Esther 2

1 After these things, at the ceasing of the fury of the king Ahasuerus, he hath remembered Vashti, and that which she did, and that which hath been decreed concerning her;

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.

2 and servants of the king, his ministers, say, 'Let them seek for the king young women, virgins, of good appearance,

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

3 and the king doth appoint inspectors in all provinces of his kingdom, and they gather every young woman — virgin, of good appearance — unto Shushan the palace, unto the house of the women, unto the hand of Hege eunuch of the king, keeper of the women, and to give their purifications,

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].

4 and the young woman who is good in the eyes of the king doth reign instead of Vashti;' and the thing is good in the eyes of the king, and he doth so.

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

5 A man, a Jew, there hath been in Shushan the palace, and his name [is] Mordecai son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, a Benjamite —

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

6 who had been removed from Jerusalem with the removal that was removed with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon removed —

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

7 and he is supporting Hadassah — she [is] Esther — daughter of his uncle, for she hath neither father nor mother, and the young woman [is] of fair form, and of good appearance, and at the death of her father and her mother hath Mordecai taken her to him for a daughter.

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.

8 And it cometh to pass, in the word of the king, even his law, being heard, and in many young women being gathered unto Shushan the palace, unto the hand of Hegai, that Esther is taken unto the house of the king, unto the hand of Hegai, keeper of the women,

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.

9 and the young woman is good in his eyes, and she receiveth kindness before him, and he hasteneth her purifications and her portions — to give to her, and the seven young women who are provided — to give to her, from the house of the king, and he changeth her and her young women to a good [place in] the house of the women.

And the damsel pleased him, and she found favour 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.

10 Esther hath not declared her people, and her kindred, for Mordecai hath laid a charge on her that she doth not declare [it];

But Esther discovered not her family nor her kindred: for Mardochæus had charged her not to tell.

11 and during every day Mordecai is walking up and down before the court of the house of the women to know the welfare of Esther, and what is done with her.

But Mardochæus used to walk every day by the women’s court, to see what would become of Esther.

12 And in the drawing nigh of the turn of each young woman to come in unto the king Ahasuerus, at the end of there being to her — according to the law of the women — twelve months, for so they fulfil the days of their purifications; six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with spices, and with the purifications of women,

Now this was the time for a virgin to go in to 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.

13 and with this the young woman hath come in unto the king, all that she saith is given to her, to go in with her, out of the house of the women, unto the house of the king;

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

14 in the evening she hath gone in, and in the morning she hath turned back unto the second house of the women, unto the hand of Shaashgaz eunuch of the king, keeper of the concubines; she cometh not in any more unto the king except the king hath delighted in her, and she hath been called by name.

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.

15 And in the drawing nigh of the turn of Esther — daughter of Abihail, uncle of Mordecai, whom he had taken to him for a daughter — to come in unto the king, she hath not sought a thing except that which Hegai eunuch of the king, keeper of the women, saith, and Esther is receiving grace in the eyes of all seeing her.

And when the time was fulfilled for Esther the daughter of Aminadab the brother of Mardochæus’ 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.

16 And Esther is taken unto the king Ahasuerus, unto his royal house, in the tenth month — it [is] the month of Tebeth — in the seventh year of his reign,

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

17 and the king loveth Esther above all the women, and she receiveth grace and kindness before him above all the virgins, and he setteth a royal crown on her head, and causeth her to reign instead of Vashti,

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

18 and the king maketh a great banquet to all his heads and his servants — the banquet of Esther — and a release to the provinces hath made, and giveth gifts as a memorial of the king.

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.

19 And in the virgins being gathered a second time, then Mordecai is sitting in the gate of the king;

But Mardochæus served in the palace.

20 Esther is not declaring her kindred and her people, as Mordecai hath laid a charge upon her, and the saying of Mordecai Esther is doing as when she was truly with him.

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

21 In those days, when Mordecai is sitting in the gate of the king, hath Bigthan been wroth, and Teresh, (two of the eunuchs of the king, the keepers of the threshold, ) and they seek to put forth a hand on king Ahasuerus,

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

22 and the thing is known to Mordecai, and he declareth [it] to Esther the queen, and Esther speaketh to the king in the name of Mordecai,

And the matter was discovered to Mardochæus, and he made it known to Esther, and she declared to the king the matter of the conspiracy.

23 and the thing is sought out, and found, and they are hanged both of them on a tree, and it is written in the book of the Chronicles before the king.

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 Mardochæus, as a commendation.