Esther 2:1-6

1 And after this the king's anger was pacified, and he no more mentioned Astin, bearing in mind what she had said, and how he had condemned her.

2 Then the servants of the king said, Let there be sought for the king chaste beautiful young virgins.

3 And let the king appoint local governors in all the provinces of his kingdom, and let them select fair chaste young damsels to the city Susa, into the women's apartment, and let them be consigned to the king's chamberlain, the keeper of the women; and let things for purification and other attendance be given .

4 And let the woman who shall please the king be queen instead of Astin. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.

5 Now there was a Jew in the city Susa, and his name was Mardochaeus, the of Jairus, of Semeias, of Cisaeus, of the tribe of Benjamin;

6 who had been brought a prisoner from Jerusalem, which Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon had carried into captivity.

Esther 2:1-6 Meaning and Commentary

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.