“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;)”
The description of the twelve-month beauty regimen—six months with oils of myrrh and six months with perfumes and cosmetics—demonstrates the Persian court's investment in preparing the candidates and reveals the luxurious, time-intensive nature of the selection process. This extended preparation period stands in contrast to the sudden, perhaps impulsive nature of the king's original desire for a new queen, suggesting a more formal and deliberate process than the opening might suggest. The verse shows how institutions formalize and ritualize personal desires, creating procedures and timelines that can ultimately serve purposes beyond those officially recognized.
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