The Book of Esther

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- Chapter 2 -

Esther becomes queen

After these things, when the anger of King Ahasuerus subsided, he thought about Vashti and what she had done. He also thought about the decree that he had made against her.

Then the king’s young men who served him said, “Let a search be made on the king’s behalf for beautiful young virgins.

Let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, to gather together all the beautiful young virgins to the harem in the palace in Susa. Let them be put under the care of Hegai, the king’s official, who is in charge of the women, and let him give them their cosmetics.

Let the young girl who pleases the king become queen in the place of Vashti.” This advice pleased the king, and he did so.

There was a certain Jew in the city of Susa whose name was Mordecai son of Jair son of Shimei son of Kish, who was a Benjamite.

He had been taken away from Jerusalem with the exiles along with those taken with Jehoiachin, king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylonia carried away.

He was caring for Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle’s daughter, because she had neither father nor mother. The young woman had a beautiful figure and was lovely in appearance. Mordecai took her as his own daughter.

When the king’s order and decree were proclaimed, many young women were brought to the palace in Susa. They were put under Hegai’s care. Esther also was taken into the king’s palace and put under the care of Hegai, the overseer of the women.

The young girl pleased him, and she found favor with him. Immediately he provided her with cosmetics and her portion of food. He assigned to her seven servant girls from the king’s palace, and he moved her and the servant girls to the best place in the house of the women.

Esther had not told anyone who her people or relatives were, for Mordecai had instructed her not to tell.

Every day Mordecai walked back and forth in front of the courtyard outside the house of the women, to learn about Esther’s welfare, and about what would be done with her.

When the turn came for each girl to go to King Ahasuerus-complying with the regulations for the women, each girl had to complete twelve months of beauty treatments, six months with oil of myrrh, and six with perfumes and cosmetics-

when a young woman went to the king, whatever she desired was given to her from the house of the women, for her to take to the palace.

In the evening she would go in, and in the morning she would return to the second house of the women, and to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king’s official, who was in charge of the concubines. She would not return to the king again unless he had taken great pleasure in her and called for her again.

Now when the time came for Esther, daughter of Abihail, the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her as his own daughter, to go in to the king, she did not ask for anything but what Hegai the king’s official, who was in charge of the women, suggested. Now Esther received the favor of all who saw her.

Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus into the royal residence in the tenth month, which is the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.

The king loved Esther more than all the other women and she received acceptance and favor before him, more than all the other virgins. So he set the royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.

The king gave a great feast for all his officials and his servants, “Esther’s feast,” and he granted relief from taxation to the provinces. He also gave gifts with royal generosity.

Mordecai discovers a conspiracy

Now when the virgins had been gathered together a second time, Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate.

Esther had not yet told anyone about her relatives or her people, as Mordecai had instructed her. She continued to follow Mordecai’s advice, as she had done when she was raised by him.

In those days, while Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, two of the king’s officials, Bigthan and Teresh, who guarded the doorway, became angry and sought to do harm to King Ahasuerus.

When the matter was revealed to Mordecai, he told Queen Esther, and Esther spoke to the king in the name of Mordecai.

The report was investigated and confirmed, and both the men were hanged from a gallows. This account was written in The Book of The Chronicles in the presence of the king.

Esther becomes queen

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.

Then the king’s servants who served him said, “Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king.

Let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the beautiful young virgins to the citadel of Susa, to the women’s house, to the custody of Hegai the king’s eunuch, keeper of the women. Let cosmetics be given them;

and let the maiden who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.” The thing pleased the king, and he did so.

There was a certain Jew in the citadel of Susa whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite,

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.

He brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle’s daughter; for she had neither father nor mother. The maiden was fair and beautiful; and when her father and mother were dead, Mordecai took her for his own daughter.

So, when the king’s commandment and his decree was heard, and when many maidens were gathered together to the citadel of Susa, to the custody of Hegai, Esther was taken into the king’s house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women.

The maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness from him. He quickly gave her cosmetics and her portions of food, and the seven choice maidens who were to be given her out of the king’s house. He moved her and her maidens to the best place in the women’s house.

Esther had not made known her people nor her relatives, because Mordecai had instructed her that she should not make it known.

Mordecai walked every day in front of the court of the women’s house, to find out how Esther was doing, and what would become of her.

Each young woman’s turn came to go in to King Ahasuerus after her purification for twelve months ( for so were the days of their purification accomplished, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet fragrances and with preparations for beautifying women).

The young woman then came to the king like this: whatever she desired was given her to go with her out of the women’s house to the king’s house.

In the evening she went, and on the next day she returned into the second women’s house, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch, who kept the concubines. She came in to the king no more, unless the king delighted in her, and she was called by name.

Now 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 eunuch, the keeper of the women, advised. Esther obtained favor in the sight of all those who looked at her.

So Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus into his royal house in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.

The king loved Esther more than 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.

Then the king made a great feast for all his princes and his servants, even Esther’s feast; and he proclaimed a holiday in the provinces, and gave gifts according to the king’s bounty.

Mordecai discovers a conspiracy

When the virgins were gathered together the second time, Mordecai was sitting in the king’s gate.

Esther had not yet made known her relatives nor her people, as Mordecai had commanded her; for Esther obeyed Mordecai, like she did when she was brought up by him.

In those days, while Mordecai was sitting in the king’s gate, two of the king’s eunuchs, Bigthan and Teresh, who were doorkeepers, were angry, and sought to lay hands on the King Ahasuerus.

This thing became known to Mordecai, who informed Esther the queen; and Esther informed the king in Mordecai’s name.

When this matter was investigated, and it was found to be so, they were both hanged on a gallows; and it was written in the book of the chronicles in the king’s presence.