| Chapter 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 hands 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. |
