3
And let the kingappointofficers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the fair*youngvirgins unto Shushan the palace, to the house of the women, unto the custody of Hege the king'schamberlain,keeper of the women; and let their things for purification be given them:
6
Who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captivity which had been carried away with Jeconiahking of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away.
7
And he brought upHadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle'sdaughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fairandbeautiful*; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead,took for his own daughter.
8
So it came to pass, when the king'scommandment and his decree was heard, and when manymaidens were gathered together unto Shushan the palace, to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was brought also unto the king'shouse, to the custody of Hegai,keeper of the women.
9
And the maidenpleased* him, and she obtainedkindness of him; and he speedilygave her her things for purification, with such things as belonged to her, and sevenmaidens, which were meet to be given her, out of the king'shouse: and he preferred her and her maids unto the best place of the house of the women.
12
Now when every maid'sturn was come to go in to kingAhasuerus,after that she had been twelve*months, according to the manner of the women, (for so were the days of their purificationsaccomplished, to wit, sixmonths with oil of myrrh, and sixmonths with sweet odours, and with other things for the purifying of the women;)
14
In the evening she went, and on the morrow she returned into the secondhouse of the women, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king'schamberlain, which kept the concubines: she came in unto the king no more, except the kingdelighted 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 requirednothing but what Hegai the king'schamberlain, the keeper of the women,appointed. And Estherobtainedfavour in the sight of all them that looked upon her.
17
And the kinglovedEsther above all the women, and she obtainedgrace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royalcrown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.
18
Then the kingmade a greatfeast unto all his princes and his servants, even Esther'sfeast; and he made a release to the provinces, and gavegifts, according to the state of the king.
20
Esther had not yet shewed her kindred nor her people; as Mordecai had charged her: for Estherdid the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him.
21
In those days, while Mordecaisat in the king'sgate,two of the king'schamberlains,Bigthan and Teresh, of those which kept the door, were wroth, and sought to layhand on the kingAhasuerus.
23
And when inquisition was made of the matter, it was found out; therefore they were bothhanged on a tree: and it was written in the book of the chronicles*before the king.