Esther 2
A Jewish Girl Who Did Not Tell Her People
← Esther 1 · Esther: all chapters · Esther 3 →
A Search for Young Women
2:1After these events the king’s anger subsided, and he no longer remembered Astin, remembering what she had said and how he had condemned her.
2:2The king’s attendants said, “Let young women who have not been defiled, beautiful in appearance, be sought for the king.
2:3The king shall appoint village rulers in all the territories of his kingdom, and let them select beautiful young virgins for the women’s quarters in the city of Susa. Let them be handed over to the king’s eunuch, the guardian of the women, and let cleansing ointment and the rest of their care be provided.
2:4The woman who pleases the king shall reign as queen in Astin’s place.” The matter pleased the king, and he did so.
Mordecai and His Foster Child Esther
2:5There was a Jewish man in the city of Susa named Mordecai son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin,
2:6who was a captive from Jerusalem, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had taken captive.
2:7He had a foster child, the daughter of Aminadab, his father’s brother, and her name was Esther. When her parents died, he brought her up for himself as a wife. The young woman was beautiful in appearance.
Esther in the Care of Gai
2:8When the king’s command was heard, many young women were gathered into the care of Gai in the city of Susa, and Esther was brought to Gai, the guardian of the women.
2:9The young woman pleased him and found favor before him. He hurried to give her the cleansing ointment, her portion of food, and the seven young women assigned to her from the royal household. He treated her and her maids well in the women’s quarters.
2:10Esther did not disclose her ancestry or her homeland, for Mordecai had commanded her not to report them.
2:11Every day Mordecai walked about the women’s court, watching to see what would happen to Esther.
The Time to Enter the King’s Presence
2:12This was the time for a young woman to enter the king’s presence: when she had completed twelve months. For thus the days of treatment were completed, with the women anointing themselves for six months with myrrh oil and for six months with spices and women’s cleansing ointments.
2:13Then she entered the king’s presence. Whatever she requested would be handed over to her to accompany her from the women’s quarters to the royal quarters.
2:14In the evening she entered, and toward daybreak she went back to the second women’s quarters, where Gai, the king’s eunuch and guardian of the women, was. She did not enter the king’s presence again unless summoned by name.
Esther Made Queen
2:15When the time was completed for Esther daughter of Aminadab, the brother of Mordecai’s father, to enter the king’s presence, she disregarded none of the instructions the eunuch, the guardian of the women, gave her. For Esther was finding favor with everyone who saw her.
2:16Esther entered the presence of King Artaxerxes in the twelfth month, which is Adar, in the seventh year of his reign.
2:17The king fell in love with Esther, and she found favor above all the virgins. He put the queen’s diadem on her.
2:18The king held a drinking feast for all his friends and his forces for seven days. He celebrated Esther’s marriage splendidly and granted a remission to those under his rule.
Mordecai Uncovers the Eunuchs’ Plot
2:19Mordecai was serving in the court.
2:20Esther did not disclose her homeland. For Mordecai had instructed her in this way: to fear God and carry out His commands, as when she was with him. Esther did not change her way of life.
2:21The king’s two eunuchs who were chief bodyguards were grieved because Mordecai had been promoted, and they sought to kill King Artaxerxes.
2:22The matter was made known to Mordecai, and he informed Esther; she disclosed the plot to the king.
2:23The king examined the two eunuchs and hung them. The king ordered a commendation of Mordecai’s loyalty to be entered as a memorial in the royal library.
← Esther 1 · Esther: all chapters · Esther 3 →
Saints Translation · Liturgical reading edition · V1 · working draft awaiting specialist review.