Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version Then the king’s personal attendants proposed, “Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king. New Living Translation So his personal attendants suggested, “Let us search the empire to find beautiful young virgins for the king. English Standard Version Then the king’s young men who attended him said, “Let beautiful young virgins be sought out for the king. Berean Standard Bible Then the king’s attendants proposed, “Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king, King James Bible Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king: New King James Version Then the king’s servants who attended him said: “Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king; New American Standard Bible Then the king’s attendants, who served him, said, “Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king. NASB 1995 Then the king’s attendants, who served him, said, “Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king. NASB 1977 Then the king’s attendants, who served him, said, “Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king. Legacy Standard Bible Then the young men of the king, who attended to him, said, “Let young virgins, beautiful in appearance, be sought for the king. Amplified Bible Then the king’s attendants, who served him, said, “Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king. Christian Standard Bible The king’s personal attendants suggested, “Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king. Holman Christian Standard Bible The king’s personal attendants suggested, “Let a search be made for beautiful young women for the king. American Standard Version Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king: Contemporary English Version Then the king's personal servants said: Your Majesty, a search must be made to find you some beautiful young women. English Revised Version Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king: GOD'S WORD® Translation So the king's personal staff said to him, "Search for attractive young virgins for the king. Good News Translation So 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 Version Then the young men who attended the king suggested, "Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king. Majority Standard Bible Then the king’s attendants proposed, “Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king, NET Bible The king's servants who attended him said, "Let a search be conducted in the king's behalf for attractive young women. New Heart English Bible Then the king's servants who served him said, "Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king. Webster's Bible Translation Then said the king's servants that ministered to him, Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king: World English Bible Then 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 Translation And 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 Version 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 BibleThen 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 1917Then 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 chaste and 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’s attendants proposed, “Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for 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 24:16 Now 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 1:2-4 So 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 3:10-11 Then 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 25:3 His 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 11:3 He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines—and his wives turned his heart away. Proverbs 31:10 A wife of noble character, who can find? She is far more precious than rubies. Song of Solomon 6:8-9 There 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 1:4 young 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 3:3-4 Your 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 2:9-10 Likewise, 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 7:36-38 However, 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 11:7-9 A 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 5:25-27 Husbands, 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 5:14 So I advise the younger widows to marry, have children, and manage their households, denying the adversary occasion for slander. Titus 2:4-5 In 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 they were 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 she was 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 Appearance Attendants Attended Beautiful Countenance Fair Good King's Maidens Ministered Ministers Personal Proposed Search Seek Servants Served Sought Virgins Waiting Women YoungJump to Next Appearance Attendants Attended Beautiful Countenance Fair Good King's Maidens Ministered Ministers Personal Proposed Search Seek Servants Served Sought Virgins Waiting Women YoungEsther 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 This phrase introduces us to the royal court of King Ahasuerus, also known as Xerxes I, who ruled the Persian Empire. The "attendants" were likely high-ranking officials or advisors who had the king's ear. In the Hebrew text, the word used here is "na'ar," which can mean young men or servants. These attendants played a crucial role in the administration of the kingdom and were often involved in significant decisions. Historically, the Persian court was known for its opulence and complex bureaucracy, reflecting the vastness of the empire. who served him said, 'Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Then the king'sהַמֶּ֖לֶךְ (ham·me·leḵ) Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 4428: A king attendants נַעֲרֵֽי־ (na·‘ă·rê-) Noun - masculine plural construct Strong's 5288: A boy, lad, youth, retainer proposed, 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 made יְבַקְשׁ֥וּ (yə·ḇaq·šū) Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine plural Strong's 1245: To search out, to strive after for beautiful טוֹב֥וֹת (ṭō·w·ḇō·wṯ) Adjective - feminine plural construct Strong's 2896: Pleasant, agreeable, good young נְעָר֥וֹת (nə·‘ā·rō·wṯ) Noun - feminine plural Strong's 5291: A girl, maiden virgins בְּתוּל֖וֹת (bə·ṯū·lō·wṯ) Noun - feminine plural Strong's 1330: A virgin, sometimes, a bride for the king, לַמֶּ֛לֶךְ (lam·me·leḵ) Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 4428: A king Links Esther 2:2 NIVEsther 2:2 NLT Esther 2:2 ESV Esther 2:2 NASB Esther 2:2 KJV Esther 2:2 BibleApps.com Esther 2:2 Biblia Paralela Esther 2:2 Chinese Bible Esther 2:2 French Bible Esther 2:2 Catholic Bible OT History: Esther 2:2 Then the king's servants who served him (Est Esth. Es) |