The Book of Esther

Chapter 2

For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. [7] But God is the judge: he
putteth down one, and setteth up another.

ESTHER THE QUEEN (Chapter 2)

Verses 1-4
1. After these things, when the wrath of king Ahasuerus was appeased - Nearly years (483-479) have
passed since Vashti was deposed in Chapter 1.
• During that time, Xerxes directed his ill-fated Greek campaign and came home in humiliation instead of
honor.
• Ahasuerus lost both a and a because of foolish behavior.
2. …he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her - As he considered his rash
actions toward his wife, his affection for Vashti rekindled; and though he had a harem full of concubines, he missed
his queen.
3. Knowing the king’s strong sensual appetite, the counselors suggested that he assemble a new harem composed of the
most beautiful young virgins from each of the 127 provinces in the empire.
4. In the Eastern countries, the women are entrusted to the care of the only - Hege the
king's chamberlain, keeper of the women.
5. …and let their things for purification be given them - According to verse 12, these were items similar to cosmetics.
• It was like these women received a for 12 months.
• This 12 month period also was enough time to show whether the young woman had been chaste or whether
she was pregnant.

Verses 5-6
1. "Now in Shushan the palace there was a certain Jew, whose name was Mordecai" (verse 5).
• Mordecai was a .
• The important thing here is that had him strategically located for his calling.
2. Verse 6 indicates that his family was taken into captivity by Nebuchadnezzar.
• “Who” refers to his .
• …with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away gives us the
time frame when his family was taken into captivity.

Verse 7
1. Hadassah is Esther’s given name. Esther is her name.
2. The Hebrew words translated " and beautiful" mean she had a pretty face and figure.
3. Esther was Mordecai’s and adopted (verse 15).

Verses 8-9
1. Hegai had a year-long “beauty treatment” to prepare each woman for the king.
2. Because of the providence of God, Hegai gave Esther “ ”
and the best place in the house for her and her maids.
3. Because Esther stood out and caught the eye of Hegai, he gave her special attention and care (verse 9).

Verses 10-11
1. Esther had kept her and family background a .
• Mordecai had warned her to conceal the fact that she was a Jew because of discrimination and anti-Semitism.
• Since she was born in Persia, and her parents were dead, everyone assumed she was of Persian descent.
2. As with any caring and concerned parent, Mordecai walked daily by the courtyard of the harem to inquire about how
she was doing.

Verses 12-14
1. The procedure used to please the sensual, lustful cravings of Xerxes included three steps.
• First, each girl was given months of beauty treatments.
 • Second, at the end of the year’s preparation, each girl was then selected to spend night with the
king (verse 13).
• Third, after spending one night with the king, each girl was then transferred to the permanent harem where
the king’s wives lived (verse 14). This permanent harem was under the care of a eunuch named Shaashgaz,
who was in charge of the concubines.
2. This doesn’t mean that God of the king’s harems or of his sensual abuse of
women. It simply means that, being the author of their sin, God so directed the
people in this situation that decisions were made that accomplished God’s purposes.

Verses 15
1. Abihail is the of Esther and of Mordecai.
2. Verse 15 says that “she ” means that because she
possessed such great beauty, Esther didn’t require the “extras” that the other women needed (I Peter 3:1-6).
3. Esther put herself into the hands of Hegai and did what she was told to do.
4. Esther had won the of everybody who saw her.

Verses 16-18
1. Verse 16 gives us a chronological reference - the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign which would be the
cold time of the year or , 479 B.C.
2. When Xerxes saw Esther, he responded to her with greater enthusiasm than he had to any of the other women.
• The phrase “the king loved Esther” does mean that Ahasuerus had suddenly fallen in
love with Esther with pure and devoted affection.
• It describes Xerxes attraction to Esther based on and not necessarily from the heart.
It’s a physical attraction.
3. Xerxes was so delighted with that he set the royal crown upon her head and proclaimed
her queen of the great Persian Empire.
4. To celebrate the event, King Xerxes gave a great banquet in honor of Esther to celebrate her coronation (verse18).
• This is the feast (banquet) mentioned in the book of Esther.
• The Persian kings used every opportunity to celebrate!

Verses 19-20
1. The “gathering of the virgins” mentioned in verse 19 appears to indicate that the king’s
officers continued to gather beautiful girls for his harem since King Xerxes wasn’t likely to become a monogamist
and spend the rest of his life with Esther alone.
2. In verse 19 a transition takes place, and we now see Mordecai in a position of honor and ,
sitting at the king’s gate.
3. Verse 20 repeats the fact that neither Mordecai or Esther had revealed their true .

Verses 21-23
1. Because Mordecai now has a position of trust, he is able to learn about an
attempt on King Xerxes.
2. When Esther told the king, she gave the credit for uncovering the conspiracy;
and this meant that his name was written into the official chronicle.
3. Although Mordecai is rewarded by King Xerxes, this will play an important part in the events that
transpire four years later.