New International Version
Esther 2:12
12Before 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.
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;)
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Before each young woman was taken to the king’s bed, she was given the prescribed twelve months of beauty treatments—six months with oil of myrrh, followed by six months with special perfumes and ointments.
Context of Esther 2:12
10Esther had not revealed her nationality and family background, because Mordecai had forbidden her to do so. 11Every day he walked back and forth near the courtyard of the harem to find out how Esther was and what was happening to her. 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. 13And this is how she would go to the king: Anything she wanted was given her to take with her from the harem to the king’s palace. 14In the evening she would go there and in the morning return to another part of the harem to the care of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the concubines. She would not return to the king unless he was pleased with her and summoned 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 4:4that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable,
- Proverbs 7:17I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon.
- Isaiah 57:9You went to Molek with olive oil and increased your perfumes. You sent your ambassadors far away; you descended to the very realm of the dead!
- Luke 7:37A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar 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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