Bigthan is a name found in the King James Bible, appearing 1 time in the text.
Who This Was
Bigthan was one of the eunuchs, or chamberlains, who served in the court of King Ahasuerus, the ruler of the Persian empire. He is named among “the king’s chamberlains” who “kept the door,” meaning he held a position of trusted access to the king’s private quarters. His name appears only once in Scripture, in Esther 2:21, where he is mentioned alongside another eunuch named Teresh.
According to the text, Bigthan and Teresh became angry and plotted to assassinate King Ahasuerus. The Bible does not explain the reason for their wrath; it simply states that they “were wroth, and sought to lay hands on the king.” Their conspiracy was overheard by Mordecai, the cousin of Esther, who “sat in the king’s gate.” Mordecai reported the plot to Queen Esther, who told the king in Mordecai’s name. The matter was investigated, the two conspirators were hanged on a tree, and the incident was recorded in the royal chronicles. Scripture records nothing further about Bigthan—his life, his background, or his fate beyond this single event.
The Name
The name Bigthan (also rendered Bigthana in Esther 6:2) appears to be of Persian origin, as would be expected for a court official of the Persian king Ahasuerus. However, the precise meaning of the name is not clearly recoverable from the biblical text or from established lexical sources. Some suggestions have been offered by scholars, but none is certain enough to state as the definitive meaning. It is best to say plainly that the meaning of this name is uncertain.
A Closing Thought
Bigthan’s story is a brief and sobering one. He held a position of privilege and trust, yet he allowed anger to fester into a conspiracy against the very king he was appointed to serve. His life reminds us that proximity to power and opportunity does not guarantee faithfulness, and that unchecked resentment can lead even the well-placed into ruin. Yet in God’s providence, Bigthan’s wicked scheme became the means by which Mordecai’s loyalty was recorded—a record that would later prove significant. Even the plots of the wicked are woven into God’s larger purposes.
At a Glance
- Gender: Male
- Testament: Old
- Mentions in the KJV: 1
Where It Appears in Scripture
- Esther 2:21 — In those days, while Mordecai sat in the king’s gate, two of the king’s chamberlains, Bigthan and Teresh, of those which kept the door, were wroth, and sought to lay hands on the king Ahasuerus.