“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.” (Esther 2:1-23 AV)
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