rd

Esther 2

2 After the Queen is put away, certain young maids are brought to the King 14 Estér pleaseth the King, and is made Queen. 22 Mordecái discloseth unto the King those that would betray him.
1.After these things, when the wrath of King Ahashuerósh was appeased, he aremembred Vashtí, and what she had done, and what was decreed bagainst her.
2.And the King’s servants that ministered unto him, said, Let them seek for the King beautiful young virgins,
3.And let the King appoint officers through all the provinces of his kingdom, and let them gather all the beautiful young virgins unto the palace of Shushán, into the house of the women, under the hand of Hegé the King’s eunuch, ckeeper of the women, to give them their things dfor purification.
4.And the maid that shal please the King, let her reign in the stead of Vashtí. And this pleased the King, and he did so.
5.¶ In the city of Shushán, there was a certain Jew, whose name was Mordecái the son of Jaír, the son of Shimeí, the son of Kish a man of Jeminí,
6.Which had been carried away from Jerusalém *with the captivity that was carried away with Jekoniáh King of Judáh (whom Nebuchad-nezzár King of Babél had carried away)
7.And he nourished Hadassáh, that is Estér, his uncle’s daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair, and beautiful to look on: and after the death of her father, and her mother, Mordecái took her for his own daughter.
8.And when the King’s commandment, and his decree was published, and many maids were brought together to the palace of Shushán, under the hand of Hegé, Estér was brought also unto the King’s house under the hand of Hegé the keeper of the women.
9.And the maid pleased him, and she found favour in his sight: therefore he caused her things for purification to be given her speedily, and her ^state, and seven comely maidens to be given her out of the King’s house, and he gave change to her and to her maids of the best in the house of the women.
10.But Estér shewed not her people and her kindred: for Mordecái had charged her, that she should not tel it.
11.And Mordecái walked eevery day before the court of the women’s house, to know if Estér did well, and what should be done with her.
12.And when the course of every maid came, to go in to King Ahashuerósh, after that she had been twelve months according to the manner of the women (for so were the days of their purifications accomplished, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odours and in the purifying of the women:
13.And thus went the maids unto the King) whatsoever she required, was fgiven her, to go with her out of the women’s house unto the King’s house.
14.In the evening she went, and on the morow she returned into the second house of the women under the hand of Shaashgáz the King’s eunuch, which kept the concubines: she came into the King number, except she pleased the King, and that she were called by name.
15.Now when the course of Estér the daughter of Abihaíl the uncle of Mordecái (which had taken her as his own daughter) came, that she should go in to the King, she desired nothing, but what ^Hegé the King’s eunuch the keeper of the women gsaid: & Estér found favour in the sight of all them that looked upon her.
16.¶ So Estér was taken unto King Ahashuerósh into his house royal in the tenth month, which is the hmonth Tebéth, in the sevent year of his reign.
17.And the King loved Estér above all the women, and she found grace and favour in his sight more then all the virgins: so that he set the crown of the kingdom upon her head, and made her Queen in stead of Vashtí.
18.Then the King made a great feast unto all his princes and his servants which was ithe feast of Estér and gave rest kunto the provinces, and gave gifts, according to lthe power of a King.
19.And when the virgins were gathered the msecond time, then Mordecái sate in the King’s gate.
20.Estér had not yet shewed her kindred nor her people, as Mordecái had charged her: for Estér did after the word of Mordecái, as when she was nourished with him.
21.¶ In those days when Mordecái sate in the King’s gate, two of the King’s eunuchs, Bigthán and Téresh, which kept the door, were wroth, and sought to lay nhand on the King Ahashuerósh.
22.And the thing was knowen to Mordecái, and he told it unto Queen Estér, and Estér certified the King thereof in Mordecái’s name: and when inquisition was made, it was found so: therefore they were both hanged on a tre: and it was written in the book of the oChronicles before the King.

Notes

1-a.
That is, he called the matter again into communication.
1-b.
By the seven wisemen of his counsel.
3-c.
The abuse of these countries was so great, that they invented many means to serve the lusts of princes, and therefore, as they ordained wicked laws that the King might have whose daughters he would, so they had diverse houses appointed, as one for them, whiles they were virgins, another when they were concubines, and for the Queens another.
3-d.
Read what this purification was, verse 12.
6-*.
2 Kings 24.15.
9-^.
Ebr., portions.
11-e.
For though she was taken away by a cruel law, yet he ceased not to have a fatherly care over her, and therefore did resort oft times to hear of her.
13-f.
What apparel she asked of the eunuch, that was he bound to give her.
15-^.
Or, Hegai.
15-g.
Wherein her modesty appeared because she sought not apparel to commend her beauty, but stood to the eunuch’s appointment.
16-h.
Which contained part of December and part of January.
18-i.
That is, made for her sake.
18-k.
He released their tribute.
18-l.
That is, great and magnifical.
19-m.
That is, at the marriage of Ester, which was the second marriage of the King.
21-n.
Meaning, to kill him.
22-o.
In the Chronicles of the Medes and Persians, as Ch. 10.2.