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

16Then Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus at his royal residence in the tenth month (that is, the month of Tebeth) in the seventh year of his reign. 17And the king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she met with his loving approval more than all the other young women. So he placed the royal high turban on her head and appointed her queen in place of Vashti. Then the king prepared a large banquet for all his officials and his servants – it was actually Esther’s banquet. He also set aside a holiday for the provinces, and he provided for offerings at the king’s expense. 19Now when the young women were being gathered again, Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate. 20Esther was still not divulging her lineage or her people, just as Mordecai had instructed her. Esther continued to do whatever Mordecai said, just as she had done when he was raising her.

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 1:3in the third year of his reign he provided a banquet for all his officials and his servants. The army of Persia and Media was present, as well as the nobles and the officials of the provinces.
• Genesis 29:22So Laban invited all the people of that place and prepared a feast.
• Judges 14:10Then Samson’s father accompanied him to Timnah for the marriage. Samson hosted a party there, for this was customary for bridegrooms to do.
• Matthew 22:2“The kingdom of heaven can be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son.
• Luke 14:8“When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, because a person more distinguished than you may have been invited by your host.
• Revelation 19:9Then the angel said to me, “Write the following: Blessed are those who are invited to the banquet at the wedding celebration of the Lamb!” He also said to me, “These are the true words of God.”
• Esther 9:22as the time when the Jews gave themselves rest from their enemies – the month when their trouble was turned to happiness and their mourning to a holiday. These were to be days of banqueting, happiness, sending gifts to one another, and providing for the poor.
• 1 Samuel 25:8Ask your own servants; they can tell you! May my servants find favor in your sight, for we have come at the time of a holiday. Please provide us – your servants and your son David – with whatever you can spare.”
• Nehemiah 8:11Then the Levites quieted all the people saying, “Be quiet, for this day is holy. Do not grieve.”
• Revelation 11:10And those who live on the earth will rejoice over them and celebrate, even sending gifts to each other, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.

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