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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And she speaketh unto him according to these words, saying, 'The Hebrew servant whom thou hast brought unto us, hath come in unto me to play with me;
for there are eunuchs who from the mother's womb were so born; and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men; and there are eunuchs who kept themselves eunuchs because of the reign of the heavens: he who is able to receive it -- let him receive.'
And having arisen, he went on, and lo, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch, a man of rank, of Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasure, who had come to worship to Jerusalem;
I suppose, therefore, this to be good because of the present necessity, that it is good for a man that the matter be thus: -- Hast thou been bound to a wife? seek not to be loosed; hast thou been loosed from a wife? seek not 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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'One wounded, bruised, or cut in the member doth not enter into the assembly of Jehovah;
And he lifteth up his face unto the window, and saith, 'Who is with me? -- who?' and look out unto him do two or three eunuchs;
and the king doth appoint inspectors in all provinces of his kingdom, and they gather every young woman -- virgin, of good appearance -- unto Shushan the palace, unto the house of the women, unto the hand of Hege eunuch of the king, keeper of the women, and to give their purifications,
for there are eunuchs who from the mother's womb were so born; and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men; and there are eunuchs who kept themselves eunuchs because of the reign of the heavens: he who is able to receive it -- let him receive.'
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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And the Medanites have sold him unto Egypt, to Potiphar, a eunuch of Pharaoh, head of the executioners.
And the Medanites have sold him unto Egypt, to Potiphar, a eunuch of Pharaoh, head of the executioners.
And he lifteth up his face unto the window, and saith, 'Who is with me? -- who?' and look out unto him do two or three eunuchs;
And the king of Asshur sendeth Tartan, and the chief of the eunuchs, and the chief of the butlers, from Lachish, unto king Hezekiah, with a heavy force, to Jerusalem, and they go up and come in to Jerusalem, and they go up, and come in and stand by the conduit of the upper pool that is in the highway of the fuller's field.
Lo, days are coming, and borne hath been all that is in thy house, and that thy father have treasured up till this day, to Babylon; there is not left a thing, said Jehovah; and of thy sons who go out from thee, whom thou begettest, they take away, and they have been eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.'
And David assembleth all the heads of Israel, heads of the tribes, and heads of the courses who are serving the king, and heads of the thousands, and heads of the hundreds, and heads of all the substance and possessions of the king, and of his sons, with the officers and the mighty ones, even to every mighty one of valour -- unto Jerusalem.
On the seventh day, as the heart of the king is glad with wine, he hath said to Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven eunuchs who are ministering in the presence of the king Ahasuerus,
and the queen Vashti refuseth to come in at the word of the king that is by the hand of the eunuchs, and the king is very wroth, and his fury hath burned in him.
According to law, what -- to do with queen Vashti, because that she hath not done the saying of the king Ahasuerus by the hand of the eunuchs?' And Memucan saith before the king and the heads, 'Not against the king by himself hath Vashti the queen done perversely, but against all the heads, and against all the peoples that are in all provinces of the king Ahasuerus;
and the king doth appoint inspectors in all provinces of his kingdom, and they gather every young woman -- virgin, of good appearance -- unto Shushan the palace, unto the house of the women, unto the hand of Hege eunuch of the king, keeper of the women, and to give their purifications,
And it cometh to pass, in the word of the king, even his law, being heard, and in many young women being gathered unto Shushan the palace, unto the hand of Hegai, that Esther is taken unto the house of the king, unto the hand of Hegai, keeper of the women,
in the evening she hath gone in, and in the morning she hath turned back unto the second house of the women, unto the hand of Shaashgaz eunuch of the king, keeper of the concubines; she cometh not in any more unto the king except the king hath delighted in her, and she hath been called by name.
And Ebed-Melech the Cushite, a eunuch who is in the king's house, heareth that they have put Jeremiah into the pit; and the king is sitting at the gate of Benjamin,
And the king saith, to Ashpenaz master of his eunuchs, to bring in out of the sons of Israel, (even of the royal seed, and of the chiefs,) lads in whom there is no blemish, and of good appearance, and skilful in all wisdom, and possessing knowledge, and teaching thought, and who have ability to stand in the palace of the king, and to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans. read more. And the king doth appoint for them a rate, day by day, of the king's portion of food, and of the wine of his drinking, so as to nourish them three years, that at the end thereof they may stand before the king. And there are among them out of the sons of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, and the chief of the eunuchs setteth names on them, and he setteth on Daniel, Belteshazzar; and on Hananiah, Shadrach; and on Mishael, Meshach; and on Azariah, Abed-Nego.
for there are eunuchs who from the mother's womb were so born; and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men; and there are eunuchs who kept themselves eunuchs because of the reign of the heavens: he who is able to receive it -- let him receive.'
I suppose, therefore, this to be good because of the present necessity, that it is good for a man that the matter be thus: --
And I wish you to be without anxiety; the unmarried is anxious for the things of the Lord, how he shall please the Lord; and the married is anxious for the things of the world, how he shall please the wife. read more. The wife and the virgin have been distinguished: the unmarried is anxious for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit, and the married is anxious for the things of the world, how she shall please the 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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And the Medanites have sold him unto Egypt, to Potiphar, a eunuch of Pharaoh, head of the executioners.
And the Medanites have sold him unto Egypt, to Potiphar, a eunuch of Pharaoh, head of the executioners.
And Joseph hath been brought down to Egypt, and Potiphar, a eunuch of Pharaoh, head of the executioners, an Egyptian man, buyeth him out of the hands of the Ishmaelites who have brought him thither.
and Pharaoh is wroth against his two eunuchs, against the chief of the butlers, and against the chief of the bakers,
and Pharaoh is wroth against his two eunuchs, against the chief of the butlers, and against the chief of the bakers,
and he asketh Pharaoh's eunuchs who are with him in charge in the house of his lord, saying, 'Wherefore are your faces sad to-day?'
and he asketh Pharaoh's eunuchs who are with him in charge in the house of his lord, saying, 'Wherefore are your faces sad to-day?'
or hump-backed, or a dwarf, or with a mixture in his eye, or a scurvy person, or scabbed, or broken-testicled.
As to a bruised, or beaten, or enlarged, or cut thing -- ye do not bring it near to Jehovah; even in your land ye do not do it.
'One wounded, bruised, or cut in the member doth not enter into the assembly of Jehovah;
'One wounded, bruised, or cut in the member doth not enter into the assembly of Jehovah;
And your seed and your vineyards he doth tithe, and hath given to his eunuchs, and to his servants.
And he lifteth up his face unto the window, and saith, 'Who is with me? -- who?' and look out unto him do two or three eunuchs;
and of thy sons who go out from thee, whom thou begettest, they take away, and they have been eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.'
and out of the city he hath taken a certain eunuch who is appointed over the men of war, and five men of those seeing the king's face who have been found in the city, and the head scribe of the host, who mustereth the people of the land, and sixty men of the people of the land who are found in the city,
and out of the city he hath taken a certain eunuch who is appointed over the men of war, and five men of those seeing the king's face who have been found in the city, and the head scribe of the host, who mustereth the people of the land, and sixty men of the people of the land who are found in the city,
and the queen Vashti refuseth to come in at the word of the king that is by the hand of the eunuchs, and the king is very wroth, and his fury hath burned in him.
And young women of Esther come in and her eunuchs, and declare it to her, and the queen is exceedingly pained, and sendeth garments to clothe Mordecai, and to turn aside his sackcloth from off him, and he hath not received them.
and of thy sons who come forth from thee, whom thou begettest, they take, and they have been eunuchs in a palace of the king of Babylon.'
For thus said Jehovah of the eunuchs, Who do keep My sabbaths, And have fixed on that which I desired, And are keeping hold on My covenant: I have given to them in My house, And within My walls a station and a name, Better than sons and than daughters, A name age-during I give to him That is not cut off.
After the going forth of Jeconiah the king, and the mistress, and the officers, heads of Judah and Jerusalem, and the artificer, and the smith, from Jerusalem --
heads of Judah, and heads of Jerusalem, the officers, and the priests, and all the people of the land those passing through between the pieces of the calf --
And Ebed-Melech the Cushite, a eunuch who is in the king's house, heareth that they have put Jeremiah into the pit; and the king is sitting at the gate of Benjamin,
And Johanan son of Kareah, and all the heads of the forces who are with him, take all the remnant of the people whom he hath brought back from Ishmael son of Nethaniah, from Mizpah -- after he had smitten Gedaliah son of Ahikam -- mighty ones, men of war, and women, and infants, and eunuchs, whom he had brought back from Gibeon,
and out of the city he hath taken a certain eunuch, who hath been inspector over the men of war, and seven men of those seeing the king's face, who have been found in the city, and the head scribe of the host, who mustereth the people of the land, and sixty men of the people of the land, who are found in the midst of the city;
And the king saith, to Ashpenaz master of his eunuchs, to bring in out of the sons of Israel, (even of the royal seed, and of the chiefs,)
for there are eunuchs who from the mother's womb were so born; and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men; and there are eunuchs who kept themselves eunuchs because of the reign of the heavens: he who is able to receive it -- let him receive.'
And having arisen, he went on, and lo, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch, a man of rank, of Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasure, who had come to worship to Jerusalem;
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 lifteth up his face unto the window, and saith, 'Who is with me? -- who?' and look out unto him do two or three eunuchs;
and of thy sons who go out from thee, whom thou begettest, they take away, and they have been eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.'
and of thy sons who come forth from thee, whom thou begettest, they take, and they have been eunuchs in a palace of the king of Babylon.'
After the going forth of Jeconiah the king, and the mistress, and the officers, heads of Judah and Jerusalem, and the artificer, and the smith, from Jerusalem --
And Ebed-Melech the Cushite, a eunuch who is in the king's house, heareth that they have put Jeremiah into the pit; and the king is sitting at the gate of Benjamin, and Ebed-Melech goeth forth from the king's house, and speaketh unto the king, saying, read more. My lord, O king, these men have done evil in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet, whom they have cast into the pit, and he dieth in his place because of the famine, for there is no more bread in the city.' And the king commandeth Ebed-Melech the Cushite, saying, 'Take with thee from this thirty men, and thou hast brought up Jeremiah the prophet from the pit, before he dieth.' And Ebed-Melech taketh the men with him, and entereth the house of the king, unto the place of the treasury, and taketh thence worn-out clouts, and worn-out rags, and sendeth them unto Jeremiah unto the pit by cords. And Ebed-Melech the Cushite saith unto Jeremiah, 'Put, I pray thee, the worn-out clouts and rags under thine arm-holes, at the place of the cords,' and Jeremiah doth so, and they draw out Jeremiah with cords, and bring him up out of the pit, and Jeremiah dwelleth in the court of the prison.
And the king saith, to Ashpenaz master of his eunuchs, to bring in out of the sons of Israel, (even of the royal seed, and of the chiefs,) lads in whom there is no blemish, and of good appearance, and skilful in all wisdom, and possessing knowledge, and teaching thought, and who have ability to stand in the palace of the king, and to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans. read more. And the king doth appoint for them a rate, day by day, of the king's portion of food, and of the wine of his drinking, so as to nourish them three years, that at the end thereof they may stand before the king. And there are among them out of the sons of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, and the chief of the eunuchs setteth names on them, and he setteth on Daniel, Belteshazzar; and on Hananiah, Shadrach; and on Mishael, Meshach; and on Azariah, Abed-Nego. And Daniel purposeth in his heart that he will not pollute himself with the king's portion of food, and with the wine of his drinking, and he seeketh of the chief of the eunuchs that he may not pollute himself. And God giveth Daniel for kindness and for mercies before the chief of the eunuchs; and the chief of the eunuchs saith to Daniel, 'I am fearing my lord the king, who hath appointed your food and your drink, for why doth he see your faces sadder than those of the lads which are of your circle? then ye have made my head indebted to the king,' And Daniel saith unto the Meltzar, whom the chief of the eunuchs hath appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 'Try, I pray thee, thy servants, ten days; and they give to us of the vegetables, and we eat, and water, and we drink; and our appearance is seen before thee, and the appearance of the lads who are eating the king's portion of food, and as thou seest -- deal with thy servants.' And he hearkeneth to them, to this word, and trieth them ten days: and at the end of ten days their appearance hath appeared better and fatter in flesh then any of the lads who are eating the king's portion of food. And the Meltzar is taking away their portion of food, and the wine of their drink, and is giving to them vegetables. As to these four lads, God hath given to them knowledge and understanding in every kind of literature, and wisdom; and Daniel hath given instruction about every kind of vision and dreams. And at the end of the days that the king had said to bring them in, bring them in doth the chief of the eunuchs before Nebuchadnezzar.
for there are eunuchs who from the mother's womb were so born; and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men; and there are eunuchs who kept themselves eunuchs because of the reign of the heavens: he who is able to receive it -- let him receive.'
And having arisen, he went on, and lo, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch, a man of rank, of Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasure, who had come to worship to Jerusalem;
And having arisen, he went on, and lo, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch, a man of rank, of Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasure, who had come to worship to 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 the mother's womb were so born; and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men; and there are eunuchs who kept themselves eunuchs because of the reign of the heavens: he who is able to receive it -- let him receive.'