What Does Esther 2:9 Mean in the King James?
And the maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness of him; and he speedily gave her her things for purification, with such things as belonged to her, and seven maidens, which were meet to be given her, out of the king’s house: and he preferred her and her maids unto the best place of the house of the women.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
Favor here is tangible care, yet it also places the young woman more deeply inside the king’s house.
THE MEANING
Favor is visible in supplies, attendants, and a place of greater care. The young woman receives these within the king’s house of women, where royal authority shapes her place. Provision and constraint occupy the same frame.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
Favor is only approval in words, with no practical care attached.
THE ROOT
חֶסֶד
chesed
GROWS FROM
חסד
Faithful love expressed as loyal care.
English “kindness” can sound like a passing courtesy; חֶסֶד names faithful love. The supplies, attendants, and placement make that care concrete, and the same word returns when Esther receives the crown in verse 17.
ALSO GROWS
chasid: A faithful or loyal one.
חָסִיד
The related word points to the enduring character carried by faithful love.
chasadim: Acts of faithful love.
חֲסָדִים
The plural form makes the root’s care concrete in actions, as it is in the gifts and support in this verse.
וַתִּשָּׂא
vattissa
GROWS FROM
נשא
To lift, carry, or bear.
The Hebrew verb behind “obtained” literally carries the sense of lifting or bearing: Esther “bears” favor before him. The same verb-and-favor construction appears again in Esther 2:17, where the favor leads to the crown and queenship.
ALSO GROWS
nasa: To lift, carry, or bear.
נָשָׂא
This is the verb’s root form and makes the verse’s language of favor more physical than the English wording suggests.
massa: A burden or load carried.
מַשָּׂא
This related noun keeps the sense of carrying visible, showing how the root can describe what is borne.
THE PATTERN
Favor becomes visible through practical provision and an opened place.
And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand.And delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house.And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.THE THREAD
And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.The Hebrew repeats the same נשא (nasa, lift or carry) construction with חֶסֶד (chesed, faithful love): Esther bears favor before Hegai here, then bears grace and faithful love before the king. In the next verse, that favor takes the visible form of a crown and queenship.
Read the SDV Bible.
Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.
The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us