Esther 2:1-9 ▼

1 After these things, at the subsiding of the rage of King Ahasuerus, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what had been decreed against her,

2 and the young men of the king who ministered to him said, “Let them seek for the king young women, virgins, beautiful of appearance.

3 And let the king appoint overseers in all the provinces of his kingdom, and they shall gather every young woman, virgin, beautiful of appearance, to Susa the citadel, to the house of the women, into the hand of Hegai the eunich of the king, the keeper of the women, and to give their cosmetics.

4 And the young woman who is good in the eyes of the king shall be queen in place of Vashti.” And this word was good in the eyes of the king, and he did so.

5 There was a man, a Jew, in Susa the citadel—and his name was Mordecai, son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, a man of Benjamin—

6 who had been removed from Jerusalem with the exiles who had been removed with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had removed.

7 And he was supporting Hadassah—she is Esther—daughter of his uncle, for there was not unto her father or mother, and the young woman was lovely of form and beautiful of appearance, and at the death of her father and her mother, Mordecai had taken her to himself for a daughter.

8 And it came to pass, in the hearing of the word of the king and his law, that many young women were gathered to Susa the citadel, into the hand of Hegai, and Esther was taken into the house of the king, into the hand of Hegai, the keeper of the women.

9 And the young woman was good in his eyes, and she lifted up kindness before his face, and he hurried to give her cosmetics, and he gave her portions to her, and seven young women chosen to give to her, from the house of the king, and he changed her and her young women for the good of the house of the women.