Esther 2

Vashti’s Successor Sought

2AFTER THESE things, when the wrath of King Ahasuerus was pacified, he [earnestly] remembered Vashti and what she had done and what was decreed against her.H310H1697H2534H4428H325H7918H2142H2060H6213H15042Then the king's servants who ministered to him said, Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king.H559H4428H5288H8334H2896H4758H5291H1330H1245H44283And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom to gather all the beautiful young virgins to the capital in Shushan, to the harem under the custody of Hegai, the king's eunuch, who is in charge of the women; and let their things for purification be given them.H4428H6485H6496H4082H4438H6908H2896H4758H5291H1330H7800H1002H1004H802H3027H1896H4428H5631H8104H802H8562H54144And let the maiden who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti. This pleased the king, and he did so.H5291H3190H5869H4428H4427H2060H1697H3190H5869H4428H62135There was a certain Jew in the capital in Shushan whose name was Mordecai son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite,H7800H1002H376H3064H8034H4782H1121H2971H1121H8096H1121H7027H11456Who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captives taken away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried into exile.H1540H3389H1473H1540H3204H4428H3063H5019H4428H894H15407He had brought up Hadassah, that is Esther, his uncle's daughter, for she had neither father nor mother. The maiden was beautiful and lovely, and when her father and mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter.H539H1919H635H1730H1323H1H517H5291H3303H8389H2896H4758H4782H1H517H4194H3947H1323

Esther Finds Favor

8So when the king's command and his decree were proclaimed and when many maidens were gathered in Shushan the capital under the custody of Hegai, Esther also was taken to the king's house into the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women.H4428H1697H1881H8085H7227H5291H6908H7800H1002H3027H1896H635H3947H4428H1004H3027H1896H8104H8029And the maiden pleased [Hegai] and obtained his favor. And he speedily gave her the things for her purification and her portion of food and the seven chosen maids to be given her from the king's palace; and he removed her and her maids to the best [apartment] in the harem.H5291H3190H5869H5375H2617H6440H926H5414H8562H4490H7651H5291H7200H5414H4428H1004H8138H5291H2896H1004H80210Esther had not made known her nationality or her kindred, for Mordecai had charged her not to do so.H635H5046H5971H4138H4782H6680H504611And Mordecai [who was an attendant in the king's court] walked every day before the court of the harem to learn how Esther was and what would become of her.H4782H1980H3117H6440H2691H802H1004H3045H635H7965H621312Now when the turn of each maiden came to go in to King Ahasuerus, after the regulations for the women had been carried out for twelve months--since this was the regular period for their beauty treatments, six months with oil of myrrh and six months with sweet spices {and} perfumes and the things for the purifying of the women--H5291H8447H5060H935H4428H325H7093H8147H6240H2320H1881H802H3117H4795H4390H8337H2320H8081H4753H8337H2320H1314H8562H80213Then in this way the maiden came to the king: whatever she desired was given her to take with her from the harem into the king's palace.H935H5291H4428H559H5414H935H1004H802H4428H100414In the evening she went and next day she returned into the second harem in the custody of Shaashgaz, the king's eunuch who was in charge of the concubines. She came to the king no more unless the king delighted in her and she was called for by name.H6153H935H1242H7725H8145H1004H802H3027H8190H4428H5631H8104H6370H935H4428H4428H2654H7121H803415Now when the turn for Esther the daughter of Abihail, the uncle of Mordecai who had taken her as his own daughter, had come to go in to the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king's attendant, the keeper of the women, suggested. And Esther won favor in the sight of all who saw her.H8447H635H1323H32H1730H4782H3947H1323H5060H935H4428H1245H1697H1896H4428H5631H8104H802H559H635H5375H2580H5869H720016So Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus into his royal palace in the tenth month, the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.H635H3947H4428H325H1004H4438H6224H2320H2320H2887H7651H8141H4438

Esther Becomes Queen

17And the king loved Esther more than all the women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the maidens, so that he set the royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.H4428H157H635H802H5375H2580H2617H6440H1330H7760H4438H3804H7218H4427H206018Then the king gave a great feast for all his princes and his servants, Esther's feast; and he gave a holiday [or a lessening of taxes] to the provinces and gave gifts in keeping with the generosity of the king.H4428H6213H1419H4960H8269H5650H635H4960H6213H2010H4082H5414H4864H3027H442819And when the maidens were gathered together the second time, Mordecai was sitting at the king's gate.H1330H6908H8145H4782H3427H4428H817920Now Esther had not yet revealed her nationality or her people, for she obeyed Mordecai's command to her [to fear God and execute His commands] just as when she was being brought up by him.H635H5046H4138H5971H4782H6680H635H6213H3982H4782H545

Mordecai Saves the King

21In those days, while Mordecai sat at the king's gate, two of the king's eunuchs, Bigthan and Teresh, of those who guarded the door, were angry and sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus.H3117H4782H3427H4428H8179H8147H4428H5631H904H8657H8104H5592H7107H1245H7971H3027H4428H32522And this was known to Mordecai, who told it to Queen Esther, and Esther told the king in Mordecai's name.H1697H3045H4782H5046H635H4436H635H559H4428H4782H803423When it was investigated and found to be true, both men were hanged on the gallows. And it was recorded in the Book of the Chronicles in the king's presence.H1245H1697H4672H8147H8518H6086H3789H5612H1697H3117H6440H4428