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

יְהוּדָ֑ה Judah H3063 · TWOT 850c
יְהוּדִ֔י Jew H3064 · TWOT 850a
חֵ֔ן favour H2580 · TWOT 694a
שְׁל֣וֹם completeness H7965 · TWOT 2401a
צִוָּ֥ה lay charge H6680 · TWOT 1887

People & Context

The King Remembers Vashti

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

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.

Introduction of Mordecai and Esther

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

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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Word-for-word literal translation with Hebrew interlinear, Strong's numbers, and audio.

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