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.
2 Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, Let there
be fair young virgins sought for the king: 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:
4 And let the maiden which pleaseth the king be queen instead of
Vashti. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.
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; 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.
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.
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.
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.
(God caused Esther to have favor in the sight of the king as God caused Joseph to have favor in the sight of Pharaoh when Joseph was a slave in Egypt.)
10 Esther had not shewed her people nor her
kindred: for Mordecai had charged her that she should not shew it.
(King did not know Esther was a Jew.)
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.
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;) 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.
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.
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. 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.
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.
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. 19 And when the virgins were gathered together the second time,
then Mordecai sat in the king's gate.
20 Esther had not yet shewed 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.
(Esther was very obedient to rule and she was undemanding as we see from her asking nothing to make herself great in the eyes of the king before being brought to the king. vv. 13 & 15)
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. 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. 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.