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2:1 When <0310> these <0428> things <01697> had been accomplished and the rage <02534> of King <04428> Ahasuerus <0325> had diminished <07918>, he remembered <02142> Vashti <02060> and what <0834> she had done <06213> and what <0834> had been decided <01504> against <05921> her. 2:2 The king’s <04428> servants <05288> who attended <08334> him said <0559>, “Let a search <01245> be conducted in the king’s <04428> behalf for attractive <04758> <02896> young women <01330> <05291>. 2:3 And let the king <04428> appoint <06485> officers <06496> throughout all <03605> the provinces <04082> of his kingdom <04438> to gather <06908> all <03605> the attractive <04758> <02896> young women <01330> <05291> to <0413> Susa <07800> the citadel <01002>, to <0413> the harem <0802> <01004> under the authority <03027> of Hegai <01896>, the king’s <04428> eunuch <05631> who oversees <08104> the women <0802>, and let him provide <05414> whatever cosmetics <08562> they desire. 2:4 Let the young woman <05291> whom <0834> the king <04428> finds most attractive <05869> <03190> become queen <04427> in place <08478> of Vashti <02060>.” This seemed like a good <05869> <03190> idea <01697> to the king <04428>, so he acted <06213> accordingly <03651>. 2:5 Now there happened to be <01961> a Jewish <03064> man <0376> in Susa <07800> the citadel <01002> whose name <08034> was Mordecai <04782>. He was the son <01121> of Jair <02971>, the son <01121> of Shimei <08096>, the son <01121> of Kish <07027>, a Benjaminite <01145>, 2:6 who <0834> had been taken into exile <01540> from Jerusalem <03389> with <05973> the captives <01473> who <0834> had been carried into exile <01540> with <05973> Jeconiah <03204> king <04428> of Judah <03063>, whom <0834> Nebuchadnezzar <05019> king <04428> of Babylon <0894> had taken into exile <01540>. 2:7 Now <01961> he was acting as the guardian <0539> of Hadassah <01919> (that <01931> is, Esther <0635>), the daughter <01323> of his uncle <01730>, for <03588> neither <0369> her father <01> nor her mother <0517> was alive. This young woman <05291> was very attractive <04758> and had a beautiful <03303> figure <08389>. When her father <01> and mother <0517> died <04194>, Mordecai <04782> had raised <03947> her as if she were his own daughter <01323>. 2:8 It so happened that when <01961> the king’s <04428> edict <01697> and his law <01881> became known <08085> many <07227> young women <05291> were taken <06908> to <0413> Susa <07800> the citadel <01002> to <0413> be placed under the authority <03027> of Hegai <01896>. Esther <0635> also was taken <03947> to <0413> the royal <04428> palace <01004> to <0413> be under the authority <03027> of Hegai <01896>, who was overseeing <08104> the women <0802>. 2:9 This young woman <05291> pleased <05869> <03190> him, and she found <05375> favor <02617> with him. He quickly <0926> provided <05414> her with her cosmetics <08562> and her rations <04490>; he also provided <05414> her with the seven <07651> specially chosen <07200> young women <05291> who were from the palace <01004>. He then transferred <08138> her and her young women <05291> to the best <02896> quarters in the harem <0802> <01004>. 2:10 Now Esther <0635> had not <03808> disclosed <05046> her people <05971> or her lineage <04138>, for <03588> Mordecai <04782> had instructed <06680> her not <03808> to do <05046> so.

• Est 2:1-18 -- Esther Becomes Queen in Vashti's Place

• Government

  [nave] GOVERNMENT Paternal functions of, Gen. 41:25-57. Civil service school provided by, Dan. 1:3-20. Maintains a system of public instruction, 2 Chr. 17:7-9. Executive departments in. See: Cabinet; King; Ruler; Statecraft. Ju...
  

• Servant

  [nave] SERVANT Distinguished as bond servant, who was a slave, and hired servant. Bond Laws of Moses concerning, Ex. 21:1-11, 20, 21, 26, 27, 32; Lev. 19:20-22; 25:6, 10, 35-55; Deut. 15:12, 14, 18; 24:7. Kidnapping forbidden, D...
  

• Chamberlain

  [ebd] a confidential servant of the king (Gen. 37:36; 39:1). In Rom. 16:23 mention is made of "Erastus the chamberlain." Here the word denotes the treasurer of the city, or the quaestor, as the Romans styled him. He is almost the ...
  [isbe] CHAMBERLAIN - cham'-ber-lin: In the Old Testament the word rendered chamberlain, caric, is more properly "eunuch," an officer which oriental monarchs placed over their harems (Est 1:10,12,15; 2:3,14,21; 4:4 f; 6:2,14; 7:9; 2...
  [nave] CHAMBERLAIN, an officer of a king, 2 Kin. 23:11; Esth. 1:10-15; 2:3-21; 4:4, 5; Acts 12:20; Rom. 16:23.
  

• Marriage

  [nave] MARRIAGE In family blood lines, Abraham and Sarah, Gen. 11:29; 12:13; 20:3, 9-16. Isaac and Rebekah, Gen. 24:3, 4, 67; 28:2. Jacob and his wives, Gen. 29:15-30; see below, in the elaborated text. Levirate (the brother requ...
  

• Mordecai

  [isbe] MORDECAI - mor'-de-ki, mor-de-ka'-i (mordekhay; Mardochaios): An Israelite of the tribe of Benjamin, whose fate it has been to occupy a distinguished place in the annals of his people. His great-grandfather, Kish, had been c...
  [nave] MORDECAI A Jewish captive in Persia, Esth. 2:5, 6. Foster father of Esther, Esth. 2:7. Informs Ahasuerus of a conspiracy against his life, and is rewarded, Esth. 2:21-23; Esth. 6:1-11. Promoted in Haman's place, Esth. 8:1...
  

• Kish

  [ebd] a bow. (1.) A Levite of the family of Merari (1 Chr. 23:21; 24:29). (2.) A Benjamite of Jerusalem (1 Chr. 8:30; 9:36). (3.) A Levite in the time of Hezekiah (2 Chr. 29:12). (4.) The great-grandfather of Mordecai (Esther 2:5)...
  [isbe] KISH - kish (qish; Kis, Keis, "bow," "power"): The name of five persons mentioned in the Bible: (1) The son of Abiel and the father of Saul, the first king of Israel. He was of the tribe of Benjamin, of the family of the Mat...
  [smith] (a bow). The father of Saul; a Benjamite of the family of Matri. (B.C. 1095.) Son of Jehiel and uncle to the preceding. (1 Chronicles 9:36) A Benjamite, great-grandfather of Mordecai. (Esther 2:5) A Merarite of the house ...
  [nave] KISH 1. Father of Saul, 1 Sam. 9:1-3; 10:21; 2 Sam. 21:14. Called Cis in Acts 13:21. 2. A Benjamite, 1 Chr. 8:30; 9:36. 3. A Levite, 1 Chr. 23:21, 22; 24:29. 4. A Levite, 2 Chr. 29:12. 5. Great grandfather of Mordecai, ...
  

• Jair

  [ebd] enlightener. (1.) The son of Segub. He was brought up with his mother in Gilead, where he had possessions (1 Chr. 2:22). He distinguished himself in an expedition against Bashan, and settled in the part of Argob on the borde...
  [isbe] JAIR - ja'-er: (1) Jair (ya'ir, "he enlightens" or "one giving light"): (a) Son, i.e. descendant of Manasseh (Nu 32:41; Dt 3:14; Josh 13:30; 1 Ki 4:13:1 Ch 2:22 f). According to 1 Ch 2:21 f he was the son of ScRub, son of He...
  [smith] (enlightener). A man who on his father?s side was descended from Judah, and on his mother?s from Manasseh. (B.C. 1451.) During, the conquest he took the whole of the tract of Argob (3:14) and in addition possessed himself of...
  [nave] JAIR 1. Son of Manasseh. Founder of twenty-three cities in Gilead, Num. 32:41; Deut. 3:14; Josh. 13:30; 1 Kin. 4:13; 1 Chr. 2:22, 23. 2. A judge of Israel, Judg. 10:3-5. 3. A Benjamite, Esth. 2:5. 4. Father of Elhanan, 1 ...
  

• Hadassah

  [ebd] myrtle, the Jewish name of Esther (q.v.), Esther 2:7.
  [isbe] HADASSAH - ha-das'-a (hadhaqqah, "myrtle"): The Hebrew name (Est 2:7) formerly borne by ESTHER (which see).
  [smith] (myrtle), probably the earlier name of Esther. (Esther 2:7)
  [nave] HADASSAH, Jewish name of Esther, Esth. 2:7. See: Esther.
  

• Hegai

  [ebd] eunuch, had charge of the harem of Ahasuerus (Esther 2:8).
  [smith] (eunuch), one of the eunuchs of the court of Ahasuerus. (Esther 2:8,15) (B.C. 474.)
  [nave] HEGAI, chamberlain of Ahasuerus, Esth. 2:3, 8, 15.
  

• Shimei

  [isbe] SHIMEI - shim'-e-i (shim`i, possibly "hear me (El)" or "(Jah)"; Semeei, Semei): A name of frequent occurrence throughout the Old Testament records, sometimes varying slightly in form in English Versions of the Bible. The Kin...
  [smith] (renowned). Son of Gershon the son of Levi, (Numbers 3:18; 1 Chronicles 6:17,29; 23:7,9,10; Zechariah 12:13) called SHIMI in (Exodus 6:17) (B.C. after 1706.) Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite of the house of Saul, who l...
  [nave] SHIMEI 1. Called also Shimi. Son of Gershon, Ex. 6:17; Num. 3:18; 1 Chr. 6:17; 23:7, 10. 2. A Benjamite. Curses David; David's magnanimity toward, 2 Sam. 16:5-13; 19:16-23, with 1 Kin. 2:36-46. 3. An officer of David, 1 K...
  

• Shushan

  [isbe] SHUSHAN - shoo'-shan (shushan; Sousan, Sousa): 1. Position, Eytmology and Forms of Its Name: This city, the Susu or Susan of the Babylonians, and the native (Elamite) Susun, is the modern Shush (Sus) in Southwestern Persia, ...
  [nave] SHUSHAN 1. Capital of the Medo-Persian empire, Esth. 1:2, 3; 8:15. 2. King's palace at, Neh. 1:1; Esth. 1:2, 5; 2:5, 8; 4:8, 16; 8:14, 15; 9:11, 15.
  

• Esther

  [ebd] the queen of Ahasuerus, and heroine of the book that bears her name. She was a Jewess named Hadas'sah (the myrtle), but when she entered the royal harem she received the name by which she henceforth became known (Esther 2:7)...
  [nave] ESTHER, called also Hadassah. Niece of Mordecai, Esth. 2:7, 15. Chosen queen, Esth. 2:17. Tells the king of the plot against his life, Esth. 2:22. Fasts on account of the decree to destroy the Israelites; accuses Haman to ...
  

• MAID; MAIDEN

  [isbe] MAID; MAIDEN - mad, mad'-'n: Used in the King James Version in the sense of a girl or young female; of an unmarried woman or virgin, and of a female servant or handmaid. Thus, it translates several Hebrew words: (1) The more...
  

• CUSTODY

  [isbe] CUSTODY - kus'-to-di (yadh, pequddah): In Est 2:3,8 bis. 14, yadh, "the hand," is translated "Custody": pequddah, "numbering," "chanrge"; occurs in Nu 3:36 the Revised Version (British and American) "the appointed charge," m...
  

• ESTHER, BOOK OF

  [isbe] ESTHER, BOOK OF - 1. The Canonicity of Esther 2. Its Authorship 3. Its Date 4. Its Contents 5. The Greek Additions 6. The Attacks upon the Book 7. Some of the Objections 8. Confirmations of the Book This book completes the h...
  

• HEGAI; HEGE

  [isbe] HEGAI; HEGE - he'-ga-i, he'-ge (heghay; Gai (Est 2:8,15), and heghe', Hege (Est 2:3)): One of the officers of the Persian king Ahasuerus; a chamberlain or eunuch (keeper of women), into whose custody the "fair young virgins"...
  

• Adoption

  [isbe] ADOPTION - a-dop'-shun (huiothesia, "placing as a son"): I. THE GENERAL LEGAL IDEA 1. In the Old Testament 2. Greek 3. Roman II. PAUL'S DOCTRINE 1. In Galatians as Liberty 2. In Romans as Deliverance from Debt III. THE CHRIS...
  [nave] ADOPTION. Gen. 15:3. Of Children Instances of: Of Joseph's sons, Gen. 48:5, 14, 16, 22. Of Moses, Ex. 2:5-10; Acts 7:21; Heb. 11:24. Of Esther, Esth. 2:7. Spiritual Ex. 4:22, 23; Num. 6:27 Deut. 28:10; 2 Chr. 7:14; I...
  

• Vashti

  [nave] VASHTI, wife of king Ahasuerus. Put away for refusing to exhibit herself at a royal banquet, Esth. 1:9-22; 2:1, 4, 17.
  

• Harem

  [nave] HAREM, Persian household, Esth. 2:3, 13, 14.
  

• Women

  [nave] WOMEN Creation of, Gen. 1:27; 2:21, 22. Named, Gen. 2:23. Fall of, and curse upon, Gen. 3:1-16; 2 Cor. 11:3; 1 Tim. 2:14. Promise to, Gen. 3:15. Had separate apartments in dwellings, Gen. 24:67; 31:33; Esth. 2:9, 11. Ve...
  

• Esther Becomes Queen

  

• The book of Esther says that Mordecai was a Benjamite in one place and a Jew in others. Which was he?
  In Esther 2:5-6 we are told: 2:5 Now there happened to be a Jewish man in Susa the citadel whose name was Mordecai. He was the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjaminite, 2:6 who had been taken into ex...

Biblical Polygamists

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