Esther 2:16

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.

So Esther {H635} was taken {H3947} unto king {H4428} Ahasuerus {H325} into his house {H1004} royal {H4438} in the tenth {H6224} month {H2320}, which is the month {H2320} Tebeth {H2887}, in the seventh {H7651} year {H8141} of his reign {H4438}.

She was brought to King Achashverosh in his royal palace in the tenth month, Tevet, during the seventh year of his reign.

She was taken to King Xerxes in the royal palace in the tenth month, the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.

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.

Commentary

Esther 2:16 marks a pivotal moment in the biblical narrative, detailing the specific time Esther was presented to King Ahasuerus.

Context

This verse places Esther within the ongoing process initiated by King Ahasuerus to find a new queen after Queen Vashti's refusal to obey his command (see Esther 1:12). Following a decree to gather beautiful young virgins from across his vast kingdom, Esther, a Jewish orphan raised by her cousin Mordecai (Esther 2:7), is brought into the royal palace in Susa to be prepared for presentation to the king.

Key Themes

  • Timing and Providence: The verse emphasizes the specific month and year, highlighting the precise timing of Esther's entry into the king's presence, which is crucial for the subsequent events.
  • Progression of the Narrative: It signifies Esther moving from preparation in the harem to the critical stage of meeting the king, setting the stage for her potential elevation.
  • Selection Process: It is part of the detailed account of the elaborate process King Ahasuerus used to choose his new queen.

Linguistic Insights

The mention of the "tenth month, which is the month Tebeth" provides a specific calendar reference. Tebeth is a month in the Hebrew calendar, roughly corresponding to December/January. Stating it was "in the seventh year of his reign" anchors this event firmly within the historical timeline of King Ahasuerus (likely Xerxes I), offering a chronological marker for the events unfolding in the book of Esther.

Significance and Application

Esther being taken to the king in the month of Tebeth during his seventh year is more than just a date; it's the precise moment her destiny begins to intersect directly with the highest power in the Persian Empire. This seemingly administrative step is, from a spiritual perspective, the positioning of God's chosen instrument for the salvation of her people. It illustrates how divine providence often works through seemingly ordinary circumstances and specific timings, placing individuals exactly where they need to be for His purposes to unfold, even when those involved are unaware of the larger plan.

Note: Commentary was generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please remember that only the commentary section is AI-generated. The main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are sourced from trusted and verified materials.
The Story of Queen Esther: For Such a Time as This Lessons in Courage from the Life of Esther Mordecai's Faithfulness Mordecai: A Man of Courage and Conviction

Cross-References

  • Esther 8:9

    Then were the king's scribes called at that time in the third month, that [is], the month Sivan, on the three and twentieth [day] thereof; and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded unto the Jews, and to the lieutenants, and the deputies and rulers of the provinces which [are] from India unto Ethiopia, an hundred twenty and seven provinces, unto every province according to the writing thereof, and unto every people after their language, and to the Jews according to their writing, and according to their language.

  • Esther 2:3

    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]:

  • Ezra 7:8

    And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which [was] in the seventh year of the king.

  • Esther 2:1

    ¶ 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.
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