Esther 2

1 After these things, when the wrath of King Ahashuerosh was appeased, he remembred Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her.

Some time later, when the anger of King Xerxes had subsided, he remembered Vashti and what she had done, and what had been decreed against her.

2 And the Kings seruants that ministred vnto him, sayd, Let them seeke for the King beautifull yong virgins,

Then the king’s attendants proposed, “Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king,

3 And let the King appoynt officers through all the prouinces of his kingdome, and let them gather all the beautiful yong virgins vnto the palace of Shushan, into the house of the women, vnder the hand of Hege the Kings eunuche, keeper of the women, to giue them their things for purification.

and let the king appoint commissioners in each province of his kingdom to assemble all the beautiful young women into the harem at the citadel of Susa. Let them be placed under the care of Hegai, the king’s eunuch in charge of the women, and let them be given beauty treatments.

4 And the mayde that shall please the King, let her reigne in the steade of Vashti. And this pleased the King, and he did so.

Then let the young woman who pleases the king become queen in place of Vashti.” This suggestion pleased the king, and he acted accordingly.

5 In the citie of Shushan, there was a certaine Iewe, whose name was Mordecai the sonne of Iair, the sonne of Shimei, the sonne of Kish a man of Iemini,

Now there was at the citadel of Susa a Jewish man from the tribe of Benjamin named Mordecai son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish.

6 Which had bene caryed away from Ierusalem with the captiuitie that was caryed away with Ieconiah King of Iudah (whom Nebuchad-nezzar King of Babel had caryed away)

He had been carried into exile from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon among those taken captive with Jeconiah king of Judah.

7 And he nourished Hadassah, that is Ester, his vncles daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the mayde was fayre, and beautifull to looke on: and after the death of her father, and her mother, Mordecai tooke her for his own daughter

And Mordecai had brought up Hadassah (that is, Esther), the daughter of his uncle, because she did not have a father or mother. The young woman was lovely in form and appearance, and when her father and mother had died, Mordecai had taken her in as his own daughter.

8 And when the Kings commandement, and his decree was published, and many maydes were brought together to the palace of Shushan, vnder the hand of Hege, Ester was brought also vnto the Kings house vnder the hande of Hege the keeper of the women.

When the king’s command and edict had been proclaimed, many young women gathered at the citadel of Susa under the care of Hegai. Esther was also taken to the palace and placed under the care of Hegai, the custodian of the women.

9 And the mayde pleased him, and she founde fauour in his sight: therefore he caused her things for purification to be giuen her speedily, and her state, and seuen comely maides to be giuer her out of the Kings house, and he gaue change to her and to her maydes of the best in the house of the women.

And the young woman pleased him and obtained his favor, so he quickly provided her with beauty treatments and the special diet. He assigned to her seven select maidservants from the palace and transferred her with them to the best place in the harem.

10 But Ester shewed not her people and her kinred: for Mordecai had charged her, that shee should not tell it.

Esther did not reveal her people or her lineage, because Mordecai had instructed her not to do so.

11 Aud Mordecai walked euery day before the court of the womens house, to knowe if Ester did well, and what should be done with her.

And every day Mordecai would walk back and forth in front of the court of the harem to learn about Esther’s welfare and what was happening to her.

12 And when the course of euery mayd came, to go in to King Ahashuerosh, after that she had bene twelue moneths according to the maner of the women (for so were the dayes of their purifications accomplished, sixe moneths with oyle of myrrhe, and sixe moneths with sweete odours and in the purifying of the women:

In the twelve months before her turn to go to King Xerxes, the harem regulation required each young woman to receive beauty treatments with oil of myrrh for six months, and then with perfumes and cosmetics for another six months.

13 And thus went the maides vnto the King) whatsoeuer she required, was giuen her, to go with her out of the womens house vnto ye kings house.

When the young woman would go to the king, she was given whatever she requested to take with her from the harem to the king’s palace.

14 In the euening she went, and on the morow she returned into the second house of the women vnder the hand of Shaashgaz the Kings eunuche, which kept the concubines: shee came in to the King no more, except shee pleased the King, and that she were called by name.

She would go there in the evening, and in the morning she would return to a second harem under the care of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch in charge of the concubines. She would not return to the king unless he delighted in her and summoned her by name.

15 Now when the course of Ester the daughter of Abihail the vncle of Mordecai (which had taken her as his owne daughter) came, that shee should go in to the King, she desired nothing, but what Hege the Kings eunuche the keeper of the women sayde: and Ester founde fauour in the sight of all them that looked vpon her.

Now Esther was the daughter of Abihail, the uncle from whom Mordecai had adopted her as his own daughter. And when it was her turn to go to the king, she did not ask for anything except what Hegai, the king’s trusted official in charge of the harem, had advised. And Esther found favor in the eyes of everyone who saw her.

16 So Ester was taken vnto King Ahashuerosh into his house royall in the tenth moneth, which is the moneth Tebeth, in the seuenth yeere of his reigne.

She was taken to King Xerxes in the royal palace in the tenth month, the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.

17 And the King loued Ester aboue all the women, and shee founde grace and fauour in his sight more then all the virgins: so that he set the crowne of the kingdome vpon her head, and made her Queene instead of Vashti.

And the king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she found grace and favor in his sight more than all of the other virgins. So he placed the royal crown upon her head and made her queen in place of Vashti.

18 Then the King made a great feast vnto all his princes, and his seruants, which was the feast of Ester, and gaue rest vnto the prouinces, and gaue gifts, according to the power of a King.

Then the king held a great banquet, Esther’s banquet, for all his officials and servants. He proclaimed a tax holiday in the provinces and gave gifts worthy of the king’s bounty.

19 And whe the virgins were gathered ye second time, then Mordecai sate in the Kings gate.

When the virgins were assembled a second time, Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate.

20 Ester had not yet shewed her kindred nor her people, as Mordecai had charged her: for Ester did after the worde of Mordecai, as when she was nourished with him.

Esther still had not revealed her lineage or her people, just as Mordecai had instructed. She obeyed Mordecai’s command, as she had done under his care.

21 In those dayes whe Mordecai sate in the Kings gate, two of the Kings eunuches, Bigthan and Teresh, which kept the doore, were wroth, and sought to lay hand on the King Ahashuerosh.

In those days, while Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs who guarded the entrance, grew angry and conspired to assassinate King Xerxes.

22 And the thing was knowen to Mordecai, and he tolde it vnto Queene Ester, and Ester certified the King thereof in Mordecais name:

When Mordecai learned of the plot, he reported it to Queen Esther, and she informed the king on Mordecai’s behalf.

23 and when inquisition was made, it was found so: therefore they were both hanged on a tree: and it was written in the booke of the Chronicles before the King.

After the report had been investigated and verified, both officials were hanged on the gallows. And all this was recorded in the Book of the Chronicles in the presence of the king.