Esther

Chapter 2

1  Out of the choice of virgins a queen is to be chosen.  5  Mordecai the nursing father of Esther.  8  Esther is preferred by Hegai before the rest.  12  The manner of purification, and going in to the king.  15  Esther best pleasing the king is made queen.  21  Mordecai discovering a treason is recorded in the chronicles.

2:1 ¶ After {310} these (428) things, {1697} when the wrath {2534} of king {4428} Ahasuerus {325} was appeased, {7918} <8800> he remembered {2142} <8804> (853) Vashti, {2060} and what (834) she had done, {6213} <8804> and what (834) was decreed {1504} <8738> against (5921) her.

2:2 Then said {559} <8799> the king's {4428} servants {5288} that ministered {8334} <8764> unto him, Let there be fair {2896} {4758} young {5291} virgins {1330} sought {1245} <8762> for the king: {4428}

2:3 And let the king {4428} appoint {6485} <8686> officers {6496} in all (3605) the provinces {4082} of his kingdom, {4438} that they may gather together {6908} <8799> (853) all (3605) the fair {2896} {4758} young {5291} virgins {1330} unto (413) Shushan {7800} the palace, {1002} to (413) the house {1004} of the women, {802} unto (413) the custody {3027} of Hege {1896} the king's {4428} chamberlain, {5631} keeper {8104} <8802> of the women; {802} and let their things for purification {8562} be given {5414} <8800> [them]:

2:4 And let the maiden {5291} which (834) pleaseth {3190} {5869} <8799> the king {4428} be queen {4427} <8799> instead (8478) of Vashti. {2060} And the thing {1697} pleased {3190} {5869} <8799> the king; {4428} and he did (6213) so. [6213] <8799> (3651)

2:5 ¶ [Now] in Shushan {7800} the palace {1002} there was (1961) a certain {376} Jew, {3064} whose name {8034} [was] Mordecai, {4782} the son {1121} of Jair, {2971} the son {1121} of Shimei, {8096} the son {1121} of Kish, {7027} a Benjamite; {1145}

2:6 Who (834) had been carried away {1540} <8717> from Jerusalem {3389} (4480) with (5973) the captivity {1473} which (834) had been carried away {1540} <8717> with (5973) Jeconiah {3204} king {4428} of Judah, {3063} whom (834) Nebuchadnezzar {5019} the king {4428} of Babylon {894} had carried away. {1540} <8689>

2:7 And he brought up {539} <8802> (1961) (853) Hadassah, {1919} that (1931) [is], Esther, {635} his uncle's {1730} daughter: {1323} for (3588) she had neither (369) father {1} nor mother, {517} and the maid {5291} [was] fair {3303} {8389} and beautiful; {2896} {4758} whom Mordecai, {4782} when her father {1} and mother {517} were dead, {4194} took {3947} <8804> for his own daughter. {1323}

2:8 ¶ So it came to pass, (1961) when the king's {4428} commandment {1697} and his decree {1881} was heard, {8085} <8736> and when many {7227} maidens {5291} were gathered together {6908} <8736> unto (413) Shushan {7800} the palace, {1002} to (413) the custody {3027} of Hegai, {1896} that Esther {635} was brought {3947} <8735> also unto (413) the king's {4428} house, {1004} to (413) the custody {3027} of Hegai, {1896} keeper {8104} <8802> of the women. {802}

2:9 And the maiden {5291} pleased {3190} {5869} <8799> him, and she obtained {5375} <8799> kindness {2617} of (6440) him; [6440] and he speedily {926} <8762> gave {5414} <8800> her (853) her things for purification, {8562} with (854) such things as belonged {4490} to her, and seven {7651} maidens, {5291} [which were] meet {7200} <8803> to be given {5414} <8800> her, out of the king's [4428] house: {1004} (4480) (4428) and he preferred {8138} <8762> her and her maids {5291} unto the best {2896} [place] of the house {1004} of the women. {802}

2:10 Esther {635} had not (3808) shewed {5046} <8689> (853) her people {5971} nor her kindred: {4138} for (3588) Mordecai {4782} had charged {6680} <8765> her (5921) that (834) she should not (3808) shew {5046} <8686> [it].

2:11 And Mordecai {4782} walked {1980} <8693> every day {3117} (3605) before {6440} the court {2691} of the women's {802} house, {1004} to know {3045} <8800> (853) how Esther {635} did, {7965} and what (4100) should become {6213} <8735> of her.

2:12 ¶ Now when every maid's {5291} turn {8447} was come {5060} <8687> to go in {935} <8800> to (413) king {4428} Ahasuerus, {325} after [7093] that (4480) (7093) she had been (1961) twelve {8147} {6240} months, {2320} according to the manner {1881} of the women, {802} (for (3588) so (3651) were the days {3117} of their purifications {4795} accomplished, {4390} <8799> [to wit], six {8337} months {2320} with oil {8081} of myrrh, {4753} and six {8337} months {2320} with sweet odours, {1314} and with [other] things for the purifying {8562} of the women;) {802}

2:13 Then thus (2088) came {935} <8802> [every] maiden {5291} unto (413) the king; {4428} (853) whatsoever (3605) (834) she desired {559} <8799> was given {5414} <8735> her to go {935} <8800> with (5973) her out of the house {1004} (4480) of the women {802} unto (5704) the king's {4428} house. {1004}

2:14 In the evening {6153} she (1931) went, {935} <8802> and on the morrow {1242} she (1931) returned {7725} <8802> into (413) the second {8145} house {1004} of the women, {802} to (413) the custody {3027} of Shaashgaz, {8190} the king's {4428} chamberlain, {5631} which kept {8104} <8802> the concubines: {6370} she came in {935} <8799> unto (413) the king {4428} no (3808) more, (5750) except (3588) (518) the king {4428} delighted {2654} <8804> in her, and that she were called {7121} <8738> by name. {8034}

2:15 ¶ Now when the turn {8447} of Esther, {635} the daughter {1323} of Abihail {32} the uncle {1730} of Mordecai, {4782} who (834) had taken {3947} <8804> her for his daughter, {1323} was come {5060} <8687> to go in {935} <8800> unto (413) the king, {4428} she required {1245} <8765> nothing {1697} (3808) but (3588) (518) (853) what (834) Hegai {1896} the king's {4428} chamberlain, {5631} the keeper {8104} <8802> of the women, {802} appointed. {559} <8799> And Esther {635} obtained {5375} <8802> (1961) favour {2580} in the sight {5869} of all (3605) them that looked {7200} <8802> upon her.

2:16 So Esther {635} was taken {3947} <8735> unto (413) king {4428} Ahasuerus {325} into (413) his house {1004} royal {4438} in the tenth {6224} month, {2320} which (1931) [is] the month {2320} Tebeth, {2887} in the seventh {7651} year {8141} of his reign. {4438}

2:17 And the king {4428} loved {157} <8799> (853) Esther {635} above all (4480) (3605) the women, {802} and she obtained {5375} <8799> grace {2580} and favour {2617} in his sight {6440} more than all (4480) (3605) the virgins; {1330} so that he set {7760} <8799> the royal {4438} crown {3804} upon her head, {7218} and made her queen {4427} <8686> instead (8478) of Vashti. {2060}

2:18 Then the king {4428} made {6213} <8799> a great {1419} feast {4960} unto all (3605) his princes {8269} and his servants, {5650} [even] (853) Esther's {635} feast; {4960} and he made {6213} <8804> a release {2010} to the provinces, {4082} and gave {5414} <8799> gifts, {4864} according to the state {3027} of the king. {4428}

2:19 And when the virgins {1330} were gathered together {6908} <8736> the second time, {8145} then Mordecai {4782} sat {3427} <8802> in the king's {4428} gate. {8179}

2:20 Esther {635} had not (369) [yet] shewed {5046} <8688> her kindred {4138} nor her people; {5971} as (834) Mordecai {4782} had charged {6680} <8765> her: (5921) for Esther {635} did {6213} <8802> the commandment {3982} of Mordecai, {4782} like as (834) when she was (1961) brought up {545} with (854) him.

2:21 ¶ In those (1992) days, {3117} while Mordecai {4782} sat {3427} <8802> in the king's {4428} gate, {8179} two {8147} of the king's {4428} chamberlains, {5631} Bigthan {904} and Teresh, {8657} of those which kept {8104} <8802> (4480) the door, {5592} were wroth, {7107} <8804> and sought {1245} <8762> to lay {7971} <8800> hand {3027} on the king {4428} Ahasuerus. {325}

2:22 And the thing {1697} was known {3045} <8735> to Mordecai, {4782} who told {5046} <8686> [it] unto Esther {635} the queen; {4436} and Esther {635} certified {559} <8799> the king {4428} [thereof] in Mordecai's {4782} name. {8034}

2:23 And when inquisition [1245] <8792> was made (1245) of the matter, {1697} it was found out; {4672} <8735> therefore they were both {8147} hanged {8518} <8735> on (5921) a tree: {6086} and it was written {3789} <8735> in the book {5612} of the chronicles {1697} [3117] before {6440} the king. {4428}