New International VersionThen the king’s personal attendants proposed, “Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king.
New Living TranslationSo his personal attendants suggested, “Let us search the empire to find beautiful young virgins for the king.
English Standard VersionThen the king’s young men who attended him said, “Let beautiful young virgins be sought out for the king.
Berean Standard BibleThen the king’s attendants proposed, “Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king,
King James BibleThen said the king's servants that ministered unto him, Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king:
New King James VersionThen the king’s servants who attended him said: “Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king;
New American Standard BibleThen the king’s attendants, who served him, said, “Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king.
NASB 1995Then the king’s attendants, who served him, said, “Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king.
NASB 1977Then the king’s attendants, who served him, said, “Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king.
Legacy Standard BibleThen the young men of the king, who attended to him, said, “Let young virgins, beautiful in appearance, be sought for the king.
Amplified BibleThen the king’s attendants, who served him, said, “Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king.
Christian Standard BibleThe king’s personal attendants suggested, “Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king.
Holman Christian Standard BibleThe king’s personal attendants suggested, “Let a search be made for beautiful young women for the king.
American Standard VersionThen said the king's servants that ministered unto him, Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king:
Contemporary English VersionThen the king's personal servants said: Your Majesty, a search must be made to find you some beautiful young women.
English Revised VersionThen said the king's servants that ministered unto him, Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king:
GOD'S WORD® TranslationSo the king's personal staff said to him, "Search for attractive young virgins for the king.
Good News TranslationSo some of the king's advisers who were close to him suggested, "Why don't you make a search to find some beautiful young virgins?
International Standard VersionThen the young men who attended the king suggested, "Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king.
NET BibleThe king's servants who attended him said, "Let a search be conducted in the king's behalf for attractive young women.
New Heart English BibleThen the king's servants who served him said, "Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king.
Webster's Bible TranslationThen said the king's servants that ministered to him, Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king: Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleThen the king’s attendants proposed, “Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king,
World English BibleThen the king’s servants who served him said, “Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king. Literal Translations Literal Standard Versionand servants of the king, his ministers, say, “Let them seek for the king young women, virgins, of good appearance,
Young's Literal Translation and servants of the king, his ministers, say, 'Let them seek for the king young women, virgins, of good appearance,
Smith's Literal TranslationAnd the king's young men will say, those serving him, They shall seek for the king, maidens, virgins good of appearance: Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd the king's servants and his officers said: Let young women be sought for the king, virgins and beautiful,
Catholic Public Domain VersionAnd the servants of the king, and his ministers, said, “Let young women be sought for the king, virgins and beautiful,
New American Bible
Then the king’s personal attendants suggested: “Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king.
New Revised Standard Version
Then the king’s servants who attended him said, “Let beautiful young virgins be sought out for the king.Translations from Aramaic Lamsa Bible
Then the king's servants and his ministers said to him, Let there be beautiful young virgins sought for the king;
Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the young men of the King and his Ministers said to him: “We will seek for the King girls who are beautiful in their appearance.OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917
Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him: 'Let there be sought for the king young virgins fair to look on;
Brenton Septuagint Translation
Then the servants of the king said, Let there be sought for the king chasteand beautiful young virgins.
Additional Translations ... Audio Bible
Context Seeking Vashti's Successor1Some time later, when the anger of King Xerxes had subsided, he remembered Vashti and what she had done, and what had been decreed against her. 2Then the king’sattendantsproposed,“Let a search be madefor beautifulyoungvirginsfor the king,3and let the king appoint commissioners in each province of his kingdom to assemble all the beautiful young women into the harem at the citadel of Susa. Let them be placed under the care of Hegai, the king’s eunuch in charge of the women, and let them be given beauty treatments.…
Cross References Genesis 24:16Now the girl was very beautiful, a virgin who had not had relations with any man. She went down to the spring, filled her jar, and came up again.
1 Kings 1:2-4So his servants said to him, “Let us search for a young virgin for our lord the king, to attend to him and care for him and lie by his side to keep him warm.” / Then they searched throughout Israel for a beautiful girl, and they found Abishag the Shunammite and brought her to the king. / The girl was unsurpassed in beauty; she cared for the king and served him, but he had no relations with her.
Ruth 3:10-11Then Boaz said, “May the LORD bless you, my daughter. You have shown more kindness now than before, because you have not run after the younger men, whether rich or poor. / And now do not be afraid, my daughter. I will do for you whatever you request, since all my fellow townspeople know that you are a woman of noble character.
1 Samuel 25:3His name was Nabal, and his wife’s name was Abigail. She was an intelligent and beautiful woman, but her husband, a Calebite, was harsh and evil in his dealings.
1 Kings 11:3He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines—and his wives turned his heart away.
Proverbs 31:10A wife of noble character, who can find? She is far more precious than rubies.
Song of Solomon 6:8-9There are sixty queens and eighty concubines, and maidens without number, / but my dove, my perfect one, is unique, the favorite of the mother who bore her. The maidens see her and call her blessed; the queens and concubines sing her praises.
Daniel 1:4young men without blemish, handsome, gifted in all wisdom, knowledgeable, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace—and to teach them the language and literature of the Chaldeans.
1 Peter 3:3-4Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair or gold jewelry or fine clothes, / but from the inner disposition of your heart, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in God’s sight.
1 Timothy 2:9-10Likewise, I want the women to adorn themselves with respectable apparel, with modesty, and with self-control, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, / but with good deeds, as is proper for women who profess to worship God.
1 Corinthians 7:36-38However, if someone thinks he is acting inappropriately toward his betrothed, and if she is beyond her youth and they ought to marry, let him do as he wishes; he is not sinning; they should get married. / But the man who is firmly established in his heart and under no constraint, with control over his will and resolve in his heart not to marry the virgin, he will do well. / So then, he who marries the virgin does well, but he who does not marry her does even better.
1 Corinthians 11:7-9A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man. / For man did not come from woman, but woman from man. / Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.
Ephesians 5:25-27Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her / to sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, / and to present her to Himself as a glorious church, without stain or wrinkle or any such blemish, but holy and blameless.
1 Timothy 5:14So I advise the younger widows to marry, have children, and manage their households, denying the adversary occasion for slander.
Titus 2:4-5In this way they can train the young women to love their husbands and children, / to be self-controlled, pure, managers of their households, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be discredited.
Treasury of Scripture Then said the king's servants that ministered to him, Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king: king's servants. Esther 1:10,14 On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven chamberlains that served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king, … Esther 6:14 And while theywere yet talking with him, came the king's chamberlains, and hasted to bring Haman unto the banquet that Esther had prepared. Let there be. Genesis 12:14 And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that shewas very fair. 1 Kings 1:2 Wherefore his servants said unto him, Let there be sought for my lord the king a young virgin: and let her stand before the king, and let her cherish him, and let her lie in thy bosom, that my lord the king may get heat. Jump to Previous AppearanceAttendantsAttendedBeautifulCountenanceFairGoodKing'sMaidensMinisteredMinistersPersonalProposedSearchSeekServantsServedSoughtVirginsWaitingWomenYoungJump to Next AppearanceAttendantsAttendedBeautifulCountenanceFairGoodKing'sMaidensMinisteredMinistersPersonalProposedSearchSeekServantsServedSoughtVirginsWaitingWomenYoungEsther 2 1.Out of the choice of virgins a queen is to be chosen.5.Mordecai the nursing father of Esther.8.Esther preferred before the rest.12.The manner of purification, and going in to the king.15.Esther, best pleasing the king, is made queen.21.Mordecai, discovering a treason, is recorded in the chronicles.Then the king’s attendants proposedIn the Persian court, attendants or advisors played a crucial role in decision-making processes. These individuals were often trusted officials who had the king's ear and could influence his decisions. The proposal by the king's attendants reflects the hierarchical structure of the Persian Empire, where the king relied on his court for counsel. This mirrors the story of Joseph in Egypt, where Pharaoh's officials also played significant roles in governance ( Genesis 41:37-40). Let a search be made
The idea of conducting a search indicates a systematic and organized approach, typical of the Persian Empire's administrative efficiency. This search was not merely a local endeavor but likely extended throughout the vast empire, which stretched from India to Ethiopia. The search for a new queen can be compared to the search for a new king in Israel, as seen in the anointing of David (1 Samuel 16:1-13), where God directed Samuel to find a king among Jesse's sons. for beautiful young virgins
The emphasis on beauty and virginity highlights the cultural values of the time, where physical appearance and purity were highly prized, especially in royal contexts. This reflects the broader ancient Near Eastern customs, where kings often sought wives who were both beautiful and of noble character. The focus on virgins also underscores the importance of lineage and the desire for a queen who could bear legitimate heirs. This can be contrasted with the biblical ideal of inner beauty and character, as seen inProverbs 31:30. for the king
The search was specifically for the king, indicating the personal nature of the selection process. The king's choice of a queen was not only a personal matter but also a political one, as the queen would play a significant role in the court and potentially influence the king's decisions. This search for a queen can be seen as a type of Christ's search for His bride, the Church, as described inEphesians 5:25-27, where Christ seeks a pure and spotless bride. Persons / Places / Events 1. King Ahasuerus (Xerxes I)The Persian king who reigned over a vast empire. His decision to seek a new queen sets the stage for Esther's rise. 2. Attendants of the KingThese are the king's advisors or servants who suggest the search for a new queen. Their proposal reflects the customs and political strategies of the time. 3. Beautiful Young VirginsThe individuals sought to replace Queen Vashti. This search highlights the cultural practices regarding marriage and beauty in the Persian Empire. 4. Susa (Shushan)The capital of the Persian Empire where these events unfold. It serves as the backdrop for the account of Esther. 5. Queen VashtiThe former queen who was deposed, creating the vacancy that Esther would eventually fill. Teaching Points God's Sovereignty in Human AffairsDespite the seemingly secular and superficial nature of the king's search, God is at work behind the scenes, orchestrating events for His purposes. The Role of Beauty and CharacterWhile physical beauty is highlighted in this passage, the broader biblical account emphasizes the importance of inner beauty and character. Cultural Practices and Divine PlansUnderstanding the cultural context of the Persian Empire helps us see how God can use even the customs of the time to fulfill His divine plans. The Influence of AdvisorsThe king's decision was influenced by his attendants, reminding us of the importance of wise counsel and the impact of those we allow to advise us. Lists and Questions Top 10 Lessons from Esther 2
Esther 5:1 – How plausible is it that a Jewish foreigner could have risen to queen with no corroborating Persian records?
What does "For Such a Time as This" mean?
What challenges did Esther face in her life?
In Esther 2:7, is it historically plausible for a Jewish orphan with no royal lineage to rise to Persian queenship?Verse 2. - The king's servants that ministered unto him. i.e. the great officers of the court, eunuchs and others, who had been more or less concerned in the disgrace of Vashti. Fair young virgins. Or, "young virgins fair to look on" (see Esther 1:11).
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew Then the king'sהַמֶּ֖לֶךְ(ham·me·leḵ)Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428:A kingattendantsנַעֲרֵֽי־(na·‘ă·rê-)Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 5288:A boy, lad, youth, retainerproposed,וַיֹּאמְר֥וּ(way·yō·mə·rū)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 559:To utter, say“Let a search be madeיְבַקְשׁ֥וּ(yə·ḇaq·šū)Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 1245:To search out, to strive afterfor beautifulטוֹב֥וֹת(ṭō·w·ḇō·wṯ)Adjective - feminine plural construct
Strong's 2896:Pleasant, agreeable, goodyoungנְעָר֥וֹת(nə·‘ā·rō·wṯ)Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 5291:A girl, maidenvirginsבְּתוּל֖וֹת(bə·ṯū·lō·wṯ)Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 1330:A virgin, sometimes, a bridefor the king,לַמֶּ֛לֶךְ(lam·me·leḵ)Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428:A king
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OT History: Esther 2:2 Then the king's servants who served him (Est Esth. Es) |
