In the evening she went, and on the next day she returned into the second women’s house, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch, who kept the concubines. She came in to the king no more, unless the king delighted in her, and she was called by name.
Parallel Translations
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In the evening she went, and on the next day she returned into the second women’s house, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch, who kept the concubines. She came in to the king no more, unless the king delighted in her, and she was called by name.
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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.
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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, who kept the concubines; she came in unto the king no more, except the king delighted in her, and she were called by name.
Cross-references (6)
Passages linked to Esther 2:14 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Esther 4:11 “All the king’s servants, and the people of the king’s provinces, know, that whoever, whether man or woman, comes to the king into the inner court without being called, there is one law for him, that he be put to death, except those to whom the king might hold out the golden scepter, that he may live. I have not been called to come in to the king these thirty days.”
- Genesis 34:19 The young man didn’t wait to do this thing, because he had delight in Jacob’s daughter, and he was honored above all the house of his father.
- Deuteronomy 21:14 It shall be, if you have no delight in her, then you shall let her go where she desires; but you shall not sell her at all for money. You shall not deal with her as a slave, because you have humbled her.
- Isaiah 43:1 But now Yahweh who created you, Jacob, and he who formed you, Israel, says: “Don’t be afraid, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by your name. You are mine.
- Isaiah 45:4 For Jacob my servant’s sake, and Israel my chosen, I have called you by your name. I have given you a title, though you have not known me.
- Isaiah 62:4-5 You will not be called Forsaken any more, nor will your land be called Desolate any more; but you will be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; for Yahweh delights in you, and your land will be married. For as a young man marries a virgin, so your sons will marry you. As a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so your God will rejoice over you.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (9 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Est 2:14 In the evening she went, and on…
Est 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.
Ver. 14. In the evening she went] As the fittest time for a work of darkness.
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And on the morrow she returned] So short is the pleasure of sin. Laura venire Venus, tristis abire solet.
Into the second house of the women] That having made sale of her honesty, she might converse with such as had likewise left their honesties behind them; companions in evil, and miserable comforters, with whom they might make up their measure, and God’s power on his.
She came in unto the king no more] But must burn in lust, without means of allayment; being scalded, as it were, in her own grease, frying within and freezing without. Sed βορβορουμεθα ταντα λεγοντες, as Cyril saith in a like case, We do but rake a dunghill in a discourse of this nature. Let us therefore stay here no longer (as Merlin hath it) in setting forth the filthiness of this heathen prince, who yet hath too many among us that imitate his uncleanness and intemperance.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain Darius Nothus is reckoned to have had three hundred…
Darius Nothus is reckoned to have had three hundred and sixty concubines.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain In the evening she went, and on the morrow…
In the evening she went, and on the morrow she returned into the second house of the women,.... Or the other apartment of the house of the women, where were kept those the king had made his concubines or secondary wives. Aben Ezra interprets it the second time, and so the Targum by "again":
to the custody of Shaashgaz the king's chamberlain, which kept the concubines; of which the kings of Persia had a great number; Darius, whom Alexander conquered, had three hundred and sixty (q):
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she came in unto the king no more, except the king delighted in her, and that she was called by name; but remained shut up in the house, and might not lie with, nor be married to, another man.
(q) Curt. Hist. l. 3. c. 3.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 14. She returned into the second house] This…
Verse 14. She returned into the second house] This was the place where the king's concubines were kept. They went out no more, and were never given in marriage to any man, and saw the king's face no more unless specially called.
Custody of Shaashgaz] This is probably another Persian name; [Persian] sheshkhunj, beardless, a proper epithet of a eunuch; or [Persian] sestgunj, weak loins, for the same reason. Names of this kind at once show the reason of their imposition, by describing the state of the person.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain The second house of the women - i. e.…
The second house of the women - i. e. Esther returned to the “house of the women,” but not to the same part of it. She became an inmate of the “second house,” or “house of the concubines,” under the superintendence of a distinct officer, Shaashgaz.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 14. The second house of the women — An…
14. The second house of the women — An apartment or division of the harem of secondary importance or rank — the place of the concubines. But the word second may be taken in the sense of again, and the passage rendered, she returned to the house of the women again, or, a second time. So Bertheau and Keil. When, however, these women returned again to the harem, they were assigned to a different department from that of the virgins. This is evident from their being placed in custody of Shaashgaz, the keeper of the concubines, not of Hegai, who had charge of the virgins.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On the morrow. Literally, "in the morning." The second…
On the morrow. Literally, "in the morning." The second house of the women. The gynaeceum comprised at least three distinct houses:
1. A residence for the queen, corresponding to that which Solomon builtfor the daughter of Pharaoh; (1Ki_7:8)
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2. A house for the secondary wives, or concubines; and,
3. A house for the virgins. On returning from her first visit to the king"schamber, a woman ordinarily became an inmate of the "second house." This "second house" was under the care of a eunuch called Sha"ashgaz.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 Connecting Statement:
Connecting Statement:
This continues the background information that began in Esther 2:12 about the customs for the women who became the king's wives. (See: Background Information)
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in the morning
It is implied that this is the following morning. This information can be made clear. AT: "the next morning" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
second house
"a different house" (See: Numbers)
to the custody of Shaashgaz, ... concubines
"to where Shaashgaz, ... concubines would take care of her"
custody
"supervision" or "protection"
Shaashgaz
This is a man's name. (See: How to Translate Names)
translationWords
king
concubine
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 2:14 the second harem: Each woman would spend one…
2:14 the second harem: Each woman would spend one night with the king in his bedroom and then live essentially as a widow the rest of her life unless the king remembered her name and called for her. The women in the second harem lived an easy life in a luxurious setting under the care of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.