Esther 2 · Verse 18

Esther 2:18

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.
Esther 2:18, King James Version

Esther 2:18 in other translations

BSBThen 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.
WEBThen the king made a great feast for all his princes and his servants, even Esther’s feast; and he proclaimed a holiday in the provinces, and gave gifts according to the king’s bounty.
ASVThen 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.
YLTand 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.
DARBYAnd 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.
BBEThen 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.
WebsterThen 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.

What does Esther 2:18 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 18 Made a release to the provinces - Remitted some kind of tribute or impost, in honor 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, etc., 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, etc.); 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.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Esther 2:1-20

We see to what absurd practices those came, who were destitute of Divine revelation, and what need there was of the gospel of Christ, to purify men from the lusts of the flesh, and to bring them back to the original institution of marriage. Esther was preferred as queen. Those who suggest that Esther committed sin to come at this dignity, do not consider the custom of those times and countries. Every one that the…

Read the full comment on Esther 2:1-20 →

Esther 2:18 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיַּ֨עַשׂvai.Ya.'asand he madeH6213
הַמֶּ֜לֶךְha.Me.lekhthe kingH4428
מִשְׁתֶּ֣הmish.Teha feastH4960
גָד֗וֹלga.DolgreatH1419
לְכָל\־le.kholfor allH3605
שָׂרָיו֙sa.Ravofficials hisH8269
וַעֲבָדָ֔יוva.'a.va.Davand servants hisH5650
אֵ֖ת'et<obj.>H853
מִשְׁתֵּ֣הmish.Teh[the] feast ofH4960
אֶסְתֵּ֑ר'es.TerEstherH635
וַהֲנָחָ֤הva.ha.na.Chahand a holidayH2010
לַמְּדִינוֹת֙la.me.di.nOtfor the provincesH4082
עָשָׂ֔ה'a.Sahhe madeH6213
וַיִּתֵּ֥ןvai.yi.Tenand he gaveH5414
מַשְׂאֵ֖תmas.'EttributeH4864
כְּיַ֥דke.Yadaccording to [the] hand ofH3027
הַמֶּֽלֶךְ\׃ha.Me.lekhthe kingH4428

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Esther 2:18

  • Genesis 29:22

    And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.

  • Judges 14:10-17

    So his father went down unto the woman: and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do. And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him. And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye can certainly declare it me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty sheets and thirty change of garments: But if ye cannot declare it me, then shall ye give me thirty sheets and thirty change of garments. And they said unto him, Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it. …

  • 1 Samuel 25:8

    Ask thy young men, and they will shew thee. Wherefore let the young men find favour in thine eyes: for we come in a good day: give, I pray thee, whatsoever cometh to thine hand unto thy servants, and to thy son David.

  • Matthew 22:2

    The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,

  • Esther 1:3-5

    In the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him: When he shewed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty many days, even an hundred and fourscore days. And when these days were expired, the king made a feast unto all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both unto great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king’s palace;

  • Luke 14:8

    When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him;

  • Esther 9:22

    As the days wherein the Jews rested from their enemies, and the month which was turned unto them from sorrow to joy, and from mourning into a good day: that they should make them days of feasting and joy, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor.

  • Nehemiah 8:11

    So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved.

  • Song of Solomon 3:11

    Go forth, O ye daughters of Zion, and behold king Solomon with the crown wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals, and in the day of the gladness of his heart.

  • Esther 1:7

    And they gave them drink in vessels of gold, (the vessels being diverse one from another,) and royal wine in abundance, according to the state of the king.

  • Revelation 11:10

    And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.

  • Song of Solomon 5:1

    I am come into my garden, my sister, my spouse: I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk: eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
A.M. 3547. B.C. 457. made a great.
1:3-5; Ge 29:22; Jud 14:10-17; So 3:11; 5:1; Mt 22:2; Lu 14:8
Re 19:9
he made.We learn from Herodotus and Athenæus, 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.
9:22; 1Sa 25:8; Ne 8:11; Re 11:10

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Esther 2:17

    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.

  • Esther 2:18

    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.

  • Esther 2:19

    And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, then Mordecai sat in the king’s gate.

Read all of Esther 2

Esther 2:18 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Hizo luego el rey gran banquete á todos sus príncipes y siervos, el banquete de Esther; y alivió á las provincias, é hizo y dió mercedes conforme á la facultad real.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et le roi fit un grand festin à tous ses princes et ses serviteurs, le festin d’Esther; et il octroya un dégrèvement aux provinces et fit des dons selon la puissance du roi.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und der König machte allen seinen Fürsten und Knechten ein großes Gastmahl, das Gastmahl Esthers; und er gab den Landschaften einen Steuererlaß und gab Geschenke nach der Freigebigkeit des Königs.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Et jussit convivium præparari permagnificum cunctis principibus et servis suis pro conjunctione et nuptiis Esther. Et dedit requiem universis provinciis, ac dona largitus est juxta magnificentiam principalem.