1After these things, when the wrath of king Ahasuerus was appeased, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her.2Then said the king' servants that ministered unto him, Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king:3And 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' chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their things for purification be given them :4And let the maiden which pleaseth the king be queen instead of Vashti. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.5Now 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;6Who 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.7And he brought up Hadassah, that is , Esther, his uncle' 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.8So it came to pass, when the king' 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' house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women.9And 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' house: and he preferred her and her maids unto the best place of the house of the women.10Esther had not shewed her people nor her kindred: for Mordecai had charged her that she should not shew it .11And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women' house, to know how Esther did, and what should become of her.12Now when every maid' 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;)13Then 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' house.14In the evening she went, and on the morrow she returned into the second house of the women, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king' 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.15Now 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' chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed. And Esther obtained favour in the sight of all them that looked upon her.16So 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.17And 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.18Then the king made a great feast unto all his princes and his servants, even Esther' feast; and he made a release to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the state of the king.19And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, then Mordecai sat in the king' gate.20Esther 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.21In those days, while Mordecai sat in the king' gate, two of the king' chamberlains, Bigthan and Teresh, of those which kept the door, were wroth, and sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus.22And the thing was known to Mordecai, who told it unto Esther the queen; and Esther certified the king thereof in Mordecai' name.23And 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.
Esther 2
English Standard Version
Esther Chosen Queen
1After these things, when the anger of King Ahasuerus had abated, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what had been decreed against her. (Es 1:19; Es 7:10)2Then the king’s young men who attended him said, “Let beautiful young virgins be sought out for the king.3And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom to gather all the beautiful young virgins to the harem in Susa the citadel, under custody of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, who is in charge of the women. Let their cosmetics be given them. (Es 2:8; Es 2:9; Es 2:12; Es 2:15)4And let the young woman who pleases the king[1] be queen instead of Vashti.” This pleased the king, and he did so.5Now there was a Jew in Susa the citadel whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, a Benjaminite, (Ezr 2:2)6who had been carried away from Jerusalem among the captives carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried away. (2Ki 24:14; 2Ch 36:10; 2Ch 36:20; Jer 24:1; Jer 29:1)7He was bringing up Hadassah, that is Esther, the daughter of his uncle, for she had neither father nor mother. The young woman had a beautiful figure and was lovely to look at, and when her father and her mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter. (Es 2:15)8So when the king’s order and his edict were proclaimed, and when many young women were gathered in Susa the citadel in custody of Hegai, Esther also was taken into the king’s palace and put in custody of Hegai, who had charge of the women. (Es 2:3)9And the young woman pleased him and won his favor. And he quickly provided her with her cosmetics and her portion of food, and with seven chosen young women from the king’s palace, and advanced her and her young women to the best place in the harem. (Es 2:3; Es 2:12)10Esther had not made known her people or kindred, for Mordecai had commanded her not to make it known. (Es 2:20)11And every day Mordecai walked in front of the court of the harem to learn how Esther was and what was happening to her.12Now when the turn came for each young woman to go in to King Ahasuerus, after being twelve months under the regulations for the women, since this was the regular period of their beautifying, six months with oil of myrrh and six months with spices and ointments for women—13when the young woman went in to the king in this way, she was given whatever she desired to take with her from the harem to the king’s palace.14In the evening she would go in, and in the morning she would return to the second harem in custody of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch, who was in charge of the concubines. She would not go in to the king again, unless the king delighted in her and she was summoned by name.15When the turn came for Esther the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her as his own daughter, to go in to the king, she asked for nothing except what Hegai the king’s eunuch, who had charge of the women, advised. Now Esther was winning favor in the eyes of all who saw her. (Es 2:3; Es 2:7; Es 2:8; Es 9:29)16And when Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus, into his royal palace, in the tenth month, which is the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign,17the king loved Esther more than all the women, and she won grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins, so that he set the royal crown[2] on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. (Es 1:11; Es 6:8)18Then the king gave a great feast for all his officials and servants; it was Esther’s feast. He also granted a remission of taxes to the provinces and gave gifts with royal generosity. (Es 1:3)
Mordecai Discovers a Plot
19Now when the virgins were gathered together the second time, Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate. (Es 2:3; Es 2:21; Es 3:2; Es 5:9; Es 5:13; Es 6:10; Es 6:12)20Esther had not made known her kindred or her people, as Mordecai had commanded her, for Esther obeyed Mordecai just as when she was brought up by him. (Es 2:7; Es 2:10)21In those days, as Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs, who guarded the threshold, became angry and sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. (Es 1:10; Es 6:2)22And this came to the knowledge of Mordecai, and he told it to Queen Esther, and Esther told the king in the name of Mordecai. (Es 6:2; Es 7:9)23When the affair was investigated and found to be so, the men were both hanged on the gallows.[3] And it was recorded in the book of the chronicles in the presence of the king. (Es 6:1; Es 10:2)