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.
Then said the king's
servants
that ministered
unto him, Let there be fair
young
virgins
sought
for the king
:
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 :
And let the maiden which pleaseth
the king
be queen
instead of Vashti
. And the thing
pleased
the king
; and he did so
.
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
;
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
.
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
.
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
.
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
.
Esther had not shewed
her people
nor her kindred
: for Mordecai
had charged
her that she should not shew
it .
And Mordecai walked
every day
before
the court
of the women's
house
, to know
how Esther
did
, and what should become
of her.
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
;)
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
.
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
.
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.
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
.
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
.
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
.
And when the virgins were gathered together
the second time
, then Mordecai
sat
in the king's
gate
.
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.
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
.
And the thing was known
to Mordecai
, who told
it unto Esther
the queen
; and Esther
certified
the king
thereof in Mordecai's
name
.
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
.