Rab-saris רַב־סָרִיס

Male H7249G 1 book

A Babylonian official sent by King Sennacherib to Jerusalem

Biography

Rab-saris is mentioned as one of the Babylonian officials sent by King Sennacherib of Assyria to Jerusalem during his campaign against Judah (2Ki.18.17). The name "Rab-saris" is likely a title meaning "chief eunuch" or "chief officer." His name was either Tartan or he was accompanied by Tartan, together with Rabshakeh, two other high-ranking Assyrian officials. Their mission was to intimidate King Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem into surrendering. The presence of Rab-saris, along with the other officials, underscores the gravity of the situation and the might of the Assyrian army threatening Judah.

In Scripture

1 biblical book

2 Kings 1 verse

2 Kings 18:17

"The king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rabsaris and Rabshakeh from Lachish to king Hezekiah with a great army to Jerusalem. They went up and came to Jerusalem. When they had come up, they came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is in the highway of the fuller’s field."

Names & Aliases

Form	Language	Script	Strong's
Named	Hebrew	רַב־סָרִיס	H7249G

Encyclopedia Article

Rab-saris

ISBE 1915 (Public Domain)

gnifies "great" or "chief," the second, caric, is the title for eunuch or chamberlain. The translation then would be chief eunuch or the chief of the eunuchs (or chamberlains).

The oriental custom was for the king to surround himself with a number of eunuchs, who performed varied kinds of services, both menial and dignified. They usually had charge of his harem; sometimes they occupied court positions. Frequently they superintended the education of the youth. The term itself was sometimes used to designate persons in places of trust who were not emasculated. The above title describes the highest or chief in rank of these eunuchs.

See EUNUCH.

The full title is used 3 times, once in connection with the titles of other important officers who were sent by the king of Assyria with a large army to demand the surrender of Jerusalem. The passage would be translated properly, `And the king of Assyria sent the Tartan and the Rab-saris (the chief eunuch) and the Rabshakeh from Lachish to king Hezekiah' (2Ki 18:17). Again, it refers to a Babylonian whose real name was Sarsechim, who with the other Babylonian princes sat in the middle gate during the capture of Jerusalem. This event is described as having occurred in the 11th year of Zedekiah, king of Judah (Jer 39:3). The third use is in connection with the name Nebushazban, who, with the other chief officers of the king of Babylon, sent and took Jeremiah out of the court of the guard and committed him to Gedaliah, who was to take him home to dwell with his own people (Jer 39:13).

Thus, it is seen that based upon this accepted theory the three titles would be in their connections as follows:

(1) simply "the chief eunuch,"

(2) Sarsechim, the Rab-saris (or chief eunuch), and

(3) Nebushazban, the Rab-saris (or chief eunuch).