סָרִיס

n.m. eunuch (NH id., 𝔗 סָרִיסָא, Syriac ܣܳܪܝܣܳܐ (all c. vb. denom. = emasculate), Old Aramaic סרסא Lzb331 Cook86; Arabic سَرِسٌ, سَرِيسٌ (vb. سَرِسَ be impotent), Kam Frey (not Lane); prob. foreign word; according to JenZA vii. 174 = Assyrian ša rêši, he who is the head, chief, cf. BrockLex 239 b DlHWB 694 (ša-riš?), ZimZMG liii. 1899, 116; eunuch being specialized meaning; in any case Arabic is Aramaic loan-word);—abs. ס׳ 1 K 22:9 + 7 times; cstr. סְרִיס Gn 37:36 + 3 times; pl. סָרִיסִים 2 K 9:32 + 17 times; cstr. סְרִיסֵי Gn 40:7 סָֽרִיסֵי Est 2:21 +; sf. סָרִיסָיו Gn 40:2 + 4 times, סָרִיסֶ֫יהָ Est 4:4; eunuch, of Pharaoh Gn 37:36; 40:2, 7 (all E), married 39:1 (RJE); of Isr. kings 1 S 8:15 (predict.), 1 K 22:9 = 2 Ch 18:8; 2 K 8:6; 9:32 (all of N. Isr.); 1 Ch 28:1 (in David’s time), 2 K 23:11; 24:12, 15 cf. Je 29:2, also 34:19; 38:7; 41:16 (all in Judah; so likewise) 2 K 25:19 (military officer) = Je 52:25; of Bab. kings 2 K 20:18 = Is 39:7 (predict.); ascribed to Nebuch. in Dn, רַב סָרִיסָיו Dn 1:3, שַׂר הַסָּרִיסִים v 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 18; to king of Persia in Est, 1:10, 12, 15 + 9 times Est; promises made to eunuchs Is 56:3, 4. (Term never used in law codes; on contrary cf. exclusion of פְּצוּעַ דַּכָּא, and כְּרוּת שָׁפְכָה Dt 23:2 [v. Drad loc.], also מְרוֹחַ אָ֑שֶׁךְ Lv 21:20.)—רַב־סָרִיס is title of high military officer 2 K 18:17 (Assyrian), Je 39:3, 13 (Bab.).—Vid. further, Thes SmithDB Art. ‘Eunuch,’ Di Gn 39:1 Dr Dt 23:1.