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Chapter 2
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Verse 1

After{H310} these things,{H1697} when the wrath{H2534} of king{H4428} Ahasuerus{H325} was pacified,{H7918} he remembered{H2142} Vashti,{H2060} and what she had done,{H6213} and what was decreed{H1504} against her.

Verse 2

Then said{H559} the king's{H4428} servants{H5288} that ministered{H8334} unto him, Let there be fair{H2896} young{H5291} virgins{H1330} sought{H1245} for the king:{H4428}

Verse 3

and let the king{H4428} appoint{H6485} officers{H6496} in all the provinces{H4082} of his kingdom,{H4438} that they may gather together{H6908} all the fair{H2896} young{H5291} virgins{H1330} unto Shushan{H7800} the palace,{H1002} to the house{H1004} of the women,{H802} unto the custody{H3027} of Hegai{H1896} the king's{H4428} chamberlain,{H5631} keeper{H8104} of the women;{H802} and let their things for purification{H8562} be given{H5414} them;

Verse 4

and let the maiden{H5291} that pleaseth{H3190} the king{H4428} be queen{H4427} instead of Vashti.{H2060} And the thing{H1697} pleased{H3190} the king;{H4428} and he did so.{H6213}

Verse 5

There was a certain{H376} Jew{H3064} in Shushan{H7800} the palace,{H1002} whose name{H8034} was Mordecai,{H4782} the son{H1121} of Jair,{H2971} the son{H1121} of Shimei,{H8096} the son{H1121} of Kish,{H7027} a Benjamite,{H1145}

Verse 6

who had been carried away{H1540} from Jerusalem{H3389} with the captives{H1473} that had been carried away{H1540} with Jeconiah{H3204} king{H4428} of Judah,{H3063} whom Nebuchadnezzar{H5019} the king{H4428} of Babylon{H894} had carried away.{H1540}

Verse 7

And he brought up{H539} Hadassah,{H1919} that is, Esther,{H635} his uncle's{H1730} daughter:{H1323} for she had neither father{H1} nor mother,{H517} and the maiden{H5291} was fair{H3303} and beautiful;{H2896} and when her father{H1} and mother{H517} were dead,{H4194} Mordecai{H4782} took{H3947} her for his own daughter.{H1323}

Verse 8

So it came to pass, when the king's{H4428} commandment{H1697} and his decree{H1881} was heard,{H8085} and when many{H7227} maidens{H5291} were gathered together{H6908} unto Shushan{H7800} the palace,{H1002} to the custody{H3027} of Hegai,{H1896} that Esther{H635} was taken{H3947} into the king's{H4428} house,{H1004} to the custody{H3027} of Hegai,{H1896} keeper{H8104} of the women.{H802}

Verse 9

And the maiden{H5291} pleased{H3190} him, and she obtained{H5375} kindness{H2617} of him;{H6440} and he speedily{H926} gave{H5414} her her things for purification,{H8562} with her portions,{H4490} and the seven{H7651} maidens{H5291} who were meet{H7200} to be given{H5414} her out of the king's{H4428} house:{H1004} and he removed{H8138} her and her maidens{H5291} to the best{H2896} place of the house{H1004} of the women.{H802}

Verse 10

Esther{H635} had not made known{H5046} her people{H5971} nor her kindred;{H4138} for Mordecai{H4782} had charged{H6680} her that she should not make it known.{H5046}

Verse 11

And Mordecai{H4782} walked{H1980} every day{H3117} before{H6440} the court{H2691} of the women's{H802} house,{H1004} to know{H3045} how Esther{H635} did,{H7965} and what would become{H6213} of her.

Verse 12

Now when the turn{H8447} of every maiden{H5291} was come{H5060} to go{H5060} in{H935} to king{H4428} Ahasuerus,{H325} after{H7093} that it had been done to her according to the law{H1881} for the women{H802} twelve{H8147} months{H2320} (for so were the days{H3117} of their purifications{H4795} accomplished,{H4390} [to wit], six{H8337} months{H2320} with oil{H8081} of myrrh,{H4753} and six{H8337} months{H2320} with sweet odors{H1314} and with the things for the purifying{H8562} of the women),{H802}

Verse 13

then in this wise came{H935} the maiden{H5291} unto the king:{H4428} whatsoever she desired{H559} was given{H5414} her to go{H935} with her out of the house{H1004} of the women{H802} unto the king's{H4428} house.{H1004}

Verse 14

In the evening{H6153} she went,{H935} and on the morrow{H1242} she returned{H7725} into the second{H8145} house{H1004} of the women,{H802} to the custody{H3027} of Shaashgaz,{H8190} the king's{H4428} chamberlain,{H5631} who kept{H8104} the concubines:{H6370} she came in{H935} unto the king{H4428} no more, except the king{H4428} delighted{H2654} in her, and she were called{H7121} by name.{H8034}

Verse 15

Now when the turn{H8447} of Esther,{H635} the daughter{H1323} of Abihail{H32} the uncle{H1730} of Mordecai,{H4782} who had taken{H3947} her for his daughter,{H1323} was come{H5060} to go in{H935} unto the king,{H4428} she required{H1245} nothing{H1697} but what Hegai{H1896} the king's{H4428} chamberlain,{H5631} the keeper{H8104} of the women,{H802} appointed.{H559} And Esther{H635} obtained{H5375} favor{H2580} in the sight{H5869} of all them that looked{H7200} upon her.

Verse 16

So Esther{H635} was taken{H3947} unto king{H4428} Ahasuerus{H325} into his house{H1004} royal{H4438} in the tenth{H6224} month,{H2320} which is the month{H2320} Tebeth,{H2887} in the seventh{H7651} year{H8141} of his reign.{H4438}

Verse 17

And the king{H4428} loved{H157} Esther{H635} above all the women,{H802} and she obtained{H5375} favor{H2580} and kindness{H2580} in his sight{H6440} more than all the virgins;{H1330} so that he set{H7760} the royal{H4438} crown{H3804} upon her head,{H7218} and made her queen{H4427} instead of Vashti.{H2060}

Verse 18

Then the king{H4428} made{H6213} a great{H1419} feast{H4960} unto all his princes{H8269} and his servants,{H5650} even Esther's{H635} feast;{H4960} and he made{H6213} a release{H2010} to the provinces,{H4082} and gave{H5414} gifts,{H4864} according to the bounty{H3027} of the king.{H4428}

Verse 19

And when the virgins{H1330} were gathered together{H6908} the second time,{H8145} then Mordecai{H4782} was sitting{H3427} in the king's{H4428} gate.{H8179}

Verse 20

Esther{H635} had not yet made known{H5046} her kindred{H4138} nor her people;{H5971} as Mordecai{H4782} had charged{H6680} her: for Esther{H635} did{H6213} the commandment{H3982} of Mordecai,{H4782} like as when she was brought up{H545} with him.

Verse 21

In those days,{H3117} while Mordecai{H4782} was sitting{H3427} in the king's{H4428} gate,{H8179} two{H8147} of the king's{H4428} chamberlains,{H5631} Bigthan{H904} and Teresh,{H8657} of those that kept{H8104} the threshold,{H5592} were wroth,{H7107} and sought{H1245} to lay{H7971} hands{H3027} on the king{H4428} Ahasuerus.{H325}

Verse 22

And the thing{H1697} became known{H3045} to Mordecai,{H4782} who showed{H5046} it unto Esther{H635} the queen;{H4436} and Esther{H635} told{H559} the king{H4428} [thereof] in Mordecai's{H4782} name.{H8034}

Verse 23

And when inquisition{H1245} was made of the matter,{H1697} and it was found to be so,{H4672} they were both{H8147} hanged{H8518} on a tree:{H6086} and it was written{H3789} in the book{H5612} of the chronicles{H1697} before{H6440} the king.{H4428}

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Chapter 2
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