Esther
Esther 2
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Esther 2 — Scripture text (King James Version)
After these things, when the wrath of king was appeased, he remembered , 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 the palace, to the house of the women unto the custody of 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 . And the thing pleased the king; and he did so. Now in the palace there was a certain , whose name was , the son of , the son of , the son of , a ; Who had been carried away from with the captivity which had been carried away with king of , whom the king of had carried away. And he brought up , that is, , his uncle’s daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful; whom , 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 the palace, to the custody of , that was brought also unto the king’s house, to the custody of , 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. had not shewed her people nor her kindred: for had charged her that she should not shew it. And walked every day before the court of the women’s house, to know how did, and what should become of her. Now when every maid’s turn was come to go in to king , 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 the morrow she returned into the second house of the women, to the custody of , 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 , the daughter of the uncle of , who had taken her for his daughter, was come to go in unto the king, she required nothing but what the king’s chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed. And obtained favour in the sight of all them that looked upon her. So was taken unto king into his house royal in the tenth month, which is the month , in the seventh year of his reign. And the king loved above all the women, and she obtained 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 . Then the king made a great feast unto all his princes and his servants, even ’s feast; and he made a release to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the state of the king. And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, then sat in the king’s gate. had not yet shewed her kindred nor her people; as had charged her: for did the commandment of , like as when she was brought up with him. In those days, while sat in the king’s gate, two of the king’s chamberlains, Bigthan and , of those which kept the door, were wroth, and sought to lay hand the king . And the thing was known to , who told it unto the queen; and certified the king thereof in ’s name. And when inquisition was made of the matter, it was found out; therefore they were both hanged a tree: and it was of the chronicles before the king.