| Esther 2:12
| Now when every virgin's turn came to go in to the king, after all had been done for setting them off to advantage, it was the twelfth month: so that for six months they were anointed with oil of myrrh, and for other six months they used certain perfumes and sweet spices.
| Turn. This was rigidly observed, in that country, where polygamy prevailed, Genesis 30:16. (Herodotus 3:69.) --- The wives were "shut up in separate apartments," (Just. 1:9.) in the remotest parts of the palace. (Calmet) --- Twelfth. A full year elapsed before they could be admitted. --- A sweet. Protestants, "other things for the purifying of the women." (Haydock) --- It would be difficult to form an adequate idea of the luxury of the Persians, if the Scripture had not informed us. The kings were not satisfied with one wife. Assuerus had 400; (Josephus) and Darius Codomannus carried 360 with him, in his expeditions. (Curtius iii.) --- Parmenio took an incredible number of his concubines, at Damascus. (Athen. 13:9.) --- They were not all treated alike, but all were very sumptuously adorned. Cities were allotted to furnish one with sandals, another with girdles, etc. (Cicero in Verrem. v.) (Calmet)
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