Esther 2

1 After these things, when the wrath of King Achashyerosh was pacified, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her.

Later on, after all this had happened, King Xerxes' anger subsided and he thought about Vashti and what she'd done, and the decree issued against her.

2 Then the king's servants who served him said, "Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king.

His advisors suggested to him, “Why not order a search to find beautiful young virgins for Your Majesty?

3 Let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the beautiful young virgins to the citadel of Shushan, to the women's house, to the custody of Hegai the king's eunuch, keeper of the women. Let cosmetics be given them;

Your Majesty should put officers in charge in each province of his empire to gather all the beautiful young women and bring them to the king's harem at the fortress of Susa. They should placed under the supervision of Hegai, the king's eunuch in charge of the women, and they should be given beauty treatments.

4 and let the maiden who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti." The thing pleased the king, and he did so.

The young woman the king finds most attractive can become queen in place of Vashti.” The king thought this was a good idea, so he acted upon it.

5 There was a certain Jew in the citadel of Shushan, whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite,

There was a Jewish man living in the fortress of Susa named Mordecai, son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, a Benjamite

6 who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captives who had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away.

who was among those taken prisoner with King Jehoiachin of Judah and carried into exile from Jerusalem by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon.

7 He brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daughter; for she had neither father nor mother. The maiden was fair and beautiful; and when her father and mother were dead, Mordecai took her for his own daughter.

He had brought up Hadassah (or Esther), his uncle's daughter, because she had no father or mother. The young woman had a beautiful figure and was very attractive. After her father and mother died, Mordecai had adopted her as his own daughter.

8 So it happened, when the king's commandment and his decree was heard, and when many maidens were gathered together to the citadel of Shushan, to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was taken into the king's house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women.

When the king's order and decree had been announced, many young women were brought to the fortress of Susa under the supervision of Hegai. Esther was also taken to the king's palace and placed under the care of Hegai, who was in charge of the women.

9 The maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness from him. He quickly gave her cosmetics and her portions of food, and the seven choice maidens who were to be given her out of the king's house. He moved her and her maidens to the best place in the women's house.

Esther caught his eye and he treated her favorably. He quickly arranged beauty treatments and special food for her. He also provided her with seven specially-chosen maids from the king's palace, and moved her and her maids to the best location in the harem.

10 Esther had not made known her people nor her relatives, because Mordecai had instructed her that she should not make it known.

Esther had not let anyone know her nationality or who her family was, because Mordecai had ordered her not to.

11 Mordecai walked every day in front of the court of the women's house, to find out how Esther did, and what would become of her.

Each day Mordecai spent time walking around in front of the courtyard of the harem so he could find out how Esther was doing and what was happening to her.

12 Each young woman's turn came to go in to King Achashyerosh after her purification for twelve months (for so were the days of their purification accomplished, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet fragrances and with preparations for beautifying women).

Before it was the turn of a young woman to go to King Xerxes, she had to complete twelve months of beauty treatments for women that were required: six months with oil of myrrh, and six with perfumed oils and ointments.

13 The young woman then came to the king like this: whatever she desired was given her to go with her out of the women's house to the king's house.

When it was time for the young woman to go to the king, she was given whatever she asked for to take with her from the harem to the king's palace.

14 In the evening she went, and on the next day she returned into the second women's house, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king's eunuch, who kept the secondary wives. She came in to the king no more, unless the king delighted in her, and she was called by name.

In the evening she would go, and in the morning she would return to a different harem under the supervision of Shaashgaz, who was the king's eunuch in charge of the concubines. She would not go back to be with the king again unless he was particularly attracted to her and called for her by name.

15 Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, came to go in to the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king's eunuch, the keeper of the women, advised. Esther obtained favor in the sight of all those who looked at her.

(Esther was the daughter of Abihail, Mordecai's uncle. Mordecai had adopted her as his own daughter.) When it was Esther's turn to go to the king, she didn't ask for anything to take with her except what Hegai advised. (He was the king's eunuch in charge of the women.) Esther was looked on with admiration by everybody.

16 So Esther was taken to King Achashyerosh into his royal house in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.

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

17 The king loved Esther more than all the women, and she obtained favor and kindness in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown on her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.

The king loved Esther more than all the other women. He treated her more favorably and with greater kindness than all of the other virgins. So he placed the royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.

18 Then the king made a great feast for all his officials and his servants, even Esther's feast; and he proclaimed a holiday in the provinces, and gave gifts according to the king's bounty.

The king gave a great feast for all his officials and administrators—Esther's feast. He also declared it a holiday throughout the provinces and distributed generous gifts.

19 When the virgins were gathered together the second time, Mordecai was sitting in the King's Gate.

Even though there had been a second gathering of virgins, and Mordecai had been given a position by the king,

20 Esther had not yet made known her relatives nor her people, as Mordecai had commanded her; for Esther obeyed Mordecai, like she did when she was brought up by him.

Esther still did not let anyone know about her family or her nationality, as Mordecai had ordered her. She followed Mordecai's instructions just as she did when he brought her up.

21 In those days, while Mordecai was sitting in the King's Gate, two of the king's eunuchs, Bigthan and Teresh, who were doorkeepers, were angry, and sought to lay hands on the King Achashyerosh.

At that time, as Mordecai was doing his work at the palace gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two eunuchs who guarded the entrance to the king's rooms, became furious with King Xerxes and looked for a way to assassinate him.

22 This thing became known to Mordecai, who informed Esther the queen; and Esther informed the king in Mordecai's name.

Mordecai found out about the plot and reported it to Queen Esther. Esther in turn told the king on Mordecai's behalf.

23 When this matter was investigated, and it was found to be so, they were both hanged on a tree; and it was written in the book of the chronicles in the king's presence.

When the plot was investigated and found to be true, both men were impaled on poles. This was recorded in the official Book of Records by order of the king.