Esther 2

Esther Becomes Queen

2But after Xerxes' anger had subsided, he began thinking about Vashti and what she had done and the decree he had made.H310H1697H2534H4428H325H7918H2142H2060H6213H15042So his personal attendants suggested, "Let us search the empire to find beautiful young virgins for the king.H559H4428H5288H8334H2896H4758H5291H1330H1245H44283Let the king appoint agents in each province to bring these beautiful young women into the royal harem at the fortress of Susa. Hegai, the king's eunuch in charge of the harem, will see that they are all given beauty treatments.H4428H6485H6496H4082H4438H6908H2896H4758H5291H1330H7800H1002H1004H802H3027H1896H4428H5631H8104H802H8562H54144After that, the young woman who most pleases the king will be made queen instead of Vashti." This advice was very appealing to the king, so he put the plan into effect.H5291H3190H5869H4428H4427H2060H1697H3190H5869H4428H62135At that time there was a Jewish man in the fortress of Susa whose name was Mordecai son of Jair. He was from the tribe of Benjamin and was a descendant of Kish and Shimei.H7800H1002H376H3064H8034H4782H1121H2971H1121H8096H1121H7027H11456His family

had been among those who, with King Jehoiachin of Judah, had been exiled from Jerusalem to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar.H1540H3389H1473H1540H3204H4428H3063H5019H4428H894H15407This man had a very beautiful and lovely young cousin, Hadassah, who was also called Esther. When her father and mother died, Mordecai adopted her into his family and raised her as his own daughter.H539H1919H635H1730H1323H1H517H5291H3303H8389H2896H4758H4782H1H517H4194H3947H13238As a result of the king's decree, Esther, along with many other young women, was brought to the king's harem at the fortress of Susa and placed in Hegai's care.H4428H1697H1881H8085H7227H5291H6908H7800H1002H3027H1896H635H3947H4428H1004H3027H1896H8104H8029Hegai was very impressed with Esther and treated her kindly. He quickly ordered a special menu for her and provided her with beauty treatments. He also assigned her seven maids specially chosen from the king's palace, and he moved her and her maids into the best place in the harem.H5291H3190H5869H5375H2617H6440H926H5414H8562H4490H7651H5291H7200H5414H4428H1004H8138H5291H2896H1004H80210Esther had not told anyone of her nationality and family background, because Mordecai had directed her not to do so.H635H5046H5971H4138H4782H6680H504611Every day Mordecai would take a walk near the courtyard of the harem to find out about Esther and what was happening to her.H4782H1980H3117H6440H2691H802H1004H3045H635H7965H621312Before each young woman was taken to the king's bed, she was given the prescribed twelve months of beauty treatments—six months with oil of myrrh, followed by six months with special perfumes and ointments.H5291H8447H5060H935H4428H325H7093H8147H6240H2320H1881H802H3117H4795H4390H8337H2320H8081H4753H8337H2320H1314H8562H80213When it was time for her to go to the king's palace, she was given her choice of whatever clothing or jewelry she wanted to take from the harem.H935H5291H4428H559H5414H935H1004H802H4428H100414That evening she was taken to the king's private rooms, and the next morning she was brought to the second harem

, where the king's wives lived. There she would be under the care of Shaashgaz, the king's eunuch in charge of the concubines. She would never go to the king again unless he had especially enjoyed her and requested her by name.H6153H935H1242H7725H8145H1004H802H3027H8190H4428H5631H8104H6370H935H4428H4428H2654H7121H803415Esther was the daughter of Abihail, who was Mordecai's uncle. (Mordecai had adopted his younger cousin Esther.) When it was Esther's turn to go to the king, she accepted the advice of Hegai, the eunuch in charge of the harem. She asked for nothing except what he suggested, and she was admired by everyone who saw her.H8447H635H1323H32H1730H4782H3947H1323H5060H935H4428H1245H1697H1896H4428H5631H8104H802H559H635H5375H2580H5869H720016Esther was taken to King Xerxes at the royal palace in early winter

of the seventh year of his reign.H635H3947H4428H325H1004H4438H6224H2320H2320H2887H7651H8141H443817And the king loved Esther more than any of the other young women. He was so delighted with her that he set the royal crown on her head and declared her queen instead of Vashti.H4428H157H635H802H5375H2580H2617H6440H1330H7760H4438H3804H7218H4427H206018To celebrate the occasion, he gave a great banquet in Esther's honor for all his nobles and officials, declaring a public holiday for the provinces and giving generous gifts to everyone.H4428H6213H1419H4960H8269H5650H635H4960H6213H2010H4082H5414H4864H3027H442819Even after all the young women had been transferred to the second harem

and Mordecai had become a palace official,H1330H6908H8145H4782H3427H4428H817920Esther continued to keep her family background and nationality a secret. She was still following Mordecai's directions, just as she did when she lived in his home.H635H5046H4138H5971H4782H6680H635H6213H3982H4782H545

Mordecai’s Loyalty to the King

21One day as Mordecai was on duty at the king's gate, two of the king's eunuchs, Bigthana

and Teresh—who were guards at the door of the king's private quarters—became angry at King Xerxes and plotted to assassinate him.H3117H4782H3427H4428H8179H8147H4428H5631H904H8657H8104H5592H7107H1245H7971H3027H4428H32522But Mordecai heard about the plot and gave the information to Queen Esther. She then told the king about it and gave Mordecai credit for the report.H1697H3045H4782H5046H635H4436H635H559H4428H4782H803423When an investigation was made and Mordecai's story was found to be true, the two men were impaled on a sharpened pole. This was all recorded in The Book of the History of King Xerxes' Reign.H1245H1697H4672H8147H8518H6086H3789H5612H1697H3117H6440H4428