1 After these things, when the wrath of King Ahasuerus was pacified, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her. 2 Then the king’s servants who served him said, "Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king. 3 Let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the beautiful young virgins to the citadel of Susa, to the women’s house, to the custody of Hegai the king’s eunuch, keeper of the women. Let cosmetics be given them; 4 and let the maiden who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti." The thing pleased the king, and he did so.

5 There was a certain Jew in the citadel of Susa 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 He brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle’s daughter; for she had neither father nor mother. The maiden was fair and beautiful; and when her father and mother were dead, Mordecai took her for his own daughter.

8 So, when the king’s commandment and his decree was heard, and when many maidens were gathered together to the citadel of Susa, to the custody of Hegai, Esther was taken into the king’s house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women. 9 The maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness from him. He quickly gave her cosmetics and her portions of food, and the seven choice maidens who were to be given her out of the king’s house. He moved her and her maidens to the best place in the women’s house. 10 Esther had not made known her people nor her relatives, because Mordecai had instructed her that she should not make it known. 11 Mordecai walked every day in front of the court of the women’s house, to find out how Esther was doing, and what would become of her.

12 Each young woman’s turn came to go in to King Ahasuerus after her purification for twelve months (for so were the days of their purification accomplished, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet fragrances and with preparations for beautifying women). 13 The young woman then came to the king like this: whatever she desired was given her to go with her out of the women’s house to the king’s house. 14 In the evening she went, and on the next day she returned into the second women’s house, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch, who kept the concubines. She came in to the king no more, unless the king delighted in her, and she was 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, came to go in to the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king’s eunuch, the keeper of the women, advised. Esther obtained favor in the sight of all those who looked at her.

16 So Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus into his royal house in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign. 17 The king loved Esther more than all the women, and she obtained favor and kindness in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown on her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.

18 Then the king made a great feast for all his princes and his servants, even Esther’s feast; and he proclaimed a holiday in the provinces, and gave gifts according to the king’s bounty.

19 When the virgins were gathered together the second time, Mordecai was sitting in the king’s gate. 20 Esther had not yet made known her relatives nor her people, as Mordecai had commanded her; for Esther obeyed Mordecai, like she did when she was brought up by him. 21 In those days, while Mordecai was sitting in the king’s gate, two of the king’s eunuchs, Bigthan and Teresh, who were doorkeepers, were angry, and sought to lay hands on the King Ahasuerus. 22 This thing became known to Mordecai, who informed Esther the queen; and Esther informed the king in Mordecai’s name. 23 When this matter was investigated, and it was found to be so, they were both hanged on a gallows; and it was written in the book of the chronicles in the king’s presence.

1 Passadas estas 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 servos do rei, que lhe serviam: Busquem-se para o rei moças virgens e formosas.

3 E ponha o rei oficiais em todas as províncias do seu reino, que ajuntem a todas as moças virgens e formosas, na fortaleza de Susã, na casa das mulheres, aos cuidados de Hegai, camareiro do rei, guarda das mulheres, e dêem-se-lhes os seus enfeites.

4 E a moça que parecer bem aos olhos do rei, reine em lugar de Vasti. E isto pareceu bem aos olhos do rei, e ele 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, o qual transportara Nabucodonosor, rei de babilônia.

7 Este criara a Hadassa (que é Ester, filha de seu tio), porque não tinha pai nem mãe; e era jovem bela de presença e formosa; e, morrendo seu pai e sua mãe, Mardoqueu a tomara por sua filha.

8 Sucedeu que, divulgando-se o mandado do rei e a sua lei, e ajuntando-se muitas moças na fortaleza de Susã, aos cuidados de Hegai, também levaram Ester à casa do rei, sob a custódia de Hegai, guarda das mulheres.

9 E a moça pareceu formosa aos seus olhos, e alcançou graça perante ele; por isso se apressou a dar-lhe os seus enfeites, e os seus quinhões, 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 a vez de cada moça, para vir ao rei Assuero, depois que fora feito a ela 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, vinha a moça ao rei; dava-se-lhe tudo quanto ela desejava, para levar consigo da casa das mulheres à casa do rei;

14 À tarde entrava, e pela manhã tornava à segunda casa das mulheres, sob os cuidados de Saasgaz, camareiro do rei, guarda das concubinas; não tornava mais ao rei, salvo se o rei a desejasse, e fosse chamada pelo 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, camareiro 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 sua 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 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 deu um grande banquete a todos os seus príncipes e aos seus servos; era o banquete de Ester; e deu alívio às províncias, e fez presentes segundo a generosidade 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 camareiros do rei, dos guardas da porta, Bigtã e Teres, grandemente se indignaram, e procuraram atentar contra o rei Assuero.

22 E veio isto 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 pendurados numa forca; e foi escrito nas crônicas perante o rei.