Reference: Eunuch
American
In the courts of oriental monarchs, the charge of the female and interior apartments is committed to eunuchs. Hence the word came to signify merely a court officer. Such were Potiphar, Joseph's master, Ge 39:17, and the treasurer of Queen Candace, Ac 8:27. Our Savior speaks of some who "have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake;" that is, who have voluntarily abstained from marriage, in order more effectually to labor for the kingdom of God, Mt 19:12; and the apostle Paul commends the same abstinence in certain exceptional cases in time of persecution, 1Co 7:26-27. See GAZA.
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Then spake she unto him, according to these words, saying, - He hath been in unto me - the Hebrew servant whom thou didst bring in to us - to insult me.
For there, are, eunuchs, who, from their mother's womb, were born so, and there, are, eunuchs, who were made eunuchs, by men, - and there, are, eunuchs, who have made, themselves, eunuchs, for the sake the kingdom of the heavens: He that is able to find room, let him find room.
And, arising, he journeyed. And lo! a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch, one in power under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasure whohad come to worship in Jerusalem;
I consider this, then, to be, good, in the circumstances, by reason of the existing distress, - that it is, good for a man, so, to be: Hast thou become bound to a wife? do not seek to be loosed; hast thou become loosed from a wife? do not seek a wife.
Easton
literally bed-keeper or chamberlain, and not necessarily in all cases one who was mutilated, although the practice of employing such mutilated persons in Oriental courts was common (2Ki 9:32; Es 2:3). The law of Moses excluded them from the congregation (De 23:1). They were common also among the Greeks and Romans. It is said that even to-day there are some in Rome who are employed in singing soprano in the Sistine Chapel. Three classes of eunuchs are mentioned in Mt 19:12.
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Neither he that hath been mutilated by crushing, nor he that hath had his privy member cut off, shall enter into the convocation of Yahweh.
And he lifted up his face unto the lattice, and said - Who, is with me? Who? And there looked out unto him, two or three eunuchs.
and let the king appoint officers throughout all the provinces of his kingdom, and let them gather together every young virgin of pleasing appearance unto Shusan the palace, unto the house of the women, into the custody of Hegai eunuch of the king, keeper of the women, and let there be given the things needed for their purification;
For there, are, eunuchs, who, from their mother's womb, were born so, and there, are, eunuchs, who were made eunuchs, by men, - and there, are, eunuchs, who have made, themselves, eunuchs, for the sake the kingdom of the heavens: He that is able to find room, let him find room.
Fausets
("bedkeeper".) Generally used of those emasculated in order to satisfy the jealousy of masters who committed to them the charge of wives, concubines, and the female apartments. Sometimes implying the high office of "chamberlain," without such emasculation (1Ch 28:1). Even the kings of Israel and Judah had eunuchs, probably foreigners (2Ki 9:32; Jer 38:7). Ethiopians were then, as Nubians now, often so employed. The chief of Pharaoh's cupbearers, and the chief of his cooks, were eunuchs; Potiphar was an "eunuch" (so Hebrew of "officer") of Pharaoh's (Ge 37:36,36). So the Assyrian Rabsaris, or chief eunuch (2Ki 18:17).
So in the Persian court there were eunuchs as "keepers of the women," through whom the king gave commands to the women, and kept men at a distance (Es 1:10,12,15-16; 2:3,8,14). Daniel and his companions were, possibly, mutilated so as to become eunuchs to the Babylonian king (2Ki 20:17-18; Da 1:3-7). In Mt 19:12 our Lord uses the term figuratively for those who are naturally, or who artificially, or by self restraint, have become divested of sexual passion (1Co 7:26,32-34). Our Lord permits, but does not command or recommend, celibacy as superior in sanctity to wedlock; "he that is able to receive it, let him receive it."
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Now, the Midianites, sold him into Egypt, - to Potiphar courtier of Pharaoh, chief of the royal executioners.
Now, the Midianites, sold him into Egypt, - to Potiphar courtier of Pharaoh, chief of the royal executioners.
And he lifted up his face unto the lattice, and said - Who, is with me? Who? And there looked out unto him, two or three eunuchs.
And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rab-saris and Rab-shakeh, from Lachish unto King Hezekiah, with a heavy force to Jerusalem, - so they came up and drew near to Jerusalem, and took their stand by the upper channel of the pool, which is in the highway of the fuller's field.
Lo! days are coming, when all that is in thine house, and that thy fathers have treasured up, unto this day, shall be carried into Babylon, - nothing shall be left, saith Yahweh; and, of thy sons who shall issue from thee, whom thou shalt beget, shall they take away, - and they shall become eunuchs, in the palace of the king of Babylon.
And David called together all the rulers of Israel, the rulers of tribes and the rulers of the courses who waited upon the king, - and the rulers of thousands and the rulers of hundreds, and the rulers over all the possessions and substance that belonged to the king and to his sons, with the courtiers and the heroes, even every hero of valour, unto Jerusalem.
On the seventh day, when merry was the heart of the king with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar and Carcas, the seven eunuchs who were waiting before King Ahasuerus, -
But Queen Vashti refused to come in at the command of the king, which was given through the eunuchs, - and the king was exceeding wroth, and, his anger, burned within him.
According to law, what ought to be done, with Queen Vashti, - for that she hath not performed the command of King Ahasuerus, through the eunuchs? Then said Memucan before the king and the rulers, Not against the king alone, hath Vashti the queen acted perversely, - but against all the rulers, and against all the peoples, who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus.
and let the king appoint officers throughout all the provinces of his kingdom, and let them gather together every young virgin of pleasing appearance unto Shusan the palace, unto the house of the women, into the custody of Hegai eunuch of the king, keeper of the women, and let there be given the things needed for their purification;
So it came to pass, when the king's command and decree was heard, and there had been gathered together many maidens unto Shusan the palace, unto the custody of Hegai, that Esther was taken into the house of the king, unto the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women;
in the evening, she went in, and, in the morning, she returned - unto the second house of the women, unto the custody of Shaashgaz the king's eunuch, who kept the concubines, - she went not in again unto the king, except the king delighted in her, and she were called by name.
When Ebed-melech the Ethiopian one of the eunuchs, he being in the house of the king, heard that they had delivered Jeremiah into the dungeon, - the king being seated in the gate of Benjamin,
Then did the king give word to Ashpenaz, the chief of his eunuchs, - that he should bring in, of the sons of Israel, even of the seed royal, and of the nobles, youths in whom was no blemish, but comely of countenance, and skilful in all wisdom, and possessed of knowledge, and able to impart instruction, and who had vigour in them, to stand in the palace of the king, - and that they should be taught the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans. read more. And the king appointed them the provision of each day upon its day, out of the delicacies of the king and out of the wine which he drank, and so to let them grow three years, - and, at the end thereof, that they should stand before the king. Now there were, among them, out of the sons of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; and the ruler of the eunuchs gave them names, - yea he gave to Daniel the name of Belteshazzar, and to Hananiah of Shadrach, and to Mishael of Meshach, and to Azariah of Abed-nego.
For there, are, eunuchs, who, from their mother's womb, were born so, and there, are, eunuchs, who were made eunuchs, by men, - and there, are, eunuchs, who have made, themselves, eunuchs, for the sake the kingdom of the heavens: He that is able to find room, let him find room.
I consider this, then, to be, good, in the circumstances, by reason of the existing distress, - that it is, good for a man, so, to be:
And I desire you to be, without anxiety: - the unmarried man, is anxious for the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord; But, he that hath married, is anxious for the things of the world, how may please his wife - read more. And he is divided; and, the unmarried woman, or the virgin, is anxious for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy bothin her body and in her spirit; but, she that hath married, is anxious for the things of the world, how she may please her husband.
Hastings
In the proper sense of the word a eunuch is an emasculated human being (De 23:1), but it is not absolutely certain that the Heb. s
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Now, the Midianites, sold him into Egypt, - to Potiphar courtier of Pharaoh, chief of the royal executioners.
Now, the Midianites, sold him into Egypt, - to Potiphar courtier of Pharaoh, chief of the royal executioners.
Now, Joseph, was taken down to Egypt, - and Potiphar, courtier of Pharaoh, chief of the royal executioners, an Egyptian bought him, at the hand of the Ishmaelites, who had brought him down thither.
Then fell the wroth of Pharaoh upon his two courtiers, upon the chief of the butlers, and upon the chief of the bakers;
Then fell the wroth of Pharaoh upon his two courtiers, upon the chief of the butlers, and upon the chief of the bakers;
So he asked Pharaoh's courtiers who were with him in the ward of his lord's house, saying, Why are your faces troubled to-day!
So he asked Pharaoh's courtiers who were with him in the ward of his lord's house, saying, Why are your faces troubled to-day!
or is hump-backed or a dwarf, or hath defective vision, - or hath scurvy or scab, or is crushed in the stones:
But that which is bruised in the stones or broken therein, or torn or cut, shall ye neither bring ear unto Yahweh, nor on your own land, shall ye offer.
Neither he that hath been mutilated by crushing, nor he that hath had his privy member cut off, shall enter into the convocation of Yahweh.
Neither he that hath been mutilated by crushing, nor he that hath had his privy member cut off, shall enter into the convocation of Yahweh.
And, your seed, and your vineyards, will he tithe, and give to his courtiers and to his servants;
And he lifted up his face unto the lattice, and said - Who, is with me? Who? And there looked out unto him, two or three eunuchs.
and, of thy sons who shall issue from thee, whom thou shalt beget, shall they take away, - and they shall become eunuchs, in the palace of the king of Babylon.
and, out of the city, took he one courtier who himself was set over the men of war, and five men of them who were wont to see the face of the king, who were found in the city, and the scribe - general of the army, who used to muster the people of the land, - and sixty men of the people of the land, who were found in the city;
and, out of the city, took he one courtier who himself was set over the men of war, and five men of them who were wont to see the face of the king, who were found in the city, and the scribe - general of the army, who used to muster the people of the land, - and sixty men of the people of the land, who were found in the city;
But Queen Vashti refused to come in at the command of the king, which was given through the eunuchs, - and the king was exceeding wroth, and, his anger, burned within him.
So the maidens of Esther and her eunuchs went in and told her, and the queen writhed in great anguish, - and sent garments to clothe Mordecai, and to remove his sackcloth from off him, but he accepted them not.
And of thy sons who shall issue from thee whom thou shalt beget, shall they take away, - and they shall become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.
For thus, saith Yahweh - Of the eunuchs, Who shall keep my sabbaths, And choose what I delight in, - And lay firm hold on my covenant, That I will give unto them - In my house, And within my walls, A sign and a name, better than sons and daughters, - A name age-abiding, will I give him, which shall not be cut off.
after that Jeconiah the king and the queen-mother and the eunuchs the princes of Judah and Jerusalem and the craftsmen and the smiths, had gone forth from Jerusalem; -
even the princes of Judah, and the princes of Jerusalem, the eunuchs and the priests, and all the people of the land, - who passed between the parts of the calf,
When Ebed-melech the Ethiopian one of the eunuchs, he being in the house of the king, heard that they had delivered Jeremiah into the dungeon, - the king being seated in the gate of Benjamin,
Then did Johanan son of Kareah and all the captains of the forces who were with him take all the remnant of the people whom he had recovered from Ishmael son of Nethaniah out of Mizpah, after he had smitten Gedaliah son of Ahikam, - mighty men, men of war, and women and children and eunuchs, whom he had recovered out of Gibeon;
and out of the city, took he one eunuch who was in charge over the men f war and seven men of them who used to watch the face of the king, who were found in the city, and the scribe of the prince of the host, who used to muster the people of the land, - and sixty men of the people of the land, who were found in the midst of the city.
Then did the king give word to Ashpenaz, the chief of his eunuchs, - that he should bring in, of the sons of Israel, even of the seed royal, and of the nobles,
For there, are, eunuchs, who, from their mother's womb, were born so, and there, are, eunuchs, who were made eunuchs, by men, - and there, are, eunuchs, who have made, themselves, eunuchs, for the sake the kingdom of the heavens: He that is able to find room, let him find room.
Morish
The Lord distinguished three classes of eunuchs: those that were thus born; those emasculated by men; and those who had made themselves such for the kingdom of heaven's sake. Mt 19:12. It is the second class that are otherwise mentioned in scripture. They often became men of influence in the eastern courts, and had care of the harems; and where there were several there was one called their 'prince.' Jer 29:2; Da 1:3-18; Ac 8:27. Ebed-melech who befriended Jeremiah was a eunuch in the house of Zedekiah. Jer 38:7-13. And they were eunuchs who threw Jezebel out of the lattice. 2Ki 9:32. This shows that Israel had followed the custom of the East in employing such persons.
One of the things prophesied against Israel was that their sons should be made eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon. 2Ki 20:18; Isa 39:7. The case of Daniel and his companions was an instance of the fulfilment of this, for they were committed to the care of 'the master of the eunuchs.' Though the word saris signifies 'eunuch' it is often in the A.V. translated 'chamberlain' and 'officer' because the eunuchs were employed in such positions of trust. The man of Ethiopia baptised by Philip was a eunuch of great authority under the queen. Ac 8:27.
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And he lifted up his face unto the lattice, and said - Who, is with me? Who? And there looked out unto him, two or three eunuchs.
and, of thy sons who shall issue from thee, whom thou shalt beget, shall they take away, - and they shall become eunuchs, in the palace of the king of Babylon.
And of thy sons who shall issue from thee whom thou shalt beget, shall they take away, - and they shall become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.
after that Jeconiah the king and the queen-mother and the eunuchs the princes of Judah and Jerusalem and the craftsmen and the smiths, had gone forth from Jerusalem; -
When Ebed-melech the Ethiopian one of the eunuchs, he being in the house of the king, heard that they had delivered Jeremiah into the dungeon, - the king being seated in the gate of Benjamin, then went forth Ebed-melech out of the house of the king, and spake unto the king, saying: read more. My lord, O King! wickedly, have these men done all that they haw done to Jeremiah the prophet, whom indeed they have cast into the dungeon, - since he would have died where he was because of the famine, for there is no bread any longer, in the city. Then the king commanded Ebed-melech the Ethiopian saying, - Take with thee from hence thirty men, and lift Jeremiah the prophet out of the dungeon before he die. So Ebed-melech took the men with him, and went into the house of the king under the treasury, and took thence pieces of cast-off clothes, and old rags, - and let them down unto Jeremiah in the dungeon with the ropes. Then said Ebed-melech the Ethiopian unto Jeremiah, - Put, I pray thee the pieces of cast-off clothes and the old rags under thine arm-joints, under the ropes, And Jeremiah did so, Then drew they Jeremiah with the ropes, and lifted him up out of the dungeon, - and Jeremiah remained in the guard-court.
Then did the king give word to Ashpenaz, the chief of his eunuchs, - that he should bring in, of the sons of Israel, even of the seed royal, and of the nobles, youths in whom was no blemish, but comely of countenance, and skilful in all wisdom, and possessed of knowledge, and able to impart instruction, and who had vigour in them, to stand in the palace of the king, - and that they should be taught the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans. read more. And the king appointed them the provision of each day upon its day, out of the delicacies of the king and out of the wine which he drank, and so to let them grow three years, - and, at the end thereof, that they should stand before the king. Now there were, among them, out of the sons of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; and the ruler of the eunuchs gave them names, - yea he gave to Daniel the name of Belteshazzar, and to Hananiah of Shadrach, and to Mishael of Meshach, and to Azariah of Abed-nego. But Daniel laid it upon his heart, that he would not defile himself with the delicacies of the king, nor with the wine which he drank, - therefore sought he of the ruler of the eunuchs, that he might not defile himself. But, although God had brought Daniel into lovingkindness and tender compassion, before the ruler of the eunuchs, yet said the ruler of the eunuchs unto Daniel, I do fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your food and your drink, - for why should he see your faces more sad than those of the youths of your own age? so should ye bring me under the penalty of mine own head unto the king. Then said Daniel, unto the overseer whom the ruler of the eunuchs had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: I pray thee - prove thy servants, ten days, - and let them give us vegetable food, that we may eat, and water that we may drink: then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenances of the youths who have been eating the delicacies of the king, - and, as thou shalt see, deal thou with thy servants. So then he hearkened unto them, according to this word, - and proved them ten-days; and, at the end of ten days, their countenances appeared more comely, and fatter in flesh, - than any of the youths who had been eating the delicacies of the king. Thus it came about that the overseer continued taking away their delicacies, and the wine appointed them to drink, - and kept on giving them vegetable food. And, as for these four youths, God, gave them, knowledge and skill, in all learning and wisdom, - and, Daniel, had discernment, in all visions and dreams. Now, at the end of the days after which the king had given word to bring them in, then did the ruler of the eunuchs bring them in, before Nebuchadnezzar.
For there, are, eunuchs, who, from their mother's womb, were born so, and there, are, eunuchs, who were made eunuchs, by men, - and there, are, eunuchs, who have made, themselves, eunuchs, for the sake the kingdom of the heavens: He that is able to find room, let him find room.
And, arising, he journeyed. And lo! a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch, one in power under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasure whohad come to worship in Jerusalem;
Smith
Eunuch.
The English form of the Greek word which means bed-keeper. In the strict and proper sense they were the persons who had charge of the bed-chambers in palaces and larger houses. But as the jealous and dissolute temperament of the East required this charge to be in the hands of persons who had been deprived of their virility, the word eunuch came naturally to denote persons in that condition. But as some of these rose to be confidential advisers of their royal master or mistresses, the word was occasionally employed to denote persons in such a position, without indicating anything of their proper manhood. -Abbott.
Watsons
EUNUCH. The word signifies, one who guards the bed. In the courts of eastern kings, the care of the beds and apartments belonging to princes and princesses, was generally committed to eunuchs; but they had the charge chiefly of the princesses, who lived secluded. The Hebrew saris signifies a real eunuch, whether naturally born such, or rendered such. But in Scripture this word often denotes an officer belonging to a prince, attending his court, and employed in the interior of his palace, as a name of office and dignity. In the Persian and Turkish courts, the principal employments are at this day possessed by real eunuchs. Our Saviour speaks of men who "made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven," Mt 19:12; that is, who, from a religious motive, renounced marriage or carnal pleasures.
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For there, are, eunuchs, who, from their mother's womb, were born so, and there, are, eunuchs, who were made eunuchs, by men, - and there, are, eunuchs, who have made, themselves, eunuchs, for the sake the kingdom of the heavens: He that is able to find room, let him find room.