Lexical Definition
חַרְבוֹנָא Charbôwnâʼ (khar-bo-naw') Harbona N:N-M-P
or חַרְבוֹנָה Charbôwnâh (khar-bo-naw'); of Persian origin
Harbona, Harbonah.
- § Harbona or Harbonah = "ass-driver"
- Charbona or Charbonah, a eunuch of Xerxes
1) the 3rd of the seven chamberlains or eunuchs who served Ahasuerus
| Form | Translated As | In Verse(s) |
|---|---|---|
| חַ֠רְבוֹנָה | Harbona | Esth.7.9 |
Extended Information
- A man living at the time of Exile and Return, only mentioned at Est.7.9
Brown-Driver-Briggs
חַרְבוֺנָא proper name, masculine eunuch of Ahasuerus Esth 1:10 = חַרְבוֺנָה Esth 7:9 (Persian 
= donkey driver, Vulli, 668 b).
ךְַרְבּוֺנָה proper name, masculine see foregoing.
Brown-Driver-Briggs References
| Book | Refs |
|---|---|
| Esther | 1:10 · 7:9 |
Profile
Male • A eunuch who exposed Haman's plot to hang Mordecai.
Man living at the time of Exile and Return
Harbona, one of the king's eunuchs, informed the king about the gallows Haman had prepared for Mordecai, leading to Haman's downfall.
- A man living at the time of Exile and Return, only mentioned at Est.7.9;
- only referred to as Harbona חַרְבוֹנָא.
Harbona appears again in Esther 7:9, this time playing a crucial role in the downfall of Haman, the villain in the book of Esther. Haman, the king's highest official, had plotted to destroy all the Jews in the Persian Empire due to his hatred for Mordecai, Esther's cousin and guardian. During a banquet that Esther had prepared for the king and Haman, Esther revealed Haman's evil plot and pleaded for the lives of her people. The king, furious with Haman, stepped out into the palace garden. At this moment, Harbona, one of the eunuchs attending the king, spoke up and informed the king about the gallows that Haman had prepared for Mordecai, who had previously saved the king's life by exposing a plot against him. Harbona's timely intervention sealed Haman's fate, as the king ordered Haman to be hanged on the very gallows he had built for Mordecai. This turn of events led to the deliverance of the Jews and the elevation of Mordecai to a high position in the Persian court. Harbona's actions demonstrate the significance of speaking truth to power and the role that seemingly minor characters can play in God's providential plan.
All entries for Harbona: חַרְבוֹנָא