Esther 2

¹These things so done, after the indignation of king Assuerus was assuaged, he remembered Vasthi, & what she had done, or what she had suffered:

²and the king's servants and his ministers said: Let there be maidens sought for the king, virgins and beautiful,

³and let there be sent that may view through all Provinces beautiful maidens & virgins: and let them bring them to the city of Susan, and deliver them into the house of women under the hand of Egeus the eunuch, who is overseer of the king's women: and let them receive women's ornaments, and other things necessary to be used.

⁴And which so ever among all shall please the king's eyes, let her reign for Vasthi. The word pleased the king: and so as they had suggested, he commanded to be done.

⁵There was a man in the city of Susan a Jew, named Mardocheus, the son of Jair, the son of Semei, the son of Cis, of the stock of Jemini,

⁶who had been transported from Jerusalem the same time that Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon transported Jechonias the king of Juda,

⁷who was the foster-father of his brother's daughter Edissa, which by another name was called Esther: & she had lost both her parents: exceeding beautiful, and of comely face. And her father and mother being dead, Mardocheus adopted her for his daughter.

⁸And when the king's commandment was bruited abroad, and according to his commandment many fair virgins were brought to Susan, and were delivered to Egeus the eunuch: Esther also among the rest of the maidens was delivered to him, that she might be kept in the number of the women.

⁹Who pleased him, and found grace in his sight. And he commanded the eunuch, that he should hasten the women's ornaments, and should deliver her her parts, and seven the most beautiful maidens of the king's house, and should adorn and deck both her and her waiting maids.

¹⁰Who would not tell him her people & country. For Mardocheus had commanded her, that of this thing she should altogether keep silence:

¹¹who walked daily before the entrance of the house, wherein the chosen virgins were kept, taking care of Esther's welfare, and desirous to know what should chance unto her.

¹²And when the time of every virgin in order was come, that they should go in to the king, all things accomplished that pertained to women's ornaments, it was the twelfth month: yet so, that for six months they were anointed with oil of myrtle, and other six months they used certain paintings & sweet spices.

¹³And going in to the king, what soever they asked that pertained to adorning, they received: and being trimmed, as it pleased them, they passed from the chamber of the women to the king's chamber.

¹⁴And she that went in at evening, came out in the morning, and from thence she was brought to the second house, that was under the hand of Susagazus the eunuch, who was chief over the king's concubines: neither had she power to return any more to the king, unless the king had willed, and had commanded her to come by name.

¹⁵And the time by order coming about, the day was at hand that Esther the daughter of Abihail the brother of Mardocheus, whom he had adopted for his daughter, should go in to the king. Who sought not women's ornaments, but whatsoever Egeus the eunuch the keeper of the virgins would, those things he gave her to her adorning. For she was exceeding fair, and of incredible beauty, she seemed to all men's eyes gracious and amiable.

¹⁶She therefore was brought to the chamber of king Assuerus the tenth month, which is called Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.

¹⁷And the king loved her more than all the women, and she had grace and mercy before him above all the women, and he put the crown of the Kingdom on her head, and made her reign in stead of Vasthi.

¹⁸And he commanded a very magnifical feast to be prepared to all the Princes, and to his servants, for the conjunction and marriage of Esther. And gave rest to all the Provinces, and bestowed gifts according to princely magnificence.

¹⁹And when virgins were sought the second time and gathered together, Mardocheus tarried at the king's gate:

²⁰neither had Esther as yet uttered her country, & people, according to his commandment. For whatsoever he commanded, Esther observed: & she did all things so as she was wont at that time, when he nourished her a little one.

²¹At that time therefore, when Mardocheus abode at the king's gate, Bagathan & Thares were angry, two of the king's eunuchs, that were porters, & were chief in the first entry of the palace: and they would make insurrection against the king, and kill him.

²²Whereof Mardocheus got notice, & immediately he told it to queen Esther: & she to the king in the name of Mardocheus, who had reported the thing unto her.

²³It was examined and found: and they were both hanged on a gibbet. And it was put in the histories, and registered in the chronicles before the king.