Keraia
People

Hegai

Hegai was a eunuch in charge of King Ahasuerus' harem, responsible for preparing Esther for her night with the king.

The name Hegai means “or Hege, meditation; word; groaning; separation”

MaleExile and Return eraOld Testament1 book4 verses

Summary

A man living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Esther 2:3; only referred to as Hegai (הֵגֵא).

Glossary entries

Hegai, Hege

Alternative names

Mentions

Includes 1 verse that refer to Hegai without naming them, as “he”, “she”, or the subject of a verb.

  1. Esther 2:3
    …and let the king appoint commissioners in each province of his kingdom to assemble all the beautiful young women into the harem at the citadel of Susa. Let them be placed under the care of Hegai, the king’s eunuch in charge of the women, and let them be given beauty treatments.
  2. Esther 2:8
    When the king’s command and edict had been proclaimed, many young women gathered at the citadel of Susa under the care of Hegai. Esther was also taken to the palace and placed under the care of Hegai, the custodian of the women.
  3. Esther 2:9Referred to, not named
    And the young woman pleased him and obtained his favor, so he quickly provided her with beauty treatments and the special diet. He assigned to her seven select maidservants from the palace and transferred her with them to the best place in the harem.
  4. Esther 2:15
    Now Esther was the daughter of Abihail, the uncle from whom Mordecai had adopted her as his own daughter. And when it was her turn to go to the king, she did not ask for anything except what Hegai, the king’s trusted official in charge of the harem, had advised. And Esther found favor in the eyes of everyone who saw her.