebrew adon, meaning lord, master, or sovereign ruler. It appears in the Aramaic sections of Daniel and Ezra, used both for human rulers and for God as the supreme Lord. Most strikingly, it appears in Daniel 2:47 when Nebuchadnezzar confesses that Daniel's God is the Lord of kings.

Usage & Theological Significance

Mare functions in Daniel as a term of supreme authority — the God of heaven who controls all earthly powers is the ultimate mare. When Belshazzar is confronted about his defiance of God (Daniel 5:23), the prophet declares he has not honored the God in whose hand is his breath — the Lord (mare) of heaven and earth. This Aramaic term connects to the early Christian confession Maranatha ('Our Lord, come!' — 1 Corinthians 16:22), which preserves this exact root in Aramaic, suggesting the earliest Christians used Aramaic devotional language for Jesus as Lord.

Key Bible Verses

Daniel 2:47 The king said to Daniel, Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries.
Daniel 5:23 Instead, you have set yourself up against the Lord of heaven.
Ezra 7:12 Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, teacher of the Law of the God of heaven.
Daniel 4:19 My lord, if only the dream applied to your enemies and its meaning to your adversaries!
1 Corinthians 16:22 Come, Lord! — Maranatha.

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