2 2 After the Queen is put away, certain young maids are brought to the king. 17 Esther pleaseth the King, and is made Queen. 22 Mordecai discloseth unto the king those that would betray him.
1 After these things, when the wrath of King Ahasuerus was appeased, he [a]remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed [b]against her.
2 And the King’s servants that ministered unto him, said, Let them seek for the King beautiful young virgins,
3 And let the King appoint officers through all the provinces of his Kingdom, and let them gather all the beautiful young virgins unto the palace of Shushan, into the house of the women, under the hand of Hegai the King’s eunuch, [c]keeper of the women, to give them their things [d]for purification.
4 And the maid that shall please the King, let her reign in the stead of Vashti. And this pleased the king, and he did so.
5 ¶ In the city of Shushan there was a certain Jew, whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish a man of Benjamin,
6 Which had been carried away from Jerusalem (A)with the captivity that was carried away with Jeconiah King of Judah (whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babel had carried away.)
7 And he nourished Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle’s daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful to look on: and after the death of her father, and her mother, Mordecai took her for his own daughter.
8 And when the king’s commandment, and his decree was published, and many maids were brought together to the palace of Shushan, under the hand of Hegai, Esther was brought also unto the King’s house under the hand of Hegai the keeper of the women.
9 And the maid pleased him, and she found favor in his sight, therefore he caused her things for purification to be given her speedily, and her [e]state, and seven comely maids to be given her out of the King’s house, and he gave change to her and to her maids of the best in the house of the women.
10 But Esther showed not her people and her kindred: for Mordecai had charged her that she should not tell it.
11 And Mordecai walked [f]every day before the court of the women’s house, to know if Esther did well, and what should be done with her.
12 And when the course of every maid came, 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, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odors and in the purifying of the women:
13 And thus went the maids unto the King) whatsoever she required, was [g]given her to go with her out of the women’s house unto the king’s house.
14 In the evening she went, and on the morrow she returned into the second house of the women under the hand of Shaashgaz the King’s eunuch, which kept the concubines: she came in to the King no more, except she pleased the King, and that she were called by name.
15 Now when the course of Esther the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai (which had taken her as his own daughter) came, that she should go in to the king, she desired nothing, but what [h]Hege the king’s eunuch the keeper of the women [i]said: and Esther found favor 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 [j]month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.
17 And the King loved Esther above all the women, and she found grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins: so that he set the crown of the kingdom 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, which was [k]the feast of Esther, and gave rest [l]unto the provinces, and gifts, according to the [m]power of a king.
19 And when the virgins were gathered the [n]second time, then Mordecai sat in the king’s gate.
20 Esther had not yet showed her kindred nor her people, as Mordecai had charged her: for Esther did after the word of Mordecai, as when she was nourished with him.
21 ¶ In those days when Mordecai sat in the king’s gate, two of the king’s eunuchs, Bigthan and Teresh, which kept the door, were wroth, and sought to lay [o]hand on the King Ahasuerus.
22 And the thing was known to Mordecai, and he told it unto Queen Esther, and Esther certified the king thereof in Mordecai’s name: and when inquisition was made, it was found so: therefore they were both hanged on a tree: and it was written in the book of the [p]Chronicles before the king.
Footnotes
- Esther 2:1 That is, he called the matter again into communication.
- Esther 2:1 By the seven wise men of his counsel.
- Esther 2:3 The abuse of these countries was so great, that they invented many means to serve the lusts of Princes, and therefore as they ordained wicked laws, that the king might have whose daughters he would, so they had divers houses appointed, as one for them while they were virgins, another when they were concubines and for the Queens another.
- Esther 2:3 Read what this purification was, verse 12.
- Esther 2:9 Hebrew, portions.
- Esther 2:11 For though she was taken away by a cruel law, yet he ceased not to have a fatherly care over her, and therefore did resort ofttimes to hear of her.
- Esther 2:13 What apparel she asked of the eunuch, that was he bound to give her.
- Esther 2:15 Or, Hegai.
- Esther 2:15 Wherein her modesty appeared, because she sought not apparel to commend her beauty, but stood to the Eunuch’s appointment.
- Esther 2:16 Which contained part of December and part of January.
- Esther 2:18 That is, made for her sake.
- Esther 2:18 He released their tribute.
- Esther 2:18 That is, great and magnificent.
- Esther 2:19 That is, at the marriage of Esther, which was the second marriage of the king.
- Esther 2:21 Meaning, to kill him.
- Esther 2:22 In the Chronicles of the Medes and Persians, as Esther 10:2.