Original Word: רָזַן
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: razan
Pronunciation: rah-ZAHN
Phonetic Spelling: (raw-zan')
KJV: prince, ruler
NASB: rulers
Word Origin: [a primitive root]

1. probably to be heavy, i.e. (figuratively) honorable

prince, ruler

A primitive root; probably to be heavy, i.e. (figuratively) honorable -- prince, ruler.

Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to be weighty, judicious or commanding
NASB Translation
rulers (6).

[רָזַן, ? earlier רָזן, so Lag^{BN 31}]

verb be weighty, judicious, commanding (Arabic be weighty, grave, firm of judgement; Late Hebrew רוֺזֵן = Biblical Hebrew, so רוזנים Ecclus 44:4); — only

Qal Participle plural as substantive, rulers, potentates, "" מְלָכִים: רֹזְנִים Judges 5:3; Habakkuk 1:10, ׳רוֺ Psalm 2:2; Proverbs 8:15; Proverbs 31:4, "" שֹׁפְטֵי אֶרֶץ Isaiah 40:23.

Concept Overview

Strong’s Hebrew 7336, rāzan, speaks of one who is weighty in authority—​a dignitary, ruler, or prince. The idea is not merely office-holding but the commanding presence and responsibility that accompany rulership. Scripture employs the term both positively, when leadership aligns with divine wisdom, and negatively, when rulers rebel against the LORD or oppress His people.

Occurrences in the Canon

1. Judges 5:3
2. Psalm 2:2
3. Proverbs 8:15
4. Proverbs 31:4
5. Isaiah 40:23
6. Habakkuk 1:10

These six references span historical narrative, poetry, wisdom literature and prophetic oracle, providing a panoramic view of human government under the gaze of God.

Judicial and Military Context: Judges 5

Deborah’s victory song begins: “Hear, O kings; give ear, O princes!” (Judges 5:3). Rulers are summoned to witness Yahweh’s triumph achieved through unlikely agents—a woman and a reluctant general. The verse establishes that earthly authority must acknowledge a higher, covenantal authority. When magistrates do so, they secure blessing for their people (Judges 5:2); when they do not, they forfeit legitimacy.

Messianic Contrast: Psalm 2

“The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together, against the LORD and against His Anointed One” (Psalm 2:2). Rāzan here typifies collective insurrection against divine Messiahship. The psalm goes on to declare that such rebellion ends in shattered rule (Psalm 2:9). The passage thus establishes a permanent antithesis between self-exalting government and the enthroned Son, anticipating the ultimate subjection of all authority to Jesus Christ (compare Philippians 2:10-11).

Wisdom’s Framework for Just Governance: Proverbs 8 and 31

In Proverbs 8:15 wisdom personified proclaims, “By me kings reign, and rulers enact just laws”. Legitimate authority is portrayed as dependent upon divine wisdom; justice is impossible when rulers sever that connection.

Proverbs 31:4 warns, “It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, nor for rulers to crave strong drink”. The admonition underscores self-restraint as essential to righteous leadership. Substance abuse clouds judgment, endangering the vulnerable (Proverbs 31:5). Together, the two texts outline the positive path: rule under wisdom, rule in sobriety, rule for justice.

Prophetic Rebukes of Earthly Dignitaries: Isaiah 40:23 and Habakkuk 1:10

“He brings the princes to nothing and makes the rulers of the earth meaningless” (Isaiah 40:23). In the grandeur of Isaiah 40, human potentates are as dust before the Creator’s sovereign might.

Habakkuk 1:10 depicts the Chaldean army: “They mock kings and jest at rulers. They laugh at every fortress and heap up earth to seize it”. The Babylonian scourge becomes God’s instrument to humble nations, proving that no earthly dignitary is beyond divine chastening. Both prophets announce the transient nature of unrighteous power and invite rulers to humble themselves before the eternal King.

Theological Threads

1. Derived Authority. Every occurrence assumes that governmental power is delegated, not inherent. Whether celebrated (Proverbs 8:15) or exposed (Isaiah 40:23), rulers operate under God’s sovereignty.
2. Moral Accountability. Rāzan carries ethical weight; rulers must enact justice (Proverbs 8:15) and maintain personal integrity (Proverbs 31:4).
3. Eschatological Resolution. Psalm 2 locates the final settlement of human authority in the reign of the LORD’s Anointed. Isaiah and Habakkuk anticipate this by showing that God can overturn any throne at will.

Practical Ministry Implications

• Intercession: Believers are commanded to pray “for kings and all those in authority” (1 Timothy 2:2). Recognizing their derived authority guides petitions for wisdom, restraint and justice.
• Prophetic Witness: Like Deborah, the church must testify that victory and governance belong to the LORD, reminding rulers of their accountability.
• Leadership Standards: Elders and ministry leaders, though in a different sphere, should embody the sobriety and justice demanded of rāzan-type rulers (1 Timothy 3:2-7; Titus 1:7-9).
• Hope amid Oppression: Isaiah 40:23 and Habakkuk 1:10 assure the faithful that tyrannies are temporary. Confidence in God’s ultimate governance sustains perseverance and fuels evangelism, calling all peoples—including rulers—to “kiss the Son, lest He be angry” (Psalm 2:12).

וְ֝רוֹזְנִ֗ים וְרֹזְנִ֖ים וְרוֹזְנִ֥ים וּ֝לְרוֹזְנִ֗ים ולרוזנים ורוזנים ורזנים רֹֽזְנִ֑ים רוֹזְנִ֖ים רוזנים רזנים rō·wz·nîm rō·zə·nîm rōwznîm rozeNim rōzənîm rozNim ū·lə·rō·wz·nîm ūlərōwznîm ulerozNim verozeNim verozNim wə·rō·wz·nîm wə·rō·zə·nîm wərōwznîm wərōzənîmInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts