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Commentary on Esther 2 verses 1–20
How God put down one that was high and mighty from her seat we read in the chapter before, and are now to be told how he exalted one of low degree, as the virgin Mary observes in her song (Luk 1:52) and Hannah before her, Sa1 2:4-8. Vashti being humbled for her height, Esther is advanced for her humility. Observe,
I. The extravagant course that was taken to please the king with another wife instead of Vashti. Josephus says that when his anger was over he was exceedingly grieved that the matter was carried so far, and would have been reconciled to Vashti but that, by the constitution of the government, the judgment was irrevocable - that therefore, to make him forget her, they contrived how to entertain him first with a great variety of concubines, and then to fix him to the most agreeable of them all for a wife instead of Vashti. The marriages of princes are commonly made by policy and interest, for the enlarging of their dominions and the strengthening of their alliances; but this must be made partly by the agreeableness of the person to the king's fancy, whether she was rich or poor, noble or ignoble. What pains were taken to humour the king! As if his power and wealth were given him for no other end than that he might have all the delights of the sense wound up to the height of pleasurableness, and exquisitely refined, though at the best they are but dross and dregs in comparison with divine and spiritual pleasures. 1. All the provinces of his kingdom must be searched for fair young virgins, and officers appointed to choose them, Est 2:3. 2. A house (a seraglio) was prepared on purpose for them, and a person appointed to have the charge of them, to see that they were well provided for. 3. No less than twelve months was allowed them for their purification, some of them at least who were brought out of the country, that they might be very clean, and perfumed, Est 2:12. Even those who were the masterpieces of nature must yet have all this help from art to recommend them to a vain and carnal mind. 4. After the king had once taken them to his bed, they were made recluses ever after, except the king pleased at any time to send for them (Est 2:14); they were looked upon as secondary wives, were maintained by the king accordingly, and might not marry. We may see, by this instance, to what absurd practices those came who were destitute of divine revelation, and who, as a punishment for their idolatry, were given up to vile affections. Having broken through that law of creation which resulted from God's making man, they broke through another law, which was founded upon his making one man and one woman. See what need there was of the gospel of Christ to purify men from the lusts of the flesh and to reduce them to the original institution. Those that have learned Christ will think it a shame even to speak of such things as these which were done of them, not only in secret, but avowedly, Eph 5:12.
II. The overruling providence of God thus brining Esther to be queen. Had she been recommended to Ahasuerus for a wife, he would have rejected the motion with disdain; but when she came in her turn, after several others, and it was found that though many of them were ingenious and discreet, graceful and agreeable, yet Esther excelled them all, way was made for her, even by her rivals, into the king's affections and the honours consequent thereupon. It is certain, as bishop Patrick says, that those who suggest that she committed a great sin to come at this dignity do not consider the custom of those times and countries. Every one that the king took to his bed was married to him, and was his wife of a lower rank, as Hagar was Abraham's; so that, if Esther had not been made queen, the sons of Jacob need not say that he dealt with their sister as with a harlot. Concerning Esther we must observe,
1.Her original and character. (1.) She was one of the children of the captivity, a Jewess and a sharer with her people in their bondage. Daniel and his fellows were advanced in the land where they were captives; for they were of those whom God sent thither for their good, Jer 24:5. (2.) She was an orphan; her father and mother were both dead (Est 2:7), but, when they had forsaken here, then the Lord took her up, Psa 27:10. When those whose unhappiness it is to be thus deprived of their parents in their childhood yet afterwards come to be eminently pious and prosperous, we ought to take notice of it to the glory of that God, and his grace and providence, who has taken it among the titles of his honour to be a Father of the fatherless. (3.) She was a beauty, fair of form, good of countenance; so it is in the margin, Est 2:7. Her wisdom and virtue were her greatest beauty, but it is an advantage to be a diamond to be well set. (4.) Mordecai, her cousin-german, was her guardian, brought her up, and took her for his own daughter. The Septuagint says that he designed to make her his wife; if that were so, he was to be praised that he opposed not her better preferment. let God be acknowledged in raising up friends for the fatherless and motherless; let it be an encouragement to that pious instance of charity that many who have taken care of the education of orphans have lived to see the good fruit of their care and pains, abundantly to their comfort. Dr. Lightfoot thinks that this Mordecai is the same with that mentioned in Ezr 2:2, who went up to Jerusalem with the first, and helped forward the settlement of his people until the building of the temple was stopped, and then went back to the Persian court, to see what service he could do them there. Mordecai being Esther's guardian or pro-parent, we are told, [1.] How tender he was of her, as if she had been his own child (Est 2:11): he walked before her door every day, to know how she did, and what interest she had. Let those whose relations are thus cast upon them by divine Providence be thus kindly affectioned to them and solicitous for them. [2.] How respectful she was to him. Though in relation she was his equal, yet, being in age and dependence his inferior, she honoured him as her father - did his commandment, Est 2:20. This is an example to orphans; if they fall into the hands of those who love them and take care of them, let them make suitable returns of duty and affection. The less obliged their guardians were in duty to provide for them the more obliged they are in gratitude to honour and obey their guardians. Here is an instance of Esther's obsequiousness t Mordecai, that she did not show her people of her kindred, because Mordecai had charged her that she should not, Est 2:10. he did not bid her deny her country, nor tell a lie to conceal her parentage; if he had told her to do so, she must not have done it. But he only told her not to proclaim her country. All truths are not to be spoken at all times, though an untruth is not to be spoken at any time. She being born in Shushan, and her parents being dead, all took her to be of Persian extraction, and she was not bound to undeceive them.
2.Her preferment. Who would have thought that a Jewess, a captive, and orphan, was born to be a queen, an empress! Yet so it proved. Providence sometimes raiseth up the poor out of the dust, to set them among princes, Sa1 2:8. (1.) The king's chamberlain honoured her (Est 2:9), and was ready to serve her. Wisdom and virtue will gain respect. Those that make sure of God's favour shall find favour with man too as far as it is good for them. All that looked upon Esther admired her (Est 2:15) and concluded that she was the lady that would win the prize, and she did win it. (2.) The king himself fell in love with her. She was not solicitous, as the rest of the maidens were, to set herself off with artificial beauty; she required nothing but just what was appointed for her (Est 2:15) and yet she was most acceptable. The more natural beauty is the more agreeable. The king loved Esther above all the women, v. 17. Now he needed not to make any further trials, or take time to deliberate; he is soon determined to set the royal crown upon her head, and make her queen, v. 17. This was done in his seventh year (v. 16) and Vashti was divorced in his third year (Est 1:3); so that he was four years without a queen. Notice is taken, [1.] Of the honours the king put upon Esther. He graced the solemnity of her coronation with a royal feast (Est 2:18), at which perhaps Esther, in compliance with the king, made a public appearance, which Vashti had refused to do, that she might have the praise of obedience in the same instance in which the other incurred the blot of disobedience. He also granted a release to the provinces, either a remittance of the taxes in arrear or an act of grace for criminals; as Pilate, at the feast, released a prisoner. This was to add t the joy. [2.] Of the deference Esther continued to pay to her former guardian. She still did the commandment of Mordecai, as when she was brought up with him, Est 2:20. Mordecai say in the king's gate; that was the height of his preferment: he was one of the porters or door-keepers of the court. Whether he had this place before, or whether Esther obtained it for him, we are not told; but there he sat contentedly, and aimed no higher; and yet Esther who was advanced to the throne was observant of him. This was an evidence of a humble and grateful disposition, that she had a sense of his former kindnesses and his continued wisdom. It is a great ornament to those that are advanced, and much to their praise, to remember their benefactors, to retain the impressions of their good education, to be diffident of themselves, willing to take advice, and thankful for it.
The worldly philosophers drive out an old passion by instilling a new one; they hammer out one nail by hammering in another. It was on this principle that the seven princes of Persia acted toward Ahasuerus, for they subdued his regret for Vashti by inducing him to love other maidens. But whereas they cured one fault by another fault and one sin by another sin, we must overcome our faults by learning to love the opposite virtues. “Depart from evil,” says the psalmist, “and do good; seek peace and pursue it.”
When, therefore, Judea had been repulsed from its relationship with the king, various nations—and the various inhabitants of particular nations from the various parts of the world—were brought in to receive a share in the royal grandeur through the holy preachers, who were ministers of the words of the Gospel. And they were placed under the hand of Hegai, meaning quick or customary, who was in charge of the king's women; that is, under the care of the shepherds and rulers of the Church to whom the governance of the souls of the faithful was committed, so that they might be able to offer them, in word and by example, whatever they needed for the cultivation of righteousness. And so whatever souls pleased the eyes of the inner breast in proper faith and pure conscience would be brought, pure and holy, to the bed of the eternal king in place of the stubborn and shameless Vashti who had been cast out.
After Judea had been expelled from the royal marriage, different peoples and different individuals from each nation from different parts of the world were led to the royal congregation by the holy preachers who were ministers of the evangelical word. They were given into the custody of Hegai, whose name is interpreted as “celebration” or “solemnity.” He was the superintendent of the royal women. In other words, they were given to the care of the pastors and leaders of the church to whom the custody of the souls of the faithful was entrusted.
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SUMMARY
Esther 2:3 details a crucial royal decree by King Ahasuerus's advisors, initiated after Queen Vashti's dethronement, to find a new queen. This verse outlines a systematic, kingdom-wide process for gathering all beautiful young virgins to Shushan the palace, where they would be placed under the strict custody of Hege, the king's chamberlain and keeper of the women, and provided with an extensive regimen of purification, thereby meticulously setting the stage for Esther's unexpected and divinely orchestrated entry into the royal court.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Esther 2:3 serves as a direct narrative consequence of Esther chapter 1, which concluded with Queen Vashti's public disgrace and removal from her royal position due to her defiance of King Ahasuerus's summons. The king's advisors, aiming to prevent widespread female insubordination, had already issued a decree affirming the husband's authority in every home (Esther 1:22). This verse, then, logically introduces the practical solution to the vacant queenly position: a comprehensive, empire-wide search for a suitable replacement. It effectively transitions the story from the problem of Vashti's rebellion to the implementation of a solution, directly paving the way for the introduction of Mordecai and Esther in the immediately subsequent verses (Esther 2:5-7).
Historical & Cultural Context: The events of the book of Esther are set during the reign of Ahasuerus, widely identified as Xerxes I (486-465 BC), who ruled the vast Achaemenid Persian Empire. Shushan (Susa) functioned as one of the empire's key capital cities and housed the king's primary winter palace. The maintenance of a royal harem, encompassing wives, concubines, and virgins awaiting royal favor, was a well-established practice in ancient Near Eastern monarchies, serving both pleasure and political succession. The appointment of "officers" (pəqîḏîm) throughout the provinces underscores the highly centralized and efficient bureaucratic structure of the Persian administration, capable of executing such a widespread and logistically complex mandate. The "chamberlain" (sārîs), frequently a eunuch, was a deeply trusted official, responsible for the security, management, and purity of the royal women, thereby safeguarding the king's lineage and preventing any challenges to his authority. The "things for purification" (tamrûq) refer to an elaborate and lengthy regimen of cosmetic treatments, anointing oils, and perfumes, as further detailed in Esther 2:12, reflecting the profound cultural emphasis on beauty, hygiene, and meticulous preparation for royal presentation.
Key Themes: This verse significantly contributes to several overarching themes within the book of Esther. Firstly, it powerfully illustrates the Absolute Royal Authority of the Persian king; his decree is not merely a suggestion but an unchallengeable law, implemented immediately and pervasively across his immense dominion. Secondly, it highlights the theme of Human Selection and Preparation, where the criteria for queenly candidacy are exclusively physical beauty and a human-devised, meticulous preparation process, with no discernible mention of divine consultation or spiritual qualifications. Thirdly, the systematic gathering of women from diverse regions to the central palace at Shushan starkly emphasizes the Centralization of Power within the Persian Empire. Finally, for the young women involved, this summons represents a profound sense of Vulnerability and Uncertainty, as they are forcibly removed from their homes and families, their destinies now entirely subject to the king's arbitrary will. This sets a crucial stage where divine providence must operate, often unseen, through seemingly secular and even oppressive human systems.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Esther 2:3 masterfully employs several literary devices to advance the narrative and underscore its profound themes. The most prominent is Foreshadowing, as this systematic gathering of virgins directly sets the stage for Esther's entry into the royal court, an event that will prove pivotal for the salvation of her people. The highly organized and bureaucratic nature of the decree, involving "officers" in "all the provinces," exemplifies Bureaucracy as a powerful mechanism of royal control, highlighting the king's ability to command and control vast resources and populations with impersonal efficiency. There is also a profound layer of Irony, as this elaborate human system, meticulously designed for the king's pleasure and the perpetuation of his lineage, paradoxically becomes the very means through which God's unseen hand will providentially work to preserve His chosen people. Furthermore, the description of the women being gathered and prepared can be seen as Symbolism, representing the objectification and inherent vulnerability of individuals under an autocratic regime, yet simultaneously serving as unwitting vessels for a greater, divine purpose that transcends human intentions.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Esther 2:3, while seemingly a straightforward administrative detail, carries profound theological implications. It powerfully illustrates the principle of God's sovereignty working through human means, even those that appear mundane, self-serving, or morally ambiguous. The meticulous, human-driven process of selecting a queen, based purely on physical attributes and royal decree, is precisely the mechanism God uses to position Esther for her ultimate, redemptive role. This highlights that God's providence is not confined to overtly spiritual acts or solely to righteous individuals; He can orchestrate events and utilize any circumstance, even the machinations of a pagan king and the plight of vulnerable women, to fulfill His divine purposes. The verse implicitly challenges the reader to look beyond the visible human agency and discern the invisible, guiding hand of God at work, shaping history and directing individuals toward His redemptive plan, often in ways that are not immediately apparent or comfortable.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Esther 2:3 serves as a profound reminder that God's providence is actively at work even in the most secular, chaotic, or seemingly unjust circumstances. For the young women gathered, this was undoubtedly a terrifying and uncertain time, marked by loss of autonomy and forced relocation. Yet, for Esther, this very path, though involuntary, was the precise route to her divine appointment and the salvation of her people. This narrative challenges us to deeply consider how God might be working in our own lives, even when our circumstances feel entirely beyond our control, or when human systems and decisions seem to dominate. We are called to cultivate a trust that God can indeed use unexpected paths, human choices, and even difficult or uncomfortable situations to achieve His greater, often unseen, purposes, frequently positioning us or others for roles we could never have imagined. It encourages us to look for God's sovereign hand in the ordinary, the inconvenient, and the seemingly random events of life, recognizing that His intricate plan is often unfolding behind the scenes, guiding us toward His ultimate good.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What was the "house of the women" and its significance?
Answer: The "house of the women" (Hebrew: בֵּית הַנָּשִׁים, bêṯ hannāšîm) was the royal harem, a distinct and highly controlled section of the palace complex specifically dedicated to housing the king's wives, concubines, and virgins awaiting his favor. Its significance lies in its role as a segregated and meticulously managed environment, underscoring the king's absolute ownership and control over these women. It functioned as a place of both potential opportunity for advancement and profound confinement, where women were rigorously prepared and held in readiness for the king's summons, all under the strict supervision of trusted officials like Hege. This structure was a common feature in ancient Near Eastern monarchies, designed to ensure the purity of the royal lineage and the king's exclusive access to his chosen women, as implicitly seen in historical accounts and even passages like Daniel 1:3-4.
Was the gathering of these virgins voluntary or compulsory?
Answer: The text strongly implies that the gathering of these virgins was compulsory. The king's decree explicitly states that "officers" (pəqîḏîm) are to be "appointed in all the provinces of his kingdom" to "gather together all the fair young virgins." This language clearly indicates a state-mandated conscription rather than a voluntary enlistment. Young women, including Esther, were forcibly taken from their homes and families and brought to the palace, signifying they had little to no choice in the matter. This highlights the absolute power of the Persian king and the inherent vulnerability of his subjects, particularly women, to his decrees. This forced relocation is a pivotal aspect of the narrative, establishing the very circumstances through which God's providential plan for Esther and her people would unfold, as she was brought into the royal court against her will, yet for a divine purpose (Esther 4:14).
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Esther 2:3, with its depiction of a systematic, human-driven selection process for a queen based on outward beauty and meticulous preparation, finds a profound Christ-centered fulfillment in the divine selection and preparation of the ultimate King and His Bride. While the virgins in Esther were chosen based on physical attractiveness and subjected to an elaborate purification regimen, Christ, the true King, was chosen by God before the foundation of the world, not for His outward appearance (for He had "no beauty or majesty to attract us to him," according to Isaiah 53:2), but for His perfect obedience and redemptive purpose. He willingly emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant (Philippians 2:7), entering the world not through royal decree but through humble birth, to fulfill God's eternal plan. Just as Esther was brought into the palace to save her people, Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, entered human history to redeem humanity. His "purification" was not with oils and perfumes, but through His sinless life, sacrificial death, and glorious resurrection, which cleanse His chosen Bride, the Church, making her holy and blameless before God (Ephesians 5:25-27). Thus, Esther's story, initiated by a human decree for a temporary queen, ultimately points to the divine decree for the eternal King, Jesus, and His everlasting kingdom, where His chosen people are made beautiful by His grace, not by human regimen, and are prepared for an eternal union with Him.