1
After these things, when the wrath of King Achashverosh had subsided, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what had been decreed against her.
2
Then the young men who served the king said: “Let beautiful young maidens be sought for the king.
3
And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his Kingdom, that they may gather every beautiful young maiden to Shushan the citadel, to the house of the women, into the hand of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, keeper of the women. And let their preparations be given to them.
4
Then let the maiden who is good in the eyes of the king be queen in place of Vashti.” And the matter was good in the eyes of the king, and he did so.
5
There was an ish Yehudi in Shushan the citadel whose name was Mordekhai, son of Ya’ir, son of Shim’i, son of Qish, an ish of Binyamin,
6
who had been carried away from Yerushalayim among the exiles who were carried away with Yekhonyah, king of Yehudah, whom Nevukhadnetzar, king of Bavel, had carried away.
7
And he was raising Hadassah— that is, Ester— the daughter of his uncle, for she had neither father nor mother. The maiden was beautiful in form and good in appearance. And when her father and her mother died, Mordekhai took her as his own daughter.
8
And it came to pass, when the Word of the King and his decree were heard, and when many maidens were gathered to Shushan the citadel into the hand of Hegai, that Ester also was taken to the king’s house, into the hand of Hegai, keeper of the women.
9
And the maiden was good in his eyes, and she obtained favor before him. So he hastened to give her her preparations and her appointed portions, and seven chosen maidens from the king’s house. And he moved her and her maidens to the best place in the house of the women.
10
Ester had not made known her people or her kindred, for Mordekhai had commanded her not to make it known.
11
And every day Mordekhai walked before the court of the house of the women, to know the shalom of Ester and what was being done with her.
12
And when the turn of each maiden came to go in to King Achashverosh, after she had completed twelve months according to the law for the women— for thus were completed the days of their preparation: six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with fragrances and with the preparations of women—
13
then in this way the maiden went to the king: whatever she requested was given to her to go with her from the house of the women to the house of the king.
14
In the evening she went, and in the morning she returned to the second house of the women, into the hand of Sha’ashgaz, the king’s eunuch, keeper of the concubines. She did not go again to the king unless the king delighted in her and she was called by name.
15
And when the turn of Ester, daughter of Avichayil, the uncle of Mordekhai, who had taken her as his daughter, came to go to the king, she requested nothing except what Hegai, the king’s eunuch, keeper of the women, said. And Ester obtained favor in the eyes of all who saw her.
16
So Ester was taken to King Achashverosh, into his royal house, in the tenth month— that is, the month Tevet— in the seventh year of his reign.
17
And the king loved Ester more than all the women, and she obtained favor and covenant-faithfulness before him more than all the maidens. And he placed the royal crown upon her head and made her queen in place of Vashti.
18
Then the king made a great feast for all his rulers and his servants— the feast of Ester. And he granted relief to the provinces and gave gifts according to the hand of the king.
19
And when the maidens were gathered a second time, Mordekhai was sitting in the king’s gate.
20
Ester still had not made known her kindred or her people, just as Mordekhai had commanded her. For Ester performed the word of Mordekhai just as when she was being raised by him.
21
In those days, while Mordekhai sat in the king’s gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs among those who guarded the threshold, became angry and sought to stretch out a hand against King Achashverosh.
22
And the matter became known to Mordekhai, and he told it to Queen Ester. And Ester told the king in the name of Mordekhai.
23
And the matter was investigated and found true. And the two were hanged upon a tree. And it was written in the Sefer of the Chronicles before the face of the king.