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

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

2 Then the king’s attendants said, "Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king.

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

3 Let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom to gather every beautiful young virgin to the citadel of Susa, to the harem under the custody of Hegai, the king’s eunuch in charge of the women, and let them be given beauty treatments.

And 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:

4 Then the young woman who pleases the king will become queen in place of Vashti." This proposal pleased the king, and he acted accordingly.

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

5 Now there was a Jewish man in the citadel of Susa whose name was Mordecai son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjaminite.

Now 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;

6 He had been taken into exile from Jerusalem with the exiles who were deported with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had taken into exile.

Who 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.

7 Mordecai was the guardian of Hadassah, also known as Esther, the daughter of his uncle, because she had neither father nor mother. The young woman was beautiful in form and appearance. When her father and mother died, Mordecai took her in as his own daughter.

And 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.

8 When the king’s command and decree were heard, and many young women were gathered to the citadel of Susa under the custody of Hegai, Esther also was taken to the king’s palace and placed under the custody of Hegai, who was in charge of the women.

So 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.

9 The young woman pleased him and gained his favor. So he promptly provided her with beauty treatments and her portion of food, along with seven chosen young women from the king’s palace. He moved her and her attendants to the best place in the harem.

And 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.

10 Esther had not revealed her people or her family background because Mordecai had commanded her not to do so.

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

11 Every day, Mordecai walked back and forth near the courtyard of the harem to find out how Esther was and what was happening to her.

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

12 When it was the turn of each young woman to go to King Ahasuerus, after completing twelve months of beauty treatments as prescribed—the six months with oil of myrrh and six months with perfumes and cosmetics for women—

Now 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;)

13 the young woman would go to the king, and she was given whatever she requested to take with her from the harem to the king’s palace.

Then 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.

14 She would go in the evening, and in the morning she would return to a second harem under the custody of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch in charge of the concubines. She would not go to the king again unless he delighted in her and summoned her by name.

In 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.

15 When it was Esther’s turn—the daughter of Abihail, the uncle of Mordecai who had adopted her as his own daughter—to go to the king, she did not request anything except what Hegai, the king’s eunuch in charge of the women, recommended. And Esther won the favor of everyone who saw her.

Now 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.

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

So 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.

17 Now the king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she won his favor and kindness more than any of the other virgins. So he placed 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 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.

18 Then the king held a great banquet, Esther’s banquet, for all his officials and servants. He also declared a holiday for the provinces and distributed gifts with royal generosity.

Then 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.

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

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

20 Esther had still not revealed her family background or her people, just as Mordecai had instructed her. She continued to follow Mordecai’s instructions as she had when he was raising her.

Esther 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.

21 During those days, while Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs who guarded the entrance, became angry and plotted to assassinate King Ahasuerus.

In 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.

22 When Mordecai learned about the plot, he informed Queen Esther, and she reported it to the king, giving credit to Mordecai.

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

23 The matter was investigated and confirmed, and both men were hanged on the gallows. This was recorded in the book of chronicles in the presence of the king.

And 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.