God’s Word Translation
Esther 2:12
12Each young woman had her turn to go to King Xerxes after she had completed the required 12-month treatment for women. The time of beauty treatment was spent as follows: six months using oil of myrrh and six months using perfumes and other treatments for women.
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 reveal her nationality or her family background, because Mordecai had ordered her not to. 11Every day Mordecai would walk back and forth in front of the courtyard of the women’s quarters to find out how Esther was and what was happening to her. Each young woman had her turn to go to King Xerxes after she had completed the required 12-month treatment for women. The time of beauty treatment was spent as follows: six months using oil of myrrh and six months using perfumes and other treatments for women. 13After that, the young woman would go to the king. Anything she wanted to take with her from the women’s quarters to the king’s palace was given to her. 14She would go in the evening and come back in the morning to the other quarters for women. There she would be in the care of the king’s eunuch Shaashgaz, the guardian of the concubines. She never went to the king again unless the king desired her and requested her by name.
Read all of Esther 2Esther 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 should know that finding a husband or wife for yourself is to be done in a holy and honorable way,
- Proverbs 7:17I’ve sprinkled my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
- Isaiah 57:9You’ve journeyed to the king with perfumed oils and put on plenty of perfume. You’ve sent your ambassadors far away and sent them down to Sheol.
- Luke 7:37A woman who lived a sinful life in that city found out that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house. So she took a bottle of perfume
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
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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