Esther 2:3

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

1After these things, when the anger of King Ahasuerus had subsided, he remembered Vashti and what she had done, and what had been decided regarding her. 2Then the king’s attendants, who served him, said, “Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king. And may the king appoint overseers in all the provinces of his kingdom, and have them bring every beautiful young virgin to the citadel of Susa, to the harem, into the custody of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, who is in charge of the women; and let their cosmetics be given to them. 4Then let the young woman who pleases the king be queen in place of Vashti.” And the suggestion pleased the king, and he did accordingly. 5There was a Jew at the citadel in Susa whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjaminite,

Esther 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

• And may the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• appointפָּקַדpâqad · to reckon: overseerH6485
• overseersפָּקִידpâqîyd · overseerH6496
• allכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
• the provincesמְדִינָהmedîynâh · provinceH4082
• of his kingdomמַלְכוּתmalkûth malkûth malkûyâh · royaltyH4438
• bringקָבַץqâbats · to gatherH6908
• beautifulטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896
• beautifulמַרְאֶהmar'eh · appearanceH4758
• youngנַעֲרָהna‛ărâh · maidenH5291
• virginבְּתוּלָהbethûlâh · virginH1330
• to the citadelבִּירָהbîyrâh · palaceH1002
• of Susaשׁוּשַׁןshûshan · SusaH7800
• to the haremבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: palaceH1004
• to the haremאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · woman: wifeH802
• into the custodyיָדyâd · hand: powerH3027
• eunuchסָרִיסsârîys sâris · eunuchH5631
• who is inשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: obeyH8104
• the womenאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · womanH802
• let their cosmeticsתַּמְרוּקtamrûq tamrûq tamrîyq · cosmeticH8562
• be givenנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414

Cross-references for Esther 2:3

• Esther 1:1Now it happened in the days of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who reigned from India to Cush over 127 provinces,
• Esther 2:8So it came about, when the command and decree of the king were heard and many young ladies were gathered to the citadel of Susa into the custody of Hegai, that Esther was taken to the king’s palace into the custody of Hegai, who was in charge of the women.
• Esther 2:12Now when the turn came for each young woman to go in to King Ahasuerus, after the end of her twelve months under the regulations for the women--for the days of their beauty treatment were completed as follows: six months with oil of myrrh and six months with balsam oil and the cosmetics for women--
• Isaiah 3:18On that day the Lord will take away the beauty of their anklets, headbands, crescent ornaments,

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

• Chamberlain
• Harem
• Hegai
• Lasciviousness
• Marriage

In the dictionaries

• Chamberlain
• Eunuch
• Appoint
• Custody
• Esther, Book of
• Hegai; Hege
• Shushan
• Abimelech
• Hege
• Province

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