Word study
Leader
11 Hebrew and 5 Greek words behind this English word
The original-language words that the Berean Standard Bible translates with one of these: leaders, leader. English often uses one word where Hebrew or Greek has several, each with its own shade of meaning. Under each word are verses where it is translated this way; choose the word itself for its full study: every verse, how else it is translated, the forms it takes and what the dictionaries say.
At a glance
How often each original word is translated “leader” or one of its forms.
Compare the Hebrew words side by side Compare the Greek words side by side
Hebrew and Aramaic words (Old Testament)
- נָשִׂיא nâsîone lifted uptranslated this way 74 times of its 126 uses · Strong’s H5387Noun · Translated: leader 44, leaders 29, prince 26, princes 9Full study and all 119 verses →
Exodus 16:22 On the sixth day, they gathered twice as much food — two omers per person — and all the leaders of the congregation came and reported this to Moses.
Leviticus 4:22 When a leader sins unintentionally and does what is prohibited by any of the commandments of the LORD his God, he incurs guilt.
- שַׂר sarchieftain, chief, ruler, official, captain, princetranslated this way 40 times of its 401 uses · Strong’s H8269Noun · Translated: commanders 74, officials 67, princes 63, commander 39Full study and all 366 verses →
Exodus 18:21 Furthermore, select capable men from among the people — God-fearing, trustworthy men who are averse to dishonest gain. Appoint them over the people as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.
Judges 8:6 But the leaders of Succoth asked, “Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna already in your possession, that we should give bread to your army?”
- רֹאשׁ rôshheadtranslated this way 36 times of its 570 uses · Strong’s H7218Noun · Translated: head 200, heads 113, chief 31, top 29Full study and all 530 verses →
Numbers 13:3 So at the command of the LORD, Moses sent them out from the Wilderness of Paran. All the men were leaders of the Israelites,
Deuteronomy 1:13 Choose for yourselves wise, understanding, and respected men from each of your tribes, and I will appoint them as your leaders.”
- בַּעַל baalowner, lordtranslated this way 15 times of its 76 uses · Strong’s H1167Noun · Translated: owner 15, leaders 15, husband 6, bound 2Full study and all 72 verses →
Judges 9:2 “Please ask all the leaders of Shechem, ‘Is it better for you that seventy men, all the sons of Jerubbaal, rule over you, or just one man?’ Remember that I am your own flesh and blood.”
Judges 9:3 And when his mother’s brothers spoke all these words about him in the presence of all the leaders of Shechem, their hearts were inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, “He is our brother.”
- נָגִיד nâgîdleadertranslated this way 7 times of its 43 uses · Strong’s H5057Noun · Translated: ruler 17, leader 6, prince 5, chief official 3Full study and all 43 verses →
2 Kings 20:5 “Go back and tell Hezekiah the leader of My people that this is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: ‘I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. I will surely heal you. On the third day from now you will go up to the house of the LORD.
1 Chronicles 12:27 including Jehoiada, leader of the house of Aaron, with 3,700 men,
- אַדִּיר addîrmajestictranslated this way 4 times of its 27 uses · Strong’s H117Adjective · Translated: majestic 7, mighty 6, nobles 5, leaders 3Full study and all 25 verses →
Jeremiah 25:34 Wail, you shepherds, and cry out; roll in the dust, you leaders of the flock. For the days of your slaughter have come; you will fall and be shattered like fine pottery.
Jeremiah 25:35 Flight will evade the shepherds, and escape will elude the leaders of the flock.
- סֶרֶן serentyrant, lordtranslated this way 3 times of its 22 uses · Strong’s H5633Noun · Translated: rulers 11, lords 7, leaders 3, axles 1Full study and all 20 verses →
1 Samuel 29:2 As the Philistine leaders marched out with their units of hundreds and thousands, David and his men marched behind them with Achish.
1 Samuel 29:6 So Achish summoned David and told him, “As surely as the LORD lives, you have been upright, and it seems right in my sight that you should march in and out with me in the army, because I have found no fault in you from the day you came to me until this day. But you are not good in the sight of the leaders.
- זָקֵן zâqênoldtranslated this way 2 times of its 175 uses · Strong’s H2205Adjective · Translated: elders 118, old 23, elderly 5, aged 3Full study and all 169 verses →
Numbers 11:16 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Bring Me seventy of the elders of Israel known to you as leaders and officers of the people. Bring them to the Tent of Meeting and have them stand there with you.
Jeremiah 19:1 This is what the LORD says: “Go and buy a clay jar from a potter. Take some of the elders of the people and leaders of the priests,
- פִּנָּה pinnâhcornertranslated this way 2 times of its 27 uses · Strong’s H6438Noun · Translated: corner 12, corners 6, cornerstone 3, leaders 2Full study and all 27 verses →
Judges 20:2 The leaders of all the people and all the tribes of Israel presented themselves in the assembly of God’s people: 400,000 men on foot, armed with swords.
1 Samuel 14:38 Therefore Saul said, “Come here, all you leaders of the troops, and let us investigate how this sin has occurred today.
- נְסִיךְ nesîklibationtranslated this way 2 times of its 6 uses · Strong’s H5257Noun · Translated: princes 2, leaders 2, drink offerings 1, metal images 1Full study and all 6 verses →
Ezekiel 32:30 All the leaders of the north and all the Sidonians are there; they went down in disgrace with the slain, despite the terror of their might. They lie uncircumcised with those slain by the sword and bear their shame with those who descend to the Pit.
Micah 5:5 And He will be our peace when Assyria invades our land and tramples our citadels. We will raise against it seven shepherds, even eight leaders of men.
- קָצִין qâtsînchief, rulertranslated this way 2 times of its 12 uses · Strong’s H7101Noun · Translated: commander 4, rulers 4, leader 2, commanders 1Full study and all 12 verses →
Isaiah 3:6 A man will seize his brother within his father’s house: “You have a cloak— you be our leader! Take charge of this heap of rubble.”
Isaiah 3:7 On that day he will cry aloud: “I am not a healer. I have no food or clothing in my house. Do not make me leader of the people!”
Greek words (New Testament)
- ἀρχισυνάγωγος archisynágōgosa leader of the synagoguetranslated this way 7 times of its 7 uses · Strong’s G752Noun · Translated: synagogue leader 6, synagogue leaders 1Full study and all 7 verses →
Mark 5:22 A synagogue leader named Jairus arrived, and seeing Jesus, he fell at His feet
Luke 8:49 While He was still speaking, someone arrived from the house of the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” he told Jairus. “Do not bother the Teacher anymore.”
- ἄρχων árchōna ruler, prince, leadertranslated this way 6 times of its 37 uses · Strong’s G758Noun · Translated: rulers 14, prince 7, ruler 6, synagogue leader 2Full study and all 36 verses →
Matthew 9:18 While Jesus was saying these things, a synagogue leader came and knelt before Him. “My daughter has just died,” he said. “But come and place Your hand on her, and she will live.”
Luke 8:41 Just then a synagogue leader named Jairus came and fell at Jesus’ feet. He begged Him to come to his house,
- ἡγέομαι hēgéomaiI lead, thinktranslated this way 4 times of its 27 uses · Strong’s G2233Verb · Translated: consider 7, leaders 4, ruler 2, thought 2Full study and all 26 verses →
Acts 15:22 Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to select men from among them to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas called Barsabbas and Silas, two leaders among the brothers,
Hebrews 13:7 Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.
- πρῶτος prōtosfirst, beforetranslated this way 3 times of its 94 uses · Strong’s G4413Adjective · Translated: first 76, leading 3, leaders 3, most important 2Full study and all 89 verses →
Luke 19:47 Jesus was teaching at the temple every day, but the chief priests, scribes, and leaders of the people were intent on killing Him.
Acts 25:2 where the chief priests and Jewish leaders presented their case against Paul. They urged Festus
- δοκέω dokéōI think, seem, appear, it seemstranslated this way 2 times of its 62 uses · Strong’s G1380Verb · Translated: think 17, thinks 6, thought 5, seems 4Full study and all 61 verses →
Galatians 2:2 I went in response to a revelation and set before them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. But I spoke privately to those recognized as leaders, for fear that I was running or had already run in vain.
Galatians 2:6 But as for the highly esteemed— whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism— those leaders added nothing to me.
How to study a word well
- Start from the verse, not the dictionary. Find which Hebrew or Greek word stands in the verse you are studying. One English word often translates several different original words.
- Read every place the word is used. A word means what its writers used it to mean. The list of verses and the count by book show its range, and who uses it most.
- Look at how it is translated. A word rendered five different ways has a wider meaning than any one English word can carry.
- Notice the form. A command is not a statement, and a passive verb is something done to the subject. The form in your verse is part of the meaning.
- See what it keeps company with. The words that appear beside it again and again show how the Bible itself connects ideas.
- Then read the dictionaries. They give the considered view of scholars, with their evidence.
- Come back to the verse. Context decides. A word does not carry every one of its meanings into every verse, and where a word came from does not settle what it means in a sentence written centuries later.
Scripture text and translation counts: Berean Standard Bible. Full entry: Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906, public domain), in the digital edition Brown-Driver-Briggs Enhanced by unfoldingWord (Joel Ruark, J. de Joode), based on data by Eliran Wong and Stephen Ku; its additions are used under CC BY 4.0. Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary: Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible Project, CC BY 4.0. Hebrew-to-English verse numbering: original work of the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible available at https://github.com/openscriptures/morphhb, CC BY 4.0. We reformatted the data, linked the references to this site’s Bible text and left out words in other scripts that the source holds only as images. These are historical reference works; an entry gives its authors’ view, and a word’s meaning in any verse depends on how it is used there.