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Esther 2
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King James Version
Esther Made Queen
1 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.
2 Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, Let
there be fair young virgins sought for the king:
3 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:
4 And let the maiden which pleaseth the king be queen instead of
Vashti. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.
5 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;
6 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.
7 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.
8 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.
9 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.
10 Esther had not shewed her people nor her kindred: for
Mordecai had charged her that she should not shew it.
11 And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women's
house, to know how Esther did, and what should become of her.
12 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;)
13 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.
14 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.
15 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.
16 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.
17 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.
18 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.
Mordecai Uncovers
a Conspiracy
19 And when the virgins were gathered together the second time,
then Mordecai sat in the king's gate.
20 Esther had not yet shewed her kindred nor her people; as
Mordecai had charged her: for Esther did the commandment of
Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him.
21 In those days, while Mordecai sat in the king's gate, two of
the king's chamberlains, Bigthan and Teresh, of those which kept
the door, were wroth, and sought to lay hand on the king
Ahasuerus.
22 And the thing was known to Mordecai, who told it unto Esther
the queen; and Esther certified the king thereof in Mordecai's
name.
23 And when inquisition was made of the matter, it was found
out; therefore they were both hanged on a tree: and it was
written in the book of the chronicles before the king.1
References and notes
1. King James Authorized Version
2. CLARKE'S COMMENTARY
- ESTHER 1 - http://www.godrules.net/library/clarke/clarkeest1.htm
3. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mordecai
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Author of Esther 