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Selected Verse: Esther 2:3 - Strong Concordance
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Es 2:3 |
Strong Concordance |
And let the king [04428] appoint [06485] officers [06496] in all the provinces [04082] of his kingdom [04438], that they may gather together [06908] all the fair [02896] [04758] young [05291] virgins [01330] unto Shushan [07800] the palace [01002], to the house [01004] of the women [0802], unto the custody [03027] of Hege [01896] the king's [04428] chamberlain [05631], keeper [08104] of the women [0802]; and let their things for purification [08562] be given [05414] them: |
| |
King James |
And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the fair young virgins unto Shushan the palace, to the house of the women, unto the custody of Hege the king's chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their things for purification be given them: |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
| The house of the women - i. e. the "gynaeceon," or "haram" - always an essential part of an Oriental palace (Compare Kg1 7:8). In the Persian palaces it was very extensive, since the monarchs maintained, besides their legitimate wives, as many as 300 or 400 concubines (compare Est 2:14). |
| The Scofield Bible Commentary, by Cyrus Ingerson Scofield, [1917] |
Hege
Or, Hegai, (Est 2:8). |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| Keeper - Of all the women, both virgins and concubines: only the virgins he himself took care of, as requiring more care and caution, and the concubines be committed to Shaashgaz, Est 2:14, his deputy. Purification - That is, to cleanse them from all impurities, to perfume, and adorn, and every way prepare them for the king: for the legal purification of the Jews he never regarded. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
Hege the king's chamberlain - הגא סריס המלך Hege seris hammelech, "Hege, the king's eunuch;" so the Septuagint, Vulgate, Targum, and Syriac. In the Eastern countries the women are intrusted to the care of the eunuchs only.
Let their things for purification be given them - תמרקיהן tamrukeyhen, their cosmetics. What these were we are told in Est 2:12; oil of myrrh, and sweet odours. The myrrh was employed for six months, and the odours for six months more, after which the person was brought to the king. This space was sufficient to show whether the young woman had been chaste; whether she were with child or not, that the king might not be imposed on, and be obliged to father a spurious offspring, which might have been the case had not this precaution been used.
Instead of the oil or myrrh, the Targum says it was the oil of unripe olives which caused the hair to fall off, and rendered the skin delicate. |
14 In the evening [06153] she went [0935], and on the morrow [01242] she returned [07725] into the second [08145] house [01004] of the women [0802], to the custody [03027] of Shaashgaz [08190], the king's [04428] chamberlain [05631], which kept [08104] the concubines [06370]: she came in [0935] unto the king [04428] no more, except the king [04428] delighted [02654] in her, and that she were called [07121] by name [08034].
8 And his house [01004] where he dwelt [03427] had another [0312] court [02691] within [01004] the porch [0197], which was of the like work [04639]. Solomon [08010] made [06213] also an house [01004] for Pharaoh's [06547] daughter [01323], whom he had taken [03947] to wife, like unto this porch [0197].
8 So it came to pass, when the king's [04428] commandment [01697] and his decree [01881] was heard [08085], and when many [07227] maidens [05291] were gathered together [06908] unto Shushan [07800] the palace [01002], to the custody [03027] of Hegai [01896], that Esther [0635] was brought [03947] also unto the king's [04428] house [01004], to the custody [03027] of Hegai [01896], keeper [08104] of the women [0802].
14 In the evening [06153] she went [0935], and on the morrow [01242] she returned [07725] into the second [08145] house [01004] of the women [0802], to the custody [03027] of Shaashgaz [08190], the king's [04428] chamberlain [05631], which kept [08104] the concubines [06370]: she came in [0935] unto the king [04428] no more, except the king [04428] delighted [02654] in her, and that she were called [07121] by name [08034].
12 Now when every maid's [05291] turn [08447] was come [05060] to go in [0935] to king [04428] Ahasuerus [0325], after [07093] that she had been twelve [08147] [06240] months [02320], according to the manner [01881] of the women [0802], (for so were the days [03117] of their purifications [04795] accomplished [04390], to wit, six [08337] months [02320] with oil [08081] of myrrh [04753], and six [08337] months [02320] with sweet odours [01314], and with other things for the purifying [08562] of the women [0802];)