Christian Standard Bible
Esther 2:3
3Let the king appoint commissioners in each province of his kingdom, so that they may gather all the beautiful young virgins to the harem at the fortress of Susa. Put them under the supervision of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, keeper of the women, and give them the required beauty treatments.
Esther 2:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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:
- New International Version (NIV)Let the king appoint commissioners in every province of his realm to bring all these beautiful young women into the harem at the citadel of Susa. Let them be placed under the care of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, who is in charge of the women; and let beauty treatments be given to them.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom to gather all the beautiful young virgins to the harem in Susa the citadel, under custody of Hegai, the king's eunuch, who is in charge of the women. Let their cosmetics be given them.
- New King James Version (NKJV)and let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather all the beautiful young virgins to Shushan the citadel, into the women’s quarters, under the custody of Hegai the king’s eunuch, custodian of the women. And let beauty preparations be given them.
Context of Esther 2:3
1Some time later, when King Ahasuerus’s rage had cooled down, he remembered Vashti, what she had done, and what was decided against her. 2The king’s personal attendants suggested, “Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king. Let the king appoint commissioners in each province of his kingdom, so that they may gather all the beautiful young virgins to the harem at the fortress of Susa. Put them under the supervision of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, keeper of the women, and give them the required beauty treatments. 4Then the young woman who pleases the king will become queen instead of Vashti.” This suggestion pleased the king, and he did accordingly. 5In the fortress of Susa, there was a Jewish man named Mordecai son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, a Benjaminite.
Read all of Esther 2Esther 2:3 word by word
וְיַפְקֵ֨ד הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ פְּקִידִים֮ בְּכָל־מְדִינ֣וֹת מַלְכוּתוֹ֒ וְיִקְבְּצ֣וּ אֶת־כָּל־נַעֲרָֽה־בְ֠תוּלָה טוֹבַ֨ת מַרְאֶ֜ה אֶל־שׁוּשַׁ֤ן הַבִּירָה֙ אֶל־בֵּ֣ית הַנָּשִׁ֔ים אֶל־יַ֥ד הֵגֶ֛א סְרִ֥יס הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ שֹׁמֵ֣ר הַנָּשִׁ֑ים וְנָת֖וֹן תַּמְרוּקֵיהֶֽן׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And let the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- appointפָּקַדpâqad · to reckon: overseerH6485
- officersפָּקִידpâqîyd · overseerH6496
- in all the provincesמְדִינָהmedîynâh · provinceH4082
- of his kingdomמַלְכוּתmalkûth malkûth malkûyâh · royaltyH4438
- that they may gather togetherקָבַץqâbats · to gatherH6908
- all the fairמַרְאֶהmar'eh · appearanceH4758
- all the fairטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896
- youngנַעֲרָהna‛ărâh · maidenH5291
- virginsבְּתוּלָהbethûlâh · virginH1330
- unto Shushanשׁוּשַׁןshûshan · SusaH7800
- the palaceבִּירָהbîyrâh · palaceH1002
- to the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: palaceH1004
- of the womenאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · woman: wifeH802
- unto the custodyיָדyâd · hand: powerH3027
- of Hegeהֵגֵאhêgê' hêgay · HegaiH1896
- chamberlainסָרִיסsârîys sâris · eunuchH5631
- keeperשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: guardH8104
- of the womenאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · womanH802
- and let their things for purificationתַּמְרוּקtamrûq tamrûq tamrîyq · cosmeticH8562
- be givenנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
Cross-references for Esther 2:3
- Esther 1:1These events took place during the days of Ahasuerus, who ruled 127 provinces from India to Cush.
- Esther 2:8When the king’s command and edict became public knowledge and when many young women were gathered at the fortress of Susa under Hegai’s supervision, Esther was taken to the palace, into the supervision of Hegai, keeper of the women.
- Esther 2:12During the year before each young woman’s turn to go to King Ahasuerus, the harem regulation required her to receive beauty treatments with oil of myrrh for six months and then with perfumes and cosmetics for another six months.
- Isaiah 3:18On that day the Lord will strip their finery: ankle bracelets, headbands, crescents,
Commentaries on Esther 2:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Hege the king's chamberlain - המלך סריס הגא Hege seris hammelech, "Hege, the king's eunuch;" so the Septuagint, Vulgate, Targum, and Syriac. In the Eastern countries the women are intrusted to the care of the eunuchs only. Let their things for purification be given them - תמרקיהן tamrukeyhen, their cosmetics. What these were we are told in Esther 2:12; oil of myrrh, and sweet odours. The myrrh was employed for six months, and the odours for six months…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3The house of the women - i. e. the “gynaeceon,” or “haram” - always an essential part of an Oriental palace (Compare 1 Kings 7:8). In the Persian palaces it was very extensive, since the monarchs maintained, besides their legitimate wives, as many as 300 or 400 concubines (compare Esther 2:14).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-201-3. After these things, when the wrath of king Ahasuerus was appeased--On recovering from the violent excitement of his revelry and rage, the king was pierced with poignant regret for the unmerited treatment he had given to his beautiful and dignified queen. But, according to the law, which made the word of a Persian king irrevocable, she could not be restored. His counsellors, for their own sake, were solicitous to remove his disquietude, and hastened…Read the comment
Topics related to Esther 2:3
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Esther 2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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