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Is Beauty Pageant Mentioned In The Bible?

A short time ago, a statement appeared on my feed that I found difficult to ignore. His claim: "Esther joined the beauty pageant to marry the king." It is expected that Christians who do not understand the Book of Esther will use Esther as an example. However, a closer examination of the Bible reveals it never said that Esther join any beauty pageant.

Let us dive on what the Book of Esther actually says:

It all started when King Ahasuerus made a feast in his palace, and all people in Shushan were invited, rich and poor alike. 

"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." (Esther 1:5)

Of course, there is a feast and people are wondering where is the queen. (For the knowledge, the queen is not there because she arranged a separate feast for women in the royal house.) And so, the king ordered his chamberlains to bring in Queen Vashti to show herself to the officials and to all his guests.

"On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven chamberlains that served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king. To bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to shew the people and the princes her beauty: for she was fair to look on." (Esther 1:10-11)

But when the chamberlains notified Queen Vashti, she refused to come. That is why the King becomes angry because he was humiliated in front of everyone.

"But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king's commandment by his chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him." (Esther 1:12)

The King asked for advice to the wise men about law and order on what to do with Queen Vashti.

"Then the king said to the wise men, which knew the times, (for so was the king's manner toward all that knew law and judgment: And the next unto him was Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, which saw the king's face, and which sat the first in the kingdom;) What shall we do unto the queen Vashti according to law, because she hath not performed the commandment of the king Ahasuerus by the chamberlains? And Memucan answered before the king and the princes, Vashti the queen hath not done wrong to the king only, but also to all the princes, and to all the people that are in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus. For this deed of the queen shall come abroad unto all women, so that they shall despise their husbands in their eyes, when it shall be reported, The king Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she came not. Likewise shall the ladies of Persia and Media say this day unto all the king's princes, which have heard of the deed of the queen. Thus shall there arise too much contempt and wrath. If it please the king, let there go a royal commandment from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, that it be not altered, That Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate unto another that is better than she." (Esther 1:13-19)

Memucan, one of the seven princes of Persia and Media, advises him to depose Vashti as queen and make a search to find some beautiful virgins. Then place them in his harem under Hegai's care, and give them beauty treatments. Afterwards, King Ahasueras shall choose one among the young women to be his new queen.

“And said servants of the king who attended him let be sought for the king Young virgins beautiful beautiful beautiful” (Esther 2:2)

yə-baq-šu comes from the Hebrew root word, “baqash” which means “to seek” or “to search for”.

“And let appoint the king officers in all the provinces of his kingdom that they may gather all young virgins fair the beautiful to Shuhan the citadel into quarters of the women under the custody of Hegai eunuch of the king custodian of the women and let be given [them] beauty preparations. (Esther 2:3)

wə-yiq-bə-sū comes from the Hebrew root “qavats” which means “to gather”, “to collect” or “to assemble”.

“And the young woman who pleases pleases the king let be queen instead of Vashti; And the king the king pleased pleased and he did so." (Esther 2:4)

Here you see that it was said that it was a recruitment for the new queen. Not beauty pageant!

Young women are mandated to participate in the recruitment for the new queen of King Ahasueras. 

"So it came to pass, when the king's commandment and his decree was heard, and when many maidens were gathered together unto Shushan the palace, to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was brought also unto the king's house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women." (Esther 2:8) 

The keyword here is: "when many maidens were gathered together unto Shushan the palace, to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was brought also unto the king's house".

"Esther was brought". Was brought is a passive voice verb. What is a passive voice verb? It is where the subject receives the action. Meaning, Esther receives the action. Ester was brought. Ester was forced. In brief, Esther doesn't want to be there, but she has no choice.


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