Bible, King James Version
Esther
Esth.2
[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.
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