Esther 2:2-4

2:2 The king’s servants who attended him said, “Let a search be conducted in the king’s behalf for attractive young women. ¹  2:3 And let the king appoint officers throughout all the provinces of his kingdom to gather all the attractive young women to Susa the citadel, to the harem ²  under the authority of Hegai, the king’s eunuch who oversees the women, and let him provide whatever cosmetics they desire. ³  2:4 Let the young woman whom the king finds most attractive ⁴  become queen in place of Vashti.” This seemed like a good idea to the king, ⁵  so he acted accordingly.

¹ tn Heb “young women, virgins, good of form.” The same phrase also occurs in v. 3.

² tn Heb “the house of the women” (so KJV, ASV). So also in vv. 9, 11, 13, and 14.

³ tn Heb “their ointments”; cf. NIV, CEV, NLT “beauty treatments.”

⁴ tn Heb “who is good in the eyes of the king.”

⁵ tn Heb “the matter was good in the eyes of the king.” Cf. TEV “The king thought this was good advice.”