Esther 2

Esther 2:1

Some time later, when the anger of King Xerxes had subsided, he remembered Vashti and what she had done, and what had been decreed against her.

Esther 2:1 · BSB

am 3543 , bc 461

Esther 2:2

Then the king’s attendants proposed, “Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king,

Esther 2:2 · BSB

Esther 2:3

and let the king appoint commissioners in each province of his kingdom to assemble all the beautiful young women into the harem at the citadel of Susa. Let them be placed under the care of Hegai, the king’s eunuch in charge of the women, and let them be given beauty treatments.

Esther 2:3 · BSB

that they may gather This was the usual way in which the harem , or seraglio , was furnished; the finest women in the land , whether of high or low birth , were sought out and brought to the harem. They all became the king's concubines; but one was raised as chief wife , or sultana , to the throne; and her issue was especially entitled to inherit.

the custody Heb. the hand

the king's chamberlain Saris hammelech , "the king's eunuch . " so the LXX , Vulgate , Targum , and Syriac.

Esther 2:4

Then let the young woman who pleases the king become queen in place of Vashti.” This suggestion pleased the king, and he acted accordingly.

Esther 2:4 · BSB

Esther 2:5

Now there was at the citadel of Susa a Jewish man from the tribe of Benjamin named Mordecai son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish.

Esther 2:5 · BSB

Esther 2:6

He had been carried into exile from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon among those taken captive with Jeconiah king of Judah.

Esther 2:6 · BSB

Esther 2:7

And Mordecai had brought up Hadassah (that is, Esther), the daughter of his uncle, because she did not have a father or mother. The young woman was lovely in form and appearance, and when her father and mother had died, Mordecai had taken her in as his own daughter.

Esther 2:7 · BSB

Esther 2:8

When the king’s command and edict had been proclaimed, many young women gathered at the citadel of Susa under the care of Hegai. Esther was also taken to the palace and placed under the care of Hegai, the custodian of the women.

Esther 2:8 · BSB

Hegai One of Dr. Kennicott's manuscripts , instead of Hegai has Hege , as in Esther 2 . 3.

Esther 2:9

And the young woman pleased him and obtained his favor, so he quickly provided her with beauty treatments and the special diet. He assigned to her seven select maidservants from the palace and transferred her with them to the best place in the harem.

Esther 2:9 · BSB

such things Heb. her portions

preferred her Heb. changed her.

Esther 2:10

Esther did not reveal her people or her lineage, because Mordecai had instructed her not to do so.

Esther 2:10 · BSB

Esther 2:11

And every day Mordecai would walk back and forth in front of the court of the harem to learn about Esther’s welfare and what was happening to her.

Esther 2:11 · BSB

Mordecai The apartments of the women are accounted so inviolable , that it is even a crime to enquire what passes within their walls. A man , says Chardin , may walk a hundred days , one after the other , by the house where the women are , and yet know no more what is done there than at the farther end of Tartary. This sufficiently explains the conduct of Mordecai.

Esther 2:12

In the twelve months before her turn to go to King Xerxes, the harem regulation required each young woman to receive beauty treatments with oil of myrrh for six months, and then with perfumes and cosmetics for another six months.

Esther 2:12 · BSB

am 3546 , bc 458

Esther 2:13

When the young woman would go to the king, she was given whatever she requested to take with her from the harem to the king’s palace.

Esther 2:13 · BSB

Esther 2:14

She would go there in the evening, and in the morning she would return to a second harem under the care of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch in charge of the concubines. She would not return to the king unless he delighted in her and summoned her by name.

Esther 2:14 · BSB

Esther 2:15

Now Esther was the daughter of Abihail, the uncle from whom Mordecai had adopted her as his own daughter. And when it was her turn to go to the king, she did not ask for anything except what Hegai, the king’s trusted official in charge of the harem, had advised. And Esther found favor in the eyes of everyone who saw her.

Esther 2:15 · BSB

Esther 2:16

She was taken to King Xerxes in the royal palace in the tenth month, the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.

Esther 2:16 · BSB

Esther 2:17

And the king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she found grace and favor in his sight more than all of the other virgins. So he placed the royal crown upon her head and made her queen in place of Vashti.

Esther 2:17 · BSB

favour or , kindness

in his sight Heb. before him

Esther 2:18

Then the king held a great banquet, Esther’s banquet, for all his officials and servants. He proclaimed a tax holiday in the provinces and gave gifts worthy of the king’s bounty.

Esther 2:18 · BSB

am 3547 , bc 457

he made We learn from Herodotus and Atheneus , that the Persian monarchs were accustomed to give their wives distinct cities and provinces for the purpose of supplying them with different articles of dress . one was assigned for ornamenting the head and neck; another provided robes , zones , etc.; and the city of Anthilla was given to a Persian queen , we read , to supply her with shoes and sandals. It is probable , therefore , that , at the desire of Esther , Ahasuerus relieved those cities and provinces that had before paid it , from this expense.

release Heb. rest

Esther 2:19

When the virgins were assembled a second time, Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate.

Esther 2:19 · BSB

Esther 2:20

Esther still had not revealed her lineage or her people, just as Mordecai had instructed. She obeyed Mordecai’s command, as she had done under his care.

Esther 2:20 · BSB

Esther 2:21

In those days, while Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs who guarded the entrance, grew angry and conspired to assassinate King Xerxes.

Esther 2:21 · BSB

door Heb. threshold

Esther 2:22

When Mordecai learned of the plot, he reported it to Queen Esther, and she informed the king on Mordecai’s behalf.

Esther 2:22 · BSB

Esther 2:23

After the report had been investigated and verified, both officials were hanged on the gallows. And all this was recorded in the Book of the Chronicles in the presence of the king.

Esther 2:23 · BSB