Encyclopedia of The Bible – Dinaite(s)
Resources chevron-right Encyclopedia of The Bible chevron-right D chevron-right Dinaite(s)
Dinaite(s)

DINAITE(S) dī’ nə’ īt(s) (֠דִּינָיֵא). Among those who complained to the Pers. monarch Artaxerxes against the Jews rebuilding the Temple Ezra 4:9 lists the Dinaites, the Apharsathchites (אֲפַרְסַתְכָיֵ֞א) and Tarpelites (טַרְפְּלָיֵ֣א) along with Persians and men from Erech, Babylon and Susa. So the KJV, ASV, etc., but RSV makes three of the proper nouns to be titles of officials, and NEB makes four. Without changing consonants the definite pl. could become the Aram. דַּיָּן, H10171, “judge.” The context, then, shows considerable organization in the Pers. province N of Judea.