Was Daniel a Eunuch?

In a previous post, we discussed the possibility that the Babylonians castrated Daniel and the other Jewish youths. As we mentioned, the Hebrew word used for eunuch is saris (סךיס),  but saris can mean either official or eunuch. Scholars have argued the word comes from the Akkadian sa resi, which means one who stands at the head of the king.[1] This suggests that saris was first used for high government officials, then later became associated with eunuchs because eunuchs were frequently used as high government officials.

Eunuchs were especially common during periods of the Neo-Assyrian kingdom, particularly during the reign of Ashurbanipal. Eunuchs were not only mentioned in government documents but were also portrayed as beardless officials in artwork from the time.[2]

The widespread use of eunuchs during the Neo-Babylonian kingdom is less certain due to lack of direct archeological evidence. However, since the Assyrians, who preceded the Babylonians, and the Persians, who followed the Babylonians, both made extensive use of eunuchs, it is not unreasonable to assume the Babylonians did as well.

In the case of Daniel, the official is charge of Daniel is described as “master of his eunuchs,” but this can mean either master of eunuchs or master of officials.

The kings spoke to Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs (sari saw), that he should bring in some children of Israel, even of the royal offspring and of the nobles.

Daniel 1:3

Saris in Genesis and Esther

In the story of Joseph found in the book of Genesis chapter 39, Potiphar, the captain of Pharoah’s bodyguard is described as Pharoah’s saris.

Joseph was brought down to Egypt. Potiphar, an officer (saris) of Pharoah’s, the captain of the guard, and Egyptian, bought him from the hand of the Ishmaelites that had brought him down there.

Genesis 39:1

Because Potiphar was married, he was probably an official, and not a eunuch, but some scholars have argued that he was perhaps a eunuch, based on his wife’s seductive behavior towards Joseph and his position as captain of Pharoah’s guard. While unusual, it was not unheard of in Ancient Near Eastern times for a eunuch to take a wife.

In contrast, saris in the book of Esther seems to reference eunuchs instead of officials because it refers to officials who served the queen. Furthermore, the use of eunuchs was known to be common in the Persian Empire.

On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcass, the seven eunuchs (saris) who served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king, to bring Vashti the queen before the king with the royal crown, to show the people and the princes her beauty; for she was beautiful.

Esther 1: 10-11

Hezekiah Shows off his Treasures

To summarize, based merely on the language, Ashpenaz could have been either the chief of officials or the chief of the eunuchs, but there is more to the story.

In 2 Kings, Hezekiah, who was king of Judah from 715 to 686 BC, successfully survived a siege by the Assyrian army under Sennacherib. After his victory, he became sick and was going to die. Hezekiah prayed for recovery, and God granted him healing. 

Berodach Baladan, the king of Babylon, send word to Hezekiah, congratulating him on his health. Hezekiah pridefully showed his wealth to the visiting official from Babylon.

At that time Berodach Baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah; for he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick. Hezekiah listened to them, and showed them all the storehouse of his precious things, the silver, the gold, the spices, and the precious oil, and the house of his armor, and all that was found in his treasures. There was nothing in his house, or in all his dominion, that Hezekiah didn’t show them.

Then Isaiah the prophet came to king Hezekiah, and said to him, “What did these men say? From where did they come to you? 

Hezekiah said, “They have come from a far country, even from Babylon.”

He said, “What have they seen in your house?

Hezekiah answered, “They have seen all that is in my house. There is nothing among my treasures that I have not shown them.” 

Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear Yahweh’s word. ‘Behold, the days come that all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have laid up in store this day, will be carried to Babylon. Nothing will be left, says Yahweh. ‘They will take away some of your sons who will issue from you, whom you will father; and they will be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.’” 

Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “Yahweh’s word which you have spoken is good.” He said moreover, “Isn’t it so, if peace and truth will be in my days?”

2 Kings 20: 12-19

Because Hezekiah had acted foolishly, the prophet Isiah told the king some of his descendants would be taken to Babylon and made eunuchs. Again, the word used is saris.

‘They will take away some of your sons who will issue from you, whom you will father; and they will be eunuchs (saris) in the palace of the king of Babylon.’

Isaiah could have been referring to either officials or eunuchs, although telling the king some of his descendants would become officials in a foreign kingdom seems much less of a threat than telling the king his descendants would be castrated. Strangely enough, Hezekiah’s response is unconcerned, as he only seemed interested in peace during the remainder of his reign.

Of note, Berodach-Baladan (sometimes translated Merodach-Baladan) was a Chaldean who ruled Babylon from 721-709 BC). He seized the throne of Babylon in the chaos after the death of Shalmaneser V, king of Assyria and remained in power until he was deposed in 709 BC by Sargon II, the son of Shalmaneser. Nabopollasar, who founded the Neo-Babylonian kingdom, was not related to Berodach-Baladan, as far as we know. Instead, he seems to have been an official under Assyrian rule who rebelled and declared himself king of Babylon after the death of . Ashurbanipal.[3]

Eunuchs and Jewish Law

The Babylonian exile lasted throughout the Neo-Babylonian rule and it was Cyrus, the Persian king who conquered Babylon in 539 BC who first allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem. We have no evidence that Daniel returned to the land, but instead seemed to have remained in Babylon, serving the Persian kings. This may have been because he was old (at least 70-years old) and was unable to make the journey or it could because according to Jewish law, he was not allowed back to Israel as a eunuch.

He who is emasculated by crushing or cutting shall not enter into Yahweh’s assembly

Deuteronomy 23: 1

However, this restriction seems to have been lifted during the time of Isaiah.

Let no foreigner, who has joined himself to Yahweh, speak saying,

“Yahweh will surely separate me from his people.”

Do not let the eunuch (saris) say, “Behold, I am a dry tree.”

For Yahweh says, “To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths,

And choose the things that please me,

And hold fast to my covenant:

I will give them in my house and within my walls a memorial and a name better than of sons and of daughters.

I will give them an everlasting name, that will not be cut off.

Isaiah 56: 3-5

That’s a whole lot of explanation to say the Daniel could very much have been a eunuch, but he might also have been just a government official.

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[1] Eunuch. Encyclopedia.com

[2] Gerig, Bruce L. Eunuchs in the OT, Part 2. Castration in Ancient Egypt, Babylonia, and Persia. Epistle.us

[3] Beauliey, PA. A History of Babylon: 2200 BC- AD 75. Wiley Blackwell. Hoboken, NJ, 2018. 198-201.