[1] After these things, when the wrath of king Ahasuerus was pacified, he
remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her.
[2] Then said the king`s servants who ministered to him, Let there be
beautiful 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 beautiful young virgins to Shushan the palace, to the house of the
women, to the custody of Hegai the king`s chamberlain, keeper of the women;
and let their things for purification be given them; [4] and let the maiden
who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti. The thing pleased the
king; and he did so. [5] There was a certain Jew in Shushan the palace,
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
captives who had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom
Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away. [7] He brought up
Hadassah, who 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. [8] So it
happened, when the king`s commandment and his decree was heard, and when
many maidens were gathered together to Shushan the palace, to the custody
of Hegai, that Esther was taken into the king`s house, to the custody of
Hegai, keeper of the women. [9] The maiden pleased him, and she obtained
kindness of him; and he speedily gave her things for her purification, with
her portions, and the seven maidens who were meet to be given her out of
the king`s house: and he removed her and her maidens to the best place of
the house of the women. [10] Esther had not made known her people nor her
relatives; for Mordecai had charged her that she should not make it known.
[11] Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women`s house, to
know how Esther did, and what would become of her. [12] Now when the turn
of every maiden was come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after it had been done
to her according to the law for the women twelve months (for so were the
days of their purification accomplished, [to wit], six months with oil of
myrrh, and six months with sweet odors and with the things for the
purifying of the women), [13] then in this wise came the maiden to the
king: whatever she desired was given her to go with her out of the house of
the women to the king`s house. [14] In the evening she went, and on the
next day she returned into the second house of the women, to the custody of
Shaashgaz, the king`s chamberlain, who kept the concubines: she came in to
the king no more, except the king delighted in her, and 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 to the
king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king`s chamberlain, the
keeper of the women, appointed. Esther obtained favor in the sight of all
those who looked at her. [16] So Esther was taken to king Ahasuerus into
his house royal in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the
seventh year of his reign. [17] The king loved Esther above all the women,
and she obtained favor and kindness in his sight more than all the virgins;
so that he set the royal crown on her head, and made her queen instead of
Vashti. [18] Then the king made a great feast to all his princes and his
servants, even Esther`s feast; and he made a release to the provinces, and
gave gifts, according to the bounty of the king. [19] When the virgins were
gathered together the second time, then Mordecai was sitting in the king`s
gate. [20] Esther had not yet made known her relatives 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 was
sitting in the king`s gate, two of the king`s chamberlains, Bigthan and
Teresh, of those who kept the threshold, were angry, and sought to lay
hands on the king Ahasuerus. [22] The thing became known to Mordecai, who
showed it to Esther the queen; and Esther told the king [of it] in
Mordecai`s name. [23] When inquisition was made of the matter, and it was
found to be so, they were both hanged on a tree: and it was written in the
book of the chronicles before the king.
