Esther 2: The young women are gathered, and Esther becomes queen
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What happens?
The king remembers Vashti, and his servants say that beautiful young virgins should be sought and gathered to Susa, and the one who pleases the king made queen. Mordecai, a Jew in Susa, has brought up Hadassah, who is Esther, the daughter of his uncle, and she is taken into the king's house. When her turn comes to go in to the king, he loves her more than all the other women and makes her queen in place of Vashti. Mordecai learns of a plot by Bigthan and Teresh against the king, Esther tells the king in Mordecai's name, and it is written in the book of the chronicles.
Who is speaking?
God is not named in this chapter, so nothing is in gold. The narrator tells the story. The king's servants speak in verses 2 to 4. Nobody else is quoted in the chapter, though verses 10 and 20 say that Mordecai commanded Esther not to tell who her people were. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1After these things, when the wrath of King Ahasuerus was pacified, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her.
In plain English: After these things, when the king's anger had subsided, King Ahasuerus remembered Vashti, what she had done, and what had been decreed against her.
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2Then the king’s servants who served him said, “Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king.
In plain English: The king's young men (or: servants) who served him said, "Let beautiful young women, virgins, be sought for the king.
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3Let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the beautiful young virgins to the citadel of Susa, to the women’s house, to the custody of Hegai the king’s eunuch, keeper of the women. Let cosmetics be given them;
In plain English: Let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom. Let them gather every young virgin who is beautiful to look at to Susa the citadel (or: palace), to the women's house, into the care of Hegai, the king's eunuch (or: official), keeper of the women. And let their cosmetics be given to them.
The Hebrew word: "Cosmetics" is tamruq, which the dictionary gives as "a scouring, i.e. soap or perfumery for the bath". It is in 3 verses of Esther: here, and . The WEB says "cosmetics" in the first two.
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4and let the maiden who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.” The thing pleased the king, and he did so.
In plain English: Let the young woman who pleases the king be queen (the Hebrew says: reign) in place of Vashti." The word pleased the king, and he did this.
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5There was a certain Jew in the citadel of Susa whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite,
In plain English: There was a Jewish man in Susa the citadel (or: palace) whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite,
The Hebrew word: "Jew" is Yehudi, which the dictionary gives as "a Jehudite (i.e. Judaite or Jew), or descendant of Jehudah (i.e. Judah)". It is in 46 verses of Esther, and the WEB says "Jew" in all 46. The same verse calls Mordecai a Benjamite.
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6who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captives who had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away.
In plain English: the one who had been carried away from Jerusalem (the Hebrew allows: Kish, or Mordecai) with the captives who had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried away.
The Hebrew words: The Hebrew says only "who had been carried away", with no name beside it.
What changes: It can mean Kish, who was carried away, or Mordecai, who was carried away. The text does not say which.
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7He brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle’s daughter; for she had neither father nor mother. The maiden was fair and beautiful; and when her father and mother were dead, Mordecai took her for his own daughter.
In plain English: He was bringing up Hadassah, that is, Esther, the daughter of his uncle, for she had no father or mother. The young woman was beautiful in form and good to look at. When her father and mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter.
Good to know: The text gives her two names: "Hadassah, that is, Esther". Hadassah is in this verse only in Esther, and Esther is in 45 verses of the book. The text does not say why she has two names.
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8So, when the king’s commandment and his decree was heard, and when many maidens were gathered together to the citadel of Susa, to the custody of Hegai, Esther was taken into the king’s house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women.
In plain English: When the king's word and his orders were heard, and many young women were gathered to Susa the citadel (or: palace) into the care of Hegai, Esther was taken to the king's house, into the care of Hegai, keeper of the women.
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9The maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness from him. He quickly gave her cosmetics and her portions of food, and the seven choice maidens who were to be given her out of the king’s house. He moved her and her maidens to the best place in the women’s house.
In plain English: The young woman pleased him and gained his favor (or: kindness). He hurried to give her cosmetics and her portions of food, and the seven chosen young women from the king's house to be given to her. He moved her and her young women to the best place in the women's house.
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10Esther had not made known her people nor her relatives, because Mordecai had instructed her that she should not make it known.
In plain English: Esther had not told about her people or her relatives, because Mordecai had commanded her not to tell.
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11Mordecai walked every day in front of the court of the women’s house, to find out how Esther was doing, and what would become of her.
In plain English: Every day Mordecai walked back and forth in front of the court of the women's house, to find out how Esther was and what was being done with her.
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12Each young woman’s turn came to go in to King Ahasuerus after her purification for twelve months (for so were the days of their purification accomplished, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet fragrances and with preparations for beautifying women).
In plain English: When the turn of each young woman came to go in to King Ahasuerus, it was after twelve months, according to the rule for the women, for this is how the days of their purification were completed: six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with balsam oil and with the cosmetics of the women.
The Hebrew words: "Purification" is maruq, which the dictionary gives as "properly, rubbed; but used abstractly, a rubbing (with perfumery)". It is in this verse only in Esther. The last words of the verse, which the WEB gives as "preparations for beautifying women", use tamruq, the word translated "cosmetics" in .
What changes: Read as "rubbing with perfumery", the twelve months are months of oils and perfumes, as the verse lists them. "Purification" gives the same months a name that sounds like cleansing.
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13The young woman then came to the king like this: whatever she desired was given her to go with her out of the women’s house to the king’s house.
In plain English: In this way the young woman went in to the king: whatever she said (or: asked for) was given to her, to go with her from the women's house to the king's house.
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14In the evening she went, and on the next day she returned into the second women’s house, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch, who kept the concubines. She came in to the king no more, unless the king delighted in her, and she was called by name.
In plain English: In the evening she went in, and in the morning she returned to the second women's house, into the care of Shaashgaz, the king's eunuch (or: official), keeper of the concubines. She did not go in to the king again unless the king delighted in her and she was called by name.
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15Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, came to go in to the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king’s eunuch, the keeper of the women, advised. Esther obtained favor in the sight of all those who looked at her.
In plain English: When the turn of Esther, daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her as his own daughter, came to go in to the king, she asked for nothing except what Hegai, the king's eunuch (or: official), keeper of the women, said. Esther bore favor in the eyes of all who saw her.
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16So Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus into his royal house in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.
In plain English: Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus, to his royal house, in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.
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17The king loved Esther more than all the women, and she obtained favor and kindness in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown on her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.
In plain English: The king loved Esther more than all the women, and she gained favor and kindness before him more than all the virgins. He put a royal crown on her head and made her queen in place of Vashti.
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18Then the king made a great feast for all his princes and his servants, even Esther’s feast; and he proclaimed a holiday in the provinces, and gave gifts according to the king’s bounty.
In plain English: The king made a great feast for all his princes and his servants, Esther's feast. He made a holiday for the provinces and gave gifts according to the king's bounty (the Hebrew says: according to the hand of the king).
The Hebrew words: The Hebrew word for "holiday" is hanachah, which the dictionary gives as "permission of rest, i.e. quiet". It is in this verse only in Esther. The word for "gifts" is mas'et, which the dictionary gives as "a present (as taken), mess, or tribute", also in this verse only.
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19When the virgins were gathered together the second time, Mordecai was sitting in the king’s gate.
In plain English: When the virgins were gathered a second time, Mordecai was sitting in the king's gate.
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20Esther had not yet made known her relatives nor her people, as Mordecai had commanded her; for Esther obeyed Mordecai, like she did when she was brought up by him.
In plain English: Esther was not telling about her relatives or her people, as Mordecai had commanded her, for Esther did what Mordecai said, as she had done when she was in his care.
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21In those days, while Mordecai was sitting in the king’s gate, two of the king’s eunuchs, Bigthan and Teresh, who were doorkeepers, were angry, and sought to lay hands on the King Ahasuerus.
In plain English: In those days, while Mordecai was sitting in the king's gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king's eunuchs (or: officials) from the doorkeepers, were angry and sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus.
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22This thing became known to Mordecai, who informed Esther the queen; and Esther informed the king in Mordecai’s name.
In plain English: The matter became known to Mordecai, and he told Queen Esther. Esther spoke to the king in the name of Mordecai.
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23When this matter was investigated, and it was found to be so, they were both hanged on a gallows; and it was written in the book of the chronicles in the king’s presence.
In plain English: The matter was looked into, and it was found, and the two of them were hanged on a gallows (the Hebrew word is tree, or wood). It was written in the book of the chronicles before the king.
The Hebrew word: "Gallows" is ets, which the dictionary gives as "a tree (from its firmness); hence, wood". The WEB says "gallows" in all 8 verses of Esther that have it. "Hanged" is talah, which the dictionary gives as "to suspend (especially to gibbet)". The WEB says "hanged" in 6 of the 9 verses that have it.
Good to know: The book of the chronicles comes back in , where it is read to the king, and says what was found written about Mordecai and the two men, there spelled Bigthana and Teresh.
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