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Hebrew noun (masculine) · H5631

סָרִיס

sarissaw-reece'

eunuch

42 uses in the Hebrew text, one for each word STEP Bible has tagged with this key

Concordance spelling: çârîyç

Word page · Part of the concordance, one page for every word of the Hebrew and Greek text. Strong's H5631is this word's number in James Strong's 1890 index of the King James Bible.

  • 10 of 39
    Old Testament books
  • 35
    spellings

The definition in full

Strong's key (1890) · H5631

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

The King James renders it: chamberlain, eunuch, officer. Compare H7249 (רַב־סָרִיס).

James Strong, The Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890), public domain. Strong indexed the King James text, and this site quotes his entry as that index.

Summary

saris is rendered "eunuch". It stands 42 times in the Hebrew text, across ten books.

  • Twelve of the uses stand in Esther, more than in any other book.
  • Its first use in canonical order opens the ledger below.Genesis 37:36Meanwhile, the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard.
  • The Greek text spells it thirty-five different ways.

The first use

Meanwhile, the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard.

Genesis 37:36סְרִ֣יס

The first use, in the order of the Old Testament's books.

Where the word stands

Twelve of the word's forty-two uses are in Esther.

The other 29 Old Testament books never use the word.

What the word means

Each meaning, and the words it is translated by

How the Greek text is glossed, word by word

  • a court-official6
  • the officials6
  • the eunuchs4
  • eunuch of3
  • eunuchs2
  • eunuchs of2
  • officials his2
  • the court-officials2
  • an official of1
  • and court-officials1
  • and court-officials his1
  • and eunuchs her1

and 11 more, 42 uses in all

The words built on the same word-part

Each word below begins with the same letters this one begins with. A shared word-part shows a family. It does not settle what any one of them means, so each word carries its own uses on its own page. Scholars call that shared part the stem.

The words it stands beside

All 42, in canonical order

Every use, in order

Every use, grouped by book, with its verse.

35 spellings and their grammar

STEP Bible tags every word of the Hebrew and Greek text with its spelling and its grammar. Both lists below count the rows printed underneath, written out in English, with the code beside each one as it was tagged.

How it is spelled

  • סָרִ֨יס3
  • הַסָּרִ֔יס2
  • הַסָּרִיסִ֔ים2
  • סְרִ֥יס2
  • סָרִ֖יס2
  • סָרִיסָ֑יו2
  • הַסָּרִיסִ֧ים1
  • הַסָּרִיסִ֖ים1
  • הַסָּרִיסִים֙1
  • הַסָּֽרִיסִ֔ים1
  • הַסָּ֣רִיסִ֔ים1
  • הַסָּרִיסִ֑ים1

and 23 more spellings in the ledger below.

The grammar of each form

  • the definite article (“the”) + noun · masculine plural12HTd/Ncmpa
  • noun · masculine singular6HNcmsa
  • noun · masculine singular · in construct (“…of”)5HNcmsc
  • noun · masculine plural3HNcmpa
  • noun · masculine plural · in construct (“…of”)3HNcmpc
  • noun · masculine plural · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 3rd person masculine singular3HNcmpc/Sp3ms
  • the definite article (“the”) + noun · masculine singular2HTd/Ncmsa
  • conjunction (“and”) + noun · masculine plural1HC/Ncmpa
  • conjunction (“and”) + noun · masculine plural · in construct (“…of”)1HC/Ncmpc
  • conjunction (“and”) + noun · masculine plural · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 3rd person feminine singular1HC/Ncmpc/Sp3fs
  • conjunction (“and”) + noun · masculine plural · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 3rd person masculine singular1HC/Ncmpc/Sp3ms
  • conjunction (“and”) + the definite article (“the”) + noun · masculine plural1HC/Td/Ncmpa

Genesis

four uses
  • Meanwhile, the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard.

    Genesis 37:36

    • סְרִ֣יסserisnoun · masculine singular · in construct (“…of”)tagged: an official of
  • Meanwhile, Joseph had been taken down to Egypt, where an Egyptian named Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there.

    Genesis 39:1

    • סְרִ֨יסserisnoun · masculine singular · in construct (“…of”)tagged: official of
  • Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker,

    Genesis 40:2

    • סָרִיסָ֑יוsarisavnoun · masculine plural · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: officials his
  • So he asked the officials of Pharaoh who were in custody with him in his master’s house, “Why are your faces so downcast today?”

    Genesis 40:7

    • סְרִיסֵ֣יseriseinoun · masculine plural · in construct (“…of”)tagged: officials of

1 Samuel

one use
  • He will take a tenth of your grain and grape harvest and give it to his officials and servants.

    1 Samuel 8:15

    • לְסָרִיסָ֖יוlesarisavpreposition + noun · masculine plural · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: to officials his

1 Kings

one use
  • So the king of Israel called one of his officials and said, “Bring Micaiah son of Imlah at once.”

    1 Kings 22:9

    • סָרִ֖יסsarisnoun · masculine singulartagged: a court-official

2 Kings

seven uses
  • When the king asked the woman, she confirmed it. So the king appointed for her an officer, saying, “Restore all that was hers, along with all the proceeds of the field from the day that she left the country until now.”

    2 Kings 8:6

    • סָרִ֨יסsarisnoun · masculine singulartagged: a court-official
  • He looked up at the window and called out, “Who is on my side? Who?” And two or three eunuchs looked down at him.

    2 Kings 9:32

    • סָרִיסִֽים׃sarisimnoun · masculine pluraltagged: court-officials
  • And some of your descendants, your own flesh and blood, will be taken away to be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.”

    2 Kings 20:18

    • סָֽרִיסִ֔יםsarisimnoun · masculine pluraltagged: eunuchs
  • And he removed from the entrance to the house of the LORD the horses that the kings of Judah had dedicated to the sun. They were in the court near the chamber of an official named Nathan-melech. And Josiah burned up the chariots of the sun.

    2 Kings 23:11

    • הַסָּרִ֔יסhasaristhe definite article (“the”) + noun · masculine singulartagged: the court-official
  • Jehoiachin king of Judah, his mother, his servants, his commanders, and his officials all surrendered to the king of Babylon. So in the eighth year of his reign, the king of Babylon took him captive.

    2 Kings 24:12

    • וְסָֽרִיסָ֑יוvesarisavconjunction (“and”) + noun · masculine plural · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: and court-officials his
  • Nebuchadnezzar carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon, as well as the king’s mother, his wives, his officials, and the leading men of the land. He took them into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon.

    2 Kings 24:15

    • סָרִיסָ֗יוsarisavnoun · masculine plural · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: court-officials his
  • Of those still in the city, he took a court official who had been appointed over the men of war, as well as five royal advisors. He also took the scribe of the captain of the army, who had enlisted the people of the land, and sixty men who were found in the city.

    2 Kings 25:19

    • סָרִ֨יסsarisnoun · masculine singulartagged: a court-official

1 Chronicles

one use
  • Now David summoned all the leaders of Israel to Jerusalem: the leaders of the tribes, the leaders of the divisions in the king’s service, the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, and the officials in charge of all the property and cattle of the king and his sons, along with the court officials and mighty men—every mighty man of valor.

    1 Chronicles 28:1

    • הַסָּרִיסִ֧יםhasarisimthe definite article (“the”) + noun · masculine pluraltagged: the court-officials

2 Chronicles

one use
  • So the king of Israel called one of his officials and said, “Bring Micaiah son of Imlah at once.”

    2 Chronicles 18:8

    • סָרִ֖יסsarisnoun · masculine singulartagged: a court-official

Esther

twelve uses
  • On the seventh day, when the king’s heart was merry with wine, he ordered the seven eunuchs who served him—Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carkas—

    Esther 1:10

    • הַסָּ֣רִיסִ֔יםhasarisimthe definite article (“the”) + noun · masculine pluraltagged: the eunuchs
  • Queen Vashti, however, refused to come at the king’s command brought by his eunuchs. And the king became furious, and his anger burned within him.

    Esther 1:12

    • הַסָּרִיסִ֑יםhasarisimthe definite article (“the”) + noun · masculine pluraltagged: the eunuchs
  • “According to law,” he asked, “what should be done with Queen Vashti, since she refused to obey the command of King Xerxes delivered by the eunuchs?”

    Esther 1:15

    • הַסָּרִיסִֽים׃ סhasarisimthe definite article (“the”) + noun · masculine pluraltagged: the eunuchs
  • and let the king appoint commissioners in each province of his kingdom to assemble all the beautiful young women into the harem at the citadel of Susa. Let them be placed under the care of Hegai, the king’s eunuch in charge of the women, and let them be given beauty treatments.

    Esther 2:3

    • סְרִ֥יסserisnoun · masculine singular · in construct (“…of”)tagged: eunuch of
  • She would go there in the evening, and in the morning she would return to a second harem under the care of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch in charge of the concubines. She would not return to the king unless he delighted in her and summoned her by name.

    Esther 2:14

    • סְרִ֥יסserisnoun · masculine singular · in construct (“…of”)tagged: eunuch of
  • Now Esther was the daughter of Abihail, the uncle from whom Mordecai had adopted her as his own daughter. And when it was her turn to go to the king, she did not ask for anything except what Hegai, the king’s trusted official in charge of the harem, had advised. And Esther found favor in the eyes of everyone who saw her.

    Esther 2:15

    • סְרִיס־seris-noun · masculine singular · in construct (“…of”)tagged: eunuch of
  • In those days, while Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs who guarded the entrance, grew angry and conspired to assassinate King Xerxes.

    Esther 2:21

    • סָרִיסֵ֤יsariseinoun · masculine plural · in construct (“…of”)tagged: eunuchs of
  • When Esther’s maidens and eunuchs came and told her about Mordecai, the queen was overcome with distress. She sent clothes for Mordecai to wear instead of his sackcloth, but he would not accept them.

    Esther 4:4

    • וְסָרִיסֶ֙יהָ֙vesariseihaconjunction (“and”) + noun · masculine plural · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 3rd person feminine singulartagged: and eunuchs her
  • Then Esther summoned Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs appointed to her, and she dispatched him to Mordecai to learn what was troubling him and why.

    Esther 4:5

    • מִסָּרִיסֵ֤יmisariseipreposition + noun · masculine plural · in construct (“…of”)tagged: one of eunuchs of
  • And there it was found recorded that Mordecai had exposed Bigthana and Teresh, two of the eunuchs who guarded the king’s entrance, when they had conspired to assassinate King Xerxes.

    Esther 6:2

    • סָרִיסֵ֣יsariseinoun · masculine plural · in construct (“…of”)tagged: eunuchs of
  • While they were still speaking with Haman, the king’s eunuchs arrived and rushed him to the banquet that Esther had prepared.

    Esther 6:14

    • וְסָרִיסֵ֥יvesariseiconjunction (“and”) + noun · masculine plural · in construct (“…of”)tagged: and eunuchs of
  • Then Harbonah, one of the eunuchs attending the king, said: “There is a gallows fifty cubits high at Haman’s house. He had it built for Mordecai, who gave the report that saved the king.” “Hang him on it!” declared the king.

    Esther 7:9

    • הַסָּרִיסִ֜יםhasarisimthe definite article (“the”) + noun · masculine pluraltagged: the eunuchs

Isaiah

three uses
  • And some of your descendants, your own flesh and blood, will be taken away to be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.”

    Isaiah 39:7

    • סָרִיסִ֔יםsarisimnoun · masculine pluraltagged: eunuchs
  • Let no foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say, “The LORD will utterly exclude me from His people.” And let the eunuch not say, “I am but a dry tree.”

    Isaiah 56:3

    • הַסָּרִ֔יסhasaristhe definite article (“the”) + noun · masculine singulartagged: the eunuch
  • For this is what the LORD says: “To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, who choose what pleases Me and hold fast to My covenant—

    Isaiah 56:4

    • לַסָּֽרִיסִים֙lasarisimpreposition with the article + noun · masculine pluraltagged: to the eunuchs

Jeremiah

five uses
  • (This was after King Jeconiah, the queen mother, the court officials, the officials of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen, and the metalsmiths had been exiled from Jerusalem.)

    Jeremiah 29:2

    • וְהַסָּרִיסִ֜יםvehasarisimconjunction (“and”) + the definite article (“the”) + noun · masculine pluraltagged: and the court-officials
  • The officials of Judah and Jerusalem, the court officials, the priests, and all the people of the land who passed between the pieces of the calf,

    Jeremiah 34:19

    • הַסָּֽרִסִים֙hasarisimthe definite article (“the”) + noun · masculine pluraltagged: the court-officials
  • Now Ebed-melech the Cushite, a court official in the royal palace, heard that Jeremiah had been put into the cistern. While the king was sitting at the Gate of Benjamin,

    Jeremiah 38:7

    • סָרִ֗יסsarisnoun · masculine singulartagged: a court-official
  • Then Johanan son of Kareah and all the commanders of the armies with him took the whole remnant of the people from Mizpah whom he had recovered from Ishmael son of Nethaniah after Ishmael had killed Gedaliah son of Ahikam: the soldiers, women, children, and court officials he had brought back from Gibeon.

    Jeremiah 41:16

    • וְסָ֣רִסִ֔יםvesarisimconjunction (“and”) + noun · masculine pluraltagged: and court-officials
  • Of those still in the city, he took a court official who had been appointed over the men of war, as well as seven trusted royal advisers. He also took the scribe of the captain of the army, who had enlisted the people of the land, and sixty men who were found in the city.

    Jeremiah 52:25

    • סָרִ֨יסsarisnoun · masculine singulartagged: a court-official

Daniel

seven uses
  • Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, the chief of his court officials, to bring in some Israelites from the royal family and the nobility—

    Daniel 1:3

    • סָרִיסָ֑יוsarisavnoun · masculine plural · in construct (“…of”) + pronoun suffix · 3rd person masculine singulartagged: officials his
  • The chief official gave them new names: To Daniel he gave the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.

    Daniel 1:7

    • הַסָּרִיסִ֖יםhasarisimthe definite article (“the”) + noun · masculine pluraltagged: the officials
  • But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king’s food or wine. So he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself.

    Daniel 1:8

    • הַסָּרִיסִ֔יםhasarisimthe definite article (“the”) + noun · masculine pluraltagged: the officials
  • Now God had granted Daniel favor and compassion from the chief official,

    Daniel 1:9

    • הַסָּרִיסִֽים׃hasarisimthe definite article (“the”) + noun · masculine pluraltagged: the officials
  • but he said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who has assigned your food and drink. For why should he see your faces looking thinner than those of the other young men your age? You would endanger my head before the king!”

    Daniel 1:10

    • הַסָּרִיסִים֙hasarisimthe definite article (“the”) + noun · masculine pluraltagged: the officials
  • Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,

    Daniel 1:11

    • הַסָּֽרִיסִ֔יםhasarisimthe definite article (“the”) + noun · masculine pluraltagged: the officials
  • Now at the end of the time specified by the king, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar.

    Daniel 1:18

    • הַסָּרִיסִ֔יםhasarisimthe definite article (“the”) + noun · masculine pluraltagged: the officials

The letters

Where it leads

How the numbers are counted

Every count on this page comes from STEP Bible's tagged Hebrew and Greek text, the same text the ledger prints. A use is counted once each time the tagging marks a word with this key.

Spellings are counted as the Greek text spells them, with the sentence's own punctuation taken off the word first, so a form that ends a clause is not counted as a second spelling.

The words it stands beside are the nouns, verbs and adjectives immediately before or after it, counted in every verse where the word stands. The article, the conjunctions and the prepositions are left out, because they stand beside every word.

Hebrew and Greek text, word tagging and grammar: STEP Bible (www.STEPBible.org), Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0. Their grammar codes are written out in English here and shown as tagged beside each one.

Meaning and senses: STEP Bible TBESH gloss (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Dictionary key: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890, public domain). English verse text: Berean Standard Bible (public domain, 2023).

Revised 2026-09-05. Every cited work, the sources registry →