Revised Literal Translation

Esther 2:3-8

3And let the kingהַמֶּ֣לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428appointוְיַפְקֵ֨דve.yaf.KedH6485officersפְּקִידִים֮pe.ki.DimH6496in all the provincesמְדִינ֣וֹתme.di.NotH4082of his kingdomמַלְכוּתוֹ֒mal.khu.ToH4438,that they may gather togetherוְיִקְבְּצ֣וּve.yik.be.TzuH6908all the fairטוֹבַ֨ת מַרְאֶ֜הto.Vat mar.'EhH4758 H2896youngנַעֲרָֽה־na.'a.rah-H5291virginsבְ֠תוּלָהVe.tu.lahH1330unto Shushanשׁוּשַׁ֤ןshu.ShanH7800the palaceהַבִּירָה֙ha.bi.RahH1002,to the houseבֵּ֣יתbeitH1004of the womenהַנָּשִׁ֔יםha.na.ShimH802,unto the custodyיַ֥דyadH3027of Hegeהֵגֶ֛אhe.Ge'H1896the king’sהַמֶּ֖לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428chamberlainסְרִ֥יסse.RisH5631,keeperשֹׁמֵ֣רsho.MerH8104of the womenהַנָּשִׁ֑יםha.na.ShimH802;and let their things for purificationתַּמְרוּקֵיהֶֽן׃tam.ru.kei.HenH8562be givenוְנָת֖וֹןve.na.TonH5414them:

4And let the maidenוְהַֽנַּעֲרָ֗הve.ha.na.'a.RahH5291which pleasethתִּיטַב֙ בְּעֵינֵ֣יti.Tav be.'ei.NeiH5869 H3190the kingהַמֶּ֔לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428be queenתִּמְלֹ֖ךְtim.LokhH4427instead of Vashtiוַשְׁתִּ֑יvash.TiH2060.And the thingהַדָּבָ֛רha.da.VarH1697pleasedוַיִּיטַ֧ב בְּעֵינֵ֥יvai.yi.Tav be.'ei.NeiH5869 H3190the kingהַמֶּ֖לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428;and he did soוַיַּ֥עַשׂvai.Ya.'asH6213.

5Nowin Shushanבְּשׁוּשַׁ֣ןbe.shu.ShanH7800the palaceהַבִּירָ֑הha.bi.RahH1002there was a certainH376Jewיְהוּדִ֔יye.hu.DiH3064,whose nameוּשְׁמ֣וֹu.she.MoH8034wasMordecaiמָרְדֳּכַ֗יma.re.do.KhaiH4782,the sonבֶּ֣ןbenH1121of Jairיָאִ֧ירya.'IrH2971,the sonבֶּן־ben-H1121of Shimeiשִׁמְעִ֛יshim.'IH8096,the sonבֶּן־ben-H1121of Kishקִ֖ישׁkishH7027,a Benjamiteיְמִינִֽי׃ye.mi.NiH1145;

6Who had been carried awayהָגְלָה֙ha.ge.LahH1540from Jerusalemמִיר֣וּשָׁלַ֔יִםmi.Ru.sha.La.yimH3389with the captivityהַגֹּלָה֙ha.go.LahH1473which had been carried awayהָגְלְתָ֔הha.ge.le.TahH1540with Jeconiahיְכָנְיָ֣הye.kha.ne.YahH3204kingמֶֽלֶךְ־Me.lekh-H4428of Judahיְהוּדָ֑הye.hu.DahH3063,whom Nebuchadnezzarנְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּ֖רne.vu.khad.ne.TzarH5019the kingמֶ֥לֶךְMe.lekhH4428of Babylonבָּבֶֽל׃ba.VelH894had carried awayהֶגְלָ֔הheg.LahH1540.

7And he brought upאֹמֵ֜ן'o.MenH539Hadassahהֲדַסָּ֗הha.da.SahH1919, that is,Estherאֶסְתֵּר֙'es.TerH635,his uncle’sדֹּד֔וֹdo.DoH1730daughterבַּת־bat-H1323:for she had neither fatherאָ֣ב'avH1nor motherוָאֵ֑םva.'EmH517,and the maidוְהַנַּעֲרָ֤הve.ha.na.'a.RahH5291wasfairיְפַת־ תֹּ֙אַר֙ye.fat- to.'arH8389 H3303and beautifulוְטוֹבַ֣ת מַרְאֶ֔הve.to.Vat mar.'EhH4758 H2896;whom Mordecaiמָרְדֳּכַ֛יma.re.do.KhaiH4782,when her fatherאָבִ֙יהָ֙'a.Vi.haH1and motherוְאִמָּ֔הּve.'i.MahH517were deadוּבְמ֤וֹתu.ve.MotH4194,tookלְקָחָ֧הּle.ka.ChahH3947for his own daughterלְבַֽת׃le.VatH1323.

8So it came to pass, when the king’sהַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ha.Me.lekhH4428commandmentדְּבַר־de.var-H1697and his decreeוְדָת֔וֹve.da.ToH1881was heardבְּהִשָּׁמַ֤עbe.hi.sha.Ma'H8085,and when manyרַבּ֛וֹתra.BotH7227maidensנְעָר֥וֹתne.'a.RotH5291were gathered togetherוּֽבְהִקָּבֵ֞ץu.ve.hi.ka.VetzH6908unto Shushanשׁוּשַׁ֥ןshu.ShanH7800the palaceהַבִּירָ֖הha.bi.RahH1002,to the custodyיַ֣דyadH3027of Hegaiהֵגָ֑יhe.GaiH1896,that Estherאֶסְתֵּר֙'es.TerH635was broughtוַתִּלָּקַ֤חva.ti.la.KachH3947also unto the king’sהַמֶּ֔לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428houseבֵּ֣יתbeitH1004,to the custodyיַ֥דyadH3027of Hegaiהֵגַ֖יhe.GaiH1896,keeperשֹׁמֵ֥רsho.MerH8104of the womenהַנָּשִֽׁים׃ha.na.ShimH802.

Read all of Esther 2

Commentaries on Esther 2