Bible Commentaries
Esther 2

Introduction

Overview

Esther 2:1, Out of the choice of virgins a queen is to be chosen; Esther 2:5, Mordecai the nursing father of Esther; Esther 2:8, Esther preferred before the rest; Esther 2:12, The manner of purification, and going in to the king; Esther 2:15, Esther best pleasing the king, is made queen; Esther 2:21, Mordecai discovering a treason, is recorded in the chronicles.

Verse 1

am 3543, bc 461

he remembered: Daniel 6:14-18

what was decreed: Esther 1:12-21

Reciprocal: Esther 2:16 - the seventh

Verse 2

king's servants: Esther 1:10, Esther 1:14, Esther 6:14

Let there be: Genesis 12:14, 1 Kings 1:2

Reciprocal: Genesis 12:15 - princes 1 Kings 1:3 - So 1 Kings 12:14 - the counsel

Verse 3

in all the provinces: Esther 1:1, Esther 1:2

that they may gather: This was the usual way in which the harem, or seraglio, was furnished; the finest women in the land, whether of high or low birth, were sought out and brought to the harem. They all became the king's concubines; but one was raised as chief wife, or sultana, to the throne; and her issue was especially entitled to inherit.

the custody: Heb. the hand

Hege: Esther 2:8, Hegai

the king's chamberlain: Saris hammelech, "the king's eunuch:" so the LXX, Vulgate, Targum, and Syriac.

their things: Esther 2:12-14, Isaiah 3:18-23

Reciprocal: Ezra 4:9 - Susanchites Esther 2:5 - Shushan Esther 2:9 - her her things Esther 2:16 - the seventh Esther 2:19 - the virgins Esther 8:14 - Shushan

Verse 4

let the maiden: Matthew 20:16, Matthew 22:14

the thing: Esther 1:21, Esther 3:9, Esther 3:10, 2 Samuel 13:4-6, 2 Samuel 16:21-23, 2 Samuel 17:4, Matthew 14:6

Reciprocal: Genesis 45:16 - it pleased Pharaoh well 1 Kings 1:3 - So Esther 2:19 - the virgins Esther 8:5 - I be pleasing

Verse 5

Shushan: Esther 2:3, Esther 1:2, Esther 5:1

a certain Jew: Esther 3:2-6, Esther 10:3

the son of Shimei: 1 Samuel 9:1, 2 Samuel 16:5

Verse 6

Jeconiah: 2 Kings 24:6, 2 Kings 24:14, 2 Kings 24:15, 2 Chronicles 36:9, 2 Chronicles 36:10, 2 Chronicles 36:20, Jeboiachin, Jeremiah 22:24, Jeremiah 22:28, Coniah, Jeremiah 24:1

Verse 7

brought up: Heb. nourished, Ephesians 6:4

Hadassah: Daniel 1:6, Daniel 1:7

his uncle's: Esther 2:15, Jeremiah 32:7-12

fair and beautiful: Heb. fair of form and good of countenance, Esther 1:11

took: Genesis 48:5, 2 Corinthians 6:18, 1 John 3:1

Reciprocal: Esther 2:10 - for Mordecai Esther 4:14 - but thou Esther 8:1 - came before Job 29:16 - a father

Verse 8

Hegai: One of Dr. Kennicott's manuscripts, instead of Hegai has Hege, as in Esther 2:3.

Reciprocal: Daniel 8:2 - Shushan

Verse 9

she obtained: Genesis 39:21, 1 Kings 8:50, Ezra 7:6, Nehemiah 2:8, Psalms 106:46, Proverbs 16:7, Daniel 1:9, Acts 7:10

her her things: Esther 2:3, Esther 2:12

such things: Heb. her portions

preferred her: Heb. changed her.

Reciprocal: Genesis 12:15 - taken

Verse 10

had not showed: Esther 3:8, Esther 4:13, Esther 4:14, Esther 7:4, Matthew 10:16

for Mordecai: Esther 2:7, Esther 2:20, Ephesians 6:1

Reciprocal: Hebrews 3:4 - but

Verse 11

Mordecai: The apartments of the women are accounted so inviolable, that it is even a crime to enquire what passes within their walls. A man, says Chardin, may walk a hundred days, one after the other, by the house where the women are, and yet know no more what is done there than at the farther end of Tartary. This sufficiently explains the conduct of Mordecai.

walked: Esther 2:13, Esther 2:14

how Esther did: Heb. the peace of Esther, Genesis 37:14, 1 Samuel 17:18, Acts 15:36

Verse 12

am 3546, bc 458

to go in: 1 Thessalonians 4:4, 1 Thessalonians 4:5

six months: Proverbs 7:17, Song of Solomon 3:6, Isaiah 57:9, Luke 7:37, Luke 7:38

Reciprocal: Esther 2:3 - their things Esther 2:9 - her her things Ezekiel 23:40 - thou didst

Verse 13

Reciprocal: Esther 2:11 - walked

Verse 14

delighted: Esther 4:11, Genesis 34:19, Deuteronomy 21:14, Isaiah 62:4, Isaiah 62:5

she were called: Isaiah 43:1, Isaiah 45:4

Reciprocal: Judges 19:1 - a concubine Esther 2:11 - walked

Verse 15

who had taken: Esther 2:7

Esther: Song of Solomon 6:9, Song of Solomon 8:10, Acts 7:10

Reciprocal: 2 Kings 9:32 - eunuchs Esther 4:14 - but thou Esther 8:1 - came before

Verse 16

the tenth month: Esther 8:9

the seventh: Esther 2:1, Esther 2:3, Ezra 7:8

Reciprocal: Ezra 10:9 - the ninth month Esther 3:7 - in the twelfth Jeremiah 39:1 - the tenth

Verse 17

favour: or, kindness

in his sight: Heb. before him

so that he set: Esther 4:14, 1 Samuel 2:8, Psalms 75:6, Psalms 75:7, Psalms 113:7, Psalms 113:8, Ezekiel 17:24, Luke 1:48-52, bishop Patrick observes, that those who suggest that Esther committed a great sin to come at the dignity of queen of Persia, do not consider the custom of those times and countries. Every one that the king took to his bed was married to him, and was his wife of a lower rank, as Hagar was to Abraham.

Reciprocal: Genesis 33:8 - to find 2 Kings 11:12 - put the crown Esther 8:5 - I be pleasing Ezekiel 16:11 - and a

Verse 18

am 3547, bc 457

made a great: Esther 1:3-5, Genesis 29:22, Judges 14:10-17, Song of Solomon 3:11, Song of Solomon 5:1, Matthew 22:2, Luke 14:8, Revelation 19:9

he made: We learn from Herodotus and Atheneus, that the Persian monarchs were accustomed to give their wives distinct cities and provinces for the purpose of supplying them with different articles of dress: one was assigned for ornamenting the head and neck; another provided robes, zones, etc.; and the city of Anthilla was given to a Persian queen, we read, to supply her with shoes and sandals. It is probable, therefore, that, at the desire of Esther, Ahasuerus relieved those cities and provinces that had before paid it, from this expense.

release: Heb. rest

gave gifts: Esther 9:22, 1 Samuel 25:8, Nehemiah 8:11, Revelation 11:10

Reciprocal: Matthew 14:6 - birthday Mark 6:21 - his birthday Ephesians 4:8 - and

Verse 19

the virgins: Esther 2:3, Esther 2:4

sat in the king's gate: Esther 2:21, Esther 3:2, Esther 3:3, Esther 5:13

Reciprocal: Esther 6:12 - came again Daniel 2:49 - sat

Verse 20

had not yet showed: Esther 2:10

for Esther: Ephesians 6:1-3

Reciprocal: Esther 4:8 - to charge

Verse 21

Bigthan: Esther 6:2, Bigthana

door: Heb. threshold

and sought: 2 Samuel 4:5, 2 Samuel 4:6, 2 Samuel 16:11, 1 Kings 15:25-27, 1 Kings 16:9, 2 Kings 9:22-24, 2 Kings 12:20, 2 Kings 21:23, Psalms 144:10

Reciprocal: 2 Kings 9:32 - eunuchs Esther 2:19 - sat in the king's gate Esther 3:2 - the king's servants Esther 7:9 - who had spoken Daniel 2:49 - sat

Verse 22

the thing: Ecclesiastes 10:20, Acts 23:12-22

and Esther certified: Esther 6:1, Esther 6:2, Romans 11:33

Mordecai's name: Philippians 2:4

Verse 23

hanged: Esther 5:14, Esther 7:10, Genesis 40:19, Genesis 40:22, Deuteronomy 21:22, Deuteronomy 21:23, Joshua 8:29

the book: Esther 6:1, Esther 6:2, Malachi 3:16

Reciprocal: Joshua 10:26 - hanged Esther 10:2 - in the book