Chapter 2

After these things, when the wrath of king Ahasuerus was appeased,² he remembered¹ Vashti, and what she had done,¹ and what was decreed⁸ against her.

Then said⁴ the king's servants that ministered¹⁸ unto him, Let there be fair ⁴⁷⁵⁸ young virgins sought¹⁷ for the king:

And let the king appoint⁵⁵ officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together⁴ all the fair ⁴⁷⁵⁸ young virgins unto Shushan the palace, to the house of the women, unto the custody of Hege the king's chamberlain, keeper⁶ of the women; and let their things for purification be given² [them]:

And let the maiden which pleaseth^{4 5869} the king be queen⁴ instead of Vashti. And the thing pleased^{4 5869} the king; and he did⁴ so.

[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; ³²²⁸

Who had been carried away⁹⁰ from Jerusalem with the captivity which had been carried away⁹⁰ with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away.⁵²

And he brought up⁶ Hadassah, that [is], Esther, his uncle's daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid [was] fair ⁸³⁸⁹ and beautiful; ⁴⁷⁵⁸ whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took¹ for his own daughter.

So it came to pass, when the king's commandment and his decree was heard,⁹ and when many maidens were gathered together⁹ unto Shushan the palace, to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was brought¹¹ also unto the king's house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper⁶ of the women.

And the maiden pleased^{4 5869} him, and she obtained⁴ kindness of him; and he speedily¹⁷ gave² her her things for purification, with such things as belonged to her, and seven maidens, [which were] meet⁷ to be given² her, out of the king's house: and he preferred¹⁷ her and her maids unto the best [place] of the house of the women.

Esther had not shewed⁵² her people nor her kindred: for Mordecai had charged¹⁴ her that she should not shew⁵⁵ [it].

And Mordecai walked¹⁰² every day ³¹¹⁷ before the court of the women's house, to know² how Esther did, and what should become¹¹ of her.

Now when every maid's ⁵²⁹¹ turn was come⁵³ to go in² to king Ahasuerus, after that she had been twelve ⁶²⁴⁰ months, according to the manner of the women, (for so were the days of their purifications accomplished,⁴ [to wit], six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odours, and with [other] things for the purifying of the women;)

Then thus came⁶ [every] maiden unto the king; whatsoever she desired⁴ was given¹¹ her to go² with her out of the house of the women unto the king's house.

In the evening she went,⁶ and on the morrow she returned⁶ into the second house of the women, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king's chamberlain, which kept⁶ the concubines: she came in⁴ unto the king no more, except the king delighted¹ in her, and that she were called⁸ by name.

Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken¹ her for his daughter, was come⁵³ to go in² unto the king, she required¹⁴ nothing but what Hegai the king's chamberlain, the keeper⁶ of the women, appointed.⁴ And Esther obtained⁶ favour in the sight of all them that looked⁶ upon her.

So Esther was taken¹¹ unto king Ahasuerus into his house royal in the tenth month, which [is] the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.

And the king loved⁴ Esther above all the women, and she obtained⁴ grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set⁴ the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen⁵⁵ instead of Vashti.

Then the king made⁴ a great feast unto all his princes and his servants, [even] Esther's feast; and he made¹ a release to the provinces, and gave⁴ gifts, according to the state of the king.

And when the virgins were gathered together⁹ the second time, then Mordecai sat⁶ in the king's gate.

Esther had not [yet] shewed⁵⁶ her kindred nor her people; as Mordecai had charged¹⁴ her: for Esther did⁶ the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him.

In those days, while Mordecai sat⁶ in the king's gate, two of the king's chamberlains, Bigthan and Teresh, of those which kept⁶ the door, were wroth,¹ and sought¹⁷ to lay² hand on the king Ahasuerus.

And the thing was known¹¹ to Mordecai, who told⁵⁵ [it] unto Esther the queen; and Esther certified⁴ the king [thereof] in Mordecai's name.

And when inquisition²⁹ was made of the matter, it was found out;¹¹ therefore they were both hanged¹¹ on a tree: and it was written¹¹ in the book of the chronicles ³¹¹⁷ before the king.