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תֶּרֶשׁ

𐤕𐤓𐤔

Teresh

H8657 noun

SILEX Entry

Root uncertain uncertain; proper name only

Definition

Proper name referring to an individual, Teresh, identified in Esther as one of the royal officials (chamberlains or court officials) serving in the court of King Ahasuerus (Xerxes) of Persia. The term functions strictly as a personal name, not as a common noun or title.

Semantic Range

personal name; specifically, an official at the Persian court of Ahasuerus/Xerxes; never a common noun or adjective

Root / Etymology

Etymology uncertain. The name תֶּרֶשׁ appears to be of foreign origin, likely Persian, and does not align with any known Hebrew root or typical theophoric naming pattern of Israelite tradition. No satisfactory native Hebrew etymology has been identified.

Historical & Contextual Notes

Teresh appears only in the Book of Esther (Esther 2:21; 6:2) as one of the two royal officials (alongside Bigthan or Bigthana) who plot an assassination attempt against Ahasuerus/Xerxes. The bearers of such names during the Achaemenid period often reflect non-Semitic, particularly Old Persian, linguistic origins. In the context of Esther, Teresh is denoted as one of the 'śāre ha-mēleḵ' (king's officials or eunuchs), a Persian administrative title. English translations sometimes render Teresh as simply a name, occasionally accompanied by explanatory phrases signaling his role at court. There is no evidence that the name was used as a common noun or title, nor that it had broader usage outside this particular literary context. The English KJV and other traditions sometimes label him 'a eunuch,' but the Hebrew text uses the term 'saris,' a general word for high-ranking court official that can, but does not always, indicate a eunuch. The story's Persian setting accounts for the Iranian character of the name and the nature of court offices.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

of foreign derivation; Teresh, a eunuch of Xerxes; Teresh.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

uncertain (uncertain) — uncertain; proper name only

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1085 בִּלְדַּד Bildad
H1095 בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר Belteshatsar
H1114 בִּלְשָׁן Bilshan
H1150 בִּנְעָא Bin'a
H116 אֱדַיִן and then

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H8657-01 וָ/תֶ֜רֶשׁ vateresh HC/Np and Teresh and Teresh 2

Occurrences in Scripture

2 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H8657-01 Esther 2:21 וָ/תֶ֜רֶשׁ vateresh HC/Np and Teresh and Teresh
H8657-01 Esther 6:2 וָ/תֶ֗רֶשׁ vateresh HC/Np and Teresh and Teresh
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