Original Word: נִשְׁתְּוָן
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: nishtvan
Pronunciation: nish-teh-VAHN
Phonetic Spelling: (nish-tev-awn')
NASB: document, written reply
Word Origin: [(Aramaic) corresponding to H5406 (נִשׁתְּוָן - decree)]

1. letter

letter

(Aramaic) corresponding to nishtvan -- letter.

see HEBREW nishtvan

Word Origin
(Aramaic) corresponding to nishtevan
Definition
a letter
NASB Translation
document (2), written reply (1).

[נִשְׁתְּרָן] noun masculine^{Ezra 4:18} letter (probably Persian; see Biblical Hebrew); — emphatic נִשְׁתְוָנָא Ezra 4:18,23; Ezra 5:5.

Meaning and Concept

נִשְׁתְּוָן is an Aramaic term for an official written copy, transcript, or duplicate of a royal letter. It emphasizes an exact, authoritative reproduction that carried the full force of the original decree.

Biblical Occurrences

1. Ezra 4:18 – “The letter you sent us has been translated and read in my presence.”
2. Ezra 4:23 – “As soon as the copy of the letter from King Artaxerxes was read before Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their associates, they hurried to the Jews in Jerusalem and forcibly stopped them.”
3. Ezra 5:5 – “But the eye of their God was on the elders of the Jews, and they were not stopped until a report could go to Darius and his written reply be received.”

In each case the word refers to an imperial document that either halted or permitted the rebuilding of the temple.

Historical Setting

After the first return from Babylonian exile (circa 538 B.C.), the Jews began rebuilding the temple. Local adversaries appealed to Persian kings through formal correspondence. נִשְׁתְּוָן marks those official copies that were read publicly to enforce royal decisions. Artaxerxes’ copy halted construction (Ezra 4), while the later exchange with Darius led to renewed permission (Ezra 5–6). The term thus sits at the crossroads of covenant restoration and imperial politics.

Theological Themes

• Providence over Politics: Although the Persian throne seemed to dictate events, “the eye of their God was on the elders” (Ezra 5:5). The Lord superintended every document.
• Integrity of Written Witness: Accurate transcription safeguarded truth and justice, prefiguring the meticulous preservation of Scripture itself (Psalm 12:6–7).
• Authority and Obedience: The Jews obeyed civil orders where possible, yet trusted God to overturn hostile decrees (Acts 5:29 provides the enduring principle).

Ministerial Applications

• Administrative Faithfulness: Churches and ministries should maintain clear, accurate records, contracts, and communications, modeling the precision seen in נִשְׁתְּוָן.
• Engaging Government: Ezra’s example encourages respectful, well-documented appeals to authorities when religious liberty is challenged (1 Peter 2:13–17).
• Public Reading of Key Documents: Just as copies were read aloud, congregations benefit from the public reading of Scripture and covenants (1 Timothy 4:13).

Christological and Redemptive Perspectives

Royal copies in Ezra foreshadow the ultimate royal word: “The Word became flesh” (John 1:14). Whereas נִשְׁתְּוָן preserved the message of earthly kings, Jesus Christ embodies and proclaims the eternal decree of God (Hebrews 1:1–2). The safeguarding of imperial letters points to the Spirit’s preservation of the Gospel for all nations.

Summary

נִשְׁתְּוָן highlights the power of written authority in the restoration era, demonstrating God’s sovereignty over political correspondence, underscoring the value of precise documentation, and pointing forward to the faithful preservation of His own Word.

נִשְׁתְּוָנָ֕א נִשְׁתְּוָנָ֖א נִשְׁתְּוָנָא֙ נשתונא niš·tə·wā·nā nishtevaNa ništəwānāInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts