Esther 2

¹After these things, when the wrath of King Ahashuerosh was appeased, he remembred Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her.

²And the Kings seruants that ministred vnto him, sayd, Let them seeke for the King beautifull yong virgins,

³And let the King appoynt officers through all the prouinces of his kingdome, and let them gather all the beautiful yong virgins vnto the palace of Shushan, into the house of the women, vnder the hand of Hege the Kings eunuche, keeper of the women, to giue them their things for purification.

⁴And the mayde that shall please the King, let her reigne in the steade of Vashti. And this pleased the King, and he did so.

⁵In the citie of Shushan, there was a certaine Iewe, whose name was Mordecai the sonne of Iair, the sonne of Shimei, the sonne of Kish a man of Iemini,

⁶Which had bene caryed away from Ierusalem with the captiuitie that was caryed away with Ieconiah King of Iudah (whom Nebuchad-nezzar King of Babel had caryed away)

⁷And he nourished Hadassah, that is Ester, his vncles daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the mayde was fayre, and beautifull to looke on: and after the death of her father, and her mother, Mordecai tooke her for his own daughter

⁸And when the Kings commandement, and his decree was published, and many maydes were brought together to the palace of Shushan, vnder the hand of Hege, Ester was brought also vnto the Kings house vnder the hande of Hege the keeper of the women.

⁹And the mayde pleased him, and she founde fauour in his sight: therefore he caused her things for purification to be giuen her speedily, and her state, and seuen comely maides to be giuer her out of the Kings house, and he gaue change to her and to her maydes of the best in the house of the women.

¹⁰But Ester shewed not her people and her kinred: for Mordecai had charged her, that shee should not tell it.

¹¹Aud Mordecai walked euery day before the court of the womens house, to knowe if Ester did well, and what should be done with her.

¹²And when the course of euery mayd came, to go in to King Ahashuerosh, after that she had bene twelue moneths according to the maner of the women (for so were the dayes of their purifications accomplished, sixe moneths with oyle of myrrhe, and sixe moneths with sweete odours and in the purifying of the women:

¹³And thus went the maides vnto the King) whatsoeuer she required, was giuen her, to go with her out of the womens house vnto ye kings house.

¹⁴In the euening she went, and on the morow she returned into the second house of the women vnder the hand of Shaashgaz the Kings eunuche, which kept the concubines: shee came in to the King no more, except shee pleased the King, and that she were called by name.

¹⁵Now when the course of Ester the daughter of Abihail the vncle of Mordecai (which had taken her as his owne daughter) came, that shee should go in to the King, she desired nothing, but what Hege the Kings eunuche the keeper of the women sayde: and Ester founde fauour in the sight of all them that looked vpon her.

¹⁶So Ester was taken vnto King Ahashuerosh into his house royall in the tenth moneth, which is the moneth Tebeth, in the seuenth yeere of his reigne.

¹⁷And the King loued Ester aboue all the women, and shee founde grace and fauour in his sight more then all the virgins: so that he set the crowne of the kingdome vpon her head, and made her Queene instead of Vashti.

¹⁸Then the King made a great feast vnto all his princes, and his seruants, which was the feast of Ester, and gaue rest vnto the prouinces, and gaue gifts, according to the power of a King.

¹⁹And whe the virgins were gathered ye second time, then Mordecai sate in the Kings gate.

²⁰Ester had not yet shewed her kindred nor her people, as Mordecai had charged her: for Ester did after the worde of Mordecai, as when she was nourished with him.

²¹In those dayes whe Mordecai sate in the Kings gate, two of the Kings eunuches, Bigthan and Teresh, which kept the doore, were wroth, and sought to lay hand on the King Ahashuerosh.

²²And the thing was knowen to Mordecai, and he tolde it vnto Queene Ester, and Ester certified the King thereof in Mordecais name: and when inquisition was made, it was found so: therefore they were both hanged on a tree: and it was written in the booke of the Chronicles before the King.

²³

Esther 2

¹After these things, when the wrath of king Ahasuerus was appeased, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her.

²Then said the king’s servants that ministered unto him, Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king:

³And 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 chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their things for purification be given them:

⁴And let the maiden which pleaseth the king be queen instead of Vashti. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.

⁵Now 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;

⁶Who 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.

⁷And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle’s daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter.

⁸So 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.

⁹And the maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness of him; and he speedily gave her her things for purification, with such things as belonged to her, and seven maidens, which were meet to be given her, out of the king’s house: and he preferred her and her maids unto the best place of the house of the women.

¹⁰Esther had not shewed her people nor her kindred: for Mordecai had charged her that she should not shew it.

¹¹And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women’s house, to know how Esther did, and what should become of her.

¹²Now when every maid’s turn was come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after that she had been twelve months, according to the manner of the women, (for so were the days of their purifications accomplished, to wit, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odours, and with other things for the purifying of the women;)

¹³Then thus came every maiden unto the king; whatsoever she desired was given her to go with her out of the house of the women unto the king’s house.

¹⁴In 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 chamberlain, which kept the concubines: she came in unto the king no more, except the king delighted in her, and that she were called by name.

¹⁵Now 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 chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed. And Esther obtained favour in the sight of all them that looked upon her.

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

¹⁷And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.

¹⁸Then the king made a great feast unto all his princes and his servants, even Esther’s feast; and he made a release to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the state of the king.

¹⁹And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, then Mordecai sat in the king’s gate.

²⁰Esther had not yet shewed her kindred nor her people; as Mordecai had charged her: for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him.

²¹In those days, while Mordecai sat in the king’s gate, two of the king’s chamberlains, Bigthan and Teresh, of those which kept the door, were wroth, and sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus.

²²And the thing was known to Mordecai, who told it unto Esther the queen; and Esther certified the king thereof in Mordecai’s name.

²³And 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.