Bible Encyclopedias
Chancellor

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

chan´sel -ẽr : The rendering in Ezra 4:8 , Ezra 4:9 , Ezra 4:17 of the Hebrew בּעל־טעם , be‛ēl ṭe‛ēm ; Septuagint Βάαλ , Báal (Ezra 4:9 ), Βαλγάμ , Balgám (Ezra 4:17 ), the latter being an incorrect translation of Hebrew ע . In 1 Esdras 2:16, 25, Βεέλτεθμος , Beéltethmos (compare Ezra 4:8 ) occurs as a corruption, doubtless of בּעל־טעם , be‛ēl ṭe‛ēm ̌ . The term in question designates an Assyrian office, namely, that of the "master or lord of official intelligence," or "postmaster" (Sayce).