Esther 2:9
7 And Mordecai had brought up Hadassah (that is, Esther), the daughter of his uncle, because she did not have a father or mother. The young woman was lovely in form and appearance, and when her father and mother had died, Mordecai had taken her in as his own daughter.
8 When the king’s command and edict had been proclaimed, many young women gathered at the citadel of Susa under the care of Hegai. Esther was also taken to the palace and placed under the care of Hegai, the custodian of the women.
And the young woman pleased him and obtained his favor, so he quickly provided her with beauty treatments and the special diet. He assigned to her seven select maidservants from the palace and transferred her with them to the best place in the harem.
10 Esther did not reveal her people or her lineage, because Mordecai had instructed her not to do so.
11 And every day Mordecai would walk back and forth in front of the court of the harem to learn about Esther’s welfare and what was happening to her.
Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- And the young woman pleased him and obtained his favor, so he quickly provided her with beauty treatments and the special diet. He assigned to her seven select maidservants from the palace and transferred her with them to the best place in the harem.
- KJV
- 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.
- WEB
- The maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness from him. He quickly gave her cosmetics and her portions of food, and the seven choice maidens who were to be given her out of the king’s house. He moved her and her maidens to the best place in the women’s house.
- ASV
- And the maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness of him; and he speedily gave her her things for purification, with her portions, and the seven maidens who were meet to be given her out of the king`s house: and he removed her and her maidens to the best place of the house of the women.
- DARBY
- And the maiden pleased him, and obtained favour before him; and he speedily gave her her things for purification, and her portions, and the seven maidens selected to be given her, out of the king's house; and he removed her and her maids to the best [place] of the house of the women.
- BLB
- And the young woman was good in his eyes, and she lifted up kindness before his face, and he hurried [to give] her cosmetics, and he gave her portions to her, and seven young women chosen to give to her, from the house of the king, and he changed her and her young women for the good of the house of the women.
- ÅB
- Den unge pike behaget ham og vant hans yndest; derfor skyndte han seg med å gi henne salver til å salve seg med og den mat hun skulle ha, og de syv unge piker fra kongens hus som var utsett til å tjene henne; og han lot henne og hennes piker flytte inn i de beste rom i kvinnehuset.
- OTB
- Hun behaget ham og vant hans gunst. Straks sørget han for skjønnhetsbehandlinger og spesiell mat til henne. Han tildelte henne syv utvalgte kvinnelige tjenere fra kongens palass og flyttet henne og hennes tjenere til det beste stedet i haremet.
- B1930
- Den unge pike behaget ham og vant hans yndest; derfor skyndte han sig med å gi henne salver til å salve sig med og den mat hun skulde ha, og de syv unge piker fra kongens hus som var utsett til å tjene henne; og han lot henne og hennes piker flytte inn i de beste rum i kvinnehuset.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Genesis 39:21
the LORD was with him and extended kindness to him, granting him favor in the eyes of the prison warden.
Read in contextProverbs 16:7
When a man’s ways please the LORD, He makes even the man’s enemies live at peace with him.
Read in contextEsther 2:12
In the twelve months before her turn to go to King Xerxes, the harem regulation required each young woman to receive beauty treatments with oil of myrrh for six months, and then with perfumes and cosmetics for another six months.
Read in contextEsther 2:3
and 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.
Read in contextDaniel 1:9
Now God had granted Daniel favor and compassion from the chief official,
Read in contextEzra 7:6
this Ezra came up from Babylon. He was a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses, which the LORD, the God of Israel, had given. The king had granted Ezra all his requests, for the hand of the LORD his God was upon him.
Read in contextActs 7:10
and rescued him from all his troubles. He granted Joseph favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt, who appointed him ruler over Egypt and all his household.
Read in contextPsalms 106:46
He made them objects of compassion to all who held them captive.
Read in context