Esther 2
King Ahasuerus collects virgins to replace the queen
After King Ahasuerus’s anger had subsided, he remembered what Vashti had done and the decree he made against her. The king’s young servants said, “You should find some beautiful young virgins for yourself. Station officers all throughout your kingdom to bring all the beautiful young virgins to the Susa citadel with the rest of your wives and concubines. Hegai (your castrated servant) will guard them. Give them plenty of makeup and whichever one pleases you most can be queen in Vashti’s place.” The king liked this idea, so that’s what he did.
There was a Jew in Susa’s citadel named Mordecai (son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish the Benjaminite). He had been taken captive from Jerusalem with Jeconiah (Judah’s king) by Babylon’s King Nebuchadnezzar. He was raising his cousin Hadassah (Esther) since she didn’t have parents. She was a beautiful young woman with a lovely figure, and when her parents died Mordecai took her as his own daughter. So when the king’s decree went out, Esther was brought to Susa’s citadel with the rest of the young women.
Esther pleased the king and won his favor. He gave her make-up, food, seven young woman from the king’s palace, and gave them the best spot in the building. Esther kept her heritage secret just like Mordecai had instructed her. Every day Mordecai walked by the building to find out how Esther was and what was happening to her.
The women were beautified for an entire year: 6 months of oil and myrrh plus 6 months of spices and ointments. After their year of beautification had been completed, each young woman had to take turns sleeping with King Ahasuerus. Each young woman could take whatever she wanted with her from their building to the king’s palace. She would visit the king in the evening, and she would be taken to the concubine’s building in the evening (which was managed by the king’s castrated servant, Shaashgaz). She wouldn’t sleep with the king again unless he delighted in her and she was summoned by name.
Esther becomes queen
When Esther’s (Abihail’s daughter) turn came to sleep with the king, she didn’t bring anything with her except for what was suggested by Hegai (the king’s castrated guard who was in charge of the women). Now Esther won the favor of anyone who saw her. When she went to King Ahasuerus’s royal palce in the 10th month (which is the month of Tebeth) in the 7th year of his reign, the king loved Esther more than all the other women. He favored her so much more than the other virgins that he crowned her queen in Vashti’s place. Then the king held a huge feast for all his officials and servants—it was Esther’s feast. He also waived the taxes throughout his provinces and instead gave generous royal gifts.
Mordecai saves king from schemers
When the virgins were gathered together a second time, Mordecai was sitting by the king’s gate. Esther still hadn’t revealed her heritage, because she still listened to him as if he was still raising her. As he was sitting by the gate, Bigthan and Teresh (two of the king’s castrated guards) became angry and wanted to seize King Ahasuerus. Mordecai realized this and told Queen Esther who then told the king. After investigation, the rumors were confirmed and the men were both hanged. This event was recorded in the chronicles in front of the king.
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