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 2:3KJVWhat 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.