Esther 2:3

to the house of the women the harem, which must have been of large dimensions, and was made up, as we see from Esther 2:14, of more than one building. It most likely consisted of three portions, viz. the house of the queen, such as Solomon built for Pharaoh's daughter (1 Kings 7:8), the house of the virgins (Esther 2:9), and that of the concubines (Esther 2:14).

Hegai It is best, for the sake of uniformity, to spell thus throughout (cp. Esther 2:8; Esther 2:15). The A.V. follows the Heb., which is inconsistent, giving in this verse Hege, and elsewhere Hegai.

their things for purification See Esther 2:12. The Heb. word for -purification" means properly scrapingor rubbing, for the purpose of cleansing or polishing.