Esther 2
1 2
3 4 5
6 7 8
9 10
1 After these things, when
the wrath of king Ahasuerus was appeased, he remembered Vashti, and what she had
done, and what was decreed against her.
2 Then said the king’s servants that
ministered unto him, Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king:
3 And let the king appoint officers in all
the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the fair young
virgins unto Shushan the palace, to the house of the women, unto the custody of
Hege the king’s chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their things for
purification be given them:
4 And let the maiden which pleaseth the
king be queen instead of Vashti. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.
5 Now in Shushan the palace there
was a certain Jew, whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of
Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite;
6 Who had been carried away from Jerusalem
with the captivity which had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom
Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away.
7 And he brought up Hadassah, that is,
Esther, his uncle’s daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the
maid was fair and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother
were dead, took for his own daughter.
8 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.
9 And the maiden pleased him, and she
obtained kindness of him; and he speedily gave her her things for purification,
with such things as belonged to her, and seven maidens, which were meet
to be given her, out of the king’s house: and he preferred her and her maids
unto the best place of the house of the women.
10 Esther had not shewed her people nor
her kindred: for Mordecai had charged her that she should not shew it.
11 And Mordecai walked every day before
the court of the women’s house, to know how Esther did, and what should become
of her.
12 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;)
13 Then thus came every maiden unto
the king; whatsoever she desired was given her to go with her out of the house
of the women unto the king’s house.
14 In the evening she went, and on the
morrow she returned into the second house of the women, to the custody of
Shaashgaz, the king’s chamberlain, which kept the concubines: she came in unto
the king no more, except the king delighted in her, and that she were called by
name.
15 Now when the turn of Esther, the
daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter,
was come to go in unto the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king’s
chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed. And Esther obtained favour in
the sight of all them that looked upon her.
16 So Esther was taken unto king Ahasuerus
into his house royal in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in
the seventh year of his reign.
17 And the king loved Esther above all the
women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins;
so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of
Vashti.
18 Then the king made a great feast unto
all his princes and his servants, even Esther’s feast; and he made a
release to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the state of the king.
19 And when the virgins were gathered
together the second time, then Mordecai sat in the king’s gate.
20 Esther had not yet shewed her
kindred nor her people; as Mordecai had charged her: for Esther did the
commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him.
21 In those days, while
Mordecai sat in the king’s gate, two of the king’s chamberlains, Bigthan and
Teresh, of those which kept the door, were wroth, and sought to lay hand on the
king Ahasuerus.
22 And the thing was known to Mordecai,
who told it unto Esther the queen; and Esther certified the king thereof
in Mordecai’s name.
23 And when inquisition was made of the
matter, it was found out; therefore they were both hanged on a tree: and it was
written in the book of the chronicles before the king.
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