Esther 2

Esther Chosen Queen

1 After these things, ¹when the anger of King Ahasuerus had abated, he remembered Vashti ²and what she had done and what had been decreed against her.

2 Then the king's young men who attended him said, "Let beautiful young virgins be sought out for the king.

3 And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom to gather all the beautiful young virgins to the harem in Susa the capital, under custody of ³Hegai, the king's eunuch, who is in charge of the women. ⁴Let their cosmetics be given them.

4 And let the young woman who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti." This pleased the king, and he did so.

5 Now there was a Jew in Susa the citadel whose name was ⁵Mordecai, the son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, a Benjaminite,

6 ⁶who had been carried away from Jerusalem among the captives carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried away.

7 He was bringing up Hadassah, that is Esther, ⁷the daughter of his uncle, for she had neither father nor mother. The young woman had a beautiful figure and was lovely to look at, and when her father and her mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter.

8 So when the king's order and his edict were proclaimed, and ⁸when many young women were gathered in Susa the citadel in custody of ⁹Hegai, Esther also was taken into the king's palace and put in custody of Hegai, who had charge of the women.

9 And the young woman pleased him and won his favor. And he quickly provided her ¹⁰with her cosmetics and her portion of food, and with seven chosen young women from the king's palace, and advanced her and her young women to the best place in the harem.

10 ¹¹Esther had not made known her people or kindred, for Mordecai had commanded her not to make it known.

11 And every day Mordecai walked in front of the court of the harem to learn how Esther was and what was happening to her.

12 Now when the turn came for each young woman to go in to King Ahasuerus, after being twelve months under the regulations for the women, since this was the regular period of their beautifying, six months with oil of myrrh and six months with spices and ointments for women--

13 when the young woman went in to the king in this way, she was given whatever she desired to take with her from the harem to the king's palace.

14 In the evening she would go in, and in the morning she would return to the second harem in custody of Shaashgaz, the king's eunuch, who was in charge of the concubines. She would not go in to the king again, unless the king delighted in her and she was summoned by name.

15 When the turn came for Esther ¹²the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her as his own daughter, to go in to the king, she asked for nothing except what ¹³Hegai the king's eunuch, who had charge of the women, advised. Now Esther was winning favor in the eyes of all who saw her.

16 And when Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus, into his royal palace, in the tenth month, which is the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign,

17 the king loved Esther more than all the women, and she won grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins, so that he set ¹⁴the royal crown^[a] on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.

18 Then the king ¹⁵gave a great feast for all his officials and servants; it was Esther's feast. He also granted a remission of taxes to the provinces and gave gifts with royal generosity.

Mordecai Discovers a Plot

19 Now when the virgins were gathered together ¹⁶the second time, Mordecai was sitting ¹⁷at the king's gate.

20 ¹⁸Esther had not made known her kindred or her people, as Mordecai had commanded her, for Esther obeyed Mordecai just ¹⁹as when she was brought up by him.

21 In those days, as Mordecai was sitting at the king's gate, ²⁰Bigthan and ²¹Teresh, two of the king's eunuchs, who guarded the threshold, became angry and sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus.

22 And this came to the knowledge of Mordecai, ²²and he told it to Queen Esther, and Esther told the king in the name of Mordecai.

23 When the affair was investigated and found to be so, the men were both hanged on the gallows.^[b] And it was recorded in ²³the book of the chronicles in the presence of the king.

Esther 2 Commentary

Chapter 2

Esther chosen queen. (1-20) Mordecai discovers a plot against the king. (21-23)

Verses 1-20 We see to what absurd practices those came, who were destitute of Divine revelation, and what need there was of the gospel of Christ, to purify men from the lusts of the flesh, and to bring them back to the original institution of marriage. Esther was preferred as queen. Those who suggest that Esther committed sin to come at this dignity, do not consider the custom of those times and countries. Every one that the king took was married to him, and was his wife, though of a lower rank. But how low is human nature sunk, when such as these are the leading pursuits and highest worldly happiness of men! Disappointment and vexation must follow; and he most wisely consults his enjoyment, even in this present life, who most exactly obeys the precepts of the Divine law. But let us turn to consider the wise and merciful providence of God, carrying on his deep but holy designs in the midst of all this. And let no change in our condition be a pretext for forgetting our duties to parents, or the friends who have stood in their place.

Verses 21-23 Good subjects must not conceal any bad design they know of against the prince, or the public peace. Mordecai was not rewarded at the time, but a remembrance was written. Thus, with respect to those who serve Christ, though their recompence is not till the resurrection of the just, yet an account is kept of their work of faith and labour of love, which God is not unrighteous to forget. The servant of God must be faithful to every trust, and watchful for those who employ him. If he appear to be neglected now, he will be remembered hereafter. None of our actions can be forgotten; even our most secret thoughts are written in lasting registers, ( Revelation 20:12 ) .

Cross References

• 1. [Esther 7:10]
• 2. Esther 1:19, 20
• 3. ver. 8, 15
• 4. ver. 9, 12
• 5. [Ezra 2:2]
• 6. 2 Kings 24:14, 15; 2 Chronicles 36:10, 20; Jeremiah 24:1; Jeremiah 29:1, 2
• 7. ver. 15
• 8. ver. 3
• 9. ver. 3
• 10. ver. 3, 12
• 11. ver. 20
• 12. ver. 7; Esther 9:29
• 13. ver. 3, 8
• 14. Esther 1:11; Esther 6:8
• 15. See Esther 1:3
• 16. ver. 3, 4
• 17. ver. 21; Esther 3:2, 3; Esther 5:9, 13; Esther 6:10, 12
• 18. ver. 10
• 19. ver. 7
• 20. [Esther 1:10; Esther 6:2]
• 21. Esther 6:2
• 22. Esther 6:2; [Esther 7:9]
• 23. Esther 6:1; Esther 10:2

Footnotes

• [a]. Or headdress
• [b]. Or suspended on a stake

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO ESTHER 2

By the advice of the ministers of King Ahasuerus, fair virgins were sought for throughout his dominions, and brought to his chamberlain, the keeper of the women, among whom was Esther, a Jewish virgin, Es 2:1-8, who found favour with the chamberlain, and afterwards with the king, who made her queen instead of Vashti, and a feast on that account, Es 2:9-18. Mordecai, to whom Esther was related, and according to whose advice she acted, sitting in the king's gate, discovered a conspiracy against the king, which he now made known to Esther, Es 2:19-23.