15 Now when the turn H8447 of Esther, H635 the daughter H1323 of Abihail H32 the uncle H1730 of Mordecai, H4782 who had taken H3947 her for his daughter, H1323 was come H5060 to go in H935 unto the king, H4428 she required H1245 nothing H1697 but what Hegai H1896 the king's H4428 chamberlain, H5631 the keeper H8104 of the women, H802 appointed. H559 And Esther H635 obtained H5375 favour H2580 in the sight H5869 of all them that looked H7200 upon her.
Then Esther H635 the queen, H4436 the daughter H1323 of Abihail, H32 and Mordecai H4782 the Jew, H3064 wrote H3789 with all authority, H8633 to confirm H6965 this second H8145 letter H107 of Purim. H6332
And let the king H4428 appoint H6485 officers H6496 in all the provinces H4082 of his kingdom, H4438 that they may gather together H6908 all the fair H2896 H4758 young H5291 virgins H1330 unto Shushan H7800 the palace, H1002 to the house H1004 of the women, H802 unto the custody H3027 of Hege H1896 the king's H4428 chamberlain, H5631 keeper H8104 of the women; H802 and let their things for purification H8562 be given H5414 them:
And he brought up H539 Hadassah, H1919 that is, Esther, H635 his uncle's H1730 daughter: H1323 for she had neither father H1 nor mother, H517 and the maid H5291 was fair H3303 H8389 and beautiful; H2896 H4758 whom Mordecai, H4782 when her father H1 and mother H517 were dead, H4194 took H3947 for his own daughter. H1323 So it came to pass, when the king's H4428 commandment H1697 and his decree H1881 was heard, H8085 and when many H7227 maidens H5291 were gathered together H6908 unto Shushan H7800 the palace, H1002 to the custody H3027 of Hegai, H1896 that Esther H635 was brought H3947 also unto the king's H4428 house, H1004 to the custody H3027 of Hegai, H1896 keeper H8104 of the women. H802
My dove, H3123 my undefiled H8535 is but one; H259 she is the only one H259 of her mother, H517 she is the choice H1249 one of her that bare H3205 her. The daughters H1323 saw H7200 her, and blessed H833 her; yea, the queens H4436 and the concubines, H6370 and they praised H1984 her.
I am a wall, H2346 and my breasts H7699 like towers: H4026 then was I in his eyes H5869 as one that found H4672 favour. H7965
And G2532 delivered G1807 him G846 out of G1537 all G3956 his G846 afflictions, G2347 and G2532 gave G1325 him G846 favour G5485 and G2532 wisdom G4678 in the sight G1726 of Pharaoh G5328 king G935 of Egypt; G125 and G2532 he made G2525 him G846 governor G2233 over G1909 Egypt G125 and G2532 all G3650 his G846 house. G3624
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Esther 2
Commentary on Esther 2 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 2
Es 2:1-20. Esther Chosen to Be Queen.
1-3. 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 to recommend the adoption of all suitable means for gratifying their royal master with another consort of equal or superior attractions to those of his divorced queen. In the despotic countries of the East the custom obtains that when an order is sent to a family for a young damsel to repair to the royal palace, the parents, however unwilling, dare not refuse the honor for their daughter; and although they know that when she is once in the royal harem, they will never see her again, they are obliged to yield a silent and passive compliance. On the occasion referred to, a general search was commanded to be made for the greatest beauties throughout the empire, in the hope that, from their ranks, the disconsolate monarch might select one for the honor of succeeding to the royal honors of Vashti. The damsels, on arrival at the palace, were placed under the custody of "Hege, the king's chamberlain, keeper of the women," that is, the chief eunuch, usually a repulsive old man, on whom the court ladies are very dependent, and whose favor they are always desirous to secure.
5. Now in Shushan the palace there was a certain Jew—Mordecai held some office about the court. But his "sitting at the king's gate" (Es 2:21) does not necessarily imply that he was in the humble condition of a porter; for, according to an institute of Cyrus, all state officers were required to wait in the outer courts till they were summoned into the presence chamber. He might, therefore, have been a person of some official dignity. This man had an orphan cousin, born during the exile, under his care, who being distinguished by great personal beauty, was one of the young damsels taken into the royal harem on this occasion. She had the good fortune at once to gain the good will of the chief eunuch [Es 2:9]. Her sweet and amiable appearance made her a favorite with all who looked upon her (Es 2:15, last clause). Her Hebrew name (Es 2:7) was Hadassah, that is, "myrtle," which, on her introduction into the royal harem, was changed to Esther, that is, the star Venus, indicating beauty and good fortune [Gesenius].
11. Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women's house—The harem is an inviolable sanctuary, and what is transacted within its walls is as much a secret to those without as if they were thousands of miles away. But hints were given him through the eunuchs.
12. 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.
17. the king loved Esther above all the women—The choice fell on Esther, who found favor in the eyes of Ahasuerus. He elevated her to the dignity of chief wife, or queen. The other competitors had apartments assigned them in the royal harem, and were retained in the rank of secondary wives, of whom Oriental princes have a great number.
he set the royal crown upon her head—This consisted only of a purple ribbon, streaked with white, bound round the forehead. The nuptials were celebrated by a magnificent entertainment, and, in honor of the auspicious occasion, "he made a release to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the state of the king." The dotation of Persian queens consisted in consigning to them the revenue of certain cities, in various parts of the kingdom, for defraying their personal and domestic expenditure. Some of these imposts the king remitted or lessened at this time.
Es 2:21-23. Mordecai, Discovering a Treason, Is Recorded in the Chronicles.
21. In those days … two of the king's chamberlains … were wroth and sought to lay hand on the king, &c.—This secret conspiracy against the king's life probably arose out of revenge for the divorce of Vashti, in whose interest, and at whose instigation, these eunuchs may have acted. Through the vigilance of Mordecai, whose fidelity, however, passed unnoticed, the design was frustrated, while the conspirators were condemned to be executed and as the matter was recorded in the court annals, it became the occasion afterwards of Mordecai's preferment to the place of power and influence for which, in furtherance of the national interests of the Jews, divine providence intended him.