Esther

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.

1Later on, after King Ahasuerus was no longer angry, he thought about Vashti. He remembered what she had done and the order that had been made against her.

2Then said the king’s servants that ministered unto him, Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king:

2Then the servants who waited on the king said, "Let us look for beautiful young women for the king.

3And 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:

3Let the king choose officers in every province of his kingdom. They can bring all the beautiful young women to the palace at Shushan, to the women's house. Put them under the care of Hegai, the king's officer who looks after the women. And give them their beauty treatments.

NoteThe KJV calls Hegai a "chamberlain." He was a royal servant, a eunuch, trusted to guard the women's quarters. "Their things for purification" means beauty treatments with oils and perfumes, not a religious washing.

4And let the maiden which pleaseth the king be queen instead of Vashti. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.

4Then let the young woman the king likes best become queen instead of Vashti." The king liked this plan, and he did it.

5Now 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;

5Now in the palace at Shushan there was a Jewish man named Mordecai. He was the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, from the tribe of Benjamin.

6Who 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.

6He had been taken away from Jerusalem as a prisoner along with Jeconiah king of Judah. King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had carried them off.

7And 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.

7Mordecai had raised Hadassah, who was also called Esther. She was his uncle's daughter, and she had no father or mother. She was lovely to look at. After her parents died, Mordecai took her in as his own daughter.

8So 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.

8So when the king's command and order were announced, many young women were brought to the palace at Shushan and put under Hegai's care. Esther was taken to the king's house too, under the care of Hegai, who looked after the women.

9And 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.

9Hegai liked her and was kind to her. He quickly gave her the beauty treatments and the special food she was to have. He also gave her seven chosen servant girls from the king's house. Then he moved her and her girls to the best rooms in the women's house.

10Esther had not shewed her people nor her kindred: for Mordecai had charged her that she should not shew it.

10Esther had not told anyone what people or family she came from, because Mordecai had told her not to.

11And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women’s house, to know how Esther did, and what should become of her.

11Every day Mordecai walked back and forth in front of the courtyard of the women's house. He wanted to know how Esther was and what was happening to her.

12Now 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;)

12Each young woman had to wait twelve months before her turn to go to King Ahasuerus. That was the rule for the women. They spent six months with oil of myrrh and six months with perfumes and other beauty treatments.

13Then 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.

13Then each young woman went to the king this way: she could take with her anything she asked for from the women's house to the king's house.

14In 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.

14She went in the evening, and in the morning she went back to a second women's house. There she was under the care of Shaashgaz, the king's officer who looked after the king's other wives. She did not go to the king again unless he was pleased with her and called for her by name.

15Now 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.

15Esther was the daughter of Abihail, the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her as his own daughter. When her turn came to go to the king, she asked for nothing except what Hegai suggested. He was the king's officer in charge of the women. Everyone who saw Esther liked her.

16So 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.

16So Esther was brought to King Ahasuerus in his royal house in the tenth month, the month called Tebeth. It was the seventh year of his rule.

17And 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.

17The king loved Esther more than all the other women. She pleased him more than any of the others. So he placed the royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.

18Then 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.

18Then the king held a great feast for all his leaders and servants. He called it Esther's feast. He also lowered what the provinces had to pay, and he gave out gifts in a way that fit a king.

Note"He made a release to the provinces" means the king cut taxes or let people off from work they owed him. It is a holiday, not a release of prisoners.

19And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, then Mordecai sat in the king’s gate.

19When the young women were gathered a second time, Mordecai was sitting at the king's gate.

NoteSitting "in the king's gate" means Mordecai had a job as an official. The gate was where the king's business and legal matters were handled.

20Esther 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.

20Esther still had not told anyone what family or people she came from. Mordecai had told her not to, and she obeyed him just as she had when he raised her.

21In 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.

21In those days, while Mordecai was sitting at the king's gate, two of the king's officers grew angry. Bigthan and Teresh, who guarded the door, planned to kill King Ahasuerus.

22And the thing was known to Mordecai, who told it unto Esther the queen; and Esther certified the king thereof in Mordecai’s name.

22Mordecai found out about the plan and told Queen Esther. Esther told the king, and she said the news came from Mordecai.

23And 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.

23The matter was looked into and found to be true. So both men were hanged on a wooden pole. All of this was written down in the king's record book.