Esther 2

NEW JERUSALEM	KING JAMES BIBLE
1 Some time after this, when the king's wrath had subsided, Ahasuerus remembered Vashti, how she hadbehaved, and the measures taken against her.	1 In the fourth year of the reign of Ptolemeus and Cleopatra, Dositheus, who said he was a priest and Levite, and Ptolemeus his son, brought this epistle of Phurim, which they said was the same, and that Lysimachus the son of Ptolemeus, that was in Jerusalem, had interpreted it.
2 The king's gentlemen-in-waiting said, 'A search should be made on the king's behalf for beautiful youngvirgins,	2 In the second year of the reign of Artexerxes the great, in the first day of the month Nisan, Mardocheus the son of Jairus, the son of Semei, the son of Cisai, of the tribe of Benjamin, had a dream;
3 and the king appoint commissioners throughout the provinces of his realm to bring al these beautifulyoung virgins to the citadel of Susa, to the harem under the authority of Hegai the king's eunuch, custodian ofthe women. Here he wil give them whatever they need for enhancing their beauty,	3 Who was a Jew, and dwelt in the city of Susa, a great man, being a servitor in the king's court.
4 and the girl who pleases the king can take Vashti's place as queen.' This advice pleased the king and heacted on it.	4 He was also one of the captives, which Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon carried from Jerusalem with Jechonias king of Judea; and this was his dream:
5 Now in the citadel of Susa there lived a Jew cal ed Mordecai son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, ofthe tribe of Benjamin,	5 Behold a noise of a tumult, with thunder, and earthquakes, and uproar in the land:
6 who had been deported from Jerusalem among the captives taken away with Jeconiah king of Judah byNebuchadnezzar king of Babylon,	6 And, behold, two great dragons came forth ready to fight, and their cry was great.
7 and was now bringing up a certain Hadassah, otherwise cal ed Esther, his uncle's daughter, who hadlost both father and mother; the girl had a good figure and a beautiful face, and on the death of her parentsMordecai had adopted her as his daughter.	7 And at their cry all nations were prepared to battle, that they might fight against the righteous people.
8 On the promulgation of the royal command and edict a great number of girls were brought to the citadelof Susa where they were entrusted to Hegai. Esther, too, was taken to the king's palace and entrusted to Hegai,the custodian of the women.	8 And lo a day of darkness and obscurity, tribulation and anguish, affliction and great uproar, upon earth.
9 The girl pleased him and won his favour. Not only did he quickly provide her with al she needed for herdressing room and her meals, but he gave her seven special maids from the king's household and transferredher and her maids to the best part of the harem.	9 And the whole righteous nation was troubled, fearing their own evils, and were ready to perish.
10 Esther had not divulged her race or parentage, since Mordecai had forbidden her to do so.	10 Then they cried unto God, and upon their cry, as it were from a little fountain, was made a great flood, even much water.
11 Mordecai walked up and down in front of the courtyard of the harem al day and every day, to learnhow Esther was and how she was being treated.	11 The light and the sun rose up, and the lowly were exalted, and devoured the glorious.
12 Each girl had to appear in turn before King Ahasuerus after a delay of twelve months fixed by theregulations for the women; this preparatory period was occupied as fol ows: six months with oil of myrrh, and sixmonths with spices and lotions commonly used for feminine beauty treatment.	12 Now when Mardocheus, who had seen this dream, and what God had determined to do, was awake, he bare this dream in mind, and until night by all means was desirous to know it.
13 When each girl went to the king, she was given whatever she wanted to take with her, since she thenmoved from the harem into the royal household.	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 She went there in the evening, and the fol owing morning returned to another harem entrusted to thecare of Shaashgaz, the king's officer, custodian of the concubines. She did not go to the king any more, unlesshe was particularly pleased with her and had her summoned by name.	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 But when it was the turn of Esther the daughter of Abihail, whose nephew Mordecai had adopted heras his own daughter, to go into the king's presence, she did not ask for anything beyond what had beenassigned her by Hegai, the king's officer, custodian of the women. Esther won the approval of al who saw her.	15 Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken 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 Esther obtained favour in the sight of all them that looked upon her.
16 She was brought to King Ahasuerus in his royal apartments in the tenth month, which is cal ed Tebeth,in the seventh year of his reign;	16 So Esther was taken unto king Ahasuerus into his house royal in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.
17 and the king liked Esther better than any of the other women; none of the other girls found so muchfavour and approval with him. So he set the royal diadem on her head and proclaimed her queen instead ofVashti.	17 And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour 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.
18 The king then gave a great banquet, Esther's banquet, for al his officers-of-state and ministers,decreed a holiday for al the provinces and distributed largesse with royal prodigality.	18 Then the king made a great feast unto all his princes and his servants, even Esther's feast; and he made a release to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the state of the king.
19 When Esther, like the other girls, had been transferred to the second harem,	19 And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, then Mordecai sat in the king's gate.
20 she did not divulge her parentage or race, in obedience to the orders of Mordecai, whose instructionsshe continued to fol ow as when she had been under his care.	20 Esther had not yet shewed her kindred nor her people; as Mordecai had charged her: for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him.
21 At this time Mordecai was attached to the Chancel ery and two malcontents, Bigthan and Teresh,officers in the king's service as Guards of the Threshold, plotted to assassinate King Ahasuerus.	21 In those days, while Mordecai sat in the king's gate, two of the king's chamberlains, Bigthan and Teresh, of those which kept the door, were wroth, and sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus.
22 Mordecai came to hear of this and informed Queen Esther, who in turn, on Mordecai's authority, toldthe king.	22 And the thing was known to Mordecai, who told it unto Esther the queen; and Esther certified the king thereof in Mordecai's name.
23 The matter was investigated and proved to be true. The two conspirators were sent to the gal ows, andthe incident was recorded in the Annals, in the royal presence.	23 And when inquisition was made of the matter, it was found out; therefore they were both hanged on a tree: and it was written in the book of the chronicles before the king.