Esther 2:18

Easy-to-Read Version

And the king gave a big party for Esther. It was for all his important people and leaders. He announced a festival in all the provinces and sent out gifts to people, because he was a generous king.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
The king held a great banquet for all his officials and staff. It was Esther’s banquet. He freed his provinces from tax payments and gave gifts worthy of the king’s bounty.

Hebrew Names Version
Then the king made a great feast to all his princes and his servants, even Ester's feast; and he made a release to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the bounty of the king.

King James Version
Then the king made a great feast unto all his princes and his servants, even Esther's feast; and he made a release to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the state of the king.

English Standard Version
Then the king gave a great feast for all his officials and servants; it was Esther's feast. He also granted a remission of taxes to the provinces and gave gifts with royal generosity.

New Century Version
Then the king gave a great banquet for Esther and invited all his important men and royal officers. He announced a holiday for all the empire and had the government give away gifts.

New English Translation
Then the king prepared a large banquet for all his officials and his servants—it was actually Esther's banquet. He also set aside a holiday for the provinces, and he provided for offerings at the king's expense.

Amplified Bible
Then the king held a great banquet, Esther's banquet, for all his officials and his servants; and he made a festival for the provinces and gave gifts in accordance with the resources of the king.

New American Standard Bible
Then the king held a great banquet, Esther's banquet, for all his officials and his servants; he also made a holiday for the provinces and gave gifts in proportion to the king's bounty.

World English Bible
Then the king made a great feast to all his princes and his servants, even Esther's feast; and he made a release to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the bounty of the king.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Then the King made a great feast vnto all his princes, & his seruants, which was the feast of Ester, & gaue rest vnto the prouinces, and gaue gifts, according to the power of a King.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then the king held a great feast, Esther's feast, for all his princes and his servants; he also held a remission of taxes for the provinces and gave gifts according to the king's hand.

Berean Standard Bible
Then the king held a great banquet, Esther's banquet, for all his officials and servants. He proclaimed a tax holiday in the provinces and gave gifts worthy of the king's bounty.

Contemporary English Version
In honor of Esther he gave a big dinner for his leaders and officials. Then he declared a holiday everywhere in his kingdom and gave expensive gifts.

Complete Jewish Bible
The king then gave a great banquet in Ester's honor for all his officers and servants, decreed a holiday for the provinces and distributed gifts worthy of royal bounty.

Darby Translation
And the king made a great feast to all his princes and his servants, Esther's feast; and he made a release to the provinces, and gave presents according to the king's bounty.

George Lamsa Translation
Then the king made a great feast to all his princes, even Esthers feast; and he granted relief to the provinces and gave gifts, according to the generosity of the king.

Good News Translation
Then the king gave a great banquet in Esther's honor and invited all his officials and administrators. He proclaimed a holiday for the whole empire and distributed gifts worthy of a king.

Lexham English Bible
And the king gave a great banquet, Esther's banquet, for all his officials and servants. And he granted a tax amnesty to the provinces and he gave gifts with royal liberality.

Literal Translation
And the king made a great banquet for all his rulers and his servants, Esther's banquet. And he ordered a rest for the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the state of the king.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And the kynke made a greate feast vnto all his prynces and seruauntes (which feast was because of Hester) and let the londes be in quyetnes, & gaue royall giftes.

American Standard Version
Then the king made a great feast unto all his princes and his servants, even Esther's feast; and he made a release to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the bounty of the king.

Bible in Basic English
Then the king gave a great feast for all his captains and his servants, even Esther's feast; and he gave orders through all the divisions of his kingdom for a day of rest from work, and gave wealth from his store.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the king made a great feast vnto all his princes and seruauntes, whiche feast was because of Esther, and caused the prouinces to be in quietnesse, & gaue giftes, as became the royaltie of a king.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
Then the king made a great feast unto all his princes and his servants, even Esther's feast; and he made a release to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the bounty of the king.

King James Version (1611)
Then the king made a great feast vnto all his princes and his seruants, euen Esthers feast, and hee made a release to the prouinces, and gaue gifts, according to the state of the king.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the king made a banquet for all his friends and great men for seven days, and he highly celebrated the marriage of Esther; and he made a release to those who were under his dominion.

English Revised Version
Then the king made a great feast unto all his princes and his servants, even Esther's feast; and he made a release to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the bounty of the king.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And he comaundide a ful worschipful feeste to be maad redi to alle hise princes and seruauntis, for the ioynyng togidere and the weddyngis of Hester; and he yaf rest to alle prouynces, and yaf yiftis aftir the worschipful doyng of a prynce.

Update Bible Version
Then the king made a great feast to all his princes and his slaves, even Esther's feast; and he ordered a rest to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the bounty of the king.

Webster's Bible Translation
Then the king made a great feast to all his princes and his servants, [even] Esther's feast; and he made a release to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the state of the king.

New King James Version
Then the king made a great feast, the Feast of Esther, for all his officials and servants; and he proclaimed a holiday in the provinces and gave gifts according to the generosity of a king.

New Living Translation
To celebrate the occasion, he gave a great banquet in Esther's honor for all his nobles and officials, declaring a public holiday for the provinces and giving generous gifts to everyone.

New Life Bible
Then the king gave a great supper for all his princes and leaders. It was a special supper for Esther. He also made a special day for the nation, and gave many gifts.

New Revised Standard
Then the king gave a great banquet to all his officials and ministers—"Esther's banquet." He also granted a holiday to the provinces, and gave gifts with royal liberality.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then the king made a great banquet, for all his rulers and his servants, the banquet of Esther, - and, a remission, for all the provinces, made he, and gave a present, according to the bounty of a king.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And he commanded a magnificent feast to be prepared for all the princes, and for his servants, for the marriage and wedding of Esther, And he gave rest to all the provinces, and bestowed gifts according to princely magnificence.

Revised Standard Version
Then the king gave a great banquet to all his princes and servants; it was Esther's banquet. He also granted a remission of taxes to the provinces, and gave gifts with royal liberality.

Young's Literal Translation
and the king maketh a great banquet to all his heads and his servants -- the banquet of Esther -- and a release to the provinces hath made, and giveth gifts as a memorial of the king.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then the king gave a great banquet, Esther's banquet, for all his princes and his servants; he also made a holiday for the provinces and gave gifts according to the king's bounty.

Contextual Overview

¹ Later, King Xerxes stopped being angry. Then he remembered Vashti and what she had done. He remembered his commands about her. ² Then the king's personal servants had a suggestion. They said, "Search for beautiful young virgins for the king. ³ Let the king choose leaders in every province of his kingdom. Then let the leaders bring every beautiful young virgin to the capital city of Susa. These young women will be put with the group of the king's women. They will be under the care of Hegai, the king's eunuch, who is in charge of the women. Then give beauty treatments to all of them. ⁴ Then let the one who is pleasing to the king become the new queen in Vashti's place." The king liked this suggestion, so he accepted it. ⁵ Now there was a Jew from the tribe of Benjamin named Mordecai. Mordecai was the son of Jair, and Jair was the son of Shimei, and Shimei was the son of Kish. Mordecai was in the capital city, Susa. ⁶ Mordecai had been carried into captivity from Jerusalem by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. He was with the group that was taken into captivity with King Jehoiachin of Judah. ⁷ Mordecai had a cousin named Hadassah. She didn't have a father or a mother, so Mordecai took care of her. Mordecai had adopted her as his own daughter when her father and mother died. Hadassah was also called Esther. She had a very pretty face and a good figure. ⁸ When the king's command had been heard, many young women were brought to the capital city of Susa. They were put under the care of Hegai. Esther was one of these women. She was taken to the king's palace and put into Hegai's care. Hegai was in charge of the king's women. ⁹ He liked Esther. She became his favorite, so he quickly gave Esther beauty treatments and special food. He chose seven slave women from the king's palace and gave them to Esther. Then he moved Esther and her seven women servants into the best place where the king's women lived. ¹⁰ Esther didn't tell anyone she was a Jew. She didn't tell anyone about her family background, because Mordecai had told her not to.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

am 3547, bc 457

made a great: Esther 1:3-5, Genesis 29:22, Judges 14:10-17, Song of Solomon 3:11, Song of Solomon 5:1, Matthew 22:2, Luke 14:8, Revelation 19:9

he made: We learn from Herodotus and Atheneus, that the Persian monarchs were accustomed to give their wives distinct cities and provinces for the purpose of supplying them with different articles of dress: one was assigned for ornamenting the head and neck; another provided robes, zones, etc.; and the city of Anthilla was given to a Persian queen, we read, to supply her with shoes and sandals. It is probable, therefore, that, at the desire of Esther, Ahasuerus relieved those cities and provinces that had before paid it, from this expense.

release: Heb. rest

gave gifts: Esther 9:22, 1 Samuel 25:8, Nehemiah 8:11, Revelation 11:10

Reciprocal: Matthew 14:6 - birthday Mark 6:21 - his birthday Ephesians 4:8 - and

Cross-References

Genesis 1:31
God looked at everything he had made. And he saw that everything was very good. There was evening, and then there was morning. This was the sixth day.

Genesis 2:7
Then the Lord God took dust from the ground and made a man. He breathed the breath of life into the man's nose, and the man became a living thing.

Genesis 2:9
Then the Lord God caused all the beautiful trees that were good for food to grow in the garden. In the middle of the garden, he put the tree of life and the tree that gives knowledge about good and evil.

Genesis 2:11
The name of the first river was Pishon. This river flowed around the entire country of Havilah.

Genesis 2:12
(There is gold in that country, and that gold is pure. A kind of expensive perfume and onyx are also found there.)

Genesis 2:13
The name of the second river was Gihon. This river flowed around the whole land of Cush.

Genesis 3:12
The man said, "The woman you put here with me gave me fruit from that tree. So I ate it."

Ruth 3:1
Then Naomi, Ruth's mother-in-law, said to her, "My daughter, maybe I should find a husband and a good home for you. That would be good for you.

Proverbs 18:22
If you find a wife, you have found something good. She shows that the Lord is happy with you.

1 Corinthians 7:36
A man might think that he is not doing the right thing with his fiancée. She might be almost past the best age to marry. So he might feel that he should marry her. He should do what he wants. It is no sin for them to get married.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then the king made a great feast unto all his princes and servants, even Esther's feast,.... A feast to all his nobles, courtiers, and ministers of state, on account of his marriage with Esther; which, according to the Greek version, was held seven days; but, according to Josephus, it lasted a whole month t:

and he made a release to the provinces; of taxes and tribute due to him, as was the custom of the kings of Persia when they came to the throne, as Herodotus u relates; so Smerdis the magus, that mounted the throne after Cambyses, pretending to be his brother, released them for three years to come w; and Grotius says kings used to do it at their marriage, but gives no instance of it:

and gave gifts: according to the latter Targum, to the provinces, all of them, that he might be sure that the people of Esther shared his favours, who were as yet unknown; but rather these gifts were given to his nobles, or it may be to Esther; so the former Targum,

"he gave to her a gift and portion:''

according to the state of the king; his royal ability and munificence, and suitable to his grandeur; and it was usual with the Persian kings to give to their wives whole cities for one thing or another, as for necklaces, hair laces, shoes, c. x Socrates y speaks of a whole country in Persia called the "Queen's girdle", and another her "Headdress".

t Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 11. c. 6. sect. 2.) u Erato, sive, l. 6. c. 59. w Thalia, sive, l. 3. c. 67. x Herodot. Euterpe, sive, l. 2. c. 98. Cicero in Verrem, l. 3. Orat. 8. y In Plat. Alcibiad.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

A release - Either remission of taxation, or of military service, or of both.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 18. Made a release to the provinces — Remitted some kind of tribute or impost, in honour of Esther, at her coronation, as our kings generally do when they are crowned, ordering a discharge from prison of many who are confined for minor offenses. As it was the custom of the Persian kings to give their queens something like what is called with us the aurum reginae, "queen gold," which was a tenth of all fines, c., above what was given to the king (for they gave them such a city to buy them clothes, another for their hair, a third for their necklaces, a fourth for their pearls, c.) it is probable that, on this occasion, Esther so wishing, he relieved those cities and provinces which had before paid this queen gold from all these expenses; and this would tend greatly to make the queen popular.