ES-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.

ES-2:2 Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him,

Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king:

ES-2:3 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]:

ES-2:4 And let the maiden which pleaseth the king be queen

instead of Vashti. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.

ES-2:5 [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;

ES-2:6 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.

ES-2:7 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.

ES-2:8 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.

ES-2:9 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.

ES-2:10 Esther had not showed her people nor her kindred: for

Mordecai had charged her that she should not show [it].

ES-2:11 And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the

women's house, to know how Esther did, and what should become of

her.

ES-2:12 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;)

ES-2:13 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.

ES-2:14 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.

ES-2:15 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.

ES-2:16 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.

ES-2:17 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.

ES-2:18 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.

ES-2:19 And when the virgins were gathered together the second

time, then Mordecai sat in the king's gate.

ES-2:20 Esther had not [yet] showed 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.

ES-2:21 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.

ES-2:22 And the thing was known to Mordecai, who told [it] unto

Esther the queen; and Esther certified the king [thereof] in

Mordecai's name.

ES-2:23 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.

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