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<< Esther 2
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1 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 Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, Let there
be fair young virgins sought for the king:
3 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 let the maiden which pleaseth the king be queen instead of
Vashti. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.
5 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 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 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 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 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 Esther had not shewed her people nor her kindred: for Mordecai
had charged her that she should not shew it.
11 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 the virgins were gathered together the second time,
then Mordecai sat in the king's gate.
20 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 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 hands on the king Ahasuerus.
22 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 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.
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