Esther 2:12

Esther 2:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Now when every maid’s turn was come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after that she had been twelve months, according to the manner of the women, (for so were the days of their purifications accomplished, to wit, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odours, and with other things for the purifying of the women;)
• New International Version (NIV)Before a young woman’s turn came to go in to King Xerxes, she had to complete twelve months of beauty treatments prescribed for the women, six months with oil of myrrh and six with perfumes and cosmetics.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Now when the turn came for each young woman to go in to King Ahasuerus, after being twelve months under the regulations for the women, since this was the regular period of their beautifying, six months with oil of myrrh and six months with spices and ointments for women—
• New King James Version (NKJV)Each young woman’s turn came to go in to King Ahasuerus after she had completed twelve months’ preparation, according to the regulations for the women, for thus were the days of their preparation apportioned: six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with perfumes and preparations for beautifying women.

Context of Esther 2:12

10Esther did not tell anyone that she was a Jew. That is what Mordecai had told her. 11Mordecai wanted to know what was happening to Esther. So every day he walked in the palace yard that was near the harem. He wanted to hear some news about her. All the young women stayed in the harem for 12 months. For six months they received myrrh oil for their bodies. Then they received perfume and different kinds of oil for another six months. After that time they could each go to the king's bedroom. 13When the time came for a young woman to go to the king, she could take whatever she wanted with her. She would take those things with her from the harem to the king's room. 14She would go to be with the king in the evening. She would stay with him during that night. In the morning, she went to a different part of the harem. That was where the king's slave wives lived. One of the king's eunuchs, Shaashgaz, took care of them there. After that, the young woman would only see the king again if he was pleased with her. Then he would ask for her by name.

Esther 2:12 word by word

וּבְהַגִּ֡יעַ תֹּר֩ נַעֲרָ֨ה וְנַעֲרָ֜ה לָב֣וֹא׀ אֶל־הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵר֗וֹשׁ מִקֵּץ֩ הֱי֨וֹת לָ֜הּ כְּדָ֤ת הַנָּשִׁים֙ שְׁנֵ֣ים עָשָׂ֣ר חֹ֔דֶשׁ כִּ֛י כֵּ֥ן יִמְלְא֖וּ יְמֵ֣י מְרוּקֵיהֶ֑ן שִׁשָּׁ֤ה חֳדָשִׁים֙ בְּשֶׁ֣מֶן הַמֹּ֔ר וְשִׁשָּׁ֤ה חֳדָשִׁים֙ בַּבְּשָׂמִ֔ים וּבְתַמְרוּקֵ֖י הַנָּשִֽׁים׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Now when every maid’sנַעֲרָהna‛ărâh · maidenH5291
• turnתּוֹרtôr tôr · plaitH8447
• was comeנָגַעnâga‛ · to touchH5060
• to go inבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• to kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• Ahasuerusאֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ'ăchashvêrôsh 'achashrôsh · AhasuerusH325
• afterקֵץqêts · endH7093
• that she had been twelveעָשָׂר‛âώâr · tenH6240
• that she had been twelveשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
• monthsחֹ֫דֶשׁchôdesh · monthH2320
• according to the mannerדָּתdâth · lawH1881
• of the womenאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · womanH802
• for so were the daysיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• of their purificationsמָרוּקmârûq · rubbingH4795
• accomplishedמָלֵאmâlê' mâlâ' · to fillH4390
• sixשֵׁשׁshêsh shishshâh · sixH8337
• with oilשֶׁ֫מֶןshemen · oilH8081
• of myrrhמֹרmôr môr · myrrhH4753
• with sweet odoursבֶּ֫שֶׂםbeώem bôώem · spiceH1314
• things for the purifyingתַּמְרוּקtamrûq tamrûq tamrîyq · cosmeticH8562

Cross-references for Esther 2:12

• 1 Thessalonians 4:4Each of you men must learn to rule his own body properly. Then you will do only what is pure and right.
• Proverbs 7:17I have splashed many kinds of perfume on my bed, like myrrh, aloes and cinnamon.
• Isaiah 57:9You take olive oil as a gift to your king, and also many perfumes. You send your people far away to get news of other gods. You even talk to the spirits of dead people.
• Luke 7:37In that town was a woman who had done many wrong things. She heard that Jesus was eating a meal at the house of the Pharisee. So she took a small stone jar with oil in it, and she went there. The oil had a very nice smell.

Commentaries on Esther 2:12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Six months with oil of myrrh - See on Esther 2:3; (note). The reason of this purification seems not to be apprehended by any writer I have seen. The most beautiful of all the young virgins of all the provinces of Babylon were to be selected; and these were taken out of all classes of the people, indiscriminately; consequently there must have been many who were brought up in low life. Now we know that those who feed on coarse strong food, which is not…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12The twelve months of preparation likely included learning court customs and beauty treatments. However, the main focus was on physical beauty.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. Now when every maid's turn was come to go in to king Ahasuerus--A whole year was spent in preparation for the intended honor. Considering that this took place in a palace, the long period prescribed, together with the profusion of costly and fragrant cosmetics employed, was probably required by state etiquette.Read the comment

Topics related to Esther 2:12

• Anointing
• Chamberlain
• Marriage
• Myrrh
• Ointment
• Purification

In the dictionaries

• Ahasuerus
• Ahasuerus; Asseurus
• Myrrh
• Esther, Book of
• Manner; Manners
• Odor
• Oil
• Spice; Spices
• Bath, Bathing

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