Esther 2:4
New International Version
Then let the young woman who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.” This advice appealed to the king, and he followed it.

New Living Translation
After that, the young woman who most pleases the king will be made queen instead of Vashti.” This advice was very appealing to the king, so he put the plan into effect.

English Standard Version
And let the young woman who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.” This pleased the king, and he did so.

Berean Standard Bible
Then let the young woman who pleases the king become queen in place of Vashti.” This suggestion pleased the king, and he acted accordingly.

King James Bible
And let the maiden which pleaseth the king be queen instead of Vashti. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.

New King James Version
Then let the young woman who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.” This thing pleased the king, and he did so.

New American Standard Bible
Then let the young woman who pleases the king be queen in place of Vashti.” And the suggestion pleased the king, and he did accordingly.

NASB 1995
“Then let the young lady who pleases the king be queen in place of Vashti.” And the matter pleased the king, and he did accordingly.

NASB 1977
“Then let the young lady who pleases the king be queen in place of Vashti.” And the matter pleased the king, and he did accordingly.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then let the young lady who is good in the eyes of the king be queen in place of Vashti.” And the word was good in the eyes of the king, and he did so.

Amplified Bible
Then let the young woman who pleases the king be queen in place of Vashti.” This pleased the king, and he did accordingly.

Christian Standard Bible
Then the young woman who pleases the king will become queen instead of Vashti.” This suggestion pleased the king, and he did accordingly.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then the young woman who pleases the king will become queen instead of Vashti.” This suggestion pleased the king, and he did accordingly.

American Standard Version
and let the maiden that pleaseth the king be queen instead of Vashti. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.

Contemporary English Version
Then let the young woman who pleases you most take Vashti's place as queen. King Xerxes liked these suggestions, and he followed them.

English Revised Version
and let the maiden which pleaseth the king be queen instead of Vashti. And the thing pleased the king, and he did so.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then the young woman who pleases you, Your Majesty, will become queen instead of Vashti." The king liked the suggestion, and so he did just that.

Good News Translation
Then take the young woman you like best and make her queen in Vashti's place." The king thought this was good advice, so he followed it.

International Standard Version
Then let the young woman who pleases the king rule in place of Vashti." This advice pleased the king, and he did this.

Majority Standard Bible
Then let the young woman who pleases the king become queen in place of Vashti.? This suggestion pleased the king, and he acted accordingly.

NET Bible
Let the young woman whom the king finds most attractive become queen in place of Vashti." This seemed like a good idea to the king, so he acted accordingly.

New Heart English Bible
and let the maiden who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti." The thing pleased the king, and he did so.

Webster's Bible Translation
And let the maiden who pleaseth the king be queen instead of Vashti. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.

World English Bible
and let the maiden who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.” The thing pleased the king, and he did so.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and the young woman who is good in the eyes of the king reigns instead of Vashti”; and the thing is good in the eyes of the king, and he does so.

Young's Literal Translation
and the young woman who is good in the eyes of the king doth reign instead of Vashti;' and the thing is good in the eyes of the king, and he doth so.

Smith's Literal Translation
And the maiden who shall be good in the eyes of the king shall reign instead of Vashti. And the word will be good in the eyes of the king; and he will do so.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And whosoever among them all shall please the king's eyes, let her be queen instead of Vasthi. The word pleased the king: and he commanded it should be done as they had suggested.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And whoever among them all will please the king’s eyes, let her reign instead of Vashti.” The idea pleased the king, and so he ordered it to be done as they had suggested.

New American Bible
Then the young woman who pleases the king shall reign in place of Vashti.” This suggestion pleased the king, and he acted accordingly.

New Revised Standard Version
And let the girl who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.” This pleased the king, and he did so.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And let the maiden who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the young girl who is pleasing before the King shall reign in the place of Vashti, and the matter was pleasing in the eyes of the King, and he did so.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
and let the maiden that pleaseth the king be queen instead of Vashti.' And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And let the woman who shall please the king be queen instead of Astin. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Seeking Vashti's Successor
3and let the king appoint commissioners in each province of his kingdom to assemble all the beautiful young women into the harem at the citadel of Susa. Let them be placed under the care of Hegai, the king’s eunuch in charge of the women, and let them be given beauty treatments. 4Then let the young woman who pleases the king become queen in place of Vashti.” This suggestion pleased the king, and he acted accordingly.

Cross References
Genesis 24:16
Now the girl was very beautiful, a virgin who had not had relations with any man. She went down to the spring, filled her jar, and came up again.

1 Samuel 25:3
His name was Nabal, and his wife’s name was Abigail. She was an intelligent and beautiful woman, but her husband, a Calebite, was harsh and evil in his dealings.

1 Kings 1:3-4
Then they searched throughout Israel for a beautiful girl, and they found Abishag the Shunammite and brought her to the king. / The girl was unsurpassed in beauty; she cared for the king and served him, but he had no relations with her.

1 Kings 2:17
Adonijah replied, “Please speak to King Solomon, since he will not turn you down. Let him give me Abishag the Shunammite as my wife.”

2 Samuel 11:2-3
One evening David got up from his bed and strolled around on the roof of the palace. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing—a very beautiful woman. / So David sent and inquired about the woman, and he was told, “This is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.”

1 Kings 11:3
He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines—and his wives turned his heart away.

1 Kings 21:8-10
Then Jezebel wrote letters in Ahab’s name, sealed them with his seal, and sent them to the elders and nobles who lived with Naboth in his city. / In the letters she wrote: “Proclaim a fast and give Naboth a seat of honor among the people. / But seat two scoundrels opposite him and have them testify, ‘You have cursed both God and the king!’ Then take him out and stone him to death.”

2 Chronicles 36:23
“This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: ‘The LORD, the God of heaven, who has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, has appointed me to build a house for Him at Jerusalem in Judah. Whoever among you belongs to His people, may the LORD his God be with him, and may he go up.’”

Daniel 1:3-4
Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, the chief of his court officials, to bring in some Israelites from the royal family and the nobility— / young men without blemish, handsome, gifted in all wisdom, knowledgeable, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace—and to teach them the language and literature of the Chaldeans.

Proverbs 31:10
A wife of noble character, who can find? She is far more precious than rubies.

Song of Solomon 1:3
The fragrance of your perfume is pleasing; your name is like perfume poured out. No wonder the maidens adore you.

Song of Solomon 6:8-9
There are sixty queens and eighty concubines, and maidens without number, / but my dove, my perfect one, is unique, the favorite of the mother who bore her. The maidens see her and call her blessed; the queens and concubines sing her praises.

Matthew 1:18-20
This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged in marriage to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. / Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and was unwilling to disgrace her publicly, he resolved to divorce her quietly. / But after he had pondered these things, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to embrace Mary as your wife, for the One conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

Luke 1:26-27
In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, / to a virgin pledged in marriage to a man named Joseph, who was of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary.

Luke 1:30-31
So the angel told her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. / Behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus.


Treasury of Scripture

And let the maiden which pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.

let the maiden.

Matthew 20:16
So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.

Matthew 22:14
For many are called, but few are chosen.

the thing.

Esther 1:21
And the saying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did according to the word of Memucan:

Esther 3:9,10
If it please the king, let it be written that they may be destroyed: and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver to the hands of those that have the charge of the business, to bring it into the king's treasuries…

2 Samuel 13:4-6
And he said unto him, Why art thou, being the king's son, lean from day to day? wilt thou not tell me? And Amnon said unto him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister…

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Accordingly Advice Appealed Eyes Followed Girl Good Instead Lady Maiden Matter Pleased Pleases Pleaseth Pleasing Queen Reign Vashti Young
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Accordingly Advice Appealed Eyes Followed Girl Good Instead Lady Maiden Matter Pleased Pleases Pleaseth Pleasing Queen Reign Vashti Young
Esther 2
1. Out of the choice of virgins a queen is to be chosen.
5. Mordecai the nursing father of Esther.
8. Esther preferred before the rest.
12. The manner of purification, and going in to the king.
15. Esther, best pleasing the king, is made queen.
21. Mordecai, discovering a treason, is recorded in the chronicles.














Then let the young woman
The phrase "young woman" in Hebrew is "na'arah," which often refers to a girl of marriageable age. In the context of ancient Persia, this highlights the cultural practice of selecting young women for royal service or marriage. The emphasis on youth underscores the king's desire for vitality and beauty, which were highly prized attributes in a queen.

who pleases the king
The Hebrew word for "pleases" is "yatav," meaning to be good, pleasing, or agreeable. This reflects the king's subjective criteria for choosing a queen, focusing on personal satisfaction and favor. It suggests a superficial standard based on appearance and demeanor rather than character or virtue, which contrasts with the biblical ideal of inner beauty and godliness.

be queen in place of Vashti
The phrase "in place of Vashti" indicates a replacement, highlighting the consequences of Vashti's disobedience to King Xerxes. Vashti's removal serves as a cautionary tale about the importance of obedience and submission within the royal court. Historically, this reflects the absolute authority of the king and the precarious position of women in ancient monarchies.

This advice appealed to the king
The word "appealed" in Hebrew is "yatav," the same root as "pleases," indicating that the proposal was agreeable and satisfactory to the king. This repetition emphasizes the king's self-centered decision-making process, driven by personal desires rather than moral or ethical considerations.

and he acted accordingly
The king's immediate action upon receiving the advice demonstrates the swift execution of royal decrees in ancient Persia. It underscores the king's authority and the lack of checks and balances in his decision-making. This historical context highlights the vulnerability of individuals under autocratic rule and sets the stage for Esther's rise, which will ultimately serve God's providential plan for His people.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then let the young woman
וְהַֽנַּעֲרָ֗ה (wə·han·na·‘ă·rāh)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5291: A girl, maiden

who
אֲשֶׁ֤ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

pleases
תִּיטַב֙ (tî·ṭaḇ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 3190: To be good, well, glad, or pleasing

the king
הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ (ham·me·leḵ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428: A king

become queen
תִּמְלֹ֖ךְ (tim·lōḵ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 4427: To reign, inceptively, to ascend the throne, to induct into royalty, to take counsel

in place
תַּ֣חַת (ta·ḥaṯ)
Preposition
Strong's 8478: The bottom, below, in lieu of

of Vashti.”
וַשְׁתִּ֑י (waš·tî)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 2060: Vashti -- queen of Pers

This suggestion
הַדָּבָ֛ר (had·dā·ḇār)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1697: A word, a matter, thing, a cause

pleased
וַיִּיטַ֧ב (way·yî·ṭaḇ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3190: To be good, well, glad, or pleasing

the king,
הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ (ham·me·leḵ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428: A king

and he acted
וַיַּ֥עַשׂ (way·ya·‘aś)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6213: To do, make

accordingly.
כֵּֽן׃ (kên)
Adverb
Strong's 3651: So -- thus


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OT History: Esther 2:4 And let the maiden who pleases (Est Esth. Es)
Esther 2:3
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