Esther 2

1 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.

After these events, when the fury of king Achashverosh was appeased, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what had been decreed concerning her.

2 Then the king’s servants who served him said, “Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king.

Thus said the king's young men, his servants, Let there be sought for the king virgins handsome in appearance;

3 Let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the beautiful young virgins to the citadel of Susa, to the women’s house, to the custody of Hegai the king’s eunuch, keeper of the women. Let cosmetics 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, handsome in appearance, unto Shushan the capital, into the house of the women, under the custody of Hege the king's chamberlain, the keeper of the women; and let them give them their customary anointings;

4 and let the maiden who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.” The thing pleased the king, and he did so.

And let the maiden who may be pleasing in the eyes of the king become queen instead of Vashti: and the speech was pleasing in the eyes of the king, and he did so.

5 There was a certain Jew in the citadel of Susa whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite,

There was a certain Jew in Shushan the capital, whose name was Mordecai, the son of Yair, the son of Shim'i, the son of Kish, a Benjamite;

6 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.

Who had been carried away into exile from Jerusalem with the exiles who had been exiled with Jeconyah, the king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried into exile.

7 He brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle’s daughter; for she had neither father nor mother. The maiden was fair and beautiful; and when her father and mother were dead, Mordecai took her for his own daughter.

And he had brought up Hadassah, that is Esther, the daughter of his uncle; for she had neither father nor mother, and the maiden was beautiful in form and handsome in appearance; and when her father and mother were dead, Mordecai had taken her to himself as a daughter.

8 So, when the king’s commandment and his decree was heard, and when many maidens were gathered together to the citadel of Susa, to the custody of Hegai, Esther was taken into the king’s house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women.

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

9 The maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness from him. He quickly gave her cosmetics and her portions of food, and the seven choice maidens who were to be given her out of the king’s house. He moved her and her maidens to the best place in the women’s house.

And the maiden was pleasing in his eyes, and she obtained favor before him; and he made haste to give her her anointings, with her presents, and the seven maidens, who were selected to be given her, out of the king's house: and he preferred her and her maidens with the best things in the house of the women.

10 Esther had not made known her people nor her relatives, because Mordecai had instructed her that she should not make it known.

Esther told nothing of her people or of her descent; for Mordecai had charged her that she should not tell.

11 Mordecai walked every day in front of the court of the women’s house, to find out how Esther was doing, and what would become of her.

And day by day did Mordecai walk before the court of the house of women, to ascertain the well-being of Esther, and what would be done with her.

12 Each young woman’s turn came to go in to King Ahasuerus after her purification for twelve months (for so were the days of their purification accomplished, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet fragrances and with preparations for beautifying women).

And when the turn of every maiden was come to go in unto king Achashverosh, at the expiration [of the time] that she had been treated according to the custom of the women, twelve months; for so were the days of their anointings accomplished, six months with the oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odors, and with other ointments of the women;

13 The young woman then came to the king like this: whatever she desired was given her to go with her out of the women’s house to the king’s house.

And thus came the maiden unto the king; [and] whatsoever she asked for was given her to go with her out of the house of the women as far as the house of the king.

14 In the evening she went, and on the next day she returned into the second women’s house, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch, who kept the concubines. She came in to the king no more, unless the king delighted in her, and she was called by name.

In the evening she went, and in the morning she returned unto the second house of the women, to the custody of Sha'ashgas, the king's chamberlain, the keeper of the concubines: she used not to come again unto the king, except the king desired for her, and she was called by name.

15 Now 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 eunuch, the keeper of the women, advised. Esther obtained favor in the sight of all those who looked at her.

And when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abichayil, the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her to himself as a daughter, was come to go in unto the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king's chamberlain, the keeper of the women, said: and Esther obtained grace in the eyes of all those that beheld her.

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

And Esther was taken unto king Achashverosh, unto his royal house, in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.

17 The king loved Esther more than all the women, and she obtained favor and kindness in his sight more than all the virgins; 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 favor before him more than all the virgins; and he placed the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.

18 Then the king made a great feast for all his princes and his servants, even Esther’s feast; and he proclaimed a holiday in the provinces, and gave gifts according to the king’s bounty.

And the king made a great feast unto all his princes and his servants, the feast of Esther; and he made a release of taxes to the provinces, and gave presents, according to the ability of the king.

19 When the virgins were gathered together the second time, Mordecai was sitting in the king’s gate.

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

20 Esther had not yet made known her relatives nor her people, as Mordecai had commanded her; for Esther obeyed Mordecai, like she did when she was brought up by him.

[But] Esther had not yet told of her descent nor her people; as Mordecai had charged her; and Esther did [fulfill] the order of Mordecai, equally as when she was under his guardianship.

21 In those days, while Mordecai was sitting in the king’s gate, two of the king’s eunuchs, Bigthan and Teresh, who were doorkeepers, were angry, and sought to lay hands on the King Ahasuerus.

In those days, while Mordecai was sitting in the king's gate, Bigthan and Theresh, two chamberlains of the king, of those who kept the door, became wroth, and sought to lay [their] hand on king Achashverosh.

22 This thing became known to Mordecai, who informed Esther the queen; and Esther informed the king in Mordecai’s name.

And the thing became known to Mordecai, and he told it unto Esther the queen; and Esther said it to the king in the name of Mordecai.

23 When this matter was investigated, and it was found to be so, they were both hanged on a gallows; and it was written in the book of the chronicles in the king’s presence.

And the thing was inquired into and found true; and they were both of them hanged on a gallows; and it was written in the book of chronicles before the king.