Esther 2:3
New International Version
Let the king appoint commissioners in every province of his realm to bring all these beautiful young women into the harem at the citadel of Susa. Let them be placed under the care of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, who is in charge of the women; and let beauty treatments be given to them.

New Living Translation
Let the king appoint agents in each province to bring these beautiful young women into the royal harem at the fortress of Susa. Hegai, the king’s eunuch in charge of the harem, will see that they are all given beauty treatments.

English Standard Version
And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom to gather all the beautiful young virgins to the harem in Susa the citadel, under custody of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, who is in charge of the women. Let their cosmetics be given them.

Berean Standard Bible
and let the king appoint commissioners in each province of his kingdom to assemble all the beautiful young women into the harem at the citadel of Susa. Let them be placed under the care of Hegai, the king’s eunuch in charge of the women, and let them be given beauty treatments.

King James Bible
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:

New King James Version
and let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather all the beautiful young virgins to Shushan the citadel, into the women’s quarters, under the custody of Hegai the king’s eunuch, custodian of the women. And let beauty preparations be given them.

New American Standard Bible
And may the king appoint overseers in all the provinces of his kingdom, and have them bring 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 to them.

NASB 1995
“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.

NASB 1977
“And let the king appoint overseers in all the provinces of his kingdom that they may gather every beautiful young virgin to Susa the capital, to the harem, into the custody of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, who was in charge of the women; and let their cosmetics be given them.

Legacy Standard Bible
And let the king appoint overseers in all the provinces of his kingdom that they may gather every young virgin, beautiful in appearance, to the citadel of Susa, to the harem, into the hand of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, who keeps charge of the women; and let their cosmetics be given to them.

Amplified Bible
Let the king appoint administrators in all the provinces of his kingdom, and have them gather all the beautiful young virgins to the citadel in Susa, into the harem, under the custody of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, who is in charge of the women; and let their beauty preparations be given to them.

Christian Standard Bible
Let the king appoint commissioners in each province of his kingdom, so that they may gather all the beautiful young virgins to the harem at the fortress of Susa. Put them under the supervision of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, keeper of the women, and give them the required beauty treatments.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Let the king appoint commissioners in each province of his kingdom, so that they may assemble all the beautiful young women to the harem at the fortress of Susa. Put them under the care of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, who is in charge of the women, and give them the required beauty treatments.

American Standard Version
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 Hegai the king's chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their things for purification be given them;

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And let the King command all the provinces and let them gather all virgin girls who are beautiful in their appearance to the house of women with Haggi the Eunuch, Keeper of the women, and he will give their adornments.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And let the king appoint local governors in all the provinces of his kingdom, and let them select fair and chaste young damsels and bring them 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 to them.

Contemporary English Version
You can select officers in every province to bring them to the place where you keep your wives in the capital city of Susa. Put your servant Hegai in charge of them since that is his job. He can see to it that they are given the proper beauty treatments.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And let some persons be sent through all the provinces to look for beautiful maidens and virgins: and let them bring them to the city of Susan, and put them into the house of the women under the hand of Egeus the eunuch, who is the overseer and keeper of the king's women: and let them receive women's ornaments, and other things necessary for their use.

English Revised Version
and let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that young virgins unto Shushan the palace, they may gather together all the fair to the house of the women, unto the custody of Hegai the king's chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their things for purification be given them:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
And appoint scouts in all the provinces of your kingdom to gather all the attractive young virgins and bring them to the fortress of Susa, to the women's quarters. There, in the care of the king's eunuch Hegai, the guardian of the women, they will have their beauty treatment.

Good News Translation
You can appoint officials in every province of the empire and have them bring all these beautiful young women to your harem here in Susa, the capital city. Put them in the care of Hegai, the eunuch who is in charge of your women, and let them be given a beauty treatment.

International Standard Version
Let the king appoint officials in all the provinces of his kingdom to bring all the beautiful young virgins into the harem in Susa the capital. Let them be placed under the care of Hegai, the king's eunuch, who is in charge of the women to give them their beauty treatments.

JPS Tanakh 1917
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 castle, to the house of the women, unto the custody of Hegai the king's chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their ointments be given them;

Literal Standard Version
and the king appoints inspectors in all provinces of his kingdom, and they gather every young woman—virgin, of good appearance—to Shushan the palace, to the house of the women, to the hand of Hegai eunuch of the king, keeper of the women, and to give their purifications,

Majority Standard Bible
and let the king appoint commissioners in each province of his kingdom to assemble all the beautiful young women into the harem at the citadel of Susa. Let them be placed under the care of Hegai, the king’s eunuch in charge of the women, and let them be given beauty treatments.

New American Bible
Let the king appoint emissaries in all the provinces of his realm to gather all beautiful young virgins into the harem in the royal precinct of Susa. Under the care of the royal eunuch Hegai, guardian of the women, let cosmetics be given them.

NET Bible
And let the king appoint officers throughout all the provinces of his kingdom to gather all the attractive young women to Susa the citadel, to the harem under the authority of Hegai, the king's eunuch who oversees the women, and let him provide whatever cosmetics they desire.

New Revised Standard Version
And let the king appoint commissioners in all the provinces of his kingdom to gather all the beautiful young virgins to the harem in the citadel of Susa under custody of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, who is in charge of the women; let their cosmetic treatments be given them.

New Heart English Bible
Let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the beautiful young virgins to the citadel of Shushan, to the women's house, to the custody of Hegai the king's eunuch, keeper of the women. Let cosmetics be given them;

Webster's Bible Translation
And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may collect all the fair young virgins to Shushan the palace, to the house of the women, into the custody of Hege the king's chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their things for purification be given them:

World English Bible
Let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the beautiful young virgins to the citadel of Susa, to the women’s house, to the custody of Hegai the king’s eunuch, keeper of the women. Let cosmetics be given them;

Young's Literal Translation
and the king doth appoint inspectors in all provinces of his kingdom, and they gather every young woman -- virgin, of good appearance -- unto Shushan the palace, unto the house of the women, unto the hand of Hege eunuch of the king, keeper of the women, and to give their purifications,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Seeking Vashti's Successor
2Then the king’s attendants proposed, “Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king, 3and let the king appoint commissioners in each province of his kingdom to assemble all the beautiful young women into the harem at the citadel of Susa. Let them be placed under the care of Hegai, the king’s eunuch in charge of the women, and let them be given beauty treatments. 4Then let the young woman who pleases the king become queen in place of Vashti.” This suggestion pleased the king, and he acted accordingly.…

Cross References
Esther 1:1
This is what happened in the days of Xerxes, who reigned over 127 provinces from India to Cush.

Esther 1:2
In those days King Xerxes sat on his royal throne in the citadel of Susa.

Esther 2:4
Then let the young woman who pleases the king become queen in place of Vashti." This suggestion pleased the king, and he acted accordingly.

Esther 2:8
When the king's command and edict had been proclaimed, many young women gathered at the citadel of Susa under the care of Hegai. Esther was also taken to the palace and placed under the care of Hegai, the custodian of the women.

Esther 2:9
And the young woman pleased him and obtained his favor, so he quickly provided her with beauty treatments and the special diet. He assigned to her seven select maidservants from the palace and transferred her with them to the best place in the harem.

Esther 2:12
In the twelve months before her turn to go to King Xerxes, the harem regulation required each young woman to receive beauty treatments with oil of myrrh for six months, and then with perfumes and cosmetics for another six months.

Esther 2:15
Now Esther was the daughter of Abihail, the uncle from whom Mordecai had adopted her as his own daughter. And when it was her turn to go to the king, she did not ask for anything except what Hegai, the king's trusted official in charge of the harem, had advised. And Esther found favor in the eyes of everyone who saw her.


Treasury of Scripture

And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the fair young virgins to Shushan the palace, to the house of the women, to the custody of Hege the king's chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their things for purification be given them:

in all the provinces.

Esther 1:1,2
Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces:) …

that they may gather.

the custody.

Esther 2:8
So it came to pass, when the king's commandment and his decree was heard, and when many maidens were gathered together unto Shushan the palace, to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was brought also unto the king's house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women.

Hegai.

their things.

Esther 2:12-14
Now when every maid's turn was come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after that she had been twelve months, according to the manner of the women, (for so were the days of their purifications accomplished, to wit, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odours, and with other things for the purifying of the women;) …

Isaiah 3:18-23
In that day the Lord will take away the bravery of their tinkling ornaments about their feet, and their cauls, and their round tires like the moon, …

Jump to Previous
Appoint Beautiful Chamberlain Citadel Cosmetics Custody Eunuch Fair Gather Hegai House Keeper Kingdom King's Officers Palace Provinces Shushan Susa Together Virgins Women Women's Young
Jump to Next
Appoint Beautiful Chamberlain Citadel Cosmetics Custody Eunuch Fair Gather Hegai House Keeper Kingdom King's Officers Palace Provinces Shushan Susa Together Virgins Women Women's Young
Esther 2
1. Out of the choice of virgins a queen is to be chosen.
5. Mordecai the nursing father of Esther.
8. Esther preferred before the rest.
12. The manner of purification, and going in to the king.
15. Esther, best pleasing the king, is made queen.
21. Mordecai, discovering a treason, is recorded in the chronicles.














(3) The house of the women.--The harem, then as now, a prominent feature in the establishment of an Eastern king.

Hege.--Called Hegai in Esther 2:8; a eunuch whose special charge seems to have been the virgins, while another, named Shaashgaz (Esther 2:14), had the custody of the concubines. The whole verse shows, as conclusively as anything could do, in how degrading an aspect Eastern women were, as a whole, viewed. It was reserved for Christianity to indicate the true position of woman, not man's plaything, but the help meet for him, able to aid him in his spiritual and intellectual progress, yielding him intelligent obedience, not slavery.

Verse 3. - The house of the women. In an Oriental palace the women's apartments are always distinct from those of the men, and are usually placed in a separate building, which the Greeks called the gynaeceum, and the Jews "the house of the women." At Susa this was a large edifice, and comprised several subdivisions (see ver. 14). Hege, the king's chamberlain. Literally, "the king's eunuch, i.e. one of the royal eunuchs (see Esther 1:10). Keeper of the women. Strictly speaking, Hege seems to have been keeper of the virgins only (see ver. 14); but he may have exercised a certain superintendence over the entire gynaeceum. Their things for purification. See ver. 12. Such a divinity lodged in the Persian king that even pure maidens had to be purified before approaching him! It would have been well if the divinity had been himself less impure.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
and let the king
הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ (ham·me·leḵ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428: A king

appoint
וְיַפְקֵ֨ד (wə·yap̄·qêḏ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6485: To visit, to oversee, muster, charge, care for, miss, deposit

commissioners
פְּקִידִים֮ (pə·qî·ḏîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 6496: Commissioner, deputy, overseer

in each
בְּכָל־ (bə·ḵāl)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

province
מְדִינ֣וֹת (mə·ḏî·nō·wṯ)
Noun - feminine plural construct
Strong's 4082: A judgeship, jurisdiction, a district, a region

of his kingdom
מַלְכוּתוֹ֒ (mal·ḵū·ṯōw)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 4438: Royalty, royal power, reign, kingdom

to assemble
וְיִקְבְּצ֣וּ (wə·yiq·bə·ṣū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 6908: To gather, collect

all
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

the beautiful
טוֹבַ֨ת (ṭō·w·ḇaṯ)
Adjective - feminine singular construct
Strong's 2896: Pleasant, agreeable, good

young
נַעֲרָֽה־ (na·‘ă·rāh-)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5291: A girl, maiden

women
בְ֠תוּלָה (ḇə·ṯū·lāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 1330: A virgin, sometimes, a bride

into
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

the harem
בֵּ֣ית (bêṯ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1004: A house

at
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

the citadel
הַבִּירָה֙ (hab·bî·rāh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 1002: A castle, palace

of Susa.
שׁוּשַׁ֤ן (šū·šan)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 7800: Susa -- residence of person kings

Let them be placed
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

under the care
יַ֥ד (yaḏ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 3027: A hand

of Hegai,
הֵגֶ֛א (hê·ḡe)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1896: Hege -- Hegai

the king’s
הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ (ham·me·leḵ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428: A king

eunuch
סְרִ֥יס (sə·rîs)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 5631: A eunuch, valet, a minister of state

in charge of
שֹׁמֵ֣ר (šō·mêr)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 8104: To hedge about, guard, to protect, attend to

the women,
הַנָּשִׁ֑ים (han·nā·šîm)
Article | Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 802: Woman, wife, female

and give them
וְנָת֖וֹן (wə·nā·ṯō·wn)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

the required beauty treatments.
תַּמְרוּקֵיהֶֽן׃ (tam·rū·qê·hen)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine plural
Strong's 8562: A scouring, soap, perfumery for, the bath, a detergent


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OT History: Esther 2:3 Let the king appoint officers in all (Est Esth. Es)
Esther 2:2
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