1 After{H310} these things{H1697}, when the wrath{H2534} of king{H4428} Ahasuerus{H325} was appeased{H7918}{(H8800)}, he remembered{H2142}{(H8804)} Vashti{H2060}, and what she had done{H6213}{(H8804)}, and what was decreed{H1504}{(H8738)} against her.

2 Then said{H559}{(H8799)} the king's{H4428} servants{H5288} that ministered{H8334}{(H8764)} unto him, Let there be fair{H2896}{H4758} young{H5291} virgins{H1330} sought{H1245}{(H8762)} for the king{H4428}:

3 And let the king{H4428} appoint{H6485}{(H8686)} officers{H6496} in all the provinces{H4082} of his kingdom{H4438}, that they may gather together{H6908}{(H8799)} all the fair{H2896}{H4758} young{H5291} virgins{H1330} unto Shushan{H7800} the palace{H1002}, to the house{H1004} of the women{H802}, unto the custody{H3027} of Hege{H1896} the king's{H4428} chamberlain{H5631}, keeper{H8104}{(H8802)} of the women{H802}; and let their things for purification{H8562} be given{H5414}{(H8800)} them:

4 And let the maiden{H5291} which pleaseth{H3190}{(H8799)}{H5869} the king{H4428} be queen{H4427}{(H8799)} instead of Vashti{H2060}. And the thing{H1697} pleased{H3190}{(H8799)}{H5869} the king{H4428}; and he did so{H6213}{(H8799)}.

5 Now in Shushan{H7800} the palace{H1002} there was a certain{H376} Jew{H3064}, 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};

6 Who had been carried away{H1540}{(H8717)} from Jerusalem{H3389} with the captivity{H1473} which had been carried away{H1540}{(H8717)} with Jeconiah{H3204} king{H4428} of Judah{H3063}, whom Nebuchadnezzar{H5019} the king{H4428} of Babylon{H894} had carried away{H1540}{(H8689)}.

7 And he brought up{H539}{(H8802)} Hadassah{H1919}, that is, Esther{H635}, his uncle's{H1730} daughter{H1323}: for she had neither father{H1} nor mother{H517}, and the maid{H5291} was fair{H3303}{H8389} and beautiful{H2896}{H4758}; whom Mordecai{H4782}, when her father{H1} and mother{H517} were dead{H4194}, took{H3947}{(H8804)} for his own daughter{H1323}.

8 So it came to pass, when the king's{H4428} commandment{H1697} and his decree{H1881} was heard{H8085}{(H8736)}, and when many{H7227} maidens{H5291} were gathered together{H6908}{(H8736)} unto Shushan{H7800} the palace{H1002}, to the custody{H3027} of Hegai{H1896}, that Esther{H635} was brought{H3947}{(H8735)} also unto the king's{H4428} house{H1004}, to the custody{H3027} of Hegai{H1896}, keeper{H8104}{(H8802)} of the women{H802}.

9 And the maiden{H5291} pleased{H3190}{(H8799)}{H5869} him, and she obtained{H5375}{(H8799)} kindness{H2617} of him{H6440}; and he speedily{H926}{(H8762)} gave{H5414}{(H8800)} her her things for purification{H8562}, with such things as belonged{H4490} to her, and seven{H7651} maidens{H5291}, which were meet{H7200}{(H8803)} to be given{H5414}{(H8800)} her, out of the king's{H4428} house{H1004}: and he preferred{H8138}{(H8762)} her and her maids{H5291} unto the best{H2896} place of the house{H1004} of the women{H802}.

10 Esther{H635} had not shewed{H5046}{(H8689)} her people{H5971} nor her kindred{H4138}: for Mordecai{H4782} had charged{H6680}{(H8765)} her that she should not shew{H5046}{(H8686)} it.

11 And Mordecai{H4782} walked{H1980}{(H8693)} every day{H3117} before{H6440} the court{H2691} of the women's{H802} house{H1004}, to know{H3045}{(H8800)} how Esther{H635} did{H7965}, and what should become{H6213}{(H8735)} of her.

12 Now when every maid's{H5291} turn{H8447} was come{H5060}{(H8687)} to go in{H935}{(H8800)} to king{H4428} Ahasuerus{H325}, after{H7093} that she had been twelve{H8147}{H6240} months{H2320}, according to the manner{H1881} of the women{H802},(for so were the days{H3117} of their purifications{H4795} accomplished{H4390}{(H8799)}, to wit, six{H8337} months{H2320} with oil{H8081} of myrrh{H4753}, and six{H8337} months{H2320} with sweet odours{H1314}, and with other things for the purifying{H8562} of the women{H802};)

13 Then thus came{H935}{(H8802)} every maiden{H5291} unto the king{H4428}; whatsoever she desired{H559}{(H8799)} was given{H5414}{(H8735)} her to go{H935}{(H8800)} with her out of the house{H1004} of the women{H802} unto the king's{H4428} house{H1004}.

14 In the evening{H6153} she went{H935}{(H8802)}, and on the morrow{H1242} she returned{H7725}{(H8802)} into the second{H8145} house{H1004} of the women{H802}, to the custody{H3027} of Shaashgaz{H8190}, the king's{H4428} chamberlain{H5631}, which kept{H8104}{(H8802)} the concubines{H6370}: she came in{H935}{(H8799)} unto the king{H4428} no more, except the king{H4428} delighted{H2654}{(H8804)} in her, and that she were called{H7121}{(H8738)} by name{H8034}.

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}{(H8804)} her for his daughter{H1323}, was come{H5060}{(H8687)} to go in{H935}{(H8800)} unto the king{H4428}, she required{H1245}{(H8765)} nothing{H1697} but what Hegai{H1896} the king's{H4428} chamberlain{H5631}, the keeper{H8104}{(H8802)} of the women{H802}, appointed{H559}{(H8799)}. And Esther{H635} obtained{H5375}{(H8802)} favour{H2580} in the sight{H5869} of all them that looked{H7200}{(H8802)} upon her.

16 So Esther{H635} was taken{H3947}{(H8735)} 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}.

17 And the king{H4428} loved{H157}{(H8799)} Esther{H635} above all the women{H802}, and she obtained{H5375}{(H8799)} grace{H2580} and favour{H2617} in his sight{H6440} more than all the virgins{H1330}; so that he set{H7760}{(H8799)} the royal{H4438} crown{H3804} upon her head{H7218}, and made her queen{H4427}{(H8686)} instead of Vashti{H2060}.

18 Then the king{H4428} made{H6213}{(H8799)} a great{H1419} feast{H4960} unto all his princes{H8269} and his servants{H5650}, even Esther's{H635} feast{H4960}; and he made{H6213}{(H8804)} a release{H2010} to the provinces{H4082}, and gave{H5414}{(H8799)} gifts{H4864}, according to the state{H3027} of the king{H4428}.

19 And when the virgins{H1330} were gathered together{H6908}{(H8736)} the second time{H8145}, then Mordecai{H4782} sat{H3427}{(H8802)} in the king's{H4428} gate{H8179}.

20 Esther{H635} had not yet shewed{H5046}{(H8688)} her kindred{H4138} nor her people{H5971}; as Mordecai{H4782} had charged{H6680}{(H8765)} her: for Esther{H635} did{H6213}{(H8802)} the commandment{H3982} of Mordecai{H4782}, like as when she was brought up{H545} with him.

21 In those days{H3117}, while Mordecai{H4782} sat{H3427}{(H8802)} in the king's{H4428} gate{H8179}, two{H8147} of the king's{H4428} chamberlains{H5631}, Bigthan{H904} and Teresh{H8657}, of those which kept{H8104}{(H8802)} the door{H5592}, were wroth{H7107}{(H8804)}, and sought{H1245}{(H8762)} to lay{H7971}{(H8800)} hand{H3027} on the king{H4428} Ahasuerus{H325}.

22 And the thing{H1697} was known{H3045}{(H8735)} to Mordecai{H4782}, who told{H5046}{(H8686)} it unto Esther{H635} the queen{H4436}; and Esther{H635} certified{H559}{(H8799)} the king{H4428} thereof in Mordecai's{H4782} name{H8034}.

23 And when inquisition{H1245}{(H8792)} was made of the matter{H1697}, it was found out{H4672}{(H8735)}; therefore they were both{H8147} hanged{H8518}{(H8735)} on a tree{H6086}: and it was written{H3789}{(H8735)} in the book{H5612} of the chronicles{H1697}{H3117} before{H6440} the king{H4428}.