Esther 2:4

4 "Then let the young lady who pleases * the king be queen in place of Vashti." And the matter pleased * the king, and he did accordingly.

Esther 2:4 Meaning and Commentary

Esther 2:4

And let the maiden which pleaseth the king be queen instead
of Vashti
Have the royal estate, that was taken from Vashti, given to her, the crown royal set on her head and the thing pleased the king, and he did so;
appointed officers in all his provinces to seek out the most beautiful virgins, and bring them to his palace; so with the Chinese now, the king never marries with any of his kindred, though ever so remote; but there is sought throughout his kingdom a damsel of twelve or fourteen years, of perfect beauty, good natural parts, and well inclined to virtue; whence, for the most part, the queen is the daughter of some artisan; and in their history ^F5, mention is made of one that was the daughter of a mason.

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FOOTNOTES:

F5 Semedo's History of China, part 1. ch. 23.

Esther 2:4 In-Context

2 Then the king's attendants, who served him, said, "Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king.

3 "Let the king appoint overseers in all the provinces of his kingdom that they may gather every beautiful young virgin to the citadel of Susa, to the harem , into the custody of Hegai, the king's eunuch, who is in charge of the women; and let their cosmetics be given them.

4 "Then let the young lady who pleases the king be queen in place of Vashti." And the matter pleased the king, and he did accordingly.

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

6 who had been taken into exile from Jerusalem with the captives who had been exiled with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had exiled.