Etymology and Meaning: The name "Sharezer" is of Assyrian origin, meaning "protect the king" or "prince of fire." It reflects the cultural and linguistic influences of the Assyrian Empire during the biblical period.

Biblical References: Sharezer is mentioned in two distinct contexts within the Old Testament, each involving different individuals bearing the same name.

1. Sharezer, Son of Sennacherib:
· Reference: 2 Kings 19:37; Isaiah 37:38
· Context: Sharezer is identified as one of the sons of Sennacherib, the Assyrian king. After Sennacherib's military campaigns against Judah and his subsequent return to Nineveh, he was assassinated by his sons. The Berean Standard Bible states: "One day, while he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer struck him down with the sword and escaped to the land of Ararat. And his son Esarhaddon reigned in his place" (2 Kings 19:37). This act of patricide was likely motivated by political intrigue and a struggle for power within the Assyrian royal family. Sharezer's involvement in the assassination underscores the turbulent and often violent nature of ancient Near Eastern monarchies.

2. Sharezer, Envoy to Jerusalem:
· Reference: Zechariah 7:2
· Context: In a separate biblical account, Sharezer is mentioned as an envoy sent to Jerusalem during the post-exilic period. The Berean Standard Bible records: "Now the people of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regem-melech, along with their men, to plead for the LORD’s favor" (Zechariah 7:2). This Sharezer was part of a delegation from Bethel seeking guidance from the priests and prophets regarding the observance of fasts. This event took place during the rebuilding of the Temple under the leadership of Zerubbabel and Joshua the high priest, reflecting the community's desire to align their religious practices with divine will.

Historical and Theological Significance: The accounts of Sharezer highlight the complex interplay of political power and religious devotion in the biblical narrative. The assassination of Sennacherib by his son Sharezer illustrates the instability and internal strife that plagued even the most powerful empires. In contrast, the mission of Sharezer from Bethel to Jerusalem represents a period of restoration and spiritual renewal for the Jewish people after the Babylonian exile. This duality in the character of Sharezer serves as a reminder of the diverse roles individuals played in the unfolding of God's plan throughout history.

Cultural Context: The name and actions of Sharezer reflect the broader cultural and political milieu of the ancient Near East, where names often carried significant meanings and where political assassinations were not uncommon. The Assyrian influence is evident in the name itself, while the post-exilic context of the second Sharezer underscores the shifting dynamics as the Jewish people sought to reestablish their identity and religious practices in their homeland.

Conclusion: The figure of Sharezer, in both his roles, provides insight into the historical and spiritual landscape of the biblical world, illustrating themes of power, repentance, and the quest for divine guidance.Sharezer

overseer of the treasury, or of the storehouse

Sharezer

(prince of fire) was a son of Sennacherib, whom, In conjunction with his brother Adrammelech, he murdered. (2 Kings 19:37) (B.C. after 711.)

Sharezer

1. A son of Sennacherib, who assisted in slaying his father, Isaiah 37:38.

2. A delegate sent to Jerusalem with Regemmelec and others, probably soon after the return from the Babylonish captivity, to inquire of the priests at Jerusalem whether a certain fast was still to be observed, Zechariah 7:2; 8:19.

(god) protect the king!, a son of Sennacherib, king of Assyria. He and his brother Adrammelech murdered their father, and then fled into the land of Armenia (2 Kings 19:37). SHAREZER

sha-re'zer (sar'etser, shar'etser): Corresponds to the Assyrian Shar-ucur, "protect the king"; found otherwise, not as a complete name, but as elements in personal names, e.g. Bel-shar-ucur, "may Bel protect the king," which is the equivalent of Belshazzar (Daniel 5:1). The name is borne by two persons in the Old Testament:

(1) The son of Sennacherib, king of Assyria, who with ADRAMMELECH (which see) murdered his father (2 Kings 19:37 Isaiah 37:38). The Babylonian Chronicle says concerning Sennacherib's death: "On the 20th day of Tebet Sennacherib, king of Assyria, was slain by his son in a revolt." This differs from the Old Testament account in that it speaks of only one murderer, and does not give his name. How the two accounts can be harmonized is still uncertain. Hitzig, (Kritik, 194;), following Abydenus, as quoted by Eusebius, completed the name of Sennacherib's son, so as to read Nergal-sharezer = Nergal-shar-ucur (Jeremiah 39:3, 13), and this is accepted by many modern scholars. Johns thinks that Sharezer (shar'etser or sar'etser) may be a corruption from Shar-etir-Ashur, the name of a son of Sennacherib (1-vol HDB, under the word). The question cannot be definitely settled.

(2) A contemporary of the prophet Zechariah, mentioned in connection with the sending of a delegation to the spiritual heads of the community to inquire concerning the propriety of continuing the fasts: "They of Beth-el had sent Sharezer and Regem-melech" (Zechariah 7:2). This translation creates a difficulty in connection with the succeeding words, literally, "and his men." The Revisers place in the margin as an alternative rendering, "They of Beth-el, even Sharezer.... had sent." Sharezer sounds peculiar in apposition to "they of Beth-el"; hence, some have thought, especially since Sharezer seems incomplete, that in the two words Beth-el and Sharezer we have a corruption of what was originally a single proper name, perhaps Bel-sharezer = Bel-shar-ucur = Bel-shazzar. The present text, no matter how translated, presents difficulties.

See REGEM-MELECH.

F. C. Eiselen

8272. Sharetser -- an Assyr., also perhaps an Israelite
... an Assyr., also perhaps an Israelite. Transliteration: Sharetser or Saretser Phonetic
Spelling: (shar-eh'-tser) Short Definition: Sharezer. ... Sharezer. ...
/hebrew/8272.htm - 6k

5371. Nergal Sharetser -- a Bab. court official
... Nergal-sharezer. From Nergal and Shar'etser; Nergal-Sharetser, the name of two
Babylonians -- Nergal-sharezer. see HEBREW Nergal. see HEBREW Shar'etser. ...
/hebrew/5371.htm - 6k

The Last Agony
... day of the month, the city was broken up.3. And all the princes of the king of Babylon
came in, and sat in the middle gate, even Nergal-sharezer, Samgar-nebo ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/the last agony.htm

The Power of Assyria at Its Zenith; Esarhaddon and Assur-Bani-Pal
... in that city, and on the 20th day of Tebeth, 681, at the hour when Sennacherib was
praying before the image of his god, two of his sons, Sharezer and Adarmalik ...
/.../chapter iithe power of assyria 2.htm

The Power of Assyria at Its Zenith; Esarhaddon and Assur-Bani-Pal
... Murder of Sennacherib and accession of Esarhaddon: defeat of Sharezer (681
BC)"Campaigns against the Kaldd, the Cimmerians, the tribes of Cilicia, and ...
/.../chapter iithe power of assyria.htm

'He Uttered his Voice, the Earth Melted'
... And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that
Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword; and they escaped ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/he uttered his voice the.htm

The Triumph of Faith
... And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that
Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword; and they escaped ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/the triumph of faith.htm

How the King of Babylon Took Jerusalem and Burnt the Temple and ...
... The names of these generals who ravaged and subdued Jerusalem, if any one desire
to know them, were these: Nergal Sharezer, Samgar Nebo, Rabsaris, Sorsechim ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 8 how the king.htm

Appendices
... 648 Nabopolassar 626 Nabu-kudurri-uzur (Nebuchadrezzar II.), his son 605 Amil-Marduk
(Evil-Merodach), his son 662 Nergal-sarra-uzur (Nergal-sharezer) 560 Labasi ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/appendices.htm

Babylonia and Assyria
... Then the throne was usurped by Nergal-sharezer, who had married a daughter
of Nebuchadrezzar, and was in high favour with the priests. ...
/.../early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter vi babylonia and assyria.htm

Nergal-sharezer (2 Occurrences)
Nergal-sharezer. Nergalsharezer, Nergal-sharezer. Ner'gal-share'zer . Easton's
Bible Dictionary ... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. NERGAL-SHAREZER. ...
/n/nergal-sharezer.htm - 9k

Sharezer (5 Occurrences)
... He and his brother Adrammelech murdered their father, and then fled into the land
of Armenia (2 Kings 19:37). Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. SHAREZER. ...
/s/sharezer.htm - 10k

Rabmag (2 Occurrences)
... It is, therefore, a title and not a name, and is accordingly put in appositive
relations to the proper name just preceding, as "Nergal-sharezer, the Rab-mag ...
/r/rabmag.htm - 9k

Rab-mag (2 Occurrences)
... It is, therefore, a title and not a name, and is accordingly put in appositive
relations to the proper name just preceding, as "Nergal-sharezer, the Rab-mag ...
/r/rab-mag.htm - 8k

Samgar-nebo (1 Occurrence)
... Be gracious, O Nebo! or a cup-bearer of Nebo, probably the title of
Nergal-sharezer, one of the princes of Babylon (Jeremiah 39:3). Int. ...
/s/samgar-nebo.htm - 8k

Samgarnebo (1 Occurrence)
... Be gracious, O Nebo! or a cup-bearer of Nebo, probably the title of
Nergal-sharezer, one of the princes of Babylon (Jeremiah 39:3). Int. ...
/s/samgarnebo.htm - 8k

Ner'gal-share'zer (2 Occurrences)
Ner'gal-share'zer. Nergal-sharezer, Ner'gal-share'zer. Nergal-shar-ezer .
Multi-Version Concordance Ner'gal-share'zer (2 Occurrences). ...
/n/ner'gal-share'zer.htm - 7k

Nergalsharezer (2 Occurrences)
... that of "grandfather" or "great-grandfather.". Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia.
NERGAL-SHAREZER. nur-gal-sha-re'-zar (nereghal-shar ...
/n/nergalsharezer.htm - 9k

Nergal-sar-ezer (2 Occurrences)
... Jeremiah 39:3 and come in do all the heads of the king of Babylon, and they sit
at the middle gate, Nergal-Sharezer, Samgar-Nebo, Sarsechim, chief of the ...
/n/nergal-sar-ezer.htm - 7k

Nergal-sarezer (2 Occurrences)
... Jeremiah 39:3 that all the princes of the king of Babylon came in, and sat in the
middle gate, to wit , Nergal-sharezer, Samgar-nebo, Sarsechim, Rab-saris ...
/n/nergal-sarezer.htm - 7k

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