Esther 2:1-23
1 After these things, when the wrath of king Ahasuerus was appeased, 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 fair young virgins sought for the king:
3 And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the fair young virgins unto Shushan the palace, to the house of the women, unto the custody of Hege the king's chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their things for purification be given them:
4 And let the maiden which pleaseth the king be queen instead of Vashti. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.
5 Now in Shushan the palace 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 captivity which had been carried away with Jeconiaha king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away.
7 And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for 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 palace, 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 things for purification, with such things as belonged to her, and seven maidens, which were meet to be given her, out of the king's house: and he preferred her and her maids unto the best place of the house of the women.
10 Esther had not shewed her people nor her kindred: for Mordecai had charged her that she should not shew it.
11 And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women's house, to knowb how Esther did, and what should become of her.
12 Now when every maid's turn was come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after that she had been twelve months, according to the manner of the women, (for so were the days of their purifications accomplished, to wit, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odours, and with other things for the purifying of the 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 on the morrow she returned into the second house of the women, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king's chamberlain, which 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 chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed. And Esther obtained favour in the sight of all them that looked upon her.
16 So Esther was taken unto king Ahasuerus into his house royal in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.
17 And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favourc 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 released to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the state of the king.
19 And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, then Mordecai sat in the king's gate.
20 Esther had not yet shewed her kindred nor her people; as Mordecai had charged her: for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him.
21 In those days, while Mordecai sat in the king's gate, two of the king's chamberlains, Bigthane and Teresh, of those which kept the door, were wroth, and sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus.
22 And the thing was known to Mordecai, who told it unto Esther the queen; and Esther certified the king thereof in Mordecai's name.
23 And when inquisition was made of the matter, it was found out; therefore they were both hanged on a tree: and it was written in the book of the chronicles before the king.
And so, after these things, the wrath of king Ahasuerus was appeased, and he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her. Then said the king's servant that ministered unto him, Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king (Esther 2:1-2):
Now, the feast that he had was the feast in preparation of his unsuccessful invasion of Greece and before two of the great battles of history. This feast was sort of in preparation of that, so that between Chapter s 1 and 2 he then went off on this expedition against Greece. And so between the two Chapter s there is a lapse of about four years' time. And so he went on this unsuccessful adventure against Greece, and he has now returned and settling back at home again. And he remembers Vashti and probably begins to miss her a bit, and so his servant said, "Hey, why don't you have a beauty contest, Miss Persia."
and gathered together all of the beautiful young virgins in the kingdom,... [and let them come before the king] and whichever one pleases the king the most let her become the queen in place of Vashti (Esther 2:3-4).
And so, there was in Shushan, which was the winter capital of Persia, and there the king had his winter palace. It got too hot in the summertime; he had a different summer palace, but it was a great place for a winter palace. There was there in the city a young girl whose name was Esther. She was a Jew, and her cousin Mordecai who was actually a descendant of the same family of Saul, a Benjamite.
And he had raised Esther, his uncle's daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and Esther was very beautiful, very fair; and after her father and mother died, he took her as his own daughter. So it came to pass, when the king's commandment and decree was heard, when many of the young girls were gathered together unto Shushan the palace, to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was brought also unto the king's house, to the custody of Hegai, the keeper of the women. And she pleased him, and obtained kindness of him; and he speedily gave her the things for purification, with such things as belonged to her, and seven maidens, which were necessary for her, out of the king's house: and he preferred her and her maids unto the best place of the house of the women. For Esther had not showed her nationality nor her family: for Mordecai [her cousin] had charged her that she should not show it. Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women's house, to know how Esther was faring, and what had become of her. Now when every maid's turn was come to go into king Ahasuerus, after that she had been for twelve months, according to the manner of women, (so were the days of their purification accomplished, they spent six months bathing with oils of myrrh, and six months with sweet odors, and with other things for the purifying of the women,) (Esther 2:7-12)
Can you imagine a beauty shop of that caliber, spending twelve months to fix you up?
And afterwards then it came every maiden unto the king; and whatsoever she desired was given her to go with her out of the house of the women unto the king's house (Esther 2:13).
So they were brought in and spent an evening with the king, and then they were placed in the harem. They were not called; they were just taken care of and all as part of the king's harem. But they may never see the king again, unless he was pleased and would call them back. But they just became a part of the harem.
Now when it came Esther's turn to come into the king she required nothing special only that which Hegai the king's chamberlain, told her that she should wear (Esther 2:15).
As far as the apparel, she just left it up to him. And Esther obtained favor in the sight of all those that looked upon her.
And Esther was taken unto the king Ahasuerus into the house royal in the tenth month, which is the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign. And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he had set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti. Then the king made a great feast unto all of his princes, all of his servants, even Esther's feast; and he made a release to the provinces, he gave gifts, according to the state of the king. And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, then Mordecai sat at the king's gate. And Esther had not yet showed her family nor her people, as Mordecai had charged her: for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, like when she was brought up with him (Esther 2:16-20).
Now it so happened that in those days Mordecai was hanging around the gates and he heard a couple of the king's servants plotting to assassinate the king.
And so Mordecai, reported to Esther; and Esther certified [or told] the king using Mordecai's name. And so they had a big inquiry [and they found out that the assassination plot was for real]; therefore the two men [who were plotting against the king] were hanged on a tree: and it was recorded in the chronicles of the king (Esther 2:22-23). "