Esther 2

1After these thingsH1697, whenH834 the wrathH2534 of kingH4428 AhasuerusH325 was pacified, he rememberedH2142 VashtiH2060, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her. 2Then saidH559 the king’sH4428 servantsH5288 that ministered unto him, Let there be fair youngH5288 virginsH1330 soughtH1245 for the kingH4428: 3and let the kingH4428 appointH6485 officersH6485 in all the provincesH4082 of his kingdomH4438, that they may gatherH6908 togetherH6908 all the fair youngH5291 virginsH1330 unto Shushan the palace, to the houseH1004 of the womenH802, unto the custody of HegaiH1896 the king’sH4428 chamberlain, keeperH8104 of the womenH802; and let their things for purification be givenH5414 them; 4and let the maiden that pleaseth the kingH4428 be queen instead of VashtiH2060. And the thingH1697 pleased the kingH4428; and he did soH3651.

5There was a certain JewH3064 in Shushan the palace, whose nameH8034 was MordecaiH4782, the sonH1121 of JairH2971, the sonH1121 of ShimeiH8096, the sonH1121 of KishH7027, a Benjamite, 6who had been carried away from JerusalemH3389 with the captives that had been carried away with JeconiahH3204 kingH4428 of JudahH3063, whom NebuchadnezzarH5019 the kingH4428 of BabylonH894 had carried away. 7And he brought up Hadassah, that is, EstherH635, his uncle’sH1730 daughterH1323: for she had neither fatherH1 nor motherH517, and the maiden was fair and beautifulH3303; and when her fatherH1 and motherH517 wereH1961 dead, MordecaiH4782 tookH3947 her for his own daughterH1323.

8So it came to pass, when the king’sH4428 commandment and his decree wasH1961 heardH8085, and when manyH7227 maidens wereH1961 gatheredH6908 togetherH6908 unto Shushan the palace, to the custody of HegaiH1896, that EstherH635 wasH1961 takenH3947 into the king’sH4428 houseH1004, to the custody of HegaiH1896, keeperH8104 of the womenH802. 9And the maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness of him; and he speedily gaveH5414 her her things for purification, with her portionsH4490, and the sevenH7651 maidens who were meet to be givenH5414 her out of the king’sH4428 houseH1004: and he removed her and her maidens to the bestH2896 place of the houseH1004 of the womenH802. 10EstherH635 had not made known her peopleH5971 nor her kindredH4138; for MordecaiH4782 had charged her that she should not make it known. 11And MordecaiH4782 walkedH1980 every dayH3117 before the courtH2691 of the women’s houseH1004, to knowH3045 howH4100 EstherH635 did, and what would become of her.

12Now when the turn of every maiden wasH1961 comeH935 to goH935 in to kingH4428 AhasuerusH325, after that it had beenH1961 done to her according to the lawH1881 for the womenH802 twelve monthsH2320 (for soH3651 wereH1961 the daysH3117 of their purifications accomplished, to wit, sixH8337 monthsH2320 with oilH8081 of myrrhH4753, and sixH8337 monthsH2320 with sweet odors and with the things for the purifying of the womenH802), 13then in this wise cameH935 the maiden unto the kingH4428: Whatsoever she desired was givenH5414 her to goH935 with her out of the houseH1004 of the womenH802 unto the king’sH4428 houseH1004. 14In the eveningH6153 she wentH935, and on the morrow she returnedH7725 into the secondH8145 houseH1004 of the womenH802, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king’sH4428 chamberlain, who keptH8104 the concubinesH6370: she cameH935 in unto the kingH4428 no more, except the kingH4428 delighted in her, and she were calledH7121 by nameH8034. 15Now when the turn of EstherH635, the daughterH1323 of AbihailH32 the uncleH1730 of MordecaiH4782, who had takenH3947 her for his daughterH1323, wasH1961 comeH935 to goH935 in unto the kingH4428, she required nothing but what HegaiH1896 the king’sH4428 chamberlain, the keeperH8104 of the womenH802, appointed. And EstherH635 obtained favorH2580 in the sight of all them that lookedH7200 upon her.

16So EstherH635 was takenH3947 unto kingH4428 AhasuerusH325 into his houseH1004 royal in the tenthH6224 monthH2320, which is the monthH2320 Tebeth, in the seventh yearH8141 of his reignH4438. 17And the kingH4428 lovedH157 EstherH635 above all the womenH802, and she obtained favorH2580 and kindness in his sight more than all the virginsH1330; so that he setH7760 the royal crownH3804 upon her headH7218, and madeH7760 her queen instead of VashtiH2060. 18Then the kingH4428 madeH6213 a greatH1419 feastH4960 unto all his princesH8269 and his servantsH5650, even Esther’s feastH4960; and he madeH6213 a release to the provincesH4082, and gaveH5414 gifts, according to the bounty of the kingH4428.

19And when the virginsH1330 were gatheredH6908 togetherH6908 the secondH8145 timeH8145, then MordecaiH4782 was sittingH3427 in the king’sH4428 gateH8179. 20EstherH635 had not yet madeH6213 known her kindredH4138 nor her peopleH5971; as MordecaiH4782 had charged her: for EstherH635 did the commandment of MordecaiH4782, like as when she was brought up with him. 21In those daysH3117, while MordecaiH4782 was sittingH3427 in the king’sH4428 gateH8179, twoH8147 of the king’sH4428 chamberlains, Bigthan and TereshH8657, of those that keptH8104 the threshold, were wroth, and soughtH1245 to lay handsH3027 on the kingH4428 AhasuerusH325. 22And the thingH1697 became knownH3045 to MordecaiH4782, who showed it unto EstherH635 the queenH4436; and EstherH635 toldH5046 the kingH4428 thereof in Mordecai’s nameH8034. 23And when inquisition was made of the matterH1697, and it was foundH4672 to be so, they were both hangedH8518 on a treeH6086: and it was writtenH3789 in the bookH5612 of the chronicles before the kingH4428.