Lexical Definition

‎סָרִיס‎ çârîyç (saw-reece') eunuch ^H:N-M
or סָרִס çâriç (saw-reece'); from an unused root meaning to castrate

chamberlain, eunuch, officer. Compare ‎רַב־סָרִיס‎.

• a eunuch
• by implication, valet (especially of the female apartments), and thus, a minister of state

1) official, eunuch

See Greek: δυνάστης · εὐνοῦχος

Brown-Driver-Briggs

‎סָרִיס‎₄₅ noun masculine eunuch (Late Hebrew id., ᵑ7 ‎סָרִיסָא‎, Syriac (all with verb denominative = emasculate), Old Aramaic ‎סרסא‎ Lzb³³¹ Cook⁸⁶; Arabic , (verb be impotent), Kam Frey (not Lane); probably foreign word; according to Jen^{ZA vii. 174} = Assyrian šarêši (rîši), he who is the head, chief, compare Brock^{Lex 239 b} Dl^{HWB 694} (ša-riš ?), Zim^{ZMG liii. 1899, 116}; eunuch being specialized meaning; in any case Arabic is Aramaic loan-word); — absolute ‎׳‎‎ס‎ 1Kgs 22:9 + 7 t.; construct ‎סְרִיס‎ Gen 37:36 + 3 t.; plural ‎סָרִיסִים‎ 2Kgs 9:32 + 17 t.; construct ‎סְרִיסֵי‎ Gen 40:7 + 4 t.; suffix ‎סָרִיסָיו‎ Gen 40:2 + 4 t., ‎סָרִיסֶ֫יהָ‎ Esth 4:4 — eunuch, of Pharaoh Gen 37:36; Gen 40:2; Gen 40:7 (all E), married Gen 39:1 (R^JE); of Israel kings 1Sam 8:15 (predict.), 1Kgs 22:9 = 2Chr 18:8; 2Kgs 8:6; 2Kgs 9:32 (all of Northern Israel); 1Chr 28:1 (in David's time). 2Kgs 23:11; 2Kgs 24:12; 2Kgs 24:15 compare Jer 29:2, also Jer 34:19; Jer 38:7; Jer 41:16 (all in Judah; so likewise) 2Kgs 25:19 (military officer) = Jer 52:25 of Babylonian kings 2Kgs 20:18 = Isa 39:7 (predict.); ascribed to Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel, ‎רַב סָרִיסָיו‎ Dan 1:3, ‎שַׂר הַסָּרִיסִים‎ vDan 1:7 vDan 1:8 vDan 1:9 vDan 1:10 vDan 1:11 vDan 1:18 to king of Persia in Esth 1:10; Esth 1:12; Esth 1:15 + 9 t. Esther; promises made to eunuchs Isa 56:3; Isa 56:4. (Term never used in law codes; on contrary compare exclusion of ‎פְּצוּעַ דַּכָּא‎, and ‎כְּרוּת שָׁפְכָה‎ Deut 23:2* [see Dr^{on the passage}], also ‎מְרוֺחַ אָ֑שֶׁךְ‎ Lev 21:20.) — ‎רַבסָֿרִיס‎ is title of high military officer 2Kgs 18:17 (Assyrian ), Jer 39:3; Jer 39:13 (Babylonian ). — See further, Thes Smith^{DB Art.} ' Eunuch, ' Di^{Gen 39:1} Dr^{Deut 23:1*}.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References