Esther 2
2
1After these things, when the fury of king Ahasuerus was appeased, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her. 2Then said the king's servants that attended upon him, Let there be maidens, virgins of beautiful countenance, sought for the king; 3and let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the young virgins of beautiful countenance to Shushan the fortress, to the house of the women, unto the custody of Hegai the king's chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their things for purification be given. 4And let the maiden that pleaseth the king be queen instead of Vashti. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so. 5There was in Shushan the fortress a certain Jew, whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjaminite, 6who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captives who 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's daughter; for she had neither father nor mother — and the maiden was fair and beautiful — and when her father and mother were dead, Mordecai took her for his own daughter. 8And it came to pass when the king's commandment and his decree was heard, and when many maidens were gathered together unto Shushan the fortress, unto the custody of Hegai, that Esther also was brought into the king's house, unto the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women. 9And the maiden pleased him, and obtained favour before him; and he speedily gave her her things for purification, and her portions, and the seven maidens selected to be given her, out of the king's house; and he removed her and her maids to the best place of the house of the women. 10Esther had not made known her people nor her birth; for Mordecai had charged her that she should not make it known. 11And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women's house, to know how Esther did, and what should become of her. 12And when every maiden's turn came to go in to king Ahasuerus after that she had been treated for twelve months, according to the manner of the women (for so were the days of their purification accomplished — six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with spices, and with things for the purifying of the women, 13and thus came the maiden in unto the king), whatever she desired was given her to go with her out of the house of the women to the king's house. 14In the evening she went, and on the morrow she returned into the second house of the women, unto the custody of Shaashgaz, the king's chamberlain, keeper of the concubines. She came in to the king no more, unless the king delighted in her, and she were called by name. 15And when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, came to go in to the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king's chamberlain, keeper of the women, appointed. And Esther obtained grace in the sight of all them that saw her. 16So Esther was taken to king Ahasuerus, into his royal house, in the tenth month, that 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, and he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti. 18And the king made a great feast to all his princes and his servants, Esther's feast; and he made a release to the provinces, and gave presents according to the king's bounty. 19And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, Mordecai sat in the king's gate. 20(Esther, as Mordecai had charged her, had not yet made known her birth nor her people; for Esther did what Mordecai told her, like as when she was brought up with him.)
21In those days, while Mordecai sat in the king's gate, two of the king's chamberlains, Bigthan and Teresh, of those which kept the threshold, were wroth, and sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus. 22And the thing became known to Mordecai, and he related it to Esther the queen, and Esther told it to the king in Mordecai's name. 23And the matter was investigated and found out; and they were both hanged on a tree. And it was written in the book of the chronicles before the king.
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First published in 1890. This edition is maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.
Esther 2
2
Esther Becomes Queen
1#Est 7:10After these things, as the rage of King Ahasuerus abated, he became mindful of Vashti, what she had done and what was decreed against her. 2#1Ki 1:2So the king’s servants who attended him said, “Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king! 3#Est 1:1–2Let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom so that they may gather all the beautiful young virgins to the citadel of Susa, to the harem under the custody of Hegai the king’s eunuch, who is in charge of the harem, and let ointments and cosmetics be given to them. 4May the young woman who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.” And the idea pleased the king, so he acted accordingly.
5#1Sa 9:1Now in the citadel of Susa, there was a certain Jew named Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite. 6#2Ki 24:14–15; 2Ch 36:20He had been taken away from Jerusalem among the exiles and carried into captivity along with King Jeconiah of Judah by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. 7#Est 2:15He was the guardian of Hadassah, that is Esther (who was his uncle’s daughter) because she had neither father nor mother. The young woman was lovely to look at and beautiful in form. When her father and mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter.
8#Est 2:3When the king’s notice and his decree were heard, many young women were then gathered to the citadel of Susa and placed under the custody of Hegai. Esther was likewise brought to the king’s house and placed under the custody of Hegai, who was in charge of the harem. 9#Est 2:3; 2:12Because the young lady appeared pleasing to him and had gained favor in his sight, he quickly gave her the ointments and cosmetics, her allotted food, and seven young chosen women from the king’s palace. He also transferred her and her young women to the best place of the harem.
10#Est 2:20Esther had not disclosed her people or her lineage because Mordecai had charged her not to disclose it. 11Every day Mordecai walked around the courtyard of the harem to find out how Esther fared and what might be done with her.
12The 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 take to the king’s palace. 14#Est 4:11In the evening she went in, and in the morning she returned to the second harem in custody of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch, who was in charge of the concubines. She did not go in to the king again unless the king delighted in her and called for her by name.
15#Est 9:29When the turn came for Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her as his own daughter, to go in tothe king, she asked for nothing except what theking’s eunuch Hegai, who had charge of the women, advised. Now Esther obtained favor in the sight of all who saw her. 16So Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus at his royal house in the month of Tebeth, which is the tenth month, in the seventh year of his reign.
17#Est 1:11The king loved Esther more than any other woman because she had gained grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins. So he set the royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. 18The king held a great feast for all his officials and servants. It was a feast for Esther. He remitted his provinces from tax payments and gave gifts according to his royal generosity.
Mordecai Uncovers a Plot
19#Est 2:21; 2:3–4At the second gathering of the virgins, Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate. 20#Est 2:10Esther had not yet disclosed her lineage or her people, since Mordecai had so commanded her. Esther followed the command of Mordecai just as she had when under his protection.
21#Est 6:2During those days when Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, two of the king’s eunuchs, Bigthan and Teresh, who served as keepers of the door, became angry and sought to attack King Ahasuerus. 22#Est 6:1–2But the matter became known to Mordecai, and he reported it to Queen Esther, and Esther reported it to the king in the name of Mordecai. 23#Ge 40:19; Est 10:2When the matter was investigated and confirmed, both men were hanged on the gallows, and it was written in the book of the chronicles in the presence of the king.
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