Esther 2

KJ3 Literal Translation — Chapter 2 of 10

1 ¶ After these things, when King Ahasuerus' wrath had calmed down, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what he had decreed against her.

2 And the king's servants who served him said, Let seek for the king young women, virgins good of form

3 And let the king appoint overseers in all the provinces of his kingdom, so that they may gather together every young woman, good of form, a virgin, to Shushan the palace, to the house of the women, to the hand of Hegai the king's eunuch, keeper of the women, to give their purifiers.

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Chapter Summary

1 A queen is to be chosen. 5 Mordecai adopted Esther after her father's death. 8 Esther is preferred before the rest. 15 Esther, best at pleasing the king, is made queen. 21 Mordecai, discovering a treasonous plot, is recorded in the Chronicles.

Key Hebrew Words

בְּתוּלָה virgin H1330 · TWOT 295a
חֵן favor H2580 · TWOT 694a
אָהֵב loved H157 · TWOT 29
תַּמְרוּק purifications H8562 · TWOT 1246b
כֶּ֫תֶר royal crown H3804 · TWOT 1060a
סָרִיס eunuch H5631 · TWOT 1545

People & Context

Esther (Hadassah)

Jewish orphan raised by Mordecai, taken to the king's house and made queen instead of Vashti

Mordecai

Benjamite exile who adopted Esther and uncovered the eunuchs' plot against the king

Ahasuerus

Persian king who loves Esther above all the women and sets the royal crown on her head

Hegai

king's eunuch, keeper of the women, who favors Esther and hastens her purifications

Bigthan

royal threshold-guard eunuch who conspires with Teresh to assault the king

Teresh

royal threshold-guard eunuch who plots with Bigthan; both are exposed and hanged

Timeline

The King Remembers Vashti

After his wrath calms down, King Ahasuerus remembers Vashti, what she had done, and the decree he made against her.

Esther 2:1
Servants Suggest a Search for Virgins

The king's servants suggest gathering beautiful virgins to the women's house in Shushan under the eunuch Hegai so the king can choose a new queen.

Esther 2:2-4
Introduction of Mordecai and Esther

Mordecai, a Jewish exile in Shushan, is introduced as the guardian raising his orphaned cousin Hadassah (Esther).

Esther 2:5-7

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