Esther 2:3 net — And let the king appoint officers throughout all the provinces of his kingdom to gather all the attractive young women…

NET Bible

"And let the king appoint officers throughout all the provinces of his kingdom to gather all the attractive young women to Susa the citadel, to the harem under the authority of Hegai, the king’s eunuch who oversees the women, and let him provide whatever cosmetics they desire."

— Esther 2:3, NET Bible

Read in Another Translation

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Esther 2:3 in Other Translations

6 versions All translations
  • KJV

    “And 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:”

  • ASV

    “and 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 Hegai the king’s chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their things for purification be given them; ”

  • WEB

    “Let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the beautiful young virgins to the citadel of Susa, to the women's house, to the custody of Hegai the king's eunuch, keeper of the women. Let cosmetics be given them;”

  • DRB

    “And let some persons be sent through all the provinces to look for beautiful maidens and virgins: and let them bring them to the city of Susan, and put them into the house of the women under the hand of Egeus the eunuch, who is the overseer and keeper of the king's women: and let them receive women's ornaments, and other things necessary for their use.”

  • BBE

    “Let the king give authority to certain men in all the divisions of his kingdom, to get together all the fair young virgins and send them to Shushan, the king's town, to the women's house, under the care of Hegai, the king's servant, the keeper of the women: and let the things needed for making them clean be given to them;”

  • KJVA

    “And 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:”

Esther 2 — Context

1

Esther Becomes Queen in Vashti’s Place When these things had been accomplished and the rage of King Ahasuerus had diminished, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what had been decided against her.

2

The king’s servants who attended him said,“Let a search be conducted on the king’s behalf for attractive young women.

3

And let the king appoint officers throughout all the provinces of his kingdom to gather all the attractive young women to Susa the citadel, to the harem under the authority of Hegai, the king’s eunuch who oversees the women, and let him provide whatever cosmetics they desire.

4

Let the young woman whom the king finds most attractive become queen in place of Vashti.” This seemed like a good idea to the king, so he acted accordingly.

5

Now there happened to be a Jewish man in Susa the citadel whose name was Mordecai. He was the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjaminite,

6

who had been taken into exile from Jerusalem with the captives who had been carried into exile with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had taken into exile.

Esther 2:3 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Esther 2:3 say?
Esther 2:3 in the NET Bible reads: “And let the king appoint officers throughout all the provinces of his kingdom to gather all the attractive young women to Susa the citadel, to the harem under the authority of Hegai, the king’s eunuch who oversees the women, and let him provide whatever cosmetics they desire.”
Where is Esther 2:3 in the Bible?
Esther 2:3 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Esther, chapter 2, verse 3.
Who wrote Esther?
Esther is traditionally attributed to Anonymous (traditionally Mordecai). It was written c. 460–400 BC.
What is the book of Esther about?
Esther tells how a Jewish orphan becomes queen of Persia and risks her life to save her people from genocide. Though God's name is never mentioned, his unseen providence is woven through every reversal — and the Jewish festival of Purim still celebrates the deliverance.
What are the major themes of Esther?
Esther explores themes including Providence, Courage, Deliverance, Identity, Reversal. These themes shape the meaning and context of Esther 2:3.
What translation should I read Esther 2:3 in?
Esther 2:3 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize Esther 2:3?
Esther 2:3 reads (NET): “And let the king appoint officers throughout all the provinces of his kingdom to gather all the attractive young women to Susa the citadel, to the harem under the authority of Hegai, the king’s eunuch who oversees the women, and let him provide whatever cosmetics they desire.” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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