| Easton's Bible Dictionary A confidential servant of the king (Genesis 37:36; 39:1). In Romans 16:23 mention is made of "Erastus the chamberlain." Here the word denotes the treasurer of the city, or the quaestor, as the Romans styled him. He is almost the only convert from the higher ranks of whom mention is made (Comp. Acts 17:34). Blastus, Herod's "chamberlain" (Acts 12:20), was his personal attendant or valet-de-chambre. The Hebrew word saris, thus translated in Esther 1:10, 15; 2:3, 14, 21, etc., properly means an eunuch (as in the marg.), as it is rendered in Isaiah 39:7; 56:3. Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) An officer or servant who has charge of a chamber or chambers. 2. (n.) An upper servant of an inn. 3. (n.) An officer having the direction and management of the private chambers of a nobleman or monarch; hence, in Europe, one of the high officers of a court. 4. (n.) A treasurer or receiver of public money; as, the chamberlain of London, of North Wales, etc. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia CHAMBERLAIN cham'-ber-lin: In the Old Testament the word rendered chamberlain, caric, is more properly "eunuch," an officer which oriental monarchs placed over their harems (Esther 1:10, 12, 15; Esther 2:3, 14, 21; 4:4; 6:2, 14; 7:9 2 Kings 23:11). This officer seems also to have had other duties. See under EUNUCH. In the New Testament:
(1) oikonomos, literally manager of the household, apparently the "treasurer" as in the Revised Version (British and American) "Erastus the treasurer of the city saluteth you" (Romans 16:23). Compare adapted use as applied to Christian apostles and teachers, bishops, and even to individual members; in which cases, rendered "stewards" (1 Corinthians 4:1 Titus 1:7 1 Peter 4:10).
(2) In Acts 12:20, "Blastus the king's chamberlain" (ho epi toa koitonos tou basileos, "he who is over the king's bed-chamber"), not treasure-chamber, as above; here praefectus cubiculo, or chief valet de chambre to the royal person, a position involving much honor and intimacy.
Edward Bagby Pollard |  | Multi-Version Concordance Chamberlain (14 Occurrences) Acts 12:20 And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: but they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king's chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their country was nourished by the king's country. (KJV ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV) Romans 16:23 Gaius mine host, and of the whole church, saluteth you. Erastus the chamberlain of the city saluteth you, and Quartus a brother. (KJV WBS) Genesis 37:36 And the Midianites sold him into Egypt, to Potiphar, a chamberlain of Pharaoh, the captain of the life-guard. (DBY) Genesis 39:1 And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, a chamberlain of Pharaoh, the captain of the life-guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hand of the Ishmaelites who had brought him down thither. (DBY) 1 Kings 22:9 Then the king of Israel called a chamberlain, and said, Fetch quickly Micah the son of Imlah. (DBY) 2 Kings 8:6 And the king asked the woman, and she told him. And the king appointed a certain chamberlain, saying, Restore all that was hers, and all the revenue of the land since the day that she left the country even until now. (DBY) 2 Kings 23:11 And he took away the horses that the kings of Judah had given to the sun, at the entering in of the house of the LORD, by the chamber of Nathanmelech the chamberlain, which was in the suburbs, and burned the chariots of the sun with fire. (KJV ASV DBY WBS RSV) 2 Kings 25:19 And out of the city he took a chamberlain that was set over the men of war, and five men of them that were in the king's presence, who were found in the city, and the scribe of the captain of the host, who enrolled the people of the land; and sixty men of the people of the land that were found in the city. (DBY) 2 Chronicles 18:8 Then the king of Israel called a chamberlain, and said, Fetch quickly Micah the son of Imlah. (DBY) Esther 2:3 And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the fair young virgins unto Shushan the palace, to the house of the women, unto the custody of Hege the king's chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their things for purification be given them: (KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS) Esther 2:15 Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, was come to go in unto the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king's chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed. And Esther obtained favour in the sight of all them that looked upon her. (KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS) Jeremiah 39:3 and all the princes of the king of Babylon came in, and sat in the middle gate: Nergal-sharezer, Samgar-nebu, Sarsechim, chief chamberlain, Nergal-sharezer, chief magian, and all the rest of the princes of the king of Babylon. (DBY) Jeremiah 39:13 So Nebuzar-adan the captain of the body-guard sent, and Nebushazban, chief chamberlain, and Nergal-sharezer, chief magian, and all the king of Babylon's princes, (DBY) Jeremiah 51:59 The word which Jeremiah the prophet commanded Seraiah the son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, when he went with Zedekiah the king of Judah to Babylon in the fourth year of his reign. Now Seraiah was chief chamberlain. (ASV DBY) |
