After these things, when the wrath of king Ahasuerus was appeased, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her.
Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king:
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:
in all the provinces.
Esther 1:1,2 Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus …
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 So it came to pass, when the king's commandment and his decree was heard…
Hegai. the king's chamberlain. Saris hammelech, 'the king's eunuch:' so the LXX., Vulgate, Targum, and Syriac.
their things.
Esther 2:12-14 Now when every maid's turn was come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after …
Isaiah 3:18-23 In that day the Lord will take away the bravery of their tinkling …
And let the maiden which pleaseth the king be queen instead of Vashti. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.
let the maiden.
Matthew 20:16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, …
Matthew 22:14 For many are called, but few are chosen.
the thing.
Esther 1:21 And the saying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did …
Esther 3:9,10 If it please the king, let it be written that they may be destroyed…
2 Samuel 13:4-6 And he said to him, Why are you, being the king's son, lean from …
2 Samuel 16:21-23 And Ahithophel said to Absalom, Go in to your father's concubines, …
2 Samuel 17:4 And the saying pleased Absalom well, and all the elders of Israel.
Matthew 14:6 But when Herod's birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced …
Now in Shushan the palace there was a certain Jew, whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite;
Shushan.
Esther 2:3 And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom…
Esther 1:2 That in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of …
Esther 5:1 Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal …
a certain Jew.
Esther 3:2-6 And all the king's servants, that were in the king's gate, bowed, …
Esther 10:3 For Mordecai the Jew was next to king Ahasuerus, and great among …
the son of Shimei.
1 Samuel 9:1 Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son of …
2 Samuel 16:5 And when king David came to Bahurim, behold, there came out a man …
Who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captivity which had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away.
Jeconiah.
2 Kings 24:6,14,15 So Jehoiakim slept with his fathers: and Jehoiachin his son reigned …
2 Chronicles 36:9,10,20 Jehoiachin was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned …
Jeboiachin.
Jeremiah 22:24,28 As I live, said the LORD, though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim king …
Coniah.
Jeremiah 24:1 The LORD showed me, and, behold, two baskets of figs were set before …
And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter.
brought up. Heb. nourished.
Ephesians 6:4 And, you fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them …
Hadassah.
Daniel 1:6,7 Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, …
his uncle's.
Esther 2:15 Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of …
Jeremiah 32:7-12 Behold, Hanameel the son of Shallum your uncle shall come to you …
fair and beautiful. Heb. fair of form and good of countenance.
Esther 1:11 To bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to …
took.
Genesis 48:5 And now your two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, which were born to you …
2 Corinthians 6:18 And will be a Father to you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, …
1 John 3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we …
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.
And the maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness of him; and he speedily gave her her things for purification, with such things as belonged to her, and seven maidens, which were meet to be given her, out of the king's house: and he preferred her and her maids unto the best place of the house of the women.
Esther had not shewed her people nor her kindred: for Mordecai had charged her that she should not shew it.
had not shewed.
Esther 3:8 And Haman said to king Ahasuerus…
Esther 4:13,14 Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with yourself …
Esther 7:4 For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and …
Matthew 10:16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the middle of wolves: be you …
for Mordecai.
Esther 2:7,20 And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daughter: …
Ephesians 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.
And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women's house, to know how Esther did, and what should become of her.
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 2:13,14 Then thus came every maiden to the king…
how Esther did. Heb. the peace of Esther.
Genesis 37:14 And he said to him, Go, I pray you, see whether it be well with your …
1 Samuel 17:18 And carry these ten cheeses to the captain of their thousand, and …
Acts 15:36 And some days after Paul said to Barnabas…
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;)
A.M.
1 Thessalonians 4:4,5 That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification …
six months.
Proverbs 7:17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
Songs 3:6 Who is this that comes out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, …
Isaiah 57:9 And you went to the king with ointment, and did increase your perfumes, …
Luke 7:37,38 And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew …
Then thus came every maiden unto the king; whatsoever she desired was given her to go with her out of the house of the women unto the king's house.
In the evening she went, and on the morrow she returned into the second house of the women, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king's chamberlain, which kept the concubines: she came in unto the king no more, except the king delighted in her, and that she were called by name.
delighted.
Esther 4:11 All the king's servants, and the people of the king's provinces, …
Genesis 34:19 And the young man deferred not to do the thing, because he had delight …
Deuteronomy 21:14 And it shall be, if you have no delight in her, then you shall let …
Isaiah 62:4,5 You shall no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall your land any …
she were called.
Isaiah 43:1 But now thus said the LORD that created you, O Jacob, and he that …
Isaiah 45:4 For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel my elect, I have even called …
Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, was come to go in unto the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king's chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed. And Esther obtained favour in the sight of all them that looked upon her.
So Esther was taken unto king Ahasuerus into his house royal in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.
And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.
favour. or, kindness. in his sight. Heb. before him. so that he set.
Esther 4:14 For if you altogether hold your peace at this time, then shall there …
1 Samuel 2:8 He raises up the poor out of the dust, and lifts up the beggar from …
Psalm 75:6,7 For promotion comes neither from the east, nor from the west, nor …
Psalm 113:7,8 He raises up the poor out of the dust, and lifts the needy out of …
Ezekiel 17:24 And all the trees of the field shall know that I the LORD have brought …
Luke 1:48-52 For he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, …
Then the king made a great feast unto all his princes and his servants, even Esther's feast; and he made a release to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the state of the king.
A.M.
Esther 1:3-5 In the third year of his reign, he made a feast to all his princes …
Genesis 29:22 And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.
Judges 14:10-17 So his father went down to the woman: and Samson made there a feast; …
Songs 3:11 Go forth, O you daughters of Zion, and behold king Solomon with the …
Songs 5:1 I am come into my garden, my sister, my spouse: I have gathered my …
Matthew 22:2 The kingdom of heaven is like to a certain king, which made a marriage …
Luke 14:8 When you are bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the …
Revelation 19:9 And he said to me, Write, Blessed are they which are called to the …
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 As the days wherein the Jews rested from their enemies, and the month …
1 Samuel 25:8 Ask your young men, and they will show you. Why let the young men …
Nehemiah 8:11 So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for …
Revelation 11:10 And they that dwell on the earth shall rejoice over them, and make …
And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, then Mordecai sat in the king's gate.
Esther had not yet shewed her kindred nor her people; as Mordecai had charged her: for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him.
In those days, while Mordecai sat in the king's gate, two of the king's chamberlains, Bigthan and Teresh, of those which kept the door, were wroth, and sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus.
Bigthan.
Esther 6:2 And it was found written, that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and …
Bigthana. door. Heb. threshold. and sought.
2 Samuel 4:5,6 And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went, and …
2 Samuel 16:11 And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, …
1 Kings 15:25-27 And Nadab the son of Jeroboam began to reign over Israel in the second …
1 Kings 16:9 And his servant Zimri, captain of half his chariots, conspired against …
2 Kings 9:22-24 And it came to pass, when Joram saw Jehu, that he said, Is it peace, …
2 Kings 12:20 And his servants arose, and made a conspiracy, and slew Joash in …
2 Kings 21:23 And the servants of Amon conspired against him, and slew the king …
Psalm 144:10 It is he that gives salvation to kings: who delivers David his servant …
And the thing was known to Mordecai, who told it unto Esther the queen; and Esther certified the king thereof in Mordecai's name.
And when inquisition was made of the matter, it was found out; therefore they were both hanged on a tree: and it was written in the book of the chronicles before the king.
