Esther 2:1-18 - Esther Is Chosen Queen
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.