¶ After these things, when the wrath of king Ahasuerus was appeased, he remembered¹ Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed² against her.

Then said the king's servants³ that ministered unto him, Let there be⁴ fair young virgins sought for the king:

And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces⁵ of his kingdom, that they may gather⁶ together all the fair young virgins unto Shushan the palace, to the house of the women, unto the custody⁷ of Hege the king's chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their things⁹ for purification be given them:

And let the maiden¹⁰ which pleaseth the king be queen instead of Vashti. And the thing¹¹ pleased the king; and he did so.

Now in Shushan¹² the palace there was a certain Jew¹³, whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei¹⁴, the son of Kish, a Benjamite;

Who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captivity which had been carried away with Jeconiah¹⁵ king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away.

And he brought up¹⁸ Hadassah¹⁹, that is, Esther, his uncle's²⁰ daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful²¹; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took²² for his own daughter.

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 Hegai²³, that Esther was brought also unto the king's house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women.

And the maiden pleased him, and she obtained²⁴ kindness of him; and he speedily gave her her things²⁵ for purification, with such things²⁶ 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.

¶ Esther had not shewed²⁷ her people nor her kindred: for Mordecai²⁸ had charged her that she should not shew it.

And Mordecai²⁹ walked³⁰ every day before the court of the women's house, to know how Esther did³¹, and what should become of her.

Now when every maid's turn was come to go in³² 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 months³³ with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odours, and with other things for the purifying of the women;)

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.

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 delighted³⁴ in her, and that she were called³⁵ by name.

Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken³⁶ 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 Esther³⁷ obtained favour in the sight of all them that looked upon her.

So Esther was taken unto king Ahasuerus into his house royal in the tenth month³⁸, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh³⁹ year of his reign.

And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour⁴⁰ 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.

Then the king made a great⁴¹ feast unto all his princes and his servants, even Esther's feast; and he made⁴² a release⁴³ to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the state of the king.

And when the virgins⁴⁴ were gathered together the second time, then Mordecai sat in the king's gate⁴⁵.

¶ Esther had not yet shewed⁴⁶ her kindred nor her people; as Mordecai had charged her: for Esther⁴⁷ did the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him.

¶ In those days, while Mordecai sat in the king's gate, two of the king's chamberlains, Bigthan⁴⁸ and Teresh, of those which kept the door, were wroth, and sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus.

And the thing⁵⁰ was known to Mordecai, who told it unto Esther the queen; and Esther certified⁵¹ the king thereof in Mordecai's name⁵².

And when inquisition was made of the matter, it was found out; therefore they were both hanged⁵³ on a tree: and it was written in the book⁵⁴ of the chronicles before the king.