Bible Word Study
מֶרֶס
Mereç · Meres, a Persian
מֶרֶס
Meres, a Persian
Definition
Meres is a proper noun referring to one of the seven Persian and Median princes who served as advisors to King Ahasuerus (Xerxes I) in the Book of Esther (Esther 1:14). As a 'prince' or high official, Meres held a position of significant political influence in the royal court. The name appears only in this single biblical context, and its sole function is to identify this specific individual among the king's closest counselors.
Biblical Usage
The word 'Meres' is used only once in the Old Testament, in Esther 1:14. It is used in a list of the seven named princes of Persia and Media who had special access to the king. The context is a political and legal consultation regarding Queen Vashti's disobedience. The usage is purely identificatory, serving to name a member of the king's inner circle.
Etymology
The name 'Meres' is of foreign (Persian) derivation, as noted in Strong's. Its exact meaning in Old Persian is uncertain, though some scholars suggest possible connections to words meaning 'worthy' or 'venerable.' As a proper name borrowed into Hebrew, it carries no inherent Hebrew root meaning and functions solely as a personal identifier.
Semantic Range
As one of the seven princes, Meres represented the highest echelon of the Persian imperial administration (Esther 1:14). These officials were 'wise men' and legal experts who advised the king on matters of law and custom. Their presence underscores the vast, multi-ethnic nature of the Persian Empire and the structured bureaucracy through which the king ruled. Understanding his role highlights the political backdrop against which the events of Esther unfold. כַּרְשְׁנָא (Karshena', H3772) — Another of the seven princes listed alongside Meres in Esther 1:14. שֵׁתָר (Shethar, H8369) — Another of the seven princes listed alongside Meres in Esther 1:14.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB, 1906, public domain). Concordance and morphology data are from the OSHB (Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible).
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]