Est 2:2-3 | NETfull | STEP | The king’s servants who attended him said, “Let a search be conducted in the king’s behalf for attractive young women.

Esther 2:2-3

2 The king’s servants who attended him said, “Let a search be conducted in the king’s behalf for attractive young women. ^{▼▼ Heb “young women, virgins, good of form.” The same phrase also occurs in v. 3.} 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 ^{▼▼ Heb “the house of the women” (so KJV, ASV). So also in vv. 9, 11, 13, and 14.} under the authority of Hegai, the king’s eunuch who oversees the women, and let him provide whatever cosmetics they desire. ^{▼▼ Heb “their ointments”; cf. NIV, CEV, NLT “beauty treatments.”}