Esther:2

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* After these things , when the wrath of King Ahasuerus was pacified , he remembered Vashti , and what she had done , and what was decreed against her . * Then the king 's attendants that ministered to him said , Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king : * and let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom , that they may gather together all the fair young virgins to Shushan the palace , to the house of the women , to the custody of Hegai the king 's chamberlain , keeper of the women ; and let their things for purification be given them ; * and let the maiden that pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti . And the thing pleased the king ; and he did so . * There was a certain Jew in Shushan the palace , whose name was Mordecai , the son of Jair , the son of Shimei , the son of Kish , a Benjamite , * who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captives that had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah , whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away . * And he brought up Hadassah , that is , Esther , his uncle 's daughter : for she had neither father nor mother , and the maiden had a beautiful body and face ; and when her father and mother were dead , Mordecai took her 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 to Shushan the palace , to the custody of Hegai , that Esther was taken into the king 's house , to the custody of Hegai , keeper of the women . * And the maiden was good in his eyes , and she obtained kindness of him ; and he speedily gave her her things for purification , with her portions , and the seven maidens who were meet to be given her out of the king 's house : and he removed her and her maidens to the best place of the house of the women . * Esther had not made known her people nor her kindred ; for Mordecai had charged her that she should not make it known . * And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women 's house , to know how Esther did , and what would become of her . * Now when the turn of every maiden came to go in to King Ahasuerus , after that it had been done to her according to the law for the women twelve months (for so were the days of their purifications accomplished , [to wit ], six months with oil of myrrh , and six months with sweet odors and with the things for the purifying of the women ), * then in this wise the maiden came to the king : whatever she desired was given to her to go with her out of the house of the women to the king 's house . * In the evening she went , and on the next day she returned into the second house of the women , to the custody of Shaashgaz , the king 's chamberlain , who kept the concubines : she came in to the king no more , except the king delighted in her , and she was called by name . * Now when the turn of Esther , the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai , who had taken her for his daughter , came to go in to the king , she required nothing but what Hegai the king 's chamberlain , the keeper of the women , appointed . And Esther obtained favor in the sight of all those who looked on her . * So Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus into his royal house in the tenth month , which is the month Tebeth , in the seventh year of his reign . * And the king loved Esther above all the women , and she obtained favor and kindness in his sight more than all the virgins ; so that he set the royal crown on her head , and made her queen instead of Vashti . * Then the king made a great feast to all his princes and his slaves , even Esther 's feast ; and he ordered a rest to the provinces , and gave gifts , according to the bounty of the king . * And when the virgins were gathered together the second time , then Mordecai was sitting in the king 's gate . * Esther had not yet made known her kindred nor her people ; as Mordecai had charged her : for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai , like when she was brought up with him . * In those days , while Mordecai was sitting in the king 's gate , two of the king 's chamberlains , Bigthan and Teresh , of those who kept the threshold , were angry , and sought to lay hands on the king Ahasuerus . * And the thing became known to Mordecai , who showed it to Esther the queen ; and Esther told the king [of it ] in Mordecai 's name . * And when inquisition was made of the matter , and it was found to be so , they were both hanged on a tree : and it was written in the Book of the Chronicles before the king .

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