Revised Literal Translation
Esther 2:18
18Then 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.1
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
16So Esther was taken unto king Ahasuerus into his house royal in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign. 17And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti. 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. 19And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, then Mordecai sat in the king’s gate. 20Esther had not yet shewed her kindred nor her people; as Mordecai had charged her: for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him.
Read all of Esther 2Esther 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
- 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 made a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him:
- Genesis 29:22And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.
- Judges 14:10So his father went down unto the woman: and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do.
- Matthew 22:2The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,
- Luke 14:8When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him;
- Revelation 19:9And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.
- Esther 9:22As the days wherein the Jews rested from their enemies, and the month which was turned unto them from sorrow to joy, and from mourning into a good day: that they should make them days of feasting and joy, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor.
- 1 Samuel 25:8Ask thy young men, and they will shew thee. Wherefore let the young men find favour in thine eyes: for we come in a good day: give, I pray thee, whatsoever cometh to thine hand unto thy servants, and to thy son David.
- Nehemiah 8:11So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved.
- Revelation 11:10And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt 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
In the dictionaries
Notes
- 1. Esther 2:18 release: Heb. rest. ↩
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
Revised Literal Translation — © 2018 Michael W. Jones, Sr. — GPL
Commentaries