< Esther 2 >

1 After the things these when subsided [the] anger of the king Ahasuerus he remembered Vashti and [that] which she had done and [that] which it had been decreed on 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 And they said [the] young men of the king [who were] serving him let people seek for the king young women virgins good of appearance.
Then said the king’s servants that ministered unto him, Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king:
3 And let him appoint the king appointees in all [the] provinces of kingdom his and let them gather every girl virgin good of appearance to Susa the citadel to [the] house of the women into [the] hand of Hegai [the] eunuch of the king [the] keeper of the women and let him give rubbings their.
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 the young woman who she will be good in [the] eyes of the king she will reign in place of Vashti and it was good the word in [the] eyes of the king and he did thus.
And let the maiden which pleaseth the king be queen instead of Vashti. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.
5 A man Jewish he was in Susa the citadel and name his [was] Mordecai [the] son of Jair [the] son of Shimei [the] son of Kish a man a Jaminite.
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 he had been taken into exile from Jerusalem with the exile[s] which it had been taken into exile with Jeconiah [the] king of Judah whom he had taken into exile Nebuchadnezzar [the] king of Babylon.
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 was raising Hadassah that [is] Esther [the] daughter of uncle his for not [belonged] to her a father and a mother and the young woman [was] beautiful of shape and good of appearance and at [the] death of father her and mother her he took her Mordecai of him to a daughter.
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 And it was when were heard [the] edict of the king and orders his and when were gathered young women many to Susa the citadel into [the] hand of Hegai and she was taken Esther to [the] house of the king into [the] hand of Hegai [the] keeper of the women.
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 she was good the young woman in view his and she bore favor before him and he hastened rubbings her and portions her to give to her and [the] seven the servant girls chosen to give to her from [the] house of the king and he moved her and servant girls her to [the] good [place] of [the] house of the women.
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.
10 Not she had told Esther people her and kindred her for Mordecai he had commanded to her that not she will tell.
Esther had not shewed her people nor her kindred: for Mordecai had charged her that she should not shew it.
11 And on every day and day Mordecai [was] walking back and forth to front of [the] court of [the] house of the women to know [the] welfare of Esther and what? was it done with her.
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 And when arrived [the] turn of a young woman and a young woman to go - to the king Ahasuerus from [the] end to be for her according to [the] regulation of the women two [plus] ten month[s] for thus they were completed [the] days of rubbings their six months with [the] oil of myrrh and six months with balsam oil and with [the] rubbings of women.
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 And in this [way] the young woman [was] going into the king all that she said it was given to her to go with her from [the] house of the women to [the] house of the king.
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 [was] going and in the morning she [was] returning to [the] house of the women second in [the] hand of Shaashgaz [the] eunuch of the king [the] keeper of the concubines not she went again into the king that except he delighted in her the king and she was summoned by name.
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 And when arrived [the] turn of Esther [the] daughter of Abihail [the] uncle of Mordecai whom he had taken of him to a daughter to go to the king not she requested anything that except [that] which he said Hegai [the] eunuch of the king [the] keeper of the women and she was Esther bearing favor in [the] eyes of all [those who] saw her.
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 And she was taken Esther to the king Ahasuerus into [the] house of royalty his in the month tenth that [is] [the] month of Tebeth in year seven of reign his.
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 he loved the king Esther more than all the women and she bore favor and favor before him more than all the virgins and he put a crown of royalty on head her and he made queen her in place of Vashti.
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 And he made the king a feast great for all officials his and servants his [the] feast of Esther and a holiday for the provinces he made and he gave tribute according to [the] hand of the king.
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 were gathered virgins a second [time] and Mordecai [was] sitting at [the] gate of the king.
And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, then Mordecai sat in the king’s gate.
20 Not Esther [was] telling kindred her and people her just as he had commanded to her Mordecai and [the] command of Mordecai Esther [was] doing just as she had done in guardianship with him.
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.
21 In the days those and Mordecai [was] sitting at [the] gate of the king he was angry Bigthan and Teresh two of [the] eunuchs of the king from [the] guards of the threshold and they sought to stretch out a hand on the king Ahasuerus.
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 it was made known the matter to Mordecai and he told to Esther the queen and she spoke Esther to the king in [the] name of Mordecai.
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 it was sought the matter and it was found and they were hanged [the] two of them on a gallows and it was written in [the] book of [the] matters of the days before the king.
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.

< Esther 2 >