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:
Let the king choose officials in every province of his kingdom to gather all the beautiful young unmarried women and bring them to the palace in Shushan. They should be placed in the women's quarters under the care of Hegai, the king's official who oversees the women, and let them be given everything they need for their beauty treatments.
The writer is describing how King Ahasuerus organized a kingdom-wide search for beautiful young women to potentially become his new queen, with officials gathering them at the palace for preparation.
📚 Historical Context
This takes place in the Persian Empire around 483-482 BC, after Queen Vashti was banished for refusing to appear before the king and his guests. Ancient Persian kings had harems with many women, and when choosing a new queen, it was common to gather candidates from across the vast empire. The 'purification' process typically involved months of beauty treatments with oils and perfumes.
Ask the AI Assistant
Have a question about this chapter or verse? Ask below for a clear explanation.