Esther 2:9

_AND 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._ He (Hegai) speedily gave her her things for purification, with such things as belonged to her (cf. Esther 2:12). The seven maidens, one for every day of the week, were appointed to attend her in rotation. Their names are mentioned in the Chaldee paraphrase, as well as the day of waiting for each....

1-20 We see to what absurd practices those came, who were destitute of Divine revelation, and what need there was of the gospel of Christ, to purify men from the lusts of the flesh, and to bring them back to the original institution of marriage. Esther was preferred as queen. Those who suggest that Esther committed sin to come at this dignity, do not consider the custom of those times and countries. Every one that the king took was married to him, and was his wife, though of a lower rank. But how low is human nature sunk, when such as these are the leading pursuits and highest worldly happiness of men! Disappointment and vexation must follow; and he most wisely consults his enjoyment, even in this present life, who most exactly obeys the precepts of the Divine law. But let us turn to consider the wise and merciful providence of God, carrying on his deep but holy designs in the midst of...

Verse Esther 2:9. _THE MAIDEN PLEASED HIM_] He conceived a partiality for her above the rest, probably because of the propriety of her deportment, and her engaging though unassuming manners. _SEVEN MAIDENS_] These were to attend her to the _bath_, to anoint and adorn her, and be her servants in general....

EXPOSITION THE QUEST FOR MAIDENS, AND THE CHOICE OF ESTHER TO BE QUEEN IN VASHTI'S PLACE (Esther 2:1). Vashti having ceased to be queen, Ahasuerus appears to have been in no haste to assign her dignity to any one else. Probably there was no one among his other (secondary) wives of whom he was specially fond, or who seemed to him pre-eminent above the rest. And he may even have begun to relent in Vashti's favour (as seems to be somewhat obscurely intimated in Esther 2:1), and to wish to take her back. Under these circumstances the officers of his cour

AND THE MAIDEN PLEASED HIM,.... Not the king, into whose presence she was not yet introduced, but the chamberlain; her beauty and her behaviour recommended her to him, and he concluded within himself that she was the person that of all would be acceptable to the king: AND SHE OBTAINED KINDNESS OF HIM: had favours shown others had not: AND HE SPEEDILY GAVE HER THINGS FOR PURIFICATION; as oil, spices, c. that she might be the sooner fitted to be had into the king's presence: WITH SUCH THINGS AS BELONGED TO HER food and drink from the king's table; the Targum interprets it gifts, as chains and royal apparel: AND SEVEN MAIDENS, WHICH WERE GIVEN HER, OUT OF THE KING'S HOUSE; to wait upon her the seven days of the week, as the same Targum: AND HE PREFERRED HER AND HER MAIDS UNTO THE BEST PLACE OF THE HOUSE OF THE WOMEN; removed her and them to it, which was the most splendid, had lar

ESTHER CHOSEN QUEEN. Ere long Ahasuerus longs for his lost queen's comradeship. He is moved to issue a summons throughout all his territories, commanding all fair maidens to appear as candidates for the queenship. This command removes the fancy that a Jewess had no right to come. She had to come. Among the assembled fair ones was the cousin and ward of Mordecai, called Hadassah, _i.e._ Myrtle. Let us notice that this name is the same as that of the place Adasah in Judah where, on Adar 13th, 161 B.C., the Maccabees defeated Nicanor, the general of the armies of Syria (p. 607). That final victory set Judah free from foreign rule, so that the throne of David was established again after its destruction about 600 B.C. (see 1Ma_7:39 ff.). The maiden seems intended by our writer as a symbol of that victory. She surpasses all her rivals, and is chosen by Ahasuerus as his queen; and now she recei...

OBTAINED. won. PREFERRED. promoted. Probably influenced by Mor-deoai....

_she obtained kindness of him_ This or a synonymous expression is a favourite one with the author (Esther 2:15_; Esther 2:17_, Esther 5:2). _speedily_ In order that the prescribed period of twelve months" preparation (see Esther 2:12) might be accomplished as soon as possible in Esther's case, Hegai gave her precedence over others in its commencement. _her things for purification_ See on Esther 2:3. _with her portions_ A.V. has more vaguely, _with such things as belonged to her_. The reference is not to unguents of any kind, but to sp

B. Solicitude of Mordecai TEXT: Esther 2:5-11 5 There was a certain Jew in Shushan the palace, whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite, 6 who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captives that had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away. 7 And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maiden was fair and beautiful; and when her father and mother were dead, Mordecai took her for his own daughter. 8 So 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 taken into the king's house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women....

2:9 portions, (f-22) Or 'food.'...