Esther 2

1 And after this the king's anger was pacified, and he no more mentioned Astin, bearing in mind what she had said, and how he had condemned her.

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.

2 Then the servants of the king said, Let there be sought for the king chaste [and] beautiful young virgins.

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

3 And let the king appoint local governors in all the provinces of his kingdom, and let them select fair [and] chaste young damsels [and bring them] to the city Susa, into the women's apartment, and let them be consigned to the king's chamberlain, the keeper of the women; and let things for purification and other attendance be given [to them].

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.

4 And let the woman who shall please the king be queen instead of Astin. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.

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.

5 Now there was a Jew in the city Susa, and his name was Mardochaeus, the [son] of Jairus, [the son] of Semeias, [the son] of Cisaeus, of the tribe of Benjamin;

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,

6 who had been brought a prisoner from Jerusalem, which Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon had carried into captivity.

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)

7 And he had a foster child, daughter of Aminadab his father's brother, and her name [was] Esther; and when her parents were dead, he brought her up for a wife for himself: and the damsel was beautiful.

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

8 And because the king's ordinance was published, many damsels were gathered to the city Susa under the hand of Gai; and Esther was brought to Gai the keeper of the women.

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.

9 And the damsel pleased him, and she found favor in his sight; and he hasted to give her the things for purification, and her portion, and the seven maidens appointed her out of the palace: and he treated her and her maidens well in the women's apartment.

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.

10 But Esther didn’t reveal her family nor her kindred: for Mardochaeus had charged her not to tell.

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

11 But Mardochaeus used to walk every day by the women's court, to see what would become of Esther.

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.

12 Now this was the time for a virgin to go into the king, when she should have fulfilled twelve months; for so are the days of purification fulfilled, six months while they are anointing themselves with oil of myrrh, and six months with spices and women's purifications.

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:

13 And then [the damsel] goes in to the king; and [the officer] to whoever he shall give the command, will bring her to come in with him from the women's apartment to the king's chamber.

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.

14 She enters in the evening, and in the morning she departs to the second women's apartment, where Gai the king's chamberlain [is] keeper of the women: and she goes not in to the king again, unless she should be called by name.

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.

15 And when the time. was fulfilled for Esther the daughter of Aminadab the brother of Mardochaeus' father to go in to the king, she neglected nothing which the chamberlain, the women's keeper, commanded; for Esther found grace in the sight of all that looked upon her.

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.

16 So Esther went in to king Artaxerxes in the twelfth month, which is Adar, in the seventh year of his reign.

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.

17 And the king loved Esther, and she found favor beyond all the [other] virgins: and he put on her the queen's crown.

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.

18 And the king made a banquet for all his friends and great men for seven days, and he highly celebrated the marriage of Esther; and he made a release to those who were under his dominion.

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.

19 But Mardochaeus served in the palace.

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

20 Now Esther had not revealed her kindred; for so Mardochaeus commanded her, to fear God, and perform his commandments, as when she was with him: and Esther changed not her manner of life.

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.

21 And two chamberlains of the king, the chiefs of the body-guard, were grieved, because Mardochaeus was promoted; and they sought to kill king Artaxerxes.

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.

22 And the matter was revealed to Mardochaeus, and he made it known to Esther, and she declared to the king the matter of the conspiracy.

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

23 And the king examined the two chamberlains, and hanged them: and the king gave orders to make a note for a memorial in the royal records of the good offices of Mardochaeus, as a commendation.

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.