Original Word: מְגַר
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: mgar
Pronunciation: meh-GAHR
Phonetic Spelling: (meg-ar')
KJV: destroy
NASB: overthrow
Word Origin: [(Aramaic) corresponding to H4048 (מָגַר - cast)]

1. to overthrow

destroy

(Aramaic) corresponding to magar; to overthrow -- destroy.

see HEBREW magar

Word Origin
(Aramaic) corresponding to magar
Definition
to overthrow
NASB Translation
overthrow (1).

[מְגַר] verb Pa`el overthrow (ᵑ7, Syriac (Lexicons); see Biblical Hebrew (late, rare)); — Imperfect3masculine singular יְמַגַּר כָּלמֶֿלֶךְ Ezra 6:12 (of God).

[מַדְבַּח] see דבח. מִדָּה see ׳מִנ.

[מְדוֺר] see דור.

Occurrence and Literary Setting

The term מְגַר appears only once in the canonical Hebrew Scriptures, at Ezra 6:12. By placing this rare word in the mouth of King Darius, Scripture frames it as a judicial prayer for divine intervention: “May the God who has caused His Name to dwell there overthrow any king or people who lifts a hand to alter this decree or to destroy this house of God in Jerusalem” (Berean Standard Bible). The exclusivity of its usage grants the word an emphatic force; it stands out as a solemn legal-spiritual sanction tied to the rebuilding of the Second Temple.

Historical Background

Ezra 6 records the Persian court’s confirmation of Cyrus’ earlier authorization for the Temple’s reconstruction. Opposition from regional officials had halted the work (Ezra 4), but the prophetic ministries of Haggai and Zechariah reignited the effort (Ezra 5:1–2). When Darius investigates, he not only reaffirms the project but attaches a series of punitive clauses to protect it (Ezra 6:11–12). In this Near-Eastern environment, imperial decrees often invoked local deities; Darius, however, recognizes “the God who has caused His Name to dwell” in Jerusalem, acknowledging Yahweh’s singular authority over His house. The petition that God “overthrow” all who would oppose the decree serves to bind the king’s edict to divine retribution.

Theological Significance

1. Guardian of His Dwelling. The word mirrors the covenant reality that the Lord Himself defends the place where His Name resides (Deuteronomy 12:11; Psalm 132:13-18).
2. Sovereignty Over Kings. A Persian emperor appeals to Israel’s God to execute judgment, illustrating Proverbs 21:1, “The king’s heart is a watercourse in the hand of the Lord; He directs it wherever He pleases.”
3. Covenant Continuity. The “overthrow” motif recalls earlier acts such as the toppling of Pharaoh’s chariots at the Red Sea (Exodus 15:4-7) and anticipates New-Covenant assurances that every kingdom hostile to God’s people will fall (Revelation 11:15).

Implications for Ministry

• Courage in rebuilding. Congregations engaged in restoring biblical worship or church structures can draw strength from the certainty that God Himself confronts opposition.
• Prayer-sanctioned diligence. Darius’ decree ends with “Let it be carried out diligently” (Ezra 6:12). Zealous obedience is the proper human response to divine safeguarding.
• Intercessory authority. Just as a pagan ruler appealed to Yahweh’s justice, believers may boldly request God to thwart forces—political, cultural, or spiritual—that seek to undermine His work (Acts 4:29-30).

Canonical Connections

While מְגַר is unique, the theme of God’s overthrow of adversaries threads through Scripture:
• Judges 5:31 – “May all Your enemies perish, O Lord.”
• Isaiah 54:17 – “No weapon formed against you shall prosper.”
• 2 Corinthians 10:4 – “The weapons of our warfare are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.”

The Ezra text therefore stands as an Old-Testament node that harmonizes with the full biblical witness of divine defense.

Application for Today

The single-use intensity of מְגַר reminds the Church that God needs but one decisive act to overthrow entrenched opposition. Whether confronting institutional corruption, cultural hostility, or personal sin, believers serve a God whose pledge to defend His dwelling extends now to the living Temple composed of His people (1 Corinthians 3:16-17). Confidence in that unassailable protection fuels perseverance, faithful proclamation, and holy boldness in every generation.

יְמַגַּ֞ר ימגר yə·mag·gar yemagGar yəmaggarInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts