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"Let the kingappointoverseers in all the provinces of his kingdom that they may gathereverybeautifulyoungvirgin to the citadel of Susa, to the harem*, into the custody of Hegai, the king'seunuch, who is in charge of the women; and let their cosmetics be given them.
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who had been taken into exile from Jerusalem with the captiveswho had been exiled with Jeconiahking of Judah, whomNebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had exiled.
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He was bringing up Hadassah, that is Esther, his uncle'sdaughter, for she hadnofatherormother. Now the younglady was beautiful of form and face, and when her father and her motherdied, Mordecaitook her as his own daughter.
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So it came about when the command and decree of the king were heard and manyyoungladies were gathered to the citadel of Susa into the custody of Hegai, that Esther was taken to the king'spalace into the custody of Hegai, who was in charge of the women.
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Now the youngladypleased* him and foundfavor with him. So he quicklyprovided her with her cosmetics and food, gave her sevenchoicemaids from the king'spalace and transferred her and her maids to the best place in the harem*.
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Now when the turn of eachyoungladycame to go in to KingAhasuerus, after the end of her twelve*months under the regulations for the women -for the days of their beautification were completed as follows: sixmonths with oil of myrrh and sixmonths with spices and the cosmetics for women -
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In the evening she would go in and in the morning she would return to the secondharem*, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king'seunuch who was in charge of the concubines. She would not againgo in to the kingunless* the kingdelighted in her and she was summoned by name.
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Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecaiwho had taken her as his daughter, came to go in to the king, she did not requestanythingexcept*whatHegai, the king'seunuch who was in charge of the women, advised. And Estherfoundfavor in the eyes of all who saw her.
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The kinglovedEsthermorethanall the women, and she foundfavor and kindness with him morethanall the virgins, so that he set the royalcrown on her head and made her queeninstead of Vashti.
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Then the kinggave a greatbanquet, Esther'sbanquet, for all his princes and his servants; he also made a holiday for the provinces and gavegifts according to the king'sbounty.
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Esther had not yet made known her kindred or her people, even as Mordecai had commanded her; for EstherdidwhatMordecaitold her as she had donewhen under his care.
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In thosedays, while Mordecai was sitting at the king'sgate, Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king'sofficials from those who guarded the door, becameangry and sought to layhands on KingAhasuerus.
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Now when the plot was investigated and found to be so, they were bothhanged on a gallows; and it was written in the Book of the Chronicles* in the king'spresence.