1 A fter 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;

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

2 a nd servants of the king, his ministers, say, `Let them seek for the king young women, virgins, of good appearance,

Then the king’s servants who ministered to him said, Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king.

3 a nd 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 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.

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

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

There 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,

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

7 a nd he is supporting Hadassah -- she Esther -- daughter of his uncle, for she hath neither father nor mother, and the young woman 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.

He 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.

8 A nd 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,

So 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.

9 a nd 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 the house of the women.

And 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.

10 E sther hath not declared her people, and her kindred, for Mordecai hath laid a charge on her that she doth not declare;

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

11 a nd 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.

And 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.

12 A nd 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 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—

13 a nd 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;

Then 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.

14 i n 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.

In 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.

15 A nd 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.

Now 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.

16 A nd Esther is taken unto the king Ahasuerus, unto his royal house, in the tenth month -- it the month of Tebeth -- in the seventh year of his reign,

So 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.

17 a nd 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 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.

18 a nd 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.

Then 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.

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

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

20 E sther 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 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.

21 I n 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,

In 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.

22 a nd the thing is known to Mordecai, and he declareth to Esther the queen, and Esther speaketh to the king in the name of Mordecai,

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

23 a nd 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.

When 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.