Esther 2

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, King Ahasuerus stopped being angry. He thought about Vashti again. He remembered what she did and what he had ordered done to her.

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

2The men who served the king had an idea. They 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:

3"Pick officers in every part of your kingdom. Let them bring the beautiful young women to the palace in Shushan. They will stay in the women's house. Hegai, the king's helper, will watch over them. Let the women be given beauty treatments."

Note"The women's house" was a separate part of the palace where the king's wives and their servants lived. "Purification" here means beauty care with oils and perfumes, not washing away sin.

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

4"Then the young woman you like best can be queen instead of Vashti." The king liked this plan, so 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;

5A Jewish man lived in the palace city of Shushan. His name was Mordecai. He was the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish. His family came 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.

6Long before, Mordecai had been taken away from Jerusalem. King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon took many people away as prisoners. Jeconiah, the king of Judah, was taken away too.

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 raised his cousin Hadassah, who was also called Esther. Her father and mother had died, so she had no parents. She was lovely to look at. Mordecai took her in and raised her 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.

8The king's order was announced everywhere. Many young women were brought to the palace in Shushan for Hegai to care for. Esther was taken to the king's house too. She was put in Hegai's care, since he watched over 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 Esther and was kind to her. He quickly gave her beauty treatments and special food. He chose seven servant girls from the king's house to help her. He moved her and her helpers 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 did not tell anyone about her family or her people. Mordecai had told her to keep it a secret.

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 outside the women's house. He wanted to know if Esther was well 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 waited twelve months before her turn to see the king. That was the rule for beauty treatments. For six months she used oil of myrrh. For six more months she used sweet perfumes and other things.

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. She could take with her anything she asked for from the women'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. In the morning she went to a second house for the king's women. Shaashgaz, the king's helper, took care of them there. She did not go back to the king unless he was pleased with her. He had to ask 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.

15Then it was Esther's turn to go to the king. She was the daughter of Abihail, the uncle of Mordecai, who had raised her as his own. She asked for nothing except what Hegai told her to take. 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.

16Esther was brought to King Ahasuerus in his royal house. It was the tenth month, called Tebeth. The king had been ruling for seven years.

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. He liked her more than any of the others. So he put the royal crown on her head. He 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 big feast for all his leaders and servants. He called it Esther's feast. He also let the provinces pay less tax. And he gave out gifts, as a rich king would.

Note"He made a release to the provinces" means he let people in his kingdom pay less tax that year, to celebrate.

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

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

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 about her family or her people. Mordecai had told her not to. She obeyed him, just as she did when he was raising 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 Mordecai sat at the king's gate. Two of the king's helpers, Bigthan and Teresh, guarded the door. They became angry and made a plan 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. He 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.

23People looked into the matter and found it was true. So both men were hanged. The whole story was written in the king's record book.

NoteThe king's record book was a daily written list of important things that happened in the kingdom. It matters later in the story.