1 Mais tarde a raiva do rei já havia passado, mas mesmo assim ele continuava a pensar no que Vasti havia feito e no decreto que ele havia assinado contra ela. 2 Aí alguns dos seus servidores mais íntimos lhe disseram:

— Ó rei, mande buscar as mais lindas virgens do reino. 3 Escolha funcionários em todas as províncias e ordene que tragam as moças mais bonitas para o seu harém aqui em Susã, a capital. Hegai, o eunuco responsável pelo harém real, tomará conta delas e fará com que recebam um tratamento de beleza. 4 E então, ó rei, que a moça que mais lhe agradar seja a rainha no lugar de Vasti.

O rei gostou da ideia e fez o que lhe sugeriram.

5 Em Susã morava um judeu chamado Mordecai, filho de Jair e descendente de Simei e de Quis, da tribo de Benjamim. 6 Quando o rei Nabucodonosor, da Babilônia, levou de Jerusalém como prisioneiro o rei Joaquim, de Judá, Mordecai estava entre os prisioneiros que foram levados com Joaquim. 7 Mordecai levou consigo a sua prima Hadassa, isto é, Ester, uma moça bonita e formosa. Os pais dela tinham morrido, e Mordecai havia adotado a menina e a tinha criado como se ela fosse sua filha.

8 Quando o rei mandou anunciar a ordem, muitas moças foram levadas para Susã, a capital, e entregues aos cuidados de Hegai, o chefe do harém do palácio. Uma dessas moças era Ester. 9 Hegai gostou dela, e ela conquistou a simpatia dele. Imediatamente ele começou a providenciar para ela o tratamento de beleza e a comida especial. Arranjou sete das melhores empregadas do palácio para cuidarem dela e colocou Ester e as empregadas nos melhores quartos do harém.

10 Ester fez conforme Mordecai tinha mandado e não disse nada a ninguém a respeito da sua raça e dos seus parentes. 11 Todos os dias Mordecai passeava em frente do pátio do harém para saber como Ester estava passando e o que ia acontecer com ela.

12 O tratamento de beleza das moças durava um ano; durante seis meses eram usados perfumes de mirra e, no resto do ano, outros perfumes e produtos de beleza. Terminado o tratamento, cada moça era levada ao rei Xerxes. 13 Quando chegava a sua vez de ir do harém até o palácio, cada moça tinha o direito de levar tudo o que quisesse. 14 À tarde, ela ia ao palácio, e na manhã seguinte ia para outro harém, e era entregue aos cuidados de Saasgaz, o eunuco responsável pelas concubinas do rei. Ela não voltava a se encontrar com o rei, a não ser que ele gostasse dela e mandasse chamá-la pelo nome.

15 Chegou a vez de Ester, filha de Abiail e prima de Mordecai, a moça que Mordecai tinha criado, a moça que conquistava a simpatia de todos os que a conheciam. Quando chegou a sua vez de se encontrar com o rei, ela levou somente aquilo que Hegai, o eunuco responsável pelo harém, havia recomendado. 16 Ester foi levada ao palácio para apresentar-se ao rei Xerxes no mês de tebete, o décimo mês do sétimo ano do seu reinado. 17 Ele gostou dela mais do que de qualquer outra moça, e ela conquistou a simpatia e a admiração dele como nenhuma outra moça havia feito. Ele colocou a coroa na cabeça dela e a fez rainha no lugar de Vasti. 18 Depois ele deu um grande banquete em honra de Ester e convidou todos os oficiais e servidores. Ele decretou que aquele dia fosse feriado no reino inteiro e distribuiu presentes que só um rei poderia oferecer.

19 Durante o tempo em que as moças estavam sendo transferidas para o outro harém, Mordecai tinha sido nomeado pelo rei para ocupar um cargo no governo. 20 Seguindo o conselho de Mordecai, Ester ainda não tinha dito a ninguém que era judia. Ela continuava a obedecer a Mordecai, como tinha feito nos tempos de menina, quando ele a estava criando.

21 Naqueles dias Mordecai, fazendo o seu serviço no palácio, ficou sabendo que Bigtã e Teres, dois eunucos que eram guardas no palácio, estavam zangados com o rei e planejavam matá-lo. 22 Aí Mordecai contou isso à rainha Ester, e ela disse ao rei o que Mordecai havia descoberto. 23 Houve uma investigação, e descobriu-se que era verdade; então os dois eunucos foram enforcados. E o rei ordenou que fosse registrado um relatório sobre isso no livro em que se escrevia a história do reino.

1 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.

2 Then said the young men of the king, who waited upon him,Let them seek out for the king young virgins, of pleasing appearance;

3 and let the king appoint officers throughout all the provinces of his kingdom, and let them gather together every young virgin of pleasing appearance unto Shusan the palace, unto the house of the women, into the custody of Hegai eunuch of the king, keeper of the women, and let there be given the things needed for their purification;

4 and, the maiden that is pleasing in the eyes of the king, let her be queen instead of Vashti. And the thing seemed good in the eyes of the king, and he did so.

5 A certain Jew, there was, in Shusan the palace,whose, name, was Mordecai, son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, a man of Benjamin;

6 who had been exiled from Jerusalem, with the exiles who were carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah,whom, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, exiled.

7 And it came to pass, that he was bringing up Hadassah, the same, was Esther, his uncles daughter, for she had neither father nor mother,and, the maiden, was of beautiful form and pleasing appearance, and when her father and mother died, Mordecai took her for his own daughter.

8 So it came to pass, when the kings command and decree was heard, and there had been gathered together many maidens unto Shusan the palace, unto the custody of Hegai, that Esther was taken into the house of the king, unto the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women;

9 and the maiden was pleasing in his eyes, and she received lovingkindness before him, and he hastened to give her, the things needed for her purification, and things apportioned her, and to give her, seven select maidens, out of the house of the king,and he removed her and her maidens to the best place in the house of the women.

10 Esther had not told of her people, nor of her kindred,for, Mordecai, had laid charge upon her, that she should not tell.

11 And, throughout every day, Mordecai, used to walk to and fro, before the court of the house of the women,to get to know the welfare of Esther, and what would be done with her.

12 Now, when the turn of each maiden came, to go in unto King Ahasuerus, after it had been done to her according to the law of the women for twelve months, for, so, were filled the days of their purification,six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with perfumes, and with things for the purification of the women,

13 then, indeed, the maiden came in unto the king,whatsoever she might mention, was given her, to go with her, out of the house of the women up to the house of the king:

14 in the evening, she went in, and, in the morning, she returnedunto the second house of the women, unto the custody of Shaashgaz the kings eunuch, who kept the concubines,she went not in again unto the king, except the king delighted in her, and she were called by name.

15 But, when the turn came for Esther daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecaiwho had taken her as his own daughterto go in unto the king, she requested nothing, save what Hegai the kings eunuch who kept the women might direct,but so it was, that Esther obtained favour in the eyes of all who beheld her.

16 So then Esther was taken unto King Ahasuerus, into his royal house, in the tenth month, the same, was the month Tebeth,in the seventh year of his reign.

17 And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained favour and lovingkindness before him, above 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 banquet, for all his rulers and his servants, the banquet of Esther,and, a remission, for all the provinces, made he, and gave a present, according to the bounty of a king.

19 Now, when virgins were gathered together second time, then, Mordecai, was sitting in the gate of the king.

20 Esther had not told of her kindred, nor her people, as, Mordecai, had laid charge upon her,and, the command of Mordecai, Esther performed, like as when she was being brought up with him.

21 In those days, when, Mordecai, was sitting in the gate of the king, Bigthan and Teresh, two of the eunuchs of the king who guarded the threshold, were wroth, and sought to thrust a hand upon King Ahasuerus;

22 but the thing became known to Mordecai, who told it unto Esther the queen,and Esther told it unto the king, in the name of Mordecai.

23 And, when the thing was searched into and found