כַּרְשְׁנָא
Karshena, a courtier of Xerxes
Definition
כַּרְשְׁנָא (Karshᵉnâʼ) is the name of a Persian courtier who served as one of the seven princes of Persia and Media during the reign of King Xerxes (Ahasuerus). He is specifically mentioned as one of the king's closest advisors, consulted on matters of law and justice. This name appears only in Esther 1:14, where these seven nobles are called to advise the king on how to respond to Queen Vashti's refusal to appear before him. As a proper noun, it refers solely to this individual historical figure within the biblical narrative.
Biblical Usage
This word is used exactly once in the Old Testament, in Esther 1:14. It functions strictly as a proper name identifying one of the seven high-ranking officials ('the seven princes of Persia and Media') in the Persian court. The context is a royal council convened by King Xerxes to address a matter of state protocol and royal authority. There are no other usages or patterns, as it is a unique personal name.
Etymology
The name is explicitly noted in the biblical text as being of foreign origin (Esther 1:14). It is a Persian name, reflecting the historical setting of the Book of Esther. Scholars suggest it may be derived from Old Persian, possibly related to words meaning 'plowman' or associated with the region of Karshi. Its inclusion showcases the authentic Persian cultural backdrop of the narrative.
Semantic Range
The name reflects the historical reality of the Persian Empire's administration. The 'seven princes' (Esther 1:14) were likely a specific class of hereditary nobles or chief advisors, as described by the Greek historian Herodotus, who had direct access to the king. Understanding this term places the biblical story within a verifiable historical and political structure, highlighting the power dynamics of the Persian court where Jewish figures like Mordecai and Esther later operated.
There are no direct Hebrew synonyms for this proper name. Other court officials in the same verse include: Memukan (Memûkân, H4462), Shethar (Shêthar, H8369), and Admatha (ʼAdmâthâʼ, H133).
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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