ESTHER LESSON 2


     We will begin this lesson in Esther 2:1 "After these things, when
the wrath of king Ahasuerus was appeased, he remembered Vashti, and
what she had done, and what was decreed against her."

     The indication, here, is that he was sorry he had listened to his
advisors and put Vashti away. None of this would have happened, had he
not been drinking. After he settled down and thought about what had
happened, he had to realize that this was his fault, and not hers.  He
cannot change her punishment, however, because he had made it a law.

     Esther 2:2 "Then said the king's servants that ministered unto
him, Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king:" Esther 2:3
"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]:"

     The king's servants had discovered the sadness of the king at the
loss of his queen. In an oriental palace, there are separate
apartments for the women away from the men. We saw that, in the Palace
of king David. These young, beautiful virgins were to be gathered from
the many provinces that Xerxes ruled. They would be brought to the
women's quarters at the palace, and prepared to meet the king. Most of
these young women would not have fine clothes to wear, so they would
be provided for them to wear before the king. Even though they were
virgins, they would be purified in some way. This took approximately a
year for the purification. This, possibly, meant that they were bathed
and clothed in the garments provided. It, also, meant they were
perfumed and rubbed with ointment in the purification.

     Esther 2:4 "And let the maiden which pleaseth the king be queen
instead of Vashti. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so."

     The king was lonesome, and by his own edict he could not get
Vashti back, so he agreed to the suggestion. He sent for the maidens
to be brought. In the next few verses, we can see that the hand of the
LORD was in all that had happened.

     Esther 2:5   "[Now] in Shushan the palace there was a certain
Jew, whose name [was] Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei,
the son of Kish, a Benjamite;"

     During the Babylonian captivity, Mordecai had been taken to
Shushan. This is the first mention of a Jew in this book. We read of a
Mordecai in Ezra and in Nehemiah, It is, probably, not the same
person. The Mordecai, here, was a Benjamite.

     Esther 2:6 "Who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the
captivity which had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah,
whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away."
     There were a number of captivities that took place. This one
seems to have been fairly early on. This was, probably, the second
captivity, because of the capture of Jeconiah. Nebuchadnezzar was king
of Babylon at the time.

     Esther 2:7 "And he brought up Hadassah, that [is], Esther, his
uncle's daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid
[was] fair and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother
were dead, took for his own daughter."

     Hadassah is another name for Esther. It appears, that her mother
and father were dead, and Mordecai had raised her. It was Mordecai
that brought Esther up to be shown to the king for a possible wife.
She was a virgin, and she was very beautiful.

     Esther 2:8  "So it came to pass, when the king's commandment and
his decree was heard, and when many maidens were gathered together
unto Shushan the palace, to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was
brought also unto the king's house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of
the women."

     It seems, that many beautiful maidens from throughout the
provinces were brought to the women's apartments to be prepared to be
viewed by the king. Hegai was the eunuch that was in charge of the
women, who would be viewed by the king.

       Esther 2:9 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.

     It seems, that when Hegai saw Esther, he was pleased with her,
and he wanted every advantage shown her. He assigned 7 maidservants to
her and gave her the nicest of the women's apartments. He saw that all
of her needs were met, while she was waiting. We may safely assume
that the LORD caused the king to be pleased with Esther.

     Esther 2:10 "Esther had not shewed her people nor her kindred:
for Mordecai had charged her that she should not shew [it]."

     This just means that she did not reveal to the king that she was
a Hebrew. Mordecai did not even allow her to tell the king that he had
raised her.

     Esther 2:11 "And Mordecai walked every day before the court of
the women's house, to know how Esther did, and what should become of
her."

     Mordecai was very interested in Esther, since she was like a
daughter to him. He was allowed to walk before the court of the women,
because he had been made a eunuch to serve the king.

     Esther 2:12  "Now when every maid's turn was come to go in to
king Ahasuerus, after that she had been twelve months, according to
the manner of the women, (for so were the days of their purifications
accomplished, [to wit], six months with oil of myrrh, and six months
with sweet odours, and with [other] things for the purifying of the
women;)"

     Some of them had, probably, been out in the sun, and rough skin
would not be becoming to a queen. After the twelve months in the
apartments of the women, they would appear before the king to be
selected. This oil of myrrh was perfume that was generally for the
wedding bed.  This was something to make her smell nice. During this
time, she would have her skin rubbed with oil, so she would be soft to
touch. She was groomed to appear as a queen. During this time, she
was, probably, taught the duties of the queen as well.

     Esther 2:13 "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."

     This is just saying, that every one of these maidens,
individually, were given whatever clothes and ornaments they wanted to
wear.

     Esther 2:14 "In the evening she went, and on the morrow she
returned into the second house of the women, to the custody of
Shaashgaz, the king's chamberlain, which kept the concubines: she came
in unto the king no more, except the king delighted in her, and that
she were called by name."

     The second house was for the king's concubines. It appears, that
each of them stayed the night with the king and the next morning was
carried to the house for his concubines. Shaashgaz was, also, a eunuch
who took care of the king's concubines. They would never go again to
the king, unless he called for them. If he called for one, she would
be called by name, because he was pleased with her.

     Esther 2:15  "Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of
Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, was
come to go in unto the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the
king's chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed. And Esther
obtained favour in the sight of all them that looked upon her."

     Esther's father was Mordecai's uncle. It seemed, each of these
maidens went to see the king, and spent the night with him. When
Esther's turn came, it was interesting that she did not demand any
ornaments, or extra clothes. She just took what Hegai, the king's
chamberlain gave her. They all loved her, because this proved she was
not greedy, or demanding.

     Esther 2:16 "So Esther was taken unto king Ahasuerus into his
house royal in the tenth month, which [is] the month Tebeth, in the
seventh year of his reign."

     The month Tebeth is, probably, speaking of the month of January
on our calendar. Four years had passed since Vashti had been put away
for disobeying the king. Esther would be accepted, or rejected, of the
king on this night.

     Esther 2:17 "And the king loved Esther above all the women, and
she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins;
so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen
instead of Vashti."

     The king loved Esther above all the other women. She was his
choice of all the beautiful virgins of the provinces. He loved her so
much, that he chose her to be his queen. He crowned her queen
immediately.

     Esther 2:18 "Then the king made a great feast unto all his
princes and his servants, [even] Esther's feast; and he made a release
to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the state of the king."

     All joyful occasions were accompanied by a feast. The king
announced this feast to celebrate Esther's becoming queen. He sent
gifts and released the provinces from taxes and fighting in war, for a
time to celebrate his queen.

     Esther 2:19 "And when the virgins were gathered together the
second time, then Mordecai sat in the king's gate."

     These had to be the maidens that had been chosen from the
provinces. Mordecai sitting in the king's gate, showed that he was one
of the king's servants.

     Esther 2:20 "Esther had not [yet] shewed her kindred nor her
people; as Mordecai had charged her: for Esther did the commandment of
Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him."

     Esther showed great respect to Mordecai, as she would a father.
She had not told the king, or anyone else, that she was a Hebrew, or
that she was raised by Mordecai. Mordecai thought it best that she not
tell, and she obeyed his wishes.

     Esther 2:21  "In those days, while Mordecai sat in the king's
gate, two of the king's chamberlains, Bigthan and Teresh, of those
which kept the door, were wroth, and sought to lay hand on the king
Ahasuerus."

     These two men were highly regarded by the king. They were eunuchs
that guarded the door to his sleeping chamber. They would have had an
advantage, if they decided to kill the king, because they were trusted
and could surprise him in his sleep.

     Esther 2:22 "And the thing was known to Mordecai, who told [it]
unto Esther the queen; and Esther certified the king [thereof] in
Mordecai's name."

     Somehow Mordecai got word to Esther of their plan to kill the
king. Esther told the king of their plot against his life. She, also,
told him that it was Mordecai that sent the warning to him. She still
did not reveal that she was related to Mordecai.

     Esther 2:23 "And when inquisition was made of the matter, it was
found out; therefore they were both hanged on a tree: and it was
written in the book of the chronicles before the king."

     The king had this checked out, and found it to be true. He had
them both hung in punishment. This is a matter of historical record.












































                          Esther 2 Questions


1.  When the king got over his anger, he remembered ________.
2.  None of this would have happened, had he not been ___________.
3.  What did he realize about the whole thing, after he thought about
    it?
4.  Why could he not change her punishment?
5.  What did the king's servants say to him?
6.  The apartments of the women were ___________ from the men's.
7.  How long would they take for purification?
8.  The maiden that pleased the king shall be _________.
9.  Who was the Jew that was in the palace?
10. What tribe was he from?
11. Who had taken him captive?
12. What was another name for Esther?
13. What relation was she to Mordecai?
14. Why did Mordecai raise her?
15. Where was Esther brought?
16. Who was Hegai?
17. What special favor did the king show Esther, even before she
    became his queen?
18. What does verse 10 mean?
19. How did Mordecai check on Esther?
20. What was given to the maidens after the 12 months of grooming?
21. What was the second house they were taken to, after being with the
    king?
22. Who was Esther's father?
23. How did Esther find favour with those who had kept her, before she
    went to the king?
24. When was she taken to the king?
25. The king loved Esther _________ all the other women.
26. Esther was __________ ________ by the king.
27. What was the name of the feast the king gave?
28. Esther treated Mordecai as a __________.
29. Who plotted to kill the king?
30. How was their plan stopped?
31. What happened to these two men?