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.
Currently Selected:
Esther 2: DARBY
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
First published in 1890. This edition is maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.
Esther 2
2
1After these things, when the wrath of HaMelech Achashverosh was appeased, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her.
2Then said the attendants of HaMelech that ministered unto him, Let there be beautiful ne'arot betulot (young virgins) sought for HaMelech;
3And let HaMelech appoint pekidim (overseers) in all the provinces of his malkhut (kingdom, realm), that they may gather together all the beautiful na'arah betulah (young virgins) unto Shushan the capital, to the Bais HaNashim (House of the Women, Harem), unto the custody of Hegai the Saris HaMelech (the Eunuch of the King), the Shomer HaNashim (Custodian of the Women); and let their (bodily) rubbings be given them.
4And let the na'arah which pleaseth HaMelech be Malkah (Queen) instead of Vashti. And the thing pleased HaMelech; and he did so.
5Now in Shushan the capital there was an ish Yehudi, shmo Mordechai ben Yair ben Shime'i ben Kish, a Binyamini,
6which (ones) had been carried away from Yerushalayim in the Golus among those taken captive with Yechanyah Melech Yehudah, whom Nevukhadnetzar Melech Bavel had carried away.
7And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Ester, the bat of his dod (uncle); for she had neither av nor em, and the na'arah was lovely in form and beautiful in appearance, whom Mordechai, when her av and em were dead, took for the bat of his own.
8So it came to pass, when the commandment of HaMelech and his dat (decree, law) was heard, and when ne'arot rabbot (many maidens) were gathered together unto Shushan the capital, to the custody of Hegai, that Ester was brought also unto the Beis HaMelech, to the custody of Hegai, Shomer HaNashim.
9And the na'arah pleased him, and she took up chesed before him; and he speedily had her be given her (bodily) rubbings, with her portion of special food; and also he selected sheva hane'arot (seven maids) for her from the Beis HaMelech; and he transferred her and her ne'arot to the preferred quarters in the Bais HaNashim.
10Ester had not revealed her Am (People),#2:10i.e., the Jewish people nor her moledet,#2:10kindred, i.e., her Jewishness for Mordechai had charged her she should not show it.
11And Mordechai walked kol yom vayom before the khatzer Bais HaNashim (courtyard of the House of the Women, Harem) to have da'as of the shalom Ester (welfare of Ester), and what would become of her.
12Now before the turn of every na'arah came to go in to HaMelech Achashverosh, she had to complete the yemei merukeihen (the days of her [bodily] rubbings) which were prescribed for the nashim and which involved shneym asar chodesh (twelve months), shisha chodashim (six months) of shemen (oil) of myrrh and shisha chodashim (six months) of perfumes and beauty treatments for nashim.
13Then thus came every na'arah unto HaMelech; whatsoever she desired was given her to go with her out of the Bais HaNashim unto the Beis HaMelech.
14Ba'erev (in the evening) she went, and ba'boker (in the morning) she returned to a Bais HaNashim Sheni (a second House of the Women, Harem) to the custody of Sha'ashgaz, Saris HaMelech, Shomer HaPilagshim (Eunuch of the King, Custodian of the Concubines). She came in unto HaMelech no more, except HaMelech delighted in her, and she were summoned b'shem (by name).
15Now when the turn of Ester bat Avichayil, dod Mordechai, who had adopted her as his bat, was come to go in unto HaMelech, she required nothing but what Hegai, Saris HaMelech, the Shomer HaNashim, suggested. And Ester took up chen (favor, grace) in the sight of all them that looked upon her.
16So Ester was taken unto HaMelech Achashverosh into his Bais Malkhut (royal residence) in the chodesh ha'asiri (tenth month), which is the month Tevet, in the shnat sheva (seventh year) of his reign.
17And HaMelech loved Ester mikol hanashim (more than all the women), and she took up chen vachesed (favor and grace) in his sight more than kol habetulot (all the virgins), so that he set the keter malkhut (royal crown) upon her head, and made her Malkah instead of Vashti.
18Then HaMelech gave a mishteh gadol (great feast) unto all his sarim (nobles) and his avadim (servants, officials), even Mishteh Ester; and he decreed a holiday throughout the provinces and distributed gifts according to the [bountiful] yad HaMelech.
19And when the betulot (virgins) were gathered together again, then Mordechai yoshev b'Sha'ar HaMelech (sat in the Kingʼs Gate).
20Ester had not yet revealed her moledet (kindred) nor her Am (people),#2:20i.e., the Jewish people as Mordechai had charged her; for Ester did the commandment of Mordechai, like as when she was brought up with him.
21In those yamim, while Mordechai yoshev b'Sha'ar HaMelech, two of the Sarisim of HaMelech, Bigtan and Teresh, of the Mishomrei HaSaf (Keepers of the Door, Doorkeepers), were angry, and conspired to assassinate HaMelech Achashverosh.
22And Mordechai came to da'as of the plot, and told it unto Ester HaMalkah; and Ester informed HaMelech thereof b'shem Mordechai.
23And when inquiry was made of the matter, it was found true; therefore the two of them were made talui al etz (hanged on a tree), and it was written in the sefer of the divrei hayamim before HaMelech.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
THE ORTHODOX JEWISH BIBLE
FOURTH EDITION © Artists For Israel Intl Inc., 2002-2011, 2021.