אַדְמָתָא (ad.ma.ta)
ad.ma.ta
Admatha
N:N-M-PQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N-M-P
Word Overview
The name Admatha identifies a single figure mentioned in the Book of Esther, specifically as one of the seven princes of Persia and Media who served King Ahasuerus (Esther 1:14). This individual appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, listed among the nobles present at the royal banquet where Queen Vashti was deposed. The name is a proper noun with no other biblical occurrences, marking him as a minor character in the narrative of the Persian court.
Linguistic analysis suggests the name may derive from a Persian root meaning "unrestrained" or "free," though some sources interpret it as "a testimony to them." Regardless of its etymological nuance, the text uses Admatha simply to establish the historical setting of Xerxes’ reign. His inclusion highlights the vast bureaucracy and political structure surrounding the king, providing context for the events that follow without attributing any specific action or dialogue to him.
As a rare proper name preserved in Scripture, Admatha serves as a marker of the Persian imperial apparatus rather than a theological symbol. The sources indicate no deeper spiritual meaning attached to his identity; he is remembered strictly as part of the historical backdrop against which the deliverance of the Jewish people unfolds. His solitary mention underscores the specificity of biblical history, anchoring the story in real political structures.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
Names like Admatha often pass us by quickly, yet they anchor biblical stories in real history. This figure appears only once in Scripture, listed among the seven princes who advised King Ahasuerus during a tense moment in the Persian court. His presence reminds us that God’s redemptive plans unfold within actual political structures and human institutions.
While Admatha himself takes no action or speaks no words, his inclusion highlights the vast bureaucracy surrounding the king. This detail grounds the narrative of Esther in a specific time and place, showing that divine providence works through the complex machinery of empire. We are encouraged to trust that God is present even in the background details of our own lives.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- Admatha1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- אַדְמָ֣תָא1×
Key Verses
-
Esther 1:14
and next to him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who saw the king’s face, and sat first in the kingdom),
This verse lists Admatha among the seven princes who sat first in the kingdom, establishing the political context for King Ahasuerus’s decisions.