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.
02 Then said the king's servants that ministered
unto him, Let there be fair young virgins sought
for the king:
03 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:
04 And let the maiden which pleaseth the king be
queen instead of Vashti. And the thing pleased
the king; and he did so.
05 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;
06 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.
07 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.
08 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.
09 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;)
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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 hands 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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