When it was time for her to go to the king’s palace, she was given her choice of whatever clothing or jewelry she wanted to take from the harem.
Parallel translations
- WEB The young woman then came to the king like this: whatever she desired was given her to go with her out of the women’s house to the king’s house.
- KJV Then thus came every maiden unto the king; whatsoever she desired was given her to go with her out of the house of the women unto the king’s house.
- BSB When the young woman would go to the king, she was given whatever she requested to take with her from the harem to the king’s palace.
- ESV when the young woman went in to the king in this way, she was given whatever she desired to take with her from the harem to the king’s palace.
- NKJV Thus prepared, each young woman went to the king, and she was given whatever she desired to take with her from the women’s quarters to the king’s palace.
- NASB the young woman would go in to the king in this way: anything that she desired was given her to take with her from the harem to the king’s palace.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Each woman could take whatever she wished from the harem to the king. The lavish provision again underscores Persian opulence.
Overview
The freedom to choose adornments highlights both the wealth of the court and the women's effort to win the king's favor. Esther's later restraint, taking only what Hegai advises, will stand out against this backdrop. The verse sets up the contrast that reveals Esther's humble wisdom, a quality God uses to grant her favor.
Cross-references & the web
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Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Though God is never named, his hidden hand preserves the people from whom the Messiah will come — a deliverance 'for such a time as this' that anticipates the open deliverance of Christ.
How Esther 2:13 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.