Esther 2:12

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

When it was the turn of each young woman to go to King Ahasuerus, after completing twelve months of beauty treatments as prescribed—the six months with oil of myrrh and six months with perfumes and cosmetics for women—

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וּבְהַגִּ֡יעַ תֹּר֩ נַעֲרָ֨ה וְנַעֲרָ֜ה לָב֣וֹא ׀ אֶל־הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵר֗וֹשׁ מִקֵּץ֩ הֱי֨וֹת לָ֜הּ כְּדָ֤ת הַנָּשִׁים֙ שְׁנֵ֣ים עָשָׂ֣ר חֹ֔דֶשׁ כִּ֛י כֵּ֥ן יִמְלְא֖וּ יְמֵ֣י מְרוּקֵיהֶ֑ן שִׁשָּׁ֤ה חֳדָשִׁים֙ בְּשֶׁ֣מֶן הַמֹּ֔ר וְשִׁשָּׁ֤ה חֳדָשִׁים֙ בַּבְּשָׂמִ֔ים וּבְתַמְרוּקֵ֖י הַנָּשִֽׁים׃

Transliteration

And-in-haggîaʿ tōr naʿărâ and-naʿărâ to-come to-the-meleḵ ʾăḥašwērôš from-qēṣ hĕyôṯ to-her according-to-dāṯ the-nāšîm twelve ḥōdeš for thus yimlʾû yəmê mərûqêhen six ḥŏdāšîm in-šemen the-mōr and-six ḥŏdāšîm in-the-bəśāmîm and-in-ṯamrûqê the-nāšîm.

Grammar Details

• *haggîaʿ*: infinitive construct, hiphil - arriving
• *tōr*: noun, masculine singular construct - turn of
• *naʿărâ*: noun, feminine singular - young woman
• *meleḵ*: noun, masculine singular - king
• *ʾăḥašwērôš*: proper noun - Ahasuerus/Xerxes
• *qēṣ*: noun, masculine singular construct - end of
• *hĕyôṯ*: infinitive construct, qal - being
• *dāṯ*: noun, feminine singular construct - law/custom of
• *nāšîm*: noun, feminine plural - women
• *ḥōdeš*: noun, masculine singular - month
• *yimlʾû*: verb, qal imperfect, 3rd masculine plural - they were completed
• *yəmê*: noun, masculine plural construct - days of
• *mərûqêhen*: noun, masculine plural + 3rd feminine plural suffix - their purification
• *ḥŏdāšîm*: noun, masculine plural - months
• *šemen*: noun, masculine singular construct - oil of
• *mōr*: noun, masculine singular - myrrh
• *bəśāmîm*: noun, masculine plural - spices/perfumes
• *ṯamrûqê*: noun, masculine plural construct - cosmetics of

Word Meanings

• *haggîaʿ*: arriving/reaching/coming to/at the time of
• *tōr*: turn/order/appointed time
• *dāṯ*: law/custom/regulation/practice
• *yimlʾû*: were completed/were fulfilled/came to an end
• *mərûqêhen*: their purification/their beautification/their preparation
• *šemen*: oil/perfume
• *mōr*: myrrh/fragrant resin
• *bəśāmîm*: spices/perfumes/aromatics
• *ṯamrûqê*: cosmetics/beauty preparations/purification items

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  Now when every maid's turn was come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after that she had been twelve months, according to the manner of the women, (for so were the days of their purifications accomplished, to wit, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odours, and with other things for the purifying of the women;)

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  Now when every maid's turn had come to go in to King Ahasuerus, after she had completed twelve months, according to the manner of the women, (for thus were the days of their purification accomplished, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet fragrances, and with other things for the purifying of the women;)

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  Now when every maid's turn was come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after that she had been twelve months, according to the manner of the women, (for so were the days of their purifications accomplished, to wit, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odours, and with other things for the purifying of the women;)

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  Now when the turn{H8447} of every maiden{H5291} was come{H5060} to go{H5060} in{H935} to king{H4428} Ahasuerus,{H325} after{H7093} that it had been done to her according to the law{H1881} for the women{H802} twelve{H8147} months{H2320} (for so were the days{H3117} of their purifications{H4795} accomplished,{H4390} [to wit], six{H8337} months{H2320} with oil{H8081} of myrrh,{H4753} and six{H8337} months{H2320} with sweet odors{H1314} and with the things for the purifying{H8562} of the women),{H802}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  Now when every maid's{H5291} turn{H8447} was come{H5060}{(H8687)} to go in{H935}{(H8800)} to king{H4428} Ahasuerus{H325}, after{H7093} that she had been twelve{H8147}{H6240} months{H2320}, according to the manner{H1881} of the women{H802},(for so were the days{H3117} of their purifications{H4795} accomplished{H4390}{(H8799)}, to wit, six{H8337} months{H2320} with oil{H8081} of myrrh{H4753}, and six{H8337} months{H2320} with sweet odours{H1314}, and with other things for the purifying{H8562} of the women{H802};)

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  And whan the appoynted tyme of euery damsell came that she shulde come to ye kynge Ahasuerus, after that she had bene twolue monethes in the deckynge of the wemen (for their deckynge must haue so moch tyme, namely sixe monethes with Balme & Myrre, & sixe monethes wt good spyces, so were the weme beutifyed)

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  And when the course of euery mayd came, to go in to King Ahashuerosh, after that she had bene twelue moneths according to the maner of the women (for so were the dayes of their purifications accomplished, sixe moneths with oyle of myrrhe, and sixe moneths with sweete odours and in the purifying of the women:

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  And when the appoynted time of euery mayden came that she shoulde go in to the king Ahasuerus, after that she had ben twelue monethes according to the mauer of the women (for so were the dayes of their purification accomplissed, sixe monethes with oyle of mirre, and sixe monethes with sweete odoures, and in the purifiyng of the women:

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  Now when every maid's turn was come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after that she had been twelve months, according to the manner of the women, (for so were the days of their purifications accomplished, [to wit], six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odours, and with [other] things for the purifying of the women;)

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  Now when the turn of every maiden was come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after it had been done to her as prescribed for the women twelve months (for so were the days of their purification accomplished, [to wit], six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odors and with the things for the purifying of the women),

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  And in the drawing nigh of the turn of each young woman to come in unto the king Ahasuerus, at the end of there being to her -- according to the law of the women -- twelve months, for so they fulfil the days of their purifications; six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with spices, and with the purifications of women,

• American Standard Version (1901)

  Now when the turn of every maiden was come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after that it had been done to her according to the law for the women twelve months (for so were the days of their purifications accomplished, `to wit', six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odors and with the things for the purifying of the women),

• American Standard Version (1901)

  Now when the turn of every maiden was come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after that it had been done to her according to the law for the women twelve months (for so were the days of their purifications accomplished, [to wit], six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odors and with the things for the purifying of the women),

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  Now every girl, when her turn came, had to go in to King Ahasuerus, after undergoing, for a space of twelve months, what was ordered by the law for the women (for this was the time necessary for making them clean, that is, six months with oil of myrrh and six months with sweet perfumes and such things as are needed for making women clean):

• World English Bible (2000)

  Each young woman's turn came to go in to King Ahasuerus after her purification for twelve months (for so were the days of their purification accomplished, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet fragrances and with preparations for beautifying women).

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  At the end of the twelve months that were required for the women, when the turn of each young woman arrived to go to King Ahasuerus– for in this way they had to fulfill their time of cosmetic treatment: six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with perfume and various ointments used by women–

Referenced Verses

• Prov 7:17 : 17 'I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.'
• Song 3:6 : 6 Who is this coming up from the wilderness like columns of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all the fragrant powders of the merchant?
• Isa 57:9 : 9 You went to the king with oil and increased your perfumes; you sent your envoys far away; you even descended to the realm of the dead.
• Luke 7:37-38 : 37 And behold, a woman in the town who was a sinner learned that Jesus was reclining at the Pharisee's house. She brought an alabaster jar of perfume. 38 And standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears. She wiped them with the hair of her head, kissed His feet repeatedly, and anointed them with the perfume.
• 1 Thess 4:4-5 : 4 That each of you knows how to control his own body in holiness and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God.