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.
In the evening she would go to the king, and the next morning she would return to the second women's quarters, under the care of Shaashgaz, the king's official who was in charge of the concubines. She would never go back to the king again unless he was especially pleased with her and specifically asked for her by name.
This verse describes how women who spent one night with the king would then live separately as concubines, only returning if the king specifically chose them again.
📚 Historical Context
In the Book of Esther, set during the Persian Empire under King Ahasuerus (likely Xerxes I in the 5th century BC), the story describes the king's harem system where young women were brought to the palace for potential selection as queen after Queen Vashti's removal. This verse outlines the routine for these women: after spending a night with the king, they returned to a separate house under the guard of an official like Shaashgaz, and were only summoned again if the king specifically requested them by name, reflecting the hierarchical and objectifying customs of ancient royal courts.
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