Original Word: אֲתַר
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: athar
Pronunciation: ah-thar
Phonetic Spelling: (ath-ar')
KJV: after, place
NASB: after, place, places, site, trace
Word Origin: [(Aramaic) from a root corresponding to that of H871 (אֲתָרִים - Atharim)]

1. a place
2. (adverb) after

after, place

(Aramaic) from a root corresponding to that of 'Athariym; a place; (adverb) after -- after, place.

see HEBREW 'Athariym

Word Origin
(Aramaic) a prim. root
Definition
a place
NASB Translation
after (3), place (2), places (1), site (1), trace (1).

אֲתַר noun masculine place (so Egyptian Aramaic, Nabataean, Palmyrene; ᵑ9; Syriac place; Zinjirli אשר Lzb^229f.; Arabic footstep; compare Hebrew אֲשׁוּר and below אֲשֶׁר); — place a. Daniel 2:35 וְכָלאֲֿחַר לָאהִֿשְׁתְּכַח לְהוֺן, Ezra 5:15 וּבֵית אֱלָהָא יִתְבְנֵא עַלאַֿתְרֵהּ, Ezra 6:3,5,7. Hence

b. בָּאתַר (Daniel 7:6 Baer בָּתַר) after (literally in the track of: so Zinjirli באשר (Cooke^160f., 170), Palmyrene, ᵑ9 בָּתַר, Syriac ), בָּאתַר דְּנָה after this, Daniel 7:6,7, suffix Daniel 2:39 וּבָֽתָרָךְ and after thee.

אַתַּ֫רוּ see נתר.

Overview

A masculine noun found only in the Imperial Aramaic portions of Ezra and Daniel, אֲתַר consistently denotes a “place” or “site,” whether literal ground, the locus of worship, or the figurative “room” occupied by a kingdom in world history. Each context stresses God’s sovereign right to assign, remove, or restore any physical or political location.

Occurrences and Contexts

1. Ezra 5:15; 6:3, 5, 7 – The word identifies the “site” of the rebuilt temple in Jerusalem. The Persian decrees insist that the sacred vessels be returned and that “the house of God be rebuilt on its former site” (Ezra 5:15), underscoring divine ownership of the place where He chooses to set His Name.

2. Daniel 2:35 – When the statue of human empires is shattered, “not a trace of them could be found” (literally, “no place was found for them”), highlighting the ultimate dispossession of every kingdom that exalts itself against God.

3. Daniel 2:39 – A succession of Gentile powers is foretold: “another kingdom will arise after you.” The vocabulary of succession uses אֲתַר to picture one realm vacating its “place” for the next, all under God’s timetable.

4. Daniel 7:6, 7 – In the vision of the beasts, each empire occupies its allotted “place” on the stage of history until the Ancient of Days brings judgment. The recurring term reminds the reader that even terrifying powers operate only within the boundaries God assigns.

Theological Themes

• Divine Sovereignty Over Space and Rule

Athar repeatedly ties geography and government to God’s decree. Whether temple mount or world empire, every “place” belongs to Him (Psalm 24:1). Human authority is therefore derivative and temporary.

• Restoration and Continuity

The insistence in Ezra that the temple be rebuilt on its original site assures the post-exilic community that the covenant account has not been abandoned. The holy “place” is restored, signaling the continuity of worship and promise despite earlier judgment.

• Judgment and Transience of Human Power

Daniel uses athar to contrast the permanence of God’s kingdom with the vanishing “place” of human kingdoms. Their glory leaves no lasting footprint, pointing forward to the “kingdom that will never be destroyed” (Daniel 2:44).

Historical Background

In Ezra, the term arises within official Persian correspondence. The preservation of the exact “site” reflects Near-Eastern legal concern for land titles, but more importantly divine fidelity to the specific locale chosen in 2 Chronicles 3:1. In Daniel, written in the milieu of Babylonian and Medo-Persian courts, athar frames the prophetic philosophy of history that profoundly shaped Second Temple expectations.

Ministry Significance

• Encouragement for Restoration Work

Leaders engaged in church planting or rebuilding ministries find precedent in Ezra: God cares not only for the fact of worship but also for its proper “place,” whether a physical location or a sphere of service He has assigned.

• Perspective on Political Change

Believers can face geopolitical upheaval without fear. Every empire holds its place only until the Lord removes it; therefore prayer, civic engagement, and mission proceed from confidence, not anxiety.

• Call to Holiness of Place

Since God marks certain spheres for His glory, Christians steward sanctuaries, homes, and personal lives as consecrated “places” where His presence is acknowledged.

Christological Foreshadowing

The “stone that struck the statue” (Daniel 2:34-35) occupies the vacated place of the shattered kingdoms and “became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.” The imagery anticipates Messiah, whose kingdom takes the central place forever. Jesus’ cleansing of the temple (Matthew 21:12-13) likewise reasserts divine authority over sacred space, fulfilling the pattern embedded in athar.

Related Terms for Study

• Makom (מָקוֹם – Hebrew “place”)
• Heichal (הֵיכָל – “temple”)
• Batar (Aramaic “after, behind”) – contrasts with athar in Daniel 2:39.

אֲתַ֖ר אֲתַר֙ אַתְרֵֽהּ׃ אתר אתרה׃ בָּאתַ֣ר בָּאתַ֨ר באתר וּבָתְרָ֗ךְ ובתרך לְאַתְרֵ֔הּ לאתרה ’ă·ṯar ’aṯ·rêh ’ăṯar ’aṯrêh aTar atReh bā·ṯar baTar bāṯar lə’aṯrêh lə·’aṯ·rêh leatReh ū·ḇā·ṯə·rāḵ ūḇāṯərāḵ uvateRachInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts