Esther 2

1After these matters, when King Ahasuerus's anger had subsided, he remembered Vashti, what she had done, and what had been decreed against her.

2Then the king's young men who served him said, "Let good-looking young virgins be sought for the king."

3Let the king appoint officials in all the provinces of his kingdom to gather every beautiful young virgin to Susa the citadel, to the women's house, into the custody of Hegai the king's eunuch who guards the women, and let their purification treatments be provided.

4The young woman who is pleasing in the king's sight shall become queen instead of Vashti. The matter was pleasing in the king's sight, and he did so.

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

6who had been exiled from Jerusalem with the exiles who had been exiled with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had exiled.

7Mordecai raised Hadassah, Esther, his uncle's daughter, for she had no father or mother; the young woman was beautiful in figure and attractive in appearance, and when her father and mother died, he took her as his daughter.

8So it happened, when the king's word and his decree were heard and many young women were gathered to the palace in Susa, into Hegai's charge, that Esther was taken to the king's house, into the charge of Hegai, guardian of the women.

9The young woman found favor in his eyes and gained kindness from him, so he quickly provided her beauty treatments and food portions, along with seven select maidens from the king's house to attend her, and he relocated her and her attendants to the best quarters in the women's house.

10Esther had not revealed her people and her kindred, because Mordecai had commanded her not to reveal it.

11Mordecai walked every day before the courtyard of the women's house to learn of Esther's welfare and what was being done to her.

12When each young woman's turn arrived to go in to King Ahasuerus, it came after twelve months according to the women's decree—for thus their purification days were completed: six months with myrrh oil, six months with perfumes, and with women's beautifying treatments.

13In this way the young woman came to the king: whatever she said was given to her to go with her from the house of the women to the king's house.

14In the evening she went, and in the morning she returned to the second house of the women, to the charge of Shaashgaz the king's eunuch who guarded the concubines. She came to the king no more unless the king desired her and she was called by name.

15When Esther's turn came to go before the king, she, daughter of Abihail, Mordecai's uncle who had taken her as his daughter, requested nothing except what Hegai the king's eunuch, guardian of the women, would say, and Esther gained favor in the eyes of all who saw her.

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

17The king loved Esther more than all the women, and she received grace and mercy before him more than all the virgins, so he placed the royal crown on her head and made her queen in place of Vashti.

18The king made a great banquet for all his princes and servants, Esther's banquet, and he granted a release throughout the provinces while giving gifts according to the king's hand.

19When the virgins were gathered a second time, Mordecai sat at the king's gate.

20Esther had not disclosed her lineage and her people, as Mordecai had instructed her, for she carried out Mordecai's directive just as she had been nurtured with him.

21In those days, while Mordecai was sitting at the king's gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king's eunuchs who guarded the door, grew angry and sought to lay a hand on King Ahasuerus.

22The matter became known to Mordecai, and he told Esther the queen; Esther told the king in Mordecai's name.

23The matter was investigated and found true; both of them were hanged on a gallows, and it was written in the book of the events of the days before the king.