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:

ESTHER 2:3KJV
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Esther 2:3 (KJV)

What does Esther 2:3 mean?

Esther 2:3 describes how King Ahasuerus is advised to appoint officials throughout his empire to gather all the beautiful young unmarried women and bring them to the palace in Shushan, where they will be placed under the care of Hege, the king’s servant in charge of the women, and given what they need for purification. This is part of the search for a new queen after Queen Vashti’s removal.

The verse is set in the Persian royal court, where the king’s attendants are suggesting a plan to find a new queen. The officials are to search every province for suitable young women, emphasizing the king’s power and the vastness of his kingdom. The process involves not just gathering the women, but also preparing them according to the customs of the time, under the supervision of a trusted palace official.

The Hebrew behind Esther 2:3

  • "Appoint" (פָּקַד, paqad): This word often means to assign or put someone in charge, highlighting the king’s authority to delegate this important task across his realm.
  • "Officers" (סָרִיס, saris): This term refers to eunuchs or high-ranking palace officials, showing that trusted, high-status servants were responsible for carrying out the king’s orders.
  • "Fair" (טוֹב, tov and מַרְאֶה, mareh): These two words together stress both goodness and physical appearance, indicating the women were chosen for both their beauty and perhaps their suitability in other ways.
  • "Purification" (תַּמְרוּק, tamruq): This refers to the special treatments or rituals for cleansing and beautifying the women, an important part of preparing them for presentation to the king.

Why Esther 2:3 matters

  • Esther 2:3 clarifies that the selection of a new queen was not a simple or private affair, but a kingdom-wide search involving many officials and a formal process.
  • The verse shows the structured and elaborate customs of the Persian court, including the importance placed on ritual purification and preparation before meeting the king.
  • Understanding this process sets the stage for Esther’s later introduction and highlights the extraordinary circumstances that led to her becoming queen.

Where else these words appear

“Hege” Hebrew H1896 · used in 3 verses

  • 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.
  • Esther 2:15 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.

“purification” Hebrew H8562 · used in 4 verses

  • Esther 2:9 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 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 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;)
  • Proverbs 20:30 The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly.

“officers” Hebrew H6496 · used in 13 verses

  • Genesis 41:34 Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years.
  • 2 Chronicles 31:13 And Jehiel, and Azaziah, and Nahath, and Asahel, and Jerimoth, and Jozabad, and Eliel, and Ismachiah, and Mahath, and Benaiah, were overseers under the hand of Cononiah and Shimei his brother, at the commandment of Hezekiah the king, and Azariah the ruler of the house of God.
  • Nehemiah 12:42 And Maaseiah, and Shemaiah, and Eleazar, and Uzzi, and Jehohanan, and Malchijah, and Elam, and Ezer. And the singers sang loud, with Jezrahiah their overseer.

“palace” Hebrew H1002 · used in 16 verses

  • 1 Chronicles 29:1 Furthermore David the king said unto all the congregation, Solomon my son, whom alone God hath chosen, is yet young and tender, and the work is great: for the palace is not for man, but for the LORD God.
  • Esther 1:2 That in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace,
  • Esther 8:14 So the posts that rode upon mules and camels went out, being hastened and pressed on by the king's commandment. And the decree was given at Shushan the palace.