Esther 2:18

Esther 2:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then the king made a great feast unto all his princes and his servants, even Esther’s feast; and he made a release to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the state of the king.
• New International Version (NIV)And the king gave a great banquet, Esther’s banquet, for all his nobles and officials. He proclaimed a holiday throughout the provinces and distributed gifts with royal liberality.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then the king gave a great feast for all his officials and servants; it was Esther's feast. He also granted a remission of taxes to the provinces and gave gifts with royal generosity.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then the king made a great feast, the Feast of Esther, for all his officials and servants; and he proclaimed a holiday in the provinces and gave gifts according to the generosity of a king.

Context of Esther 2:18

16Esther went to King Xerxes in his royal rooms in the palace. That happened in the tenth month of the year, called Tebeth. King Xerxes had ruled for seven years. 17The king loved Esther more than he loved any of the other women. He was more pleased with her than all the other young women. He put the royal crown on her head. He chose Esther to be queen, instead of Vashti. The king gave a great feast for all the leaders and officers of his kingdom. He did it to give honour to Esther. He said that there would be a holiday for people in all the regions. He also gave expensive gifts to people. 19Some time later, the young women all came together again in the harem. At this time, Mordecai was sitting at the king's gate, as one of his officers. 20Esther still had not told anyone that she was a Jew. Mordecai had told her that she should not tell anyone. She continued to obey Mordecai, as she had done when she lived with him as his daughter.

Esther 2:18 word by word

וַיַּ֨עַשׂ הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ מִשְׁתֶּ֣ה גָד֗וֹל לְכָל־שָׂרָיו֙ וַעֲבָדָ֔יו אֵ֖ת מִשְׁתֵּ֣ה אֶסְתֵּ֑ר וַהֲנָחָ֤ה לַמְּדִינוֹת֙ עָשָׂ֔ה וַיִּתֵּ֥ן מַשְׂאֵ֖ת כְּיַ֥ד הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Then the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• madeעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: offerH6213
• a greatגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
• feastמִשְׁתֶּהmishteh · feastH4960
• unto all his princesשַׂרώar · rulerH8269
• and his servantsעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
• Esther’sאֶסְתֵּר'estêr · EstherH635
• a releaseהֲנָחָהhănâchâh · holidayH2010
• to the provincesמְדִינָהmedîynâh · provinceH4082
• and gaveנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
• giftsמַשְׂאֵתmaώ'êth · tributeH4864
• according to the stateיָדyâd · hand: toH3027

Cross-references for Esther 2:18

• Esther 1:3During the third year that he ruled, he gave a big feast for his leaders and officers. The soldiers from the army of Persia and Media came to the feast. The rulers and leaders of the regions in the kingdom also came.
• Genesis 29:22Laban called all the people in that place to come together. He prepared a big meal for them to eat.
• Judges 14:10Then Samson's father went to Timnah for Samson's marriage. Samson prepared a party for the people there. All the young men did this when they married.
• Matthew 22:2He said, ‘This is what the kingdom of heaven is like. A king prepared a special meal for his son's marriage.
• Luke 14:8‘When someone asks you to come to a special meal, do not sit in the best place. A man that is more important than you may come later.
• Revelation 19:9Then the angel said to me, ‘Write down this message: “There will be a special meal at the Lamb's wedding party. God has truly blessed those people that he has asked to come to that meal.” ’ The angel also said to me, ‘This is a true message from God.’
• Esther 9:22They should do that to remember the time when they became safe from their enemies. That was the month when they became happy and they were no longer sad. They should eat a feast and they should send gifts of food to each other to show their joy. They should also give gifts to poor people.
• 1 Samuel 25:8Your servants will tell you that, if you ask them. Now we have come to you at this special holiday time. So please be kind to the young men that David has sent to see you. They are your servants as well as his servants. Please give any extra food that you have to these young men and to your good friend David.” ’
• Nehemiah 8:11The Levites also comforted the people. They said, ‘Do not weep. Today is a holy day, so do not be sad.’
• Revelation 11:10The people who live on the earth will be very happy because the two servants of God are now dead. They will send gifts to each other because they are so happy. These two prophets of God had caused bad trouble for them, but now they have died.

Commentaries on Esther 2:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18Made a release to the provinces - Remitted some kind of tribute or impost, in honor of Esther, at her coronation, as our kings generally do when they are crowned, ordering a discharge from prison of many who are confined for minor offenses. As it was the custom of the Persian kings to give their queens something like what is called with us the aurum reginae, "queen gold," which was a tenth of all fines, etc., above what was given to the king; (for they…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18A release - Either remission of taxation, or of military service, or of both.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18he king held a great banquet, Esther’s banquet: The king honored his wife instead of showing her off (compare Esther 1:11). He proclaimed a tax holiday: The Hebrew word for “public holiday” (hanakhah) is related to the verb meaning “rest” (nukh). The book describes how the Jewish people found rest from their enemies' threats (see Esther 9:16–22).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 2:18

• Chamberlain
• Marriage

In the dictionaries

• Esther, Book of
• Gift
• Release
• Vashti

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