Esther is advanced to be queen. Mardochai detecteth a plot against the
king.
2:1. After this, when the wrath of king Assuerus was appeased, he
remembered Vasthi, and what she had done and what she had suffered:
2:2. And the king’s servants and his officers said: Let young women be
sought for the king, virgins and beautiful,
2:3. And let some persons be sent through all the provinces to look for
beautiful maidens and virgins: and let them bring them to the city of
Susan, and put them into the house of the women under the hand of Egeus
the eunuch, who is the overseer and keeper of the king’s women: and let
them receive women’s ornaments, and other things necessary for their
use.
2:4. And whosoever among them all shall please the king’s eyes, let her
be queen instead of Vasthi. The word pleased the king: and he commanded
it should be done as they had suggested.
2:5. There was a man in the city of Susan, a Jew, named Mardochai, the
son of Jair, the son of Semei, the son of Cis, of the race of Jemini,
2:6. Who had been carried away from Jerusalem at the time that
Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon carried away Jechonias king of Juda,
2:7. And he had brought up his brother’s daughter Edissa, who by
another name was called Esther: now she had lost both her parents: and
was exceeding fair and beautiful. And her father and mother being dead,
Mardochai adopted her for his daughter.
2:8. And when the king’s ordinance was noised abroad, and according to
his commandment many beautiful virgins were brought to Susan, and were
delivered to Egeus the eunuch: Esther also among the rest of the
maidens was delivered to him to be kept in the number of the women.
2:9. And she pleased him, and found favour in his sight. And he
commanded the eunuch to hasten the women’s ornaments, and to deliver to
her her part, and seven of the most beautiful maidens of the king’s
house, and to adorn and deck out both her and her waiting maids.
2:10. And she would not tell him her people nor her country. For
Mardochai had charged her to say nothing at all of that:
2:11. And he walked every day before the court of the house, in which
the chosen virgins were kept, having a care for Esther’s welfare, and
desiring to know what would befall her.
2:12. Now when every virgin’s turn came to go in to the king, after all
had been done for setting them off to advantage, it was the twelfth
month: so that for six months they were anointed with oil of myrrh, and
for other six months they used certain perfumes and sweet spices.
2:13. And when they were going in to the king, whatsoever they asked to
adorn themselves they received: and being decked out, as it pleased
them, they passed from the chamber of the women to the king’s chamber.
2:14. And she that went in at evening, came out in the morning, and
from thence she was conducted to the second house, that was under the
hand of Susagaz the eunuch, who had the charge over the king’s
concubines: neither could she return any more to the king, unless the
king desired it, and had ordered her by name to come.
2:15. And as the time came orderly about, the day was at hand, when
Esther, the daughter of Abihail the brother of Mardochai, whom he had
adopted for his daughter, was to go in to the king. But she sought not
women’s ornaments, but whatsoever Egeus the eunuch the keeper of the
virgins had a mind, he gave her to adorn her. For she was exceeding
fair, and her incredible beauty made her appear agreeable and amiable
in the eyes of all.
2:16. So she was brought to the chamber of king Assuerus the tenth
month, which is called Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.
2:17. And the king loved her more than all the women, and she had
favour and kindness before him above all the women, and he set the
royal crown on her head, and made her queen instead of Vasthi.
2:18. And he commanded a magnificent feast to be prepared for all the
princes, and for his servants, for the marriage and wedding of Esther,
And he gave rest to all the provinces, and bestowed gifts according to
princely magnificence.
2:19. And when the virgins were sought the second time, and gathered
together, Mardochai stayed at the king’s gate,
2:20. Neither had Esther as yet declared her country and people,
according to his commandment. For whatsoever he commanded, Esther
observed: and she did all things in the same manner as she was wont at
that time when he brought her up a little one.
2:21. At that time, therefore, when Mardochai abode at the king’s gate,
Bagathan and Thares, two of the king’s eunuchs, who were porters, and
presided in the first entry of the palace, were angry: and they
designed to rise up against the king, and to kill him.
2:22. And Mardochai had notice of it, and immediately he told it to
queen Esther: and she to the king in Mardochai’s name, who had reported
the thing unto her.
2:23. It was inquired into, and found out: and they were both hanged on
a gibbet. And it was put in the histories, and recorded in the
chronicles before the king.