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

After these things, when the fury of king Ahasuerus was appeased, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her.

2 T hen the king’s servants who ministered to him said, Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king.

Then said the king's servants that attended upon him, Let there be maidens, virgins of beautiful countenance, sought for the king;

3 A nd let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom to gather all the beautiful young virgins to the capital in Shushan, to the harem under the custody of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, who is in charge of the women; and let their things for purification be given them.

and let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the young virgins of beautiful countenance to Shushan the fortress, to the house of the women, unto the custody of Hegai the king's chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their things for purification be given.

4 A nd let the maiden who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti. This pleased the king, and he did so.

And let the maiden that pleaseth the king be queen instead of Vashti. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.

5 T here was a certain Jew in the capital in Shushan whose name was Mordecai son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite,

There was in Shushan the fortress a certain Jew, whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjaminite,

6 W ho had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captives taken away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried into exile.

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.

7 H e had brought up Hadassah, that is Esther, his uncle’s daughter, for she had neither father nor mother. The maiden was beautiful and lovely, and when her father and mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter.

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

8 S o when the king’s command and his decree were proclaimed and when many maidens were gathered in Shushan the capital under the custody of Hegai, Esther also was taken to the king’s house into the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women.

And it came to pass when the king's commandment and his decree was heard, and when many maidens were gathered together unto Shushan the fortress, unto the custody of Hegai, that Esther also was brought into the king's house, unto the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women.

9 A nd the maiden pleased and obtained his favor. And he speedily gave her the things for her purification and her portion of food and the seven chosen maids to be given her from the king’s palace; and he removed her and her maids to the best in the harem.

And the maiden pleased him, and obtained favour before him; and he speedily gave her her things for purification, and her portions, and the seven maidens selected to be given her, out of the king's house; and he removed her and her maids to the best of the house of the women.

10 E sther had not made known her nationality or her kindred, for Mordecai had charged her not to do so.

Esther had not made known her people nor her birth; for Mordecai had charged her that she should not make it known.

11 A nd Mordecai '> attendant in the king’s court] walked every day before the court of the harem to learn how Esther was and what would become of 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 N ow when the turn of each maiden came to go in to King Ahasuerus, after the regulations for the women had been carried out for twelve months—since this was the regular period for their beauty treatments, six months with oil of myrrh and six months with sweet spices and perfumes and the things for the purifying of the women—

And when every maiden's turn came to go in to king Ahasuerus after that she had been treated for twelve months, according to the manner of the women (for so were the days of their purification accomplished—six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with spices, and with things for the purifying of the women,

13 T hen in this way the maiden came to the king: whatever she desired was given her to take with her from the harem into the king’s palace.

and thus came the maiden in unto the king), whatever she desired was given her to go with her out of the house of the women to the king's house.

14 I n the evening she went and next day she returned into the second harem in the custody of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the concubines. She came to the king no more unless the king delighted in her and she was called for by name.

In the evening she went, and on the morrow she returned into the second house of the women, unto the custody of Shaashgaz, the king's chamberlain, keeper of the concubines. She came in to the king no more, unless the king delighted in her, and she were called by name.

15 N ow when the turn for Esther the daughter of Abihail, the uncle of Mordecai who had taken her as his own daughter, had come to go in to the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king’s attendant, the keeper of the women, suggested. And Esther won favor in the sight of all who saw her.

And 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 chamberlain, keeper of the women, appointed. And Esther obtained grace in the sight of all them that saw her.

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

So Esther was taken to king Ahasuerus, into his royal house, in the tenth month, that is, the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.

17 A nd the king loved Esther more than all the women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the maidens, so that he set the royal crown on her head and made her queen instead 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, and he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.

18 T hen the king gave a great feast for all his princes and his servants, Esther’s feast; and he gave a holiday to the provinces and gave gifts in keeping with the generosity of the king.

And the king made a great feast to all his princes and his servants, Esther's feast; and he made a release to the provinces, and gave presents according to the king's bounty.

19 A nd when the maidens were gathered together the second time, Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate.

And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, Mordecai sat in the king's gate.

20 N ow Esther had not yet revealed her nationality or her people, for she obeyed Mordecai’s command to her '> to fear God and execute His commands] just as when she was being brought up by him.

(Esther, as Mordecai had charged her, had not yet made known her birth nor her people; for Esther did what Mordecai told her, like as when she was brought up with him.)

21 I n those days, while Mordecai sat at the king’s gate, two of the king’s eunuchs, Bigthan and Teresh, of those who guarded the door, were angry and sought to lay hands on 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 threshold, were wroth, and sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus.

22 A nd this was known to Mordecai, who told it to Queen Esther, and Esther told the king in Mordecai’s name.

And the thing became known to Mordecai, and he related it to Esther the queen, and Esther told it to the king in Mordecai's name.

23 W hen it was investigated and found to be true, both men were hanged on the gallows. And it was recorded in the Book of the Chronicles in the king’s presence.

And the matter was investigated and found out; and they were both hanged on a tree. And it was written in the book of the chronicles before the king.