1 Depois disso, quando cessou a indignação do rei Xerxes, ele se lembrou de Vasti, do que ela havia feito e do que ele tinha decretado contra ela.
2 Então os conselheiros do rei sugeriram que se procurassem virgens lindas para o rei
3 e que se nomeassem comissários em cada província do império para trazer todas essas lindas moças ao harém da cidadela de Susã. Elas estariam sob os cuidados de Hegai, oficial responsável pelo harém; e deveriam receber tratamento de beleza.
4 A moça que mais agradasse o rei seria rainha no lugar de Vasti. Esse conselho agradou o rei, e ele o acatou.
5 Ora, na cidadela de Susã havia um judeu chamado Mardoqueu, da tribo de Benjamim, filho de Jair, neto de Simei e bisneto de Quis,
6 que fora levado de Jerusalém para o exílio por Nabucodonosor, rei da Babilônia, entre os que foram levados prisioneiros com Joaquim, rei de Judá.
7 Mardoqueu tinha uma prima chamada Hadassa, que havia sido criada por ele, por não ter pai nem mãe. Essa moça, também conhecida como Ester, era atraente e muito bonita, e Mardoqueu a havia tomado como filha quando o pai e a mãe dela morreram.
8 Quando a ordem e o decreto do rei foram proclamados, muitas moças foram trazidas à cidadela de Susã e colocadas sob os cuidados de Hegai. Ester também foi trazida ao palácio do rei e confiada a Hegai, encarregado do harém.
9 A moça o agradou e ele a favoreceu. Ele logo lhe providenciou tratamento de beleza e comida especial. Designou-lhe sete moças escolhidas do palácio do rei e transferiu-a, junto com suas jovens, para o melhor lugar do harém.
10 Ester não tinha revelado a que povo pertencia nem a origem da sua família, pois Mardoqueu a havia proibido de fazê-lo.
11 Diariamente ele caminhava de um lado para outro perto do pátio do harém, para saber como Ester estava e o que lhe estava acontecendo.
12 Antes de qualquer daquelas moças apresentar-se ao rei Xerxes, devia completar doze meses de tratamento de beleza prescritos para as mulheres, seis meses com óleo de mirra e seis meses com perfumes e cosméticos.
13 Quando ia apresentar-se ao rei, a moça recebia tudo o que quisesse levar consigo do harém para o palácio do rei.
14 À tarde ela ia para lá e de manhã voltava para outra parte do harém, que ficava sob os cuidados de Saasgaz, oficial responsável pelas concubinas. Ela não voltava ao rei, a menos que dela ele se agradasse e a mandasse chamar pelo nome.
15 Quando chegou a vez de Ester, a moça adotada por Mardoqueu, filha de seu tio Abiail, ela não pediu nada além daquilo que Hegai, oficial responsável pelo harém, sugeriu. Ester agradava a todos os que a viam.
16 Ela foi levada ao rei Xerxes, à residência real, no décimo mês, o mês de tebete, no sétimo ano do seu reinado.
17 Ora, o rei gostou mais de Ester do que de qualquer outra mulher, e ela foi favorecida por ele e ganhou sua aprovação mais do que qualquer das outras virgens. Então ele lhe colocou uma coroa real e tornou-a rainha no lugar de Vasti.
18 E o rei deu um grande banquete, o banquete de Ester, para todos os seus nobres e oficiais. Proclamou feriado em todas as províncias e distribuiu presentes por sua generosidade real.
19 Quando as virgens foram reunidas pela segunda vez, Mardoqueu estava sentado junto à porta do palácio real.
20 Ester havia mantido segredo sobre seu povo e sobre a origem de sua família, conforme a ordem de Mardoqueu, pois continuava a seguir as instruções de Mardoqueu, como fazia quando ainda estava sob sua tutela.
21 Um dia, quando Mardoqueu estava sentado junto à porta do palácio real, Bigtã e Teres, dois dos oficiais do rei que guardavam a entrada, estavam indignados e conspiravam para assassinar o rei Xerxes.
22 Mardoqueu, porém, descobriu o plano e contou-o à rainha Ester, que, por sua vez, passou a informação ao rei, em nome de Mardoqueu.
23 Depois de investigada a informação e descobrindo-se que era verdadeira, os dois funcionários foram enforcados. Tudo isso foi escrito nos registros históricos, na presença do rei.
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.