Treasure

Treasure - (Webster's 1828 Dictionary)

TREASURE, n. trezh'ur. [L. thesaurus.]

1. Wealth accumulated; particularly, a stock or store of money in reserve. Henry VII. was frugal and penurious, and collected a great treasure of gold and silver.

2. A great quantity of any thing collected for future use.

We have treasures in the field, of wheat and of barley, and of oil and of honey. Jer 41.

3. Something very much valued. Psa 135.

Ye shall be a peculiar treasure to me. Exo 19.

4. Great abundance.

In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Col 2.

TREASURE, v.t. trezh'ur. To hoard; to collect and reposit, either money or other things, for future use; to lay up; as, to treasure gold and silver; usually with up. Sinners are said to treasure up wrath against the day of wrath. Rom 2.

Treasurer - (Webster's 1828 Dictionary)

TREASURER, n. trezh'urer. One who has the care of a treasure or treasury; an officer who receives the public money arising from taxes and duties or other sources of revenue, takes charge of the same, and disburses it upon orders drawn by the proper authority. Incorporated companies and private societies have also their treasurers.

In England, the lord high treasurer is the principal officer of the crown, under whose charge is all the national revenue.

The treasurer of the household, in the absence of the lord-steward, has power with the controller and other officers of the Green-cloth, and the steward of the Marshalsea, to hear and determine treasons, felonies and other crimes committed within the king's palace. There is also the treasurer of the navy, and the treasurers of the county.

Treasury - (Easton's Bible Dictionary)

(Matt. 27:6; Mark 12:41; John 8:20). It does not appear that there was a separate building so called. The name was given to the thirteen brazen chests, called "trumpets," from the form of the opening into which the offerings of the temple worshippers were put. These stood in the outer "court of the women." "Nine chests were for the appointed money-tribute and for the sacrifice-tribute, i.e., money-gifts instead of the sacrifices; four chests for freewill-offerings for wood, incense, temple decoration, and burnt-offerings" (Lightfoot's Hor. Heb.).

Treasury - (Webster's 1828 Dictionary)

TREASURY, n. trezh'ury. A place or building in which stores of wealth are reposited; particularly, a place where the public revenues are deposited and kept, and where money is disbursed to defray the expenses of government.

1. A building appropriated for keeping public money. John 8.

2. The officer or officers of the treasury department.

3. A repository of abundance. Psa 135.

trezh'-ur, trezh'-ur-er, trezh'-ur-i (otsar, genaz, genez, ganzakh, chocen matmon, mickenah, mikhman, `athudh, saphan; gaza, thesauros):

I. In the Old Testament.

1. Treasure

The English word "treasure" has in the Old Testament at least five somewhat distinct meanings as expressed in the words: "treasure," genaz (Aramaic) or genez (Hebrew), usually meaning "the thing stored"; translated "treasures" in Ezr 6:1, but in 5:17 and 7:20 translated "treasure-house": "search made in the king's treasure-house." In Es 3:9; 4:7 the Hebrew form is translated "treasury," as is ganzakh in 1Ch 28:11.

2. Storehouse:

"Storehouse," not the thing stored but the place of storage; 'otsar means depository, cellar, garner, armory, store or treasure-house. In several places it ought to be translated by some of these words. It is the most frequent word for treasure. the English Revised Version and the American Standard Revised Version both translate in some instances by other words, e.g. 1Ki 7:51, "treasuries of the house of Yahweh," so also 2Ch 5:1; "treasury" in Ne 7:70,71, "gave to the treasury a thousand darics of gold"; in Job 38:22, "treasuries of the snow" (compare Pr 8:21; Jer 10:13; 51:16; Ezr 2:69).

3. Hidden Riches:

"Treasure" or something concealed. There are 3 Hebrew words with this meaning and all in the King James Version translated "treasure." (1) Matmon, which literally means "a secret storehouse" and so a secreted valuable, usually money buried, and so hidden riches of any kind, hid treasures: "treasure in your sacks" (Ge 43:23); "dig for it more than for hid treasures" (Job 3:21); "search for her as for hid treasures" (Pr 2:4); "We have stores hidden in the field, of wheat," etc. (Jer 41:8). (2) Mikhman, treasure as hidden, used only in Da 11:43: "have power over the treasures of gold and silver." (3) Saphan, meaning hidden treasure or valuables concealed: "hidden treasures of the sand" (De 33:19).

4. Strength:

Perhaps the strength of riches and so treasure, the Hebrew word being chocen, from a root meaning to hoard or lay up: "In the house of the righteous is much treasure" (Pr 15:6); "They take treasure and precious things" (Eze 22:25).

5. Something Prepared:

"Something prepared," made ready, the Hebrew word being `athudh, meaning "prepared," "ready," therefore something of value and so treasure: "have robbed their treasures," fortifications or other things "made ready" (Isa 10:13).

In the Old Testament the Hebrew word most often translated "treasure" is 'otsar. It occurs in the sing. as follows: De 28:12; 1Ch 29:8; Ne 10:38; Ps 17:14; 135:4; Pr 15:16; 21:20; Ec 2:8; Isa 33:6; Da 1:2; Ho 13:15; in the pl.: De 32:34; 1Ki 14:26; 15:18; 2Ki 12:18; 14:14; 16:8; 18:15; 20:13,15; 24:13, etc.

The same word is in the King James Version translated "treasuries" in 1Ch 9:26; 28:12; 2Ch 32:27; Ne 13:12,13; Ps 135:7; and "treasury" in Jos 6:19,24; Jer 38:11.

II. In the New Testament.

1. Gaza:

There are two words translated "treasure": Gaza is of Persian origin, meaning "treasure." Found only once in Ac 8:27 concerning the Ethiopian "who was over all her (Queen Candace's) treasure." In the compound gazophulakion, "guarding of gaza," the same word appears and the compound is translated "treasury" in Mr 12:41,43 parallel Lu 21:1; Joh 8:20.

See TEMPLE; TREASURY (OF TEMPLE).

2. Thesauros:

The word thesauros means literally, a "deposit," so wealth and treasure. Evidently throughout the New Testament it has a twofold usage as describing

(1) material treasure, either money or other valuable material possession, and

(2) spiritual treasure, e.g. "like unto treasure hid in a field" (Mt 13:44); "good treasure of the heart" (Mt 12:35).

Other references to material treasure are Mt 6:21; 13:52; Lu 12:21,34, etc. References to spiritual treasure are Mt 19:21; Mr 10:21; Lu 6:45; 12:33; 18:22; plural Mt 6:20; Col 2:3.

In Mt 27:6 the word for "treasury" is korbanas; compare the Revised Version margin.

See CORBAN.

('atsar, gedhabhar, gizbar, cakhan; oikonomos):

(1) 'Atsar, meaning primarily "to store up," and hence, one who lays up in store, i.e. a "treasurer": "I made treasurers over the treasuries" (Ne 13:13).

(2) Gedhabhar (Aramaic), used only in Da 3:2,3: "treasurers," named with judges and counselors as recognized officials.

(3) Gizbar, used in Ezr 7:21 (Aramaic) and equivalent in Ezr 1:8 (Hebrew): "treasurers beyond the river" and "Mithredath the treasurer."

(4) Cakhan, primarily meaning "one who ministers to," and hence, a keeper of treasure, treasurer: "Get thee unto this treasurer" (Isa 22:15). Perhaps the idea of steward is here intended.

(5) Oikonomos, by the King James Version translated "chamberlain," more properly in the American Standard Revised Version translated "treasurer": "Erastus the treasurer of the city saluteth you" (Ro 16:23).

William Edward Raffety