Esther 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.
