1 A fter these things, when King Ahasuerus was no longer angry, he remembered Vashti and what she had done, and what had been decided against 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 T hen the king’s servants who served him said, “Let beautiful young women be found for the king.

Then the king’s servants that ministered unto him said, Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king,

3 L et the king choose men to watch over all the parts of his nation, that they may gather every beautiful young woman who has never had a man to the city of Susa. Have them brought to the house for the king’s wives, under the care of Hegai, the king’s servant, who takes care of the women. And let their things for making them beautiful be given to them.

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 eunuch, keeper of the women; and let them be given that which is necessary for their purification;

4 T hen let the young lady who pleases the king be queen in place of Vashti.” This pleased the king, and he did so.

and let the maiden which pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti. And the thing pleased the king, and he did so.

5 N ow in the city of Susa where the king lived there was a Jew whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite.

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 H e had been taken from Jerusalem with the people who had been taken away with King Jeconiah of Judah by 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 H e had brought up Hadassah, that is Esther, the daughter of his father’s brother. For she did not have a father or mother. The young lady was beautiful in body and face. When her father and mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter.

And he had brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle’s daughter; for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful; and as her father and mother were dead, Mordecai had taken her for his own daughter.

8 T he words of the king were made known, and many young ladies were gathered to the city of Susa and put under the care of Hegai. So Esther was taken to the king’s house into the care of Hegai, who cared for 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 N ow the young lady pleased Hegai and she found favor with him. He was quick to give her oils and special food, and gave her seven of the best women servants from the king’s special house. He moved her and her women servants to the best place in the house for the king’s wives.

And the maiden pleased him, and she found mercy before him; and he speedily gave her that which was necessary for purification and her rations, and seven maidens, which were meet to be given her out of the king’s house; and he moved her and her maids into the best place of the house of the women.

10 E sther had not told who her people or her family were because Mordecai had told her to say nothing.

Esther had not declared her people nor her birth, for Mordecai had charged her that she should not declare it.

11 A nd every day Mordecai walked in front of the open space of the house of the king’s women to learn how Esther was and how she was getting along.

And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women’s house to know the peace of Esther and what was done with her.

12 T he time for each young lady came to go in to King Ahasuerus after the end of her twelve months of being under the rules for the women. The days of making themselves beautiful were finished after using oil from spices for six months, and perfumes and oils for making themselves beautiful for another six months.

Now when each maid’s turn was come to go in to King Ahasuerus, after she had been twelve months according to the law regarding the women (for so were the days of their purifications accomplished, that is, six months with oil of myrrh and six months with aromatic odours and oils for women),

13 W hen the young woman went in to the king, whatever she wanted was given to her to take from the house of the king’s women to the king’s special house.

then thus came each maiden unto the king; whatever she desired was given her to go with her out of the house of the women unto the king’s house.

14 I n the evening she would go in and in the morning she would return to the second house for the king’s women, into the care of Shaashgaz, the king’s servant who took care of his women who acted as wives. She would not go in to the king again unless the king was pleased with her and she was called 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 eunuch, who kept the concubines; she came in unto the king no more, unless the king delighted in her and called for her by name.

15 N ow the turn came for Esther, the daughter of Abihail, the brother of the father of Mordecai who had taken her as his daughter, to go in to the king. She did not ask for anything except what Hegai, the king’s servant who took care of the women, said she should take. And Esther found favor in the eyes of all 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 eunuch, the keeper of the women, appointed. And Esther obtained grace in the sight of all those that looked upon her.

16 S o Esther was taken to the beautiful house of King Ahasuerus in the tenth month, the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his rule.

So Esther was taken unto King Ahasuerus into his royal house in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.

17 A nd the king loved Esther more than all the women. She found favor and kindness with him more than all the young women, so that he set the queen’s 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 mercy in his sight more than did all the other virgins so that he set the crown of the kingdom upon her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.

18 T hen the king gave a great supper for all his princes and leaders. It was a special supper for Esther. He also made a special day for the nation, and gave many gifts. Mordecai Saves the King’s Life

Then the king made a great banquet unto all his princes and his slaves, the banquet of Esther; and he made a release to the provinces of their taxes and gave gifts according to the power of the king.

19 W hen the young women were gathered together the second time, Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate.

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

20 E sther had not yet told who her family or her people were, as Mordecai had said. For she did what Mordecai told her just as she had done when she was under his care.

Esther had not yet declared her birth nor her people; as Mordecai had charged her; for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai as when she was being brought up with him.

21 I n those days, while Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king’s servants from those who watched over the door, became angry. And they planned to kill King Ahasuerus.

¶ In those days, while Mordecai sat in the king’s gate, two of the king’s eunuchs, Bigthan and Teresh, of those which kept the door, were wroth and sought to lay hand on King Ahasuerus.

22 B ut their plan became known to Mordecai and he told Queen Esther. And Esther told the king what Mordecai had heard.

And the thing was known by Mordecai, who told it unto Esther, the queen; and Esther notified the king of this in Mordecai’s name.

23 W hen the plan was learned and found to be true, both men were hanged on a tree. It was written down in the Book of the Chronicles in front of 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.