1 After these things, when the wrath of king Ahasuerus was abated, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her.

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

3 And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the beautiful young virgins unto Shushan the citadel, to the house of the women, unto the custody of Hegai the king's eunuch, keeper of the women; and let their beautifying ointments be given them:

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

5 Now in Shushan the citadel there was a certain Jew, whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite;

6 Who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captives who had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away.

7 And he had brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maiden was fair and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took as his own daughter.

8 So it came to pass, when the king's commandment and his decree was heard, and when many maidens were gathered together unto Shushan the citadel, to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was brought also unto the king's house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women.

9 And the maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness of him; and he speedily gave her her beautifying ointments, with such things as belonged to her, and seven maidens, who were suitable to be given her, out of the king's house: and he moved her and her maidens unto the best place of the house of the women.

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

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

12 Now when every maiden's turn was come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after she had been there twelve months, according to the regulations for the women, (for so were the days of their beautification accomplished, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with perfumes, and with other preparations for beautifying women;)

13 Then 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.

14 In the evening she went, and the next day she returned into the second house of the women, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king's eunuch, who kept the concubines: she came in unto the king no more, except the king delighted in her, and that she were called by name.

15 Now 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 eunuch, the keeper of the women, advised. And Esther obtained favor in the sight of all them that looked upon her.

16 So Esther was taken unto king Ahasuerus into his royal house in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.

17 And the king loved Esther more than all the women, and she obtained grace and favor 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.

18 Then the king made a great feast unto all his princes and his servants, even Esther's feast; and he made a holiday in all the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the liberality of the king.

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

20 Esther had not yet made known her kindred nor her people; as Mordecai had charged her: for Esther obeyed the command of Mordecai, just as when she was brought up with him.

21 In those days, while Mordecai sat in the king's gate, two of the king's eunuchs, Bigthan and Teresh, of those who kept the door, were angry, and sought to lay hands on king Ahasuerus.

22 And the thing was known to Mordecai, who told it unto Esther the queen; and Esther informed the king of it in Mordecai's name.

23 And when inquiry was made into the matter, it was confirmed; therefore they were both hanged on a tree: and it was written in the book of the chronicles before the king.

1 Passadas essas coisas, e apaziguado já o furor do rei Assuero, lembrou-se de Vasti, e do que fizera, e do que se tinha decretado a seu respeito. 2 Então, disseram os jovens do rei que lhe serviam: Busquem-se para o rei moças virgens, formosas à vista. 3 E ponha o rei comissários em todas as províncias do seu reino, que reúnam todas as moças virgens, formosas à vista, na fortaleza de Susã, na casa das mulheres, debaixo da mão de Hegai, eunuco do rei, guarda das mulheres, e deem-se-lhes os seus enfeites. 4 E a moça que parecer bem aos olhos do rei reine em lugar de Vasti. E isso pareceu bem aos olhos do rei, e assim fez.

5 Havia, então, um homem judeu na fortaleza de Susã, cujo nome era Mardoqueu, filho de Jair, filho de Simei, filho de Quis, homem benjamita, 6 que fora transportado de Jerusalém com os cativos que foram levados com Jeconias, rei de Judá, ao qual transportara Nabucodonosor, rei de Babilônia. 7 Este criara a Hadassa ( que é Ester, filha do seu tio), porque não tinha pai nem mãe; e era moça bela de aparência e formosa à vista; e, morrendo seu pai e sua mãe, Mardoqueu a tomara por sua filha. 8 Sucedeu, pois, que, divulgando-se o mandado do rei e a sua lei e ajuntando-se muitas moças na fortaleza de Susã, debaixo da mão de Hegai, também levaram Ester à casa do rei, debaixo da mão de Hegai, guarda das mulheres. 9 E a moça pareceu formosa aos seus olhos e alcançou graça perante ele; pelo que se apressou a dar-lhe os seus enfeites e os seus alimentos, como também em lhe dar sete moças de respeito da casa do rei; e a fez passar com as suas moças ao melhor lugar da casa das mulheres. 10 Ester, porém, não declarou o seu povo e a sua parentela; porque Mardoqueu lhe tinha ordenado que o não declarasse. 11 E passeava Mardoqueu cada dia diante do pátio da casa das mulheres, para se informar de como Ester passava e do que lhe sucederia.

12 E, chegando já a vez de cada moça, para vir ao rei Assuero, depois que fora feito a cada uma segundo a lei das mulheres, por doze meses (porque assim se cumpriam os dias das suas purificações, seis meses com óleo de mirra e seis meses com especiarias e com as coisas para a purificação das mulheres), 13 desta maneira, pois, entrava a moça ao rei; tudo quanto ela desejava se lhe dava, para ir da casa das mulheres à casa do rei; 14 à tarde, entrava e, pela manhã, tornava à segunda casa das mulheres, debaixo da mão de Saasgaz, eunuco do rei, guarda das concubinas; não tornava mais ao rei, salvo se o rei a desejasse e fosse chamada por nome.

15 Chegando, pois, a vez de Ester, filha de Abiail, tio de Mardoqueu (que a tomara por sua filha), para ir ao rei, coisa nenhuma pediu, senão o que disse Hegai, eunuco do rei, guarda das mulheres; e alcançava Ester graça aos olhos de todos quantos a viam. 16 Assim, foi levada Ester ao rei Assuero, à casa real, no décimo mês, que é o mês de tebete, no sétimo ano do seu reinado. 17 E o rei amou a Ester mais do que a todas as mulheres, e ela alcançou perante ele graça e benevolência mais do que todas as virgens; e pôs a coroa real na sua cabeça e a fez rainha em lugar de Vasti. 18 Então, o rei fez um grande convite a todos os seus príncipes e aos seus servos para a festa de Ester; e deu repouso às províncias e fez presentes segundo o estado do rei. 19 E, reunindo-se segunda vez as virgens, Mardoqueu estava assentado à porta do rei. 20 Ester, porém, não declarava a sua parentela e o seu povo, como Mardoqueu lhe ordenara; porque Ester cumpria o mandado de Mardoqueu, como quando a criara.

21 Naqueles dias, assentando-se Mardoqueu à porta do rei, dois eunucos do rei, dos guardas da porta, Bigtã e Teres, grandemente se indignaram e procuraram pôr as mãos sobre o rei Assuero. 22 E veio isso ao conhecimento de Mardoqueu, e ele o fez saber à rainha Ester, e Ester o disse ao rei, em nome de Mardoqueu. 23 E inquiriu-se o negócio, e se descobriu; e ambos foram enforcados numa forca. Isso foi escrito no livro das crônicas perante o rei.