Esther 2

Esther Chapter 2 KJV

1By advice of his servants Ahasuerus appointeth the fair virgins of his kingdom to be assembled in order to choose out a queen. 5Esther brought up by Mordecai. 8She is preferred by Hegai keeper of the women before all the other virgins, but by Mordecai's directions telleth not her kindred. 12The manner of purification and going in unto the king. 15Esther pleaseth him, and is made queen. 21Mordecai discovereth a plot against the king's life, which service is registered in the chronicles of the kingdom.
1 After these things, when the wrath of king Ahasuerus was appeased, he 1remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was 2decreed against her.
2 Then said the king's 1servants that ministered unto him, Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king:
3 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, aunto the custody of bHege the king's chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their cthings for purification be given them:
4 And let the maiden which pleaseth the king 1be queen instead of Vashti. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.
5 Now in Shushan the palace there was a certain 1Jew, whose name was 2Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite;
6 1Who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captivity which had been carried away with aJeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away.
7 And he abrought up Hadassah, that is, 1Esther, his uncle's daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was bfair and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter.
8 ¶ 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 1Hegai, that Esther was brought also unto the king's house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women.
9 And the maiden pleased him, and 1she obtained kindness of him; and he speedily gave her her 2things for purification, with asuch things as belonged to her, and seven maidens, which were meet to be given her, out of the king's house: and bhe preferred her and her maids unto the best place of the house of the women.
10 Esther had not shewed her people nor her kindred: for Mordecai had charged her that she 1should not shew it.
11 And Mordecai 1walked every day before the court of the women's house, ato know how Esther did, and what should become of her.
12 ¶ 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 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 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 ¶ Now when the 1turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail 2the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, was come to go in unto the king, 3she required nothing but what Hegai the king's chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed. And Esther 4obtained favour in the sight of all them that looked upon her.
16 So Esther was taken unto king Ahasuerus into his house royal in the 1tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.
17 And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and afavour bin his sight more than all the virgins; so that he 1set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.
18 Then the king 1made a great feast unto all his princes and his servants, even Esther's feast; and he made a arelease to the provinces, and 2gave gifts, 3according to the state of the king.
19 And when the virgins were gathered together 1the second time, then Mordecai sat 2in the king's gate.
20 Esther had 1not yet shewed her kindred nor her people; as Mordecai had charged her: for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was 2brought up with him.
21 ¶ In those days, while Mordecai sat in the king's gate, two of the king's chamberlains, aBigthan and Teresh, of those which kept bthe door, 1were wroth, and sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus.
22 And the thing was 1known to Mordecai, who told it unto Esther the queen; and Esther certified the king thereof in 2Mordecai's name.
23 And when inquisition was made of the matter, it was found out; therefore they were both 1hanged on a tree: and it was 2written in the book of the chronicles before the king.
Esther 2