1 Some|strong="H1697" time|strong="H5921" later, when|strong="H6213" the|strong="H5921" wrath|strong="H2534" of|strong="H4428" King|strong="H4428" Ahasuerus had|strong="H4428" subsided|strong="H7918", he|strong="H6213" remembered|strong="H2142" what|strong="H1697" Vashti|strong="H2060" had|strong="H4428" done|strong="H6213" and|strong="H4428" what|strong="H1697" had|strong="H4428" been|strong="H2142" decreed|strong="H1504" against|strong="H5921" her|strong="H5921".
2 Then|strong="H4428" the|strong="H1245" king|strong="H4428"’s servants|strong="H5288" who|strong="H5288" waited|strong="H8334" upon|strong="H4758" him|strong="H1245" said, ‘Let beautiful|strong="H2896" young|strong="H5288" virgins|strong="H1330" be|strong="H4428" sought|strong="H1245" for|strong="H4428" the|strong="H1245" king|strong="H4428",
3 and|strong="H4428" let|strong="H5414" the|strong="H3605" king|strong="H4428" appoint|strong="H6485" commissioners to|strong="H5414" all|strong="H3605" the|strong="H3605" provinces|strong="H4082" of|strong="H4428" his|strong="H3605" kingdom|strong="H4438" to|strong="H5414" gather|strong="H6908" them|strong="H5414" all|strong="H3605" to|strong="H5414" Susa|strong="H7800" the|strong="H3605" royal|strong="H4438" residence|strong="H1004". Let|strong="H5414" them|strong="H5414" be|strong="H3027" brought|strong="H5414" into|strong="H3027" the|strong="H3605" women|strong="H1330"’s quarters|strong="H1004" under|strong="H3027" the|strong="H3605" custody|strong="H3027" of|strong="H4428" Hegai|strong="H1896", the|strong="H3605" king|strong="H4428"’s eunuch|strong="H5631", who|strong="H3605" has|strong="H4428" charge|strong="H3027" of|strong="H4428" the|strong="H3605" women|strong="H1330". Then|strong="H5414" give|strong="H5414" them|strong="H5414" what|strong="H2896" is|strong="H3027" needed to|strong="H5414" make|strong="H5414" them|strong="H5414" beautiful|strong="H2896",
4 and|strong="H4428" let|strong="H3651" the|strong="H6213" girl|strong="H5291" who|strong="H4428" pleases|strong="H5869" the|strong="H6213" king|strong="H4428" be|strong="H1697" queen|strong="H4427" instead|strong="H8478" of|strong="H4428" Vashti|strong="H2060".’ The|strong="H6213" proposal|strong="H1697" pleased|strong="H3190" the|strong="H6213" king|strong="H4428" so|strong="H3651" he|strong="H3651" put|strong="H6213" it|strong="H6213" into|strong="H6213" action|strong="H6213".
5 In|strong="H1121" Susa|strong="H7800" the|strong="H1961" royal residence lived|strong="H1961" a|strong="H3068" Jew|strong="H3064" named|strong="H8034" Mordecai|strong="H4782". He|strong="H4782" was|strong="H8034" son|strong="H1121" of|strong="H1121" Jair|strong="H2971", son|strong="H1121" of|strong="H1121" Shimei|strong="H8096", son|strong="H1121" of|strong="H1121" Kish|strong="H7027", a|strong="H3068" Benjamite|strong="H1145".
6 (Kish had|strong="H4428" been carried|strong="H1540" away|strong="H1540" from|strong="H1540" Jerusalem|strong="H3389" with|strong="H5973" the|strong="H5973" exiles|strong="H1473" who|strong="H3063" were|strong="H3063" deported|strong="H1540" with|strong="H5973" Jeconiah|strong="H3204" king|strong="H4428" of|strong="H4428" Judah|strong="H3063", whom Nebuchadnezzar|strong="H5019" the|strong="H5973" king|strong="H4428" of|strong="H4428" Babylon took|strong="H4428" captive|strong="H1540".)
7 Mordecai|strong="H4782" had|strong="H1961" adopted Hadassah|strong="H1919", that|strong="H3588" is|strong="H1931", Esther, his|strong="H3947" uncle|strong="H1730"’s daughter|strong="H1323", since|strong="H3588" she|strong="H1931" had|strong="H1961" neither father nor|strong="H8389" mother. The|strong="H3588" girl|strong="H5291" was|strong="H1961" shapely and|strong="H2896" beautiful|strong="H3303"; and|strong="H2896" after|strong="H1961" her|strong="H3947" father and|strong="H2896" mother died|strong="H4194", Mordecai|strong="H4782" raised her|strong="H3947" as|strong="H1961" if|strong="H3588" she|strong="H1931" was|strong="H1961" his|strong="H3947" own|strong="H1961" daughter|strong="H1323".
8 When|strong="H1961" the|strong="H8085" king|strong="H4428"’s command|strong="H1697" and|strong="H4428" decree|strong="H1881" were|strong="H1961" known|strong="H8085", many|strong="H7227" girls|strong="H5291" were|strong="H1961" gathered|strong="H6908" together|strong="H6908" to|strong="H1961" Susa|strong="H7800" the|strong="H8085" capital under|strong="H3027" the|strong="H8085" custody|strong="H3027" of|strong="H4428" Hegai|strong="H1896". Esther was|strong="H1961" also|strong="H3027" taken|strong="H3947" into|strong="H3027" the|strong="H8085" king|strong="H4428"’s palace|strong="H1004" and|strong="H4428" placed|strong="H3947" under|strong="H3027" the|strong="H8085" custody|strong="H3027" of|strong="H4428" Hegai|strong="H1896", who|strong="H8104" had|strong="H1961" charge|strong="H3027" of|strong="H4428" the|strong="H8085" women|strong="H5291".
9 The|strong="H6440" girl|strong="H5291" pleased|strong="H3190" him|strong="H5414" and|strong="H4428" gained his|strong="H5375" favour|strong="H6440", so|strong="H5414" that|strong="H7200" he|strong="H1004" quickly gave|strong="H5414" her|strong="H5414" the|strong="H6440" cosmetics|strong="H8562" she|strong="H6440" needed to|strong="H5414" enhance her|strong="H5414" beauty and|strong="H4428" her|strong="H5414" allowance of|strong="H4428" food|strong="H1004" and|strong="H4428" the|strong="H6440" seven|strong="H7651" maids|strong="H5291" selected|strong="H7200" from|strong="H6440" the|strong="H6440" king|strong="H4428"’s household|strong="H1004". He|strong="H1004" also|strong="H4428" transferred her|strong="H5414" and|strong="H4428" her|strong="H5414" maids|strong="H5291" to|strong="H5414" the|strong="H6440" best|strong="H2896" place|strong="H5414" in|strong="H1004" the|strong="H6440" harem|strong="H1004".
10 Esther had|strong="H3588" not|strong="H3808" revealed her|strong="H5046" people|strong="H5971" nor|strong="H3808" her|strong="H5046" family background because|strong="H3588" Mordecai|strong="H4782" had|strong="H3588" ordered|strong="H6680" her|strong="H5046" not|strong="H3808" to|strong="H5921".
11 Every|strong="H3605" day|strong="H3117" Mordecai|strong="H4782" would|strong="H6213" walk|strong="H1980" in|strong="H1980" front|strong="H6440" of|strong="H1004" the|strong="H3605" courtyard|strong="H2691" of|strong="H1004" the|strong="H3605" harem|strong="H1004" and|strong="H1980" ask after|strong="H3117" Esther’s health|strong="H7965" and|strong="H1980" what|strong="H4100" was|strong="H3117" happening to|strong="H1980" her|strong="H3605".
12 The|strong="H3588" girls|strong="H5291" were|strong="H1961" prepared for|strong="H3588" meeting King|strong="H4428" Ahasuerus for|strong="H3588" twelve|strong="H8147" months|strong="H2320": six|strong="H8337" months|strong="H2320" being|strong="H1961" treated with|strong="H4390" oil|strong="H8081" of|strong="H4428" myrrh|strong="H4753" and|strong="H4428" six|strong="H8337" months|strong="H2320" with|strong="H4390" perfumes and|strong="H4428" cosmetics|strong="H8562". After|strong="H7093" the|strong="H3588" twelve|strong="H8147" months|strong="H2320",
13 each|strong="H3605" girl|strong="H5291" went|strong="H4428" in|strong="H1004" to|strong="H5704" the|strong="H3605" king|strong="H4428". She|strong="H5704" was|strong="H4428" allowed|strong="H5414" to|strong="H5704" take|strong="H5414" with|strong="H5973" her|strong="H3605" whatever|strong="H3605" she|strong="H5704" wished from|strong="H5704" the|strong="H3605" women|strong="H5291"’s quarters|strong="H1004",
14 and|strong="H7725" would|strong="H2654" enter the|strong="H3588" palace|strong="H1004" in|strong="H1004" the|strong="H3588" evening|strong="H6153" and|strong="H7725" return|strong="H7725" the|strong="H3588" next|strong="H3027" morning|strong="H1242" to|strong="H7725" another|strong="H8145" part|strong="H3027" of|strong="H4428" the|strong="H3588" harem|strong="H1004" under|strong="H3027" the|strong="H3588" care|strong="H3027" of|strong="H4428" the|strong="H3588" king|strong="H4428"’s eunuch|strong="H5631" Shaashgaz|strong="H8190" who|strong="H1931" was|strong="H8034" in|strong="H1004" charge|strong="H3027" of|strong="H4428" concubines|strong="H6370". She|strong="H1931" would|strong="H2654" not|strong="H3808" go|strong="H7725" to|strong="H7725" the|strong="H3588" king|strong="H4428" again|strong="H7725" unless|strong="H3588" he|strong="H1931" desired|strong="H2654" her|strong="H7121" and|strong="H7725" summoned|strong="H7121" her|strong="H7121" by|strong="H3027" name|strong="H8034".
15 When|strong="H3588" it|strong="H3588" was|strong="H1961" the|strong="H3605" turn|strong="H8447" of|strong="H4428" Esther (the|strong="H3605" girl|strong="H1323" adopted by|strong="H1961" Mordecai|strong="H4782", daughter|strong="H1323" of|strong="H4428" his|strong="H3605" uncle|strong="H1730" Abihail) to|strong="H1961" go|strong="H1961" in|strong="H4428" to|strong="H1961" the|strong="H3605" king|strong="H4428", she|strong="H3588" only|strong="H3588" took|strong="H3947" with|strong="H1697" her|strong="H3605" those|strong="H3605" things|strong="H1697" that|strong="H3588" Hegai|strong="H1896", the|strong="H3605" king|strong="H4428"’s eunuch|strong="H5631" in|strong="H4428" charge|strong="H8104" of|strong="H4428" the|strong="H3605" women|strong="H1323", had|strong="H1961" advised her|strong="H3605" to|strong="H1961" take|strong="H3947". Esther was|strong="H1961" liked|strong="H5869" by|strong="H1961" all|strong="H3605" who|strong="H3605" saw|strong="H7200" her|strong="H3605".
16 Esther was|strong="H1931" taken|strong="H3947" to|strong="H4428" King|strong="H4428" Ahasuerus in|strong="H8141" the|strong="H3947" royal|strong="H4438" palace|strong="H1004" in|strong="H8141" the|strong="H3947" tenth|strong="H6224" month|strong="H2320", the|strong="H3947" month|strong="H2320" of|strong="H4428" Tebeth|strong="H2887", in|strong="H8141" the|strong="H3947" seventh|strong="H7651" year|strong="H8141" of|strong="H4428" his|strong="H3947" reign|strong="H4438".
17 And|strong="H4428" the|strong="H3605" king|strong="H4428" loved her|strong="H3605" more than|strong="H4428" all|strong="H3605" the|strong="H3605" other|strong="H3605" women|strong="H1330", and|strong="H4428" she|strong="H6440" became|strong="H4427" his|strong="H3605" favourite and|strong="H4428" won his|strong="H3605" affection. He|strong="H3605" placed|strong="H7760" the|strong="H3605" royal|strong="H4438" diadem on|strong="H7760" her|strong="H3605" head|strong="H7218" and|strong="H4428" made|strong="H7760" her|strong="H3605" queen|strong="H4427" instead|strong="H8478" of|strong="H4428" Vashti|strong="H2060".
18 Then|strong="H5414" the|strong="H3605" king|strong="H4428" gave|strong="H5414" a|strong="H3068" great|strong="H1419" feast|strong="H4960" to|strong="H6213" all|strong="H3605" his|strong="H3605" officials|strong="H8269" and|strong="H4428" courtiers in|strong="H6213" honour of|strong="H4428" Esther, and|strong="H4428" he|strong="H6213" remitted the|strong="H3605" taxes of|strong="H4428" the|strong="H3605" provinces|strong="H4082" and|strong="H4428" distributed gifts|strong="H4864" with|strong="H6213" royal|strong="H4428" liberality.
19 All|strong="H6908" the|strong="H6908" time|strong="H8145" the|strong="H6908" virgins|strong="H1330" were|strong="H4428" assembled|strong="H6908" again|strong="H8145", Mordecai|strong="H4782" was|strong="H4428" sitting|strong="H3427" as|strong="H3427" an|strong="H3427" official at|strong="H3427" the|strong="H6908" king|strong="H4428"’s gate|strong="H8179".
20 Esther had|strong="H1961" not|strong="H6213" revealed her|strong="H5046" people|strong="H5971" or|strong="H6213" family background because|strong="H5921" she|strong="H5921" still|strong="H5971" obeyed him|strong="H5921" as|strong="H1961" she|strong="H5921" had|strong="H1961" when|strong="H1961" he|strong="H6213" was|strong="H1961" bringing her|strong="H5046" up|strong="H5921".
21 In|strong="H3427" those|strong="H1992" days|strong="H3117" while|strong="H3117" Mordecai|strong="H4782" was|strong="H3117" sitting|strong="H3427" in|strong="H3427" the|strong="H8104" king|strong="H4428"’s gate|strong="H8179", two|strong="H8147" of|strong="H4428" the|strong="H8104" royal|strong="H4428" court|strong="H8179" attendants, Bigthan and|strong="H7971" Teresh|strong="H8657", who|strong="H3427" guarded|strong="H8104" the|strong="H8104" entrance|strong="H8179" of|strong="H4428" the|strong="H8104" palace, became|strong="H7107" enraged|strong="H7107" and|strong="H7971" attempted to|strong="H7971" kill King|strong="H4428" Ahasuerus.
22 But|strong="H4428" Mordecai|strong="H4782" learned|strong="H3045" of|strong="H4428" the|strong="H3045" conspiracy and|strong="H4428" disclosed|strong="H5046" it|strong="H3045" to|strong="H4428" Queen|strong="H4436" Esther, and|strong="H4428" she told|strong="H5046" the|strong="H3045" king|strong="H4428" on|strong="H1697" Mordecai|strong="H4782"’s behalf|strong="H8034".
23 When|strong="H3117" the|strong="H6440" affair|strong="H1697" was|strong="H1697" investigated|strong="H1245" and|strong="H4428" the|strong="H6440" facts discovered|strong="H4672", the|strong="H6440" conspirators|strong="H8518" were|strong="H3117" both|strong="H8147" hanged|strong="H8518" on|strong="H5921" the|strong="H6440" gallows|strong="H6086". The|strong="H6440" incident was|strong="H1697" recorded|strong="H3789" in|strong="H5921" the|strong="H6440" presence|strong="H6440" of|strong="H4428" the|strong="H6440" king|strong="H4428" in|strong="H5921" the|strong="H6440" daily|strong="H3117" record|strong="H3789" of|strong="H4428" events|strong="H1697".