Esther 2
Study sheet, King James Version, with the original-language words this chapter turns on.
The text
1After these things, when the wrath of king Ahasuerus was appeased, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her.
2Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king:
3And 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:
4And let the maiden which pleaseth the king be queen instead of Vashti. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.
5Now in Shushan the palace there was a certain Jew, whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite;
6Who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captivity which had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away.
7And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter.
8So it came to pass, when the king's commandment and his decree was heard, and when many maidens were gathered together unto Shushan the palace, to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was brought also unto the king's house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women.
9And the maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness of him; and he speedily gave her her things for purification, with such things as belonged to her, and seven maidens, which were meet to be given her, out of the king's house: and he preferred her and her maids unto the best place of the house of the women.
10Esther had not shewed her people nor her kindred: for Mordecai had charged her that she should not shew it.
11And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women's house, to know how Esther did, and what should become of her.
12Now when every maid's turn was come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after that she had been twelve months, according to the manner of the women,(for so were the days of their purifications accomplished, to wit, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odours, and with other things for the purifying of the women;)
13Then thus came every maiden unto the king; whatsoever she desired was given her to go with her out of the house of the women unto the king's house.
14In the evening she went, and on the morrow she returned into the second house of the women, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king's chamberlain, which kept the concubines: she came in unto the king no more, except the king delighted in her, and that she were called by name.
15Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, was come to go in unto the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king's chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed. And Esther obtained favour in the sight of all them that looked upon her.
16So 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.
17And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.
18Then the king made a great feast unto all his princes and his servants, even Esther's feast; and he made a release to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the state of the king.
19And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, then Mordecai sat in the king's gate.
20Esther had not yet shewed her kindred nor her people; as Mordecai had charged her: for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him.
21In those days, while Mordecai sat in the king's gate, two of the king's chamberlains, Bigthan and Teresh, of those which kept the door, were wroth, and sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus.
22And the thing was known to Mordecai, who told it unto Esther the queen; and Esther certified the king thereof in Mordecai's name.
23And when inquisition was made of the matter, it was found out; therefore they were both hanged on a tree: and it was written in the book of the chronicles before the king.
Words in this chapter
Definitions are Strong's own wording from his Exhaustive Concordance (1890). Counts are how often each word appears in this chapter, from the tagged text.
- מֶלֶךְmelekH442830× in this chapter
a king
- אֵתʼêthH85318× in this chapter
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
- אֵלʼêlH41315× in this chapter
near, with or among; often in general, to
- אֶסְתֵּרʼEçtêrH63513× in this chapter
Ester, the Jewish heroine
- אֲשֶׁרʼăsherH83412× in this chapter
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.
- מׇרְדְּכַיMordᵉkayH478211× in this chapter
Mordecai, an Israelite
- נַעֲרָהnaʻărâhH529111× in this chapter
a girl (from infancy to adolescence)
- אִשָּׁהʼishshâhH80211× in this chapter
a woman
- בַּיִתbayithH10049× in this chapter
a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)
- כֹּלkôlH36058× in this chapter
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
- דָּבָרdâbârH16977× in this chapter
a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause
- הָיָהhâyâhH19616× in this chapter
to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
- יָדyâdH30276× in this chapter
a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.),
- עָשָׂהʻâsâhH62136× in this chapter
to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application
- בּוֹאbôwʼH9356× in this chapter
to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)
- חֹדֶשׁchôdeshH23205× in this chapter
the new moon; by implication, a month
- יוֹםyôwmH31175× in this chapter
a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)
- כִּיkîyH35885× in this chapter
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
- נָתַןnâthanH54145× in this chapter
to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)
- שָׁמַרshâmarH81045× in this chapter
properly, to hedge about (as with thorns), i.e. guard; generally, to protect, attend to, etc.
- בָּקַשׁbâqashH12454× in this chapter
to search out (by any method, specifically in worship or prayer); by implication, to strive after
- בַּתbathH13234× in this chapter
a daughter (used in the same wide sense as other terms of relationship, literally and figuratively)
- בְּתוּלָהbᵉthûwlâhH13304× in this chapter
a virgin (from her privacy); sometimes (by continuation) a bride; also (figuratively) a city or state
- הֵגֵאHêgêʼH18964× in this chapter
Hege or Hegai, a eunuch of Xerxes
- הוּאhûwʼH19314× in this chapter
he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or are
- טוֹבṭôwbH28964× in this chapter
good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or women), also as an adverb (well)
- אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁʼĂchashvêrôwshH3254× in this chapter
Achashverosh (i.e. Ahasuerus or Artaxerxes, but in this case Xerxes), the title (rather than name) of a Persian king
- לֹאlôʼH38084× in this chapter
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
- לָקַחlâqachH39474× in this chapter
to take (in the widest variety of applications)
- מַלְכוּתmalkûwthH44384× in this chapter
a rule; concretely, a dominion
- נָגַדnâgadH50464× in this chapter
properly, to front, i.e. stand boldly out opposite; by implication (causatively), to manifest; figuratively, to announce (always by word of mouth to one present); specifically, to expose, predict, explain, praise
- אָמַרʼâmarH5594× in this chapter
to say (used with great latitude)
- סָרִיסçârîyçH56314× in this chapter
a eunuch; by implication, valet (especially of the female apartments), and thus, a minister of state
- עַיִןʻayinH58694× in this chapter
an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape)
- עַלʻalH59214× in this chapter
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
- פָּנִיםpânîymH64404× in this chapter
the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)
- בִּירָהbîyrâhH10023× in this chapter
a castle or palace
- בֵּןbênH11213× in this chapter
a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
- גָּלָהgâlâhH15403× in this chapter
to denude (especially in a disgraceful sense); by implication, to exile (captives being usually stripped); figuratively, to reveal
- וַשְׁתִּיVashtîyH20603× in this chapter
Vashti, the queen of Xerxes