Esther 2:3

3 Let the king give authority to certain men in all the divisions of his kingdom, to get together all the fair young virgins and send them to Shushan, the king's town, to the women's house, under the care of Hegai, the king's servant, the keeper of the women: and let the things needed for making them clean be given to them;

Esther 2:3 Meaning and Commentary

Esther 2:3

And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his
kingdom
Who best knew where beautiful virgins might be found in their respective provinces, in which they dwelt: that they may gather together all the fair young virgins unto Shushan
the palace;
the metropolis of the kingdom, where was the royal palace: to the house of the women, unto the custody of Hege the king's
chamberlain, the keeper of the women;
in which house it seems were two apartments, one for the virgins before they were introduced to the king, the other for them when they were become his concubines, which had a keeper also; but this Hege seems to have been over the whole house, ( Esther 2:14 ) . It was not only usual with the eastern people, as with the Turks now, for great personages to have keepers of their wives and concubines, but with the Romans also ^F4: and let their things for purification be given them;
such as oil of myrrh, spices to remove all impurity and ill scent from them, and make them look smooth and beautiful.

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FOOTNOTES:

F4 "Pone seram, cohibe" Juvenal. Satyr. 6. ver. 346, 347.

Esther 2:3 In-Context

1 After these things, when the king's feelings were calmer, the thought of Vashti and what she had done and the order he had made against her, came back to his mind.

2 Then the servants who were waiting on the king said to him, Let search be made for some fair young virgins for the king:

3 Let the king give authority to certain men in all the divisions of his kingdom, to get together all the fair young virgins and send them to Shushan, the king's town, to the women's house, under the care of Hegai, the king's servant, the keeper of the women: and let the things needed for making them clean be given to them;

4 And let the girl who is pleasing to the king be queen in place of Vashti. And the king was pleased with this suggestion; and he did so.

5 Now there was a certain Jew in Shushan named Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite;