Esther:2:1-18

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* After these things , when the wrath of king Ahasuerus was appeased , he remembered Vashti , and what she had done , and what was decreed against her . * Then said the king 's servants that ministered unto him , 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 unto Shushan the palace , to the house of the women , unto the custody of Hege the king 's chamberlain , keeper of the women ; and let their things for purification be given them : * And let the maiden which pleaseth the king be queen instead of Vashti . And the thing pleased the king ; and he did so . * Now in Shushan the palace there was a certain Jew , 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 captivity which 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 maid was fair and beautiful ; whom Mordecai , when her father and mother were dead , took 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 unto Shushan the palace , to the custody of Hegai , that Esther was brought also unto the king 's house , to the custody of Hegai , keeper of the women . * And the maiden pleased him , and she obtained kindness of him ; and he speedily gave her her things for purification , with such things as belonged to her , and seven maidens , which were meet to be given her , out of the king 's house : and he preferred her and her maids unto the best place of the house of the women . * Esther had not shewed her people nor her kindred : for Mordecai had charged her that she should not shew it . * And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women 's house , to know how Esther did , and what should become of her . * 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 ;) * 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 . * 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 . * 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 . * 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 . * 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 . * 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 .

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