1 After310 these428 things,1697 when the wrath2534 of king4428 Ahasuerus325 was appeased,7918 he remembered2142 Vashti,2060 and what853 834 she had done,6213 and what853 834 was decreed1504 against5921 her.

2 Then said559 the king's4428 servants5288 that ministered8334 to him, Let there be fair2896 4758 young5291 virgins1330 sought1245 for the king:4428

3 And let the king4428 appoint6485 officers6496 in all3605 the provinces4082 of his kingdom,4438 that they may gather6908 together all3605 the fair2896 4758 young5291 virgins1330 to Shushan7800 the palace,1002 to the house1004 of the women,802 to the custody3027 of Hege1896 the king's4428 chamberlain,5631 keeper8104 of the women;802 and let their things1697 for purification8562 be given5414 them:

4 And let the maiden5291 which834 pleases3190 5869 the king4428 be queen4427 instead8478 of Vashti.2060 And the thing1697 pleased3190 5869 the king;4428 and he did6213 so.3651

5 Now in Shushan7800 the palace1002 there was a certain376 Jew,3064 whose name8034 was Mordecai,4782 the son1121 of Jair,2971 the son1121 of Shimei,8096 the son1121 of Kish,7027 a Benjamite;1145

6 Who834 had been carried1540 away1546 from Jerusalem3389 with the captivity1473 which834 had been carried1540 away1546 with Jeconiah3204 king4428 of Judah,3063 whom834 Nebuchadnezzar5019 the king4428 of Babylon894 had carried1540 away.1546

7 And he brought539 up Hadassah,1919 that is, Esther,635 his uncle's1733 daughter:1323 for she had neither369 father1 nor mother,517 and the maid5291 was fair3303 8389 and beautiful;2896 4758 whom Mordecai,4782 when her father1 and mother517 were dead,4194 took3947 for his own daughter.1323

8 So it came1961 to pass, when the king's4428 commandment1697 and his decree1881 was heard,8085 and when many7227 maidens5291 were gathered6908 together to Shushan7800 the palace,1002 to the custody3027 of Hegai,1896 that Esther635 was brought3947 also to the king's4428 house,1004 to the custody3027 of Hegai,1896 keeper8104 of the women.802

9 And the maiden5291 pleased3190 5869 him, and she obtained5375 kindness2617 of him; and he speedily926 gave5414 her her things1697 for purification,8562 with such things1697 as belonged4490 to her, and seven7651 maidens,5291 which were meet7200 to be given5414 her, out of the king's4428 house:1004 and he preferred8138 her and her maids5291 to the best2896 place of the house1004 of the women.802

10 Esther635 had not showed5046 her people5971 nor her kindred:4138 for Mordecai4782 had charged6680 her that she should not show5046 it.

11 And Mordecai4782 walked1980 every day3117 before6440 the court2691 of the women's802 house,1004 to know3045 how Esther635 did,7965 and what4100 should become6213 of her.

12 Now when every maid's5291 turn8447 was come5060 to go935 in to king4428 Ahasuerus,325 after7093 that she had been1961 twelve8147 6240 months,2320 according to the manner1881 of the women,802 (for so3651 were the days3117 of their purifications4795 accomplished,4390 to wit, six8337 months2320 with oil8081 of myrrh,4753 and six8337 months2320 with sweet1314 odors,1314 and with other things1697 for the purifying8562 of the women;802)

13 Then thus2088 came935 every maiden5291 to the king;4428 whatever853 she desired559 was given5414 her to go935 with her out of the house1004 of the women802 to the king's4428 house.1004

14 In the evening6153 she went,935 and on the morrow1242 she returned7725 into413 the second8145 house1004 of the women,802 to the custody3027 of Shaashgaz,8190 the king's4428 chamberlain,5631 which kept8104 the concubines:6370 she came935 in to the king4428 no3808 more,5750 except3588 518 the king4428 delighted2654 in her, and that she were called7121 by name.8034

15 Now when the turn8447 of Esther,635 the daughter1323 of Abihail32 the uncle1730 of Mordecai,4782 who834 had taken3947 her for his daughter,1323 was come5060 to go935 in to the king,4428 she required1245 nothing3808 1697 but what853 834 Hegai1896 the king's4428 chamberlain,5631 the keeper8104 of the women,802 appointed.559 And Esther635 obtained5375 favor2580 in the sight5869 of all3605 them that looked6437 on her.

16 So Esther635 was taken3947 to king4428 Ahasuerus325 into413 his house1004 royal4438 in the tenth6224 month,2320 which is the month2320 Tebeth,2887 in the seventh7651 year8141 of his reign.4438

17 And the king4428 loved157 Esther635 above all3605 the women,802 and she obtained5375 grace2580 and favor2617 in his sight6440 more than all3605 the virgins;1330 so that he set7760 the royal4438 crown3804 on her head,7218 and made her queen4427 instead8478 of Vashti.2060

18 Then the king4428 made6213 a great1419 feast4960 to all3605 his princes8269 and his servants,5650 even853 Esther's635 feast;4960 and he made6213 a release2010 to the provinces,4082 and gave5414 gifts,4864 according to the state3027 of the king.4428

19 And when the virgins1330 were gathered6908 together the second8145 time, then Mordecai4782 sat3427 in the king's4428 gate.8179

20 Esther635 had not yet showed5046 her kindred4138 nor her people;5971 as Mordecai4782 had charged6680 her: for Esther635 did6213 the commandment3982 of Mordecai,4782 like as when834 she was brought539 up with him.

21 In those1992 days,3117 while Mordecai4782 sat3427 in the king's4428 gate,8179 two8147 of the king's4428 chamberlains,5631 Bigthan904 and Teresh,8657 of those which kept8104 the door,5592 were wroth,7107 and sought1245 to lay7971 hands3027 on the king4428 Ahasuerus.325

22 And the thing1697 was known3045 to Mordecai,4782 who told5046 it to Esther635 the queen;4436 and Esther635 certified559 the king4428 thereof in Mordecai's4782 name.8034

23 And when inquisition1245 was made of the matter,1697 it was found4672 out; therefore they were both8147 hanged8518 on5921 a tree:6086 and it was written3789 in the book5612 of the chronicles1697 3117 before6440 the king.4428