Eunug in die antieke Nabye Ooste

The Bible uses the term “eunuch” several times. The question arises as to the meaning  of this term. In this article Biblical and extra-Biblical data are considered. It is argued that the Hebrew word, syrs, refers to a castrated man, and that, in biblical usage, it refers to a castrated man in term...

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Main Author: M. Nel
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of the Free State 2008-06-01
Series:Acta Theologica
Online Access:https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/2190
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author M. Nel
author_facet M. Nel
author_sort M. Nel
collection DOAJ
description The Bible uses the term “eunuch” several times. The question arises as to the meaning  of this term. In this article Biblical and extra-Biblical data are considered. It is argued that the Hebrew word, syrs, refers to a castrated man, and that, in biblical usage, it refers to a castrated man in terms of Israel’s religion (Deut. 23:1; Is. 56:3). The term is used in a different sense when it refers to a foreign person, i.e. a person in an official capacity in a king’s court (as in Gen. 37), or a military commander (as in 1 Kings 22:9; 2 Kings 8:7; 23:12; 25;19; Jer. 52:25). The reference to the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8 is also discussed, and the conclusion is drawn that syrs refers to a foreign official visiting Jerusalem to worship, and not to a castrated man.
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spelling doaj-art-745abae0c5b543638953898b3a64d41b2025-02-11T10:07:44ZengUniversity of the Free StateActa Theologica1015-87582309-90892008-06-0128110.38140/at.v28i1.2190Eunug in die antieke Nabye OosteM. Nel0North-West University The Bible uses the term “eunuch” several times. The question arises as to the meaning  of this term. In this article Biblical and extra-Biblical data are considered. It is argued that the Hebrew word, syrs, refers to a castrated man, and that, in biblical usage, it refers to a castrated man in terms of Israel’s religion (Deut. 23:1; Is. 56:3). The term is used in a different sense when it refers to a foreign person, i.e. a person in an official capacity in a king’s court (as in Gen. 37), or a military commander (as in 1 Kings 22:9; 2 Kings 8:7; 23:12; 25;19; Jer. 52:25). The reference to the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8 is also discussed, and the conclusion is drawn that syrs refers to a foreign official visiting Jerusalem to worship, and not to a castrated man. https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/2190
spellingShingle M. Nel
Eunug in die antieke Nabye Ooste
Acta Theologica
title Eunug in die antieke Nabye Ooste
title_full Eunug in die antieke Nabye Ooste
title_fullStr Eunug in die antieke Nabye Ooste
title_full_unstemmed Eunug in die antieke Nabye Ooste
title_short Eunug in die antieke Nabye Ooste
title_sort eunug in die antieke nabye ooste
url https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/2190
work_keys_str_mv AT mnel eunugindieantiekenabyeooste