During that night the king could not sleep so he gave an order to bring the book of records, the chronicles, and they were read before the king.

Then said the king unto Esther, during the banquet of wine, What is thy petition, that it may be granted thee? - and what is thy request - -unto the half of the kingdom - that it may be performed?

Then said the king unto Esther, on the second day also, during the banquet of wine, What is thy petition, Queen Esther, that it may be granted thee? and what is thy request - unto the half of the kingdom - that it may be performed?

This is a record of what happened during the reign of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who ruled over 127 provinces from India to Cush.

During the year before each young woman’s turn to go to King Ahasuerus, the harem regulation required her to receive beauty treatments with oil of myrrh for six months and then with perfumes and cosmetics for another six months.

During those days while Mordecai was sitting at the King’s Gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two eunuchs who guarded the king’s entrance, became infuriated and planned to assassinate King Ahasuerus.

because during those days the Jews got rid of their enemies. That was the month when their sorrow was turned into rejoicing and their mourning into a holiday. They were to be days of feasting, rejoicing, and of sending gifts to one another and the poor.

and during every day Mordecai is walking up and down before the court of the house of the women to know the welfare of Esther, and what is done with her.

and all this is not profitable to me, during all the time that I am seeing Mordecai the Jew sitting in the gate of the king.'

Then Esther replied, “My petition and my request is this: