TIRSHATHA . A Persian word = ‘His Excellency,’ or more probably ‘His Reverence,’ mentioned Ezra 2:63 (= Nehemiah 7:65 ), Nehemiah 7:70; Nehemiah 8:9; Nehemiah 10:1 . In the first three passages he is unnamed, but is apparently Zerubbabel; in the last two he is Nehemiah. The title is used interchangeably with the Assyr. [Note: Assyrian.] pechah or ‘ governor ,’ of which it may be the Persian equivalent, and apparently represents a plenipotentiary appointed for a special mission.
C. W. Emmet.