Esther 2

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Esther 2:7

And he brought up Hadassah (that is Esther) his uncle's daughter ,.... Her Hebrew name was Hadassah, which signifies a myrtle, to which the Israelites, and good men among them, are sometimes compared, Zechariah 1:8 . Her Persian name was Esther, which some derive from "satar", to hide, because hidden in the house of Mordecai, so the former Targum, and by his advice concealed her kindred: or rather she was so called by Ahasuerus, when married to him, this word signifying in the Persian... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Esther 2:8

So it came to pass, when the king's commandment and decree was heard ,.... In the several provinces of his kingdom: and when many maidens were gathered unto Shushan the palace, to the custody of Hegai ; Josephus F15 Ibid. (Antiqu. l. 11. c. 6. sect. 2.) says, there were gathered to the number of four hundred: that Esther was brought also unto the king's house, to the custody of Hegai, the keeper of the women : by force, as Aben Ezra and the former Targum, and so the word is... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Esther 2:9

And the maiden pleased him ,.... Not the king, into whose presence she was not yet introduced, but the chamberlain; her beauty and her behaviour recommended her to him, and he concluded within himself that she was the person that of all would be acceptable to the king: and she obtained kindness of him : had favours shown others had not: and he speedily gave her things for purification ; as oil, spices, &c.; that she might be the sooner fitted to be had into the king's presence: ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Esther 2:10

Esther had not showed her people nor her kindred ,.... What nation or family she was of; it not being asked, she was under no obligation to declare it; and being born in Shushan, as very probable, she was taken to be a Persian: for Mordecai had charged her that she should not show it ; lest she should be despised and ill treated on that account; fearing, if the king knew it, he would not marry her, as Aben Ezra; or rather, as the same writer thinks, that she might keep the law of God... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Esther 2:11

And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women's house ,.... Being one of the court, and in an high post, as Aben Ezra thinks, he might walk there without being examined, and called to an account for it: to know how Esther did ; to inquire of her health and prosperity, or peace, the word here used signifies, even all sorts of it: and what should become of her ; or was done to her, whether she was well used, or as yet introduced to the king, how it fared with her, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Esther 2:12

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 women ,.... That were prepared in the house of the women to be presented to the king for his liking; for it seems that these virgins came in turns to him, according to the time they had been in the house; as did the wives of the kings of Persia, as Herodotus relates F16 Thalia, sive, l. 3. c. 69. : for so were the days of their purifications accomplished ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Esther 2:13

Then thus came every virgin unto the king ,.... When her twelve months were up, and she was purified in the manner before observed: whatsoever she desired was given her to go with her out of the house of the women unto the king's house ; whatever she commanded the chamberlain was obliged to furnish her with, or grant it to her, whether for ornament, as jewels, rich apparel, &c.; or for attendance; whatever prince or peer she required to accompany her to the king, was to be obtained... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Esther 2:14

In the evening she went, and on the morrow she returned into the second house of the women ,.... Or the other apartment of the house of the women, where were kept those the king had made his concubines or secondary wives. Aben Ezra interprets it the second time, and so the Targum by "again": to the custody of Shaashgaz the king's chamberlain, which kept the concubines ; of which the kings of Persia had a great number; Darius, whom Alexander conquered, had three hundred and sixty F17 ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Esther 2:15

Now when the turn of Esther the daughter of Abihail ,.... For this was her father's name, and not Aminadab, as the Septuagint version: the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter ; which makes it quite clear that Mordecai was not Esther's uncle, as Josephus, but her own cousin: now when her turn was come to go in unto the king ; which the virgins under purification took by turns, Esther 2:14 , she required nothing but what Hegai the king's chamberlain, the keeper... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Esther 2:16

So Esther was taken unto King Ahasuerus, into his house royal ,.... Did not return on the morrow to the house of the women, as those who only became the king's concubines did, Esther 2:14 , but she was taken to be his wife, and designed for his queen, and so was retained in his palace, and placed in an apartment suitable to the dignity she was about to be advanced unto: and this was done in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth ; and answers to part of December and part of... read more

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