Lexical Summary Hege': Hege Original Word: הֵגֵא Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Hegai, Hege Or (by permutation) Hegay {hay-gah'-ee}; probably of Persian origin; Hege or Hegai, a eunuch of Xerxes -- Hegai, Hege. Brown-Driver-Briggs הֵגֵא proper name, masculine eunuch of Ahasuerus (probably Persian; compare Ἠγιας, courtier of Xerxes, CtesiasPers 24; also Herodotix. 33; Roed. in Thes Add) Esther 2:3; = הֵגַי Esther 2:8,15, הֵגָ֑י Esther 2:8. הגג (murmur, then muse; then compare Arabic הֵגַי, הֵגָ֑י proper name, masculine see הֵגֵא. הגן (Late Hebrew הֲגַן Aramaic הֲגַן be suitable, fit, worthy: on original meaning compare Fl in NHWB, under the word) Topical Lexicon Identification and OccurrencesHegai (Hebrew הֵגֵא, Strong’s 1896) is named four times in the canonical text, all within Esther 2:3, Esther 2:8 (twice), and Esther 2:15. He serves as “the king’s eunuch, the custodian of the women” (Esther 2:3). Charged with oversight of the royal harem at Susa under King Ahasuerus (Xerxes I), Hegai becomes a key supporting figure in the providential rise of Esther. Historical and Cultural Context Royal courts of the Achaemenid Empire commonly appointed eunuchs to guard the women’s quarters, ensuring both security and loyalty. Archaeological finds and classical sources such as Herodotus confirm extensive administrative responsibilities for such officials, including recruitment, preparation, and presentation of potential queens. Hegai’s authority in distributing “beauty treatments” (Esther 2:3) and determining the order of presentation shows that eunuchs could wield considerable influence in palace politics. Role in the Narrative of Esther 1. Gatekeeper of Access: By virtue of his position, Hegai controls who is admitted to the king’s presence. His favor toward Esther is therefore crucial. “The girl pleased him and won his favor. So he quickly provided her with beauty treatments and special food” (paraphrasing Esther 2:9). Theological Significance 1. God’s Sovereign Use of Secondary Agents Scripture repeatedly records God working through unexpected individuals—foreigners, servants, even unnamed officials—to accomplish His redemptive purposes (compare Genesis 41:9–13; 2 Kings 5:2–3). Hegai joins this company. His kindness is not attributed to personal piety, yet it serves the divine design to raise Esther “for such a time as this” (Esther 4:14). 2. Favor Granted by the Lord The motif of favor (Hebrew חֵן, ḥēn) saturates Esther 2. Human favor often reflects divine favor operating behind the scenes (Proverbs 21:1). Esther’s exceptional reception by Hegai underscores that “every good and perfect gift is from above” (James 1:17). 3. Wisdom in Submission Esther models prudent submission to legitimate authority without compromising ultimate allegiance to God. By heeding Hegai’s counsel, she gains success while maintaining integrity, illustrating the principle that “wisdom is proved right by all her children” (Luke 7:35). Practical and Ministry Applications • Leadership Behind the Scenes Hegai displays responsible stewardship in an environment that could have fostered corruption. Modern servants of Christ, whether visible or not, are reminded that faithfulness in administrative duties can contribute profoundly to the advance of God’s kingdom purposes. • Mentoring and Counsel The brief interaction between Hegai and Esther highlights the value of sound advice offered in humility. Pastoral and discipleship ministries can emulate this by nurturing others without seeking prominence. • Recognizing Divine Appointments Believers are encouraged to view workplace roles and everyday interactions as potential junctions of divine appointment. Even routine decisions—like Hegai’s assignment of cosmetics—may carry eternal significance. Connections with Wider Scripture • Joseph and the Prison Warden (Genesis 39:21–23) – God grants favor to His servant through custodial oversight, paralleling Hegai’s favorable disposition toward Esther. Conclusion Though Hegai appears only briefly in the biblical record, his role epitomizes how God orchestrates events through willing—or even unwitting—participants. His diligence, impartiality, and readiness to assist Esther contribute materially to Israel’s preservation. Students of Scripture gain assurance that no detail lies outside the reach of the Almighty, and ministry practitioners learn that faithful service in any station can participate in the unfolding plan of redemption. Forms and Transliterations הֵגֶ֛א הֵגַ֖י הֵגַ֥י הֵגָ֑י הגא הגי hê·ḡay hê·ḡāy hê·ḡe heGai hêḡay hêḡāy heGe hêḡeLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Esther 2:3 HEB: אֶל־ יַ֥ד הֵגֶ֛א סְרִ֥יס הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ NAS: into the custody of Hegai, the king's KJV: unto the custody of Hege the king's INT: into the custody of Hegai eunuch the king's Esther 2:8 Esther 2:8 Esther 2:15 4 Occurrences |
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burn, blaze (of fire), make a murmuring noise in burning; PS gives Syriac 
phantasma vidit, somniavit; Ethpe`el & especially Ethpa`al mente concepit, imaginatus est; compare also הָגָה).