Esther 2:16 (DBY)

Passage

So Esther was taken to king Ahasuerus, into his royal house, in the tenth month, that is, the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.

Nearby Context

Esther 2:14 In the evening she went, and on the morrow she returned into the second house of the women, unto the custody of Shaashgaz, the king's chamberlain, keeper of the concubines. She came in to the king no more, unless the king delighted in her, and she were called by name.

Esther 2:15 And when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, came to go in to the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king's chamberlain, keeper of the women, appointed. And Esther obtained grace in the sight of all them that saw her.

Esther 2:16 So Esther was taken to king Ahasuerus, into his royal house, in the tenth month, that is, the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.

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, and he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.

Esther 2:18 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.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "esther", "taken", "king", "ahasuerus", "royal", "house", "tenth", and "month". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "esther" and "taken", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 15's "And when the turn of Esther the..." into verse 17's "And the king loved Esther above all...", so "esther" and "taken" belong inside that flow. In Esther context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "esther" and "taken" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.