Esther 2:9

9 And the na’arah pleased HaMelech, and she took up chesed before HaMelech; and he speedily had her be given her (bodily) rubbings, with her portion of special food; and also he selected sheva hane’arot (seven maids) for her from the Beis HaMelech; and he transferred her and her ne’arot to the preferred quarters in the Bais HaNashim.

Esther 2:9 Meaning and Commentary

Esther 2:9

And the maiden pleased him
Not the king, into whose presence she was not yet introduced, but the chamberlain; her beauty and her behaviour recommended her to him, and he concluded within himself that she was the person that of all would be acceptable to the king:

and she obtained kindness of him:
had favours shown others had not:

and he speedily gave her things for purification;
as oil, spices, &c. that she might be the sooner fitted to be had into the king's presence:

with such things as belonged to her;
food and drink from the king's table; the Targum interprets it gifts, as chains and royal apparel:

and seven maidens, which were given her, out of the king's house;
to wait upon her the seven days of the week, as the same Targum:

and he preferred her and her maids unto the best place of the house of
the women;
removed her and them to it, which was the most splendid, had large, airy, and pleasant rooms.

Esther 2:9 In-Context

7 And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Ester, the bat of his dod (uncle); for she had neither av nor em, and the na’arah was lovely in form and beautiful in appearance, whom Mordechai, when her av and em were dead, took for the bat of his own.

8 So it came to pass, when the commandment of HaMelech and his dat (decree, law) was heard, and when ne’arot rabbot (many maidens) were gathered together unto Shushan the capital, to the custody of Hegai, that Ester was brought also unto the Beis HaMelech, to the custody of Hegai, Shomer HaNashim.

9 And the na’arah pleased HaMelech, and she took up chesed before HaMelech; and he speedily had her be given her (bodily) rubbings, with her portion of special food; and also he selected sheva hane’arot (seven maids) for her from the Beis HaMelech; and he transferred her and her ne’arot to the preferred quarters in the Bais HaNashim.

10 Ester had not revealed her Am (People, i.e., the Jewish people) nor her moledet (kindred, i.e., her Jewishness), for Mordechai had charged her she should not show it.

11 And Mordechai walked kol yom vayom before the khatzer Bais HaNashim (courtyard of the House of the Women, Harem) to have da’as of the shalom Ester (welfare of Ester), and what would become of her.