Esther 2 · אסתר

After these things, when the wrath of king Aĥashverosh was appeased, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her.

Then the king’s servants who ministered to him said, Let fair young virgins be 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 to Shushan the capital, to the house of the women, to the custody of Hege the king’s chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their ointment be given them:

and let the girl who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.

Now in Shushan the capital there was a certain Jew, whose name was Mordokhay, the son of Ya᾽ir, the son of Shim῾i, the son of Qish, a Binyaminite;

who had been exiled from Yerushalayim with the captivity which had been carried away into exile with Yekhonya king of Yehuda, whom Nevukhadneżżar the king of Bavel had carried away into exile.

And he brought up Hadassa, that is, Ester, his uncle’s daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the girl was fair and beautiful; and when her father and mother were dead, Mordokhay took her for his own daughter.

So it came to pass, when the king’s commandment and his decree were heard, and when many young girls were gathered together to Shushan the capital, to the custody of Hegay, that Ester was brought also to the king’s house, to the custody of Hegay, keeper of the women.

And the girl pleased him, and she obtained kindness of him; and he speedily gave her her ointments, and her appointed rations, and the seven maids chosen to be given her, out of the king’s house: and he advanced her and her maids to the best place in the house of the women.

Ester had not made known her people or her descent: for Mordokhay had charged her that she should not tell.

And Mordokhay walked every day before the court of the women’s house, to know how Ester did, and what should become of her.

Now when every girl’s turn was come to go in to king Aĥashverosh, after she had been twelve months under the regulations for the women, (for so were the days of their anointing, namely, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odours, and with other ointments of the women;)

this is how the girl would come to the king: whatever she desired would be given her to take with her out of the house of the women into the king’s house:

in the evening she would go, and on the morrow she would return to the second house of the women, to the custody of Sha῾ashgaz, the king’s chamberlain, who kept the concubines: she would come in to the king no more, unless the king delighted in her, and she were called by name.

Now when the turn of Ester, the daughter of Aviĥayil the uncle of Mordokhay, who had taken her for his daughter, was come to go in to the king, she requested nothing but what Hegay the king’s chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed. And Ester obtained favour in the sight of all those who looked upon her.

So Ester was taken to king Aĥashverosh into his royal house in the tenth month, which is the month Tevet, in the seventh year of his reign.

And the king loved Ester more than 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 for all his princes and his servants, Ester’s feast; and he granted a remission of taxes to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the state of the king.

And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, Mordokhay was sitting at the king’s gate.

Ester had not yet made known her kindred or her people; as Mordokhay had charged her: for Ester carried out the bidding of Mordokhay, just as when she was brought up with him.

In those days, while Mordokhay sat in the king’s gate, two of the king’s chamberlains, Bigtan and Teresh, of those who kept the door, became disaffected, and sought to lay hands on the king Aĥashverosh.

And the thing became known to Mordokhay, who told it to Ester the queen; and Ester reported it to the king in Mordokhay’s name.

And when inquiry was made of the matter, it was found out; so that they were both hanged on a tree: and it was written in the book of the chronicles in the presence of the king.