10 But Esther shewed not her people and her kinred: for Mardocheus had charged her that she shoulde not tell it.
11 And Mardocheus walked euery day before the court of the womens house, that he might knowe howe Esther did, and what shoulde become of her.
12 And when the appoynted time of euery mayden came that she shoulde go in to the king Ahasuerus, after that she had ben twelue monethes according to the mauer of the women (for so were the dayes of their purification accomplissed, sixe monethes with oyle of mirre, and sixe monethes with sweete odoures, and in the purifiyng of the women:
13 And thus went the maydens vnto the king) whatsoeuer she required, that must be geuen her to go with her out of the womens buylding vnto the kinges palace.
14 In the euening she went, and on the morowe she returned into the seconde house of the women abyding vnder the hande of Saasgaz the kinges chamberlayne, which kept the concubines: And she came in vnto the king no more, except it pleased the king to haue her, and that she were called by name.
15 Nowe when the course came of Esther the daughter of Abihail, the vncle of Mardocheus (which had receaued her as his owne daughter) that she shoulde come in vnto the king, she desired nothing but what Hegai the kinges chamberlayne the keper of the women saide: And Esther found fauour in the sight of all them that loked vpon her.
16 And Esther was taken vnto king Ahasuerus into his house royall, in the tenth moneth (which is the moneth Tebeth) in the seuenth yere of his raigne.
17 And the king loued Esther aboue all the women, and she found 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 in steede of Uasthi.
18 And the king made a great feast vnto all his princes and seruauntes, whiche feast was because of Esther, and caused the prouinces to be in quietnesse, & gaue giftes, as became the royaltie of a king.
19 And when the virgins were gathered together the seconde time, Mardocheus sate in the kinges gate.
20 And as yet had not Esther shewed her kinred & her people, according as Mardocheus had bidden her: for Esther dyd after the worde of Mardocheus, like as if she had ben yet vnder his gouernaunce.