John Gill, on Esth 2:8

“And when the king’s ordinance was noised abroad, and according to his commandment many beautiful virgins were brought to Susan, and were delivered to Egeus the eunuch: Esther also among the rest of the maidens was delivered to him to be kept in the number of the women.”

“So it came to pass, when the king's commandment and decree was heard,.... In the several provinces of his kingdom: and when many maidens were gathered unto Shushan the palace, to the custody of Hegai; Josephus (o) says, there were gathered to the number of four hundred: that Esther was brought also unto the king's house, to the custody of Hegai, the keeper of the women: by force, as Aben Ezra and the former Targum, and so the word is sometimes used. (o) Ibid. (Antiqu. l. 11. c. 6. sect. 2.)”

Imported from an open dataset — not yet checked against the printed edition.