And the king loved Esther above all the women
The virgins he made his concubines, as next explained; though Jarchi interprets it of married women, for such he supposes were gathered and brought to him, as well as virgins:
and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the
virgins;
who had been purified, and in their turns brought to him:
so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen
instead of Vashti;
declared her queen, and gave her all the ensigns of royalty: so it was usual with the eastern kings to put a crown or diadem on the heads of their wives at the time of marriage, and declare them queens F19.