Original Word: הֲתָךְ
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Hathak
Pronunciation: hah-THAK
Phonetic Spelling: (hath-awk')
KJV: Hatach
NASB: Hathach
Word Origin: [probably of foreign origin]

1. Hathak, a Persian eunuch

Hatach

Probably of foreign origin; Hathak, a Persian eunuch -- Hatach.

Word Origin
probably of foreign origin
Definition
a Pers. official
NASB Translation
Hathach (4).

הֲתָךְ proper name, masculine a Persian official at court of Ahasuerus Esther 4:5,6,9,10.

Historical Setting

Hathach appears exclusively in the narrative of Esther 4, located in the reign of Ahasuerus (Xerxes I, 486–465 BC). Persian monarchs employed trusted eunuchs to safeguard royal women and act as confidential intermediaries. Hathach is one of these select officers, attached to Queen Esther’s court apartments inside the fortified palace at Susa. His service unfolds in the critical fourth regnal year, when Haman’s genocidal decree threatens the Jewish people.

Service to Queen Esther

In Esther 4:5–10 Hathach shuttles messages between Esther and her cousin-guardian Mordecai, who is mourning in sackcloth at the gate. Esther 4:5 records, “Then Esther summoned Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs appointed to attend her, and ordered him to find out what was troubling Mordecai and why”. Through four rapid exchanges Hathach:

1. Receives Esther’s inquiry (verse 5).
2. Learns from Mordecai of Haman’s edict and the exact sum promised for Jewish destruction, together with a copy of the written decree (verse 6).
3. Reports Mordecai’s plea that Esther intercede with the king (verse 9).
4. Carries Esther’s initial hesitation back to Mordecai (verse 10).

Each movement advances the dialogue that leads Esther to her courageous resolve, underscoring the indispensability of a faithful courier.

Character Qualities

• Trustworthiness: The queen entrusts national secrets to Hathach without reservation.
• Discretion: He navigates palace sensitivities and Mordecai’s public grief without attracting hostile notice.
• Prompt Obedience: Scripture twice says he “went out,” portraying immediate compliance.
• Neutral Humility: Hathach never eclipses the principals; he amplifies their voices rather than his own.

Instrument in Divine Providence

Hathach’s brief role proves pivotal. Without a reliable messenger, Mordecai’s warning might never have reached Esther, and the chain of events leading to Israel’s deliverance might have faltered. His service exemplifies the unseen but necessary “joints and ligaments” that God uses to bring redemptive history to its appointed climax (compare Ephesians 4:16).

Comparisons with Other Biblical Courtiers

• Like Nehemiah, cupbearer to Artaxerxes, Hathach occupies a sensitive Persian post yet serves divine purposes beyond imperial interests.
• Like Daniel and the other Judean youths in Babylon, he demonstrates that believers can be embedded in pagan structures while remaining instruments of God’s covenant faithfulness.
• As an unnamed servant of Abraham stewarded the mission to secure a bride for Isaac (Genesis 24), Hathach facilitates events through which Esther, already a bride, secures the future of an entire nation.

Lessons for Ministry Today

1. Support roles matter: The chronicle of redemption records Hathach’s obedience though never his opinions or emotions. Quiet service is still kingdom service (1 Corinthians 12:22).
2. Confidentiality and integrity are essential for anyone handling sensitive information within church or mission contexts.
3. Availability precedes usefulness: Hathach was “appointed to attend her” before the crisis arose. Faithful everyday duty becomes the platform for extraordinary impact.
4. Encourage inter-generational partnership: Hathach, Esther, and Mordecai illustrate cooperation across roles and ages for a common, God-honoring aim.

Legacy

Though Scripture does not mention Hathach again, Jewish and Christian readers remember him whenever Esther’s heroic stand is recounted. His name has become shorthand for unobtrusive fidelity—an encouragement to every believer who serves backstage yet shares in the victory wrought by the true King.

הֲתָ֑ךְ הֲתָ֖ךְ התך לַהֲתָ֔ךְ לַהֲתָ֜ךְ להתך hă·ṯāḵ haTach hăṯāḵ la·hă·ṯāḵ lahaTach lahăṯāḵInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts