Esther 2

1 After these events, when the fury of king Achashverosh was appeased, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what had been decreed concerning her.

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 Thus said the king's young men, his servants, Let there be sought for the king virgins handsome in appearance;

Then said the young men of the king, who waited upon him, —Let them seek out for the king young virgins, of pleasing appearance;

3 And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the young virgins, handsome in appearance, unto Shushan the capital, into the house of the women, under the custody of Hege the king's chamberlain, the keeper of the women; and let them give them their customary anointings;

and let the king appoint officers throughout all the provinces of his kingdom, and let them gather together every young virgin of pleasing appearance unto Shusan the palace, unto the house of the women, into the custody of Hegai eunuch of the king, keeper of the women, and let there be given the things needed for their purification;

4 And let the maiden who may be pleasing in the eyes of the king become queen instead of Vashti: and the speech was pleasing in the eyes of the king, and he did so.

and, the maiden that is pleasing in the eyes of the king, let her be queen instead of Vashti. And the thing seemed good in the eyes of the king, and he did so.

5 There was a certain Jew in Shushan the capital, whose name was Mordecai, the son of Yair, the son of Shim'i, the son of Kish, a Benjamite;

A certain Jew, there was, in Shusan the palace, —whose, name, was Mordecai, son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, a man of Benjamin;

6 Who had been carried away into exile from Jerusalem with the exiles who had been exiled with Jeconyah, the king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried into exile.

who had been exiled from Jerusalem, with the exiles who were carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, —whom, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, exiled.

7 And he had brought up Hadassah, that is Esther, the daughter of his uncle; for she had neither father nor mother, and the maiden was beautiful in form and handsome in appearance; and when her father and mother were dead, Mordecai had taken her to himself as a daughter.

And it came to pass, that he was bringing up Hadassah, the same, was Esther, his uncle’s daughter, for she had neither father nor mother, —and, the maiden, was of beautiful form and pleasing appearance, and when her father and mother died, Mordecai took her for his own daughter.

8 And it came to pass, when the king's order and his decree were heard, and when many maidens were brought together unto Shushan the capital, under the custody of Hegai, that Esther also was brought unto the king's house, under the custody of Hegai, the keeper of the women.

So it came to pass, when the king’s command and decree was heard, and there had been gathered together many maidens unto Shusan the palace, unto the custody of Hegai, that Esther was taken into the house of the king, unto the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women;

9 And the maiden was pleasing in his eyes, and she obtained favor before him; and he made haste to give her her anointings, with her presents, and the seven maidens, who were selected to be given her, out of the king's house: and he preferred her and her maidens with the best things in the house of the women.

and the maiden was pleasing in his eyes, and she received lovingkindness before him, and he hastened to give her, the things needed for her purification, and things apportioned her, and to give her, seven select maidens, out of the house of the king, —and he removed her and her maidens to the best place in the house of the women.

10 Esther told nothing of her people or of her descent; for Mordecai had charged her that she should not tell.

Esther had not told of her people, nor of her kindred, —for, Mordecai, had laid charge upon her, that she should not tell.

11 And day by day did Mordecai walk before the court of the house of women, to ascertain the well-being of Esther, and what would be done with her.

And, throughout every day, Mordecai, used to walk to and fro, before the court of the house of the women, —to get to know the welfare of Esther, and what would be done with her.

12 And when the turn of every maiden was come to go in unto king Achashverosh, at the expiration [of the time] that she had been treated according to the custom of the women, twelve months; for so were the days of their anointings accomplished, six months with the oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odors, and with other ointments of the women;

Now, when the turn of each maiden came, to go in unto King Ahasuerus, after it had been done to her according to the law of the women for twelve months, for, so, were filled the days of their purification, —six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with perfumes, and with things for the purification of the women,

13 And thus came the maiden unto the king; [and] whatsoever she asked for was given her to go with her out of the house of the women as far as the house of the king.

then, indeed, the maiden came in unto the king, —whatsoever she might mention, was given her, to go with her, out of the house of the women up to the house of the king:

14 In the evening she went, and in the morning she returned unto the second house of the women, to the custody of Sha'ashgas, the king's chamberlain, the keeper of the concubines: she used not to come again unto the king, except the king desired for her, and she was called by name.

in the evening, she went in, and, in the morning, she returned—unto the second house of the women, unto the custody of Shaashgaz the king’s eunuch, who kept the concubines, —she went not in again unto the king, except the king delighted in her, and she were called by name.

15 And when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abichayil, the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her to himself as a daughter, was come to go in unto the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king's chamberlain, the keeper of the women, said: and Esther obtained grace in the eyes of all those that beheld her.

But, when the turn came for Esther daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai—who had taken her as his own daughter—to go in unto the king, she requested nothing, save what Hegai the king’s eunuch who kept the women might direct, —but so it was, that Esther obtained favour in the eyes of all who beheld her.

16 And Esther was taken unto king Achashverosh, unto his royal house, in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.

So then Esther was taken unto King Ahasuerus, into his royal house, in the tenth month, the same, was 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 favor before him more than all the virgins; and he placed the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.

And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained favour and lovingkindness before him, above all the virgins, —so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen, instead of Vashti.

18 And the king made a great feast unto all his princes and his servants, the feast of Esther; and he made a release of taxes to the provinces, and gave presents, according to the ability of the king.

Then the king made a great banquet, for all his rulers and his servants, the banquet of Esther, —and, a remission, for all the provinces, made he, and gave a present, according to the bounty of a king.

19 And when virgins were gathered together the second time, then was Mordecai sitting in the king's gate.

Now, when virgins were gathered together second time, then, Mordecai, was sitting in the gate of the king.

20 [But] Esther had not yet told of her descent nor her people; as Mordecai had charged her; and Esther did [fulfill] the order of Mordecai, equally as when she was under his guardianship.

Esther had not told of her kindred, nor her people, as, Mordecai, had laid charge upon her, —and, the command of Mordecai, Esther performed, like as when she was being brought up with him.

21 In those days, while Mordecai was sitting in the king's gate, Bigthan and Theresh, two chamberlains of the king, of those who kept the door, became wroth, and sought to lay [their] hand on king Achashverosh.

In those days, when, Mordecai, was sitting in the gate of the king, Bigthan and Teresh, two of the eunuchs of the king who guarded the threshold, were wroth, and sought to thrust a hand upon King Ahasuerus;

22 And the thing became known to Mordecai, and he told it unto Esther the queen; and Esther said it to the king in the name of Mordecai.

but the thing became known to Mordecai, who told it unto Esther the queen, —and Esther told it unto the king, in the name of Mordecai.

23 And the thing was inquired into and found true; and they were both of them hanged on a gallows; and it was written in the book of chronicles before the king.

And, when the thing was searched into and found [true], then were they two hanged upon the gallows, and it was written, in the book of the chronicles, before the king.