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The Book of Esther 2

2 After these things, when the rage of the king Ahasuerus subsided, he remembered Vashti and what she had done, and what had been decided concerning her. 2 And the young men of the king who served him said, “Let them seek for the king young women who are virgins and pleasing of appearance. 3 And let the king appoint administrators in all the provinces of his kingdom. Then let them gather every young woman who is a virgin and pleasing of appearance to Susa the citadel, to the house of women into the hand of Hegai (the eunuch of the king who is overseer of the women). Then give their ointments. 4 And let the young woman who is pleasing in the eyes of the king become queen instead of Vashti.” And the word was pleasing in the eyes of the king, so he did thus.

5 A man, a Jew, was in Susa the citadel, and his name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish (a man, a Benjamite, 6 who had been exiled from Jerusalem with the exiles who had been exiled along with Jeconiah, the king of Judah, who Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had exiled). 7 And he was fostering Hadassah (she is Esther), the daughter of his uncle, because there was not for her a father or a mother. Now the young woman was beautiful of form and pleasing of appearance. And at the death of her father and her mother, Mordecai had taken her for him as a daughter. 8 And it happened that, when the decree of the king and his law were heard, and when many young women were gathered to Susa the citadel into the hand of Hegai, Esther was taken to the palace of the king, into the hand of Hegai (who was overseer of the women). 9 And the young woman was pleasing in his eyes, and she lifted kindness before his face. And he quickly gave her ointments, gave her portions of food, and gave her seven young women chosen from the house of the king. And he transferred her and her young women to the best of the house of women. 10 Esther had not declared her people or her ancestry, for Mordecai had laid a charge upon her that she should not tell it. 11 And always, day by day, Mordecai was walking about before the face of the courtyard of the house of women in order to know the peace of Esther and what was being done with her.

12 Now when the turn came for young woman by young woman to go to the king Ahasuerus, it was after her 12 months, according to the law of women. For thus the days of their beautification would be fulfilled: six months by oil of myrrh, then six months by perfumes and by the ointments of women. 13 Then at this, the young woman would go to the king. Anything that she said would be given to her, to go with her from the house of women to the house of the king. 14 In the evening she would go, and in the morning she would return to the second house of women, into the hand of Shaashgaz (the eunuch of the king who was overseer of the concubines). She would not go to the king again unless the king had delighted in her and she was called by name.

15 Now when the turn of Esther (the daughter of Abihail, the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for him as a daughter) came to go to the king, she did not seek anything except what Hegai (the eunuch of the king who was overseer of the women) said. And Esther was a lifter of favor in the eyes of everyone who saw her. 16 And Esther was taken to the king Ahasuerus, to the palace of his royalty, in the tenth month (which is the month of Tebeth), in year seven of his reign. 17 And the king loved Esther more than all the women and she lifted favor and kindness before his face more than all the virgins. And he set a crown of royalty on her head, and he made her queen instead of Vashti. 18 And the king made a great feast for all his officials and his servants, the feast of Esther. And he made a holiday for the provinces, and he gave gifts according to the hand of the king.

19 Now when virgins were being gathered a second time, Mordecai was then sitting at the gate of the king. 20 Esther had not yet declared her ancestry (that is, her people), according to the charge that Mordecai had laid upon her. And Esther continued to do the command of Mordecai according to how she was with him in her fostering. 21 In those days, when Mordecai was sitting at the gate of the king, Bigthan and Teresh (two eunuchs of the king who were guardians of the doorway) became angry; and they sought to stretch out a hand against the king Ahasuerus. 22 And the matter was made known to Mordecai, and he declared it to Esther the queen. And Esther spoke to the king in the name of Mordecai. 23 And the matter was sought out and was found out, and the two of them were hanged on a pole. And it was written in the book of the events of days before the face of the king.

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