Afterthesethings, when the wrathof kingAhasueruswas appeased, he rememberedVashti, and whatshe had done, and whatwas decreedagainsther. Then saidthe king's servantsthat ministeredunto him, Let there be fairyoungvirginssoughtfor the king: And let the kingappointofficersin allthe provincesof his kingdom, that they may gather togetherallthe fairyoungvirginsuntoShushanthe palace, tothe houseof the women, untothe custodyof Hegethe king's chamberlain, keeperof the women; and let their things for purificationbe given them : And let the maidenwhichpleaseththe kingbe queeninsteadof Vashti. And the thingpleasedthe king; and he didso. Now in Shushanthe palacethere wasa certainJew, whose name was Mordecai, the sonof Jair, the sonof Shimei, the sonof Kish, a Benjamite; Whohad been carried awayfrom Jerusalemwiththe captivitywhichhad been carried awaywithJeconiahkingof Judah, whomNebuchadnezzarthe kingof Babylonhad carried away. And he brought upHadassah, that is , Esther, his uncle's daughter: forshe had neitherfathernor mother, and the maid was fairand beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her fatherand motherwere dead, tookfor his own daughter. So it came to pass, when the king's commandmentand his decreewas heard, and when manymaidenswere gathered togetheruntoShushanthe palace, tothe custodyof Hegai, that Estherwas broughtalso untothe king's house, tothe custodyof Hegai, keeperof the women. And the maidenpleasedhim, and she obtainedkindnessofhim; and he speedilygaveher her things for purification, withsuch things as belongedto her, and sevenmaidens, which were meetto be givenher, out of the king's house: and he preferredher and her maidsunto the best place of the houseof the women. Estherhad notshowedher peoplenor her kindred: forMordecaihad chargedherthatshe should notshow it . And Mordecaiwalkedevery daybeforethe courtof the women's house, to knowhow Estherdid, and whatshould becomeof her. Now when every maid's turnwas cometo go intokingAhasuerus, after thatshe had beentwelvemonths, according to the mannerof the women, ( forsowere the daysof their purificationsaccomplished, to wit , sixmonthswith oilof myrrh, and sixmonthswith sweet odors, and with other things for the purificationof the women;) Then thuscame every maidenuntothe king; whatsoevershe desiredwas givenher to gowithher out of the houseof the womenuntothe king's house. In the eveningshewent, and on the morrowshereturnedintothe secondhouseof the women, tothe custodyof Shaashgaz, the king's chamberlain, which keptthe concubines: she came inuntothe kingnomore, exceptthe kingdelightedin her, and that she were calledby name. Now when the turnof Esther, the daughterof Abihailthe uncleof Mordecai, whohad takenher for his daughter, was cometo go inuntothe king, she requirednothingbutwhatHegaithe king's chamberlain, the keeperof the women, appointed. And Estherobtainedfavorin the sightof allthem that lookedupon her. So Estherwas takenuntokingAhasuerusintohis houseroyalin the tenthmonth, which is the monthTebeth, in the seventhyearof his reign. And the kinglovedEstherabove allthe women, and she obtainedgraceand favorin his sightmore than allthe virgins; so that he setthe royalcrownupon her head, and made her queeninsteadof Vashti. Then the kingmadea greatfeastunto allhis princesand his servants, even Esther's feast; and he madea releaseto the provinces, and gavegifts, according to the stateof the king. And when the virginswere gathered togetherthe second time, then Mordecaisatin the king's gate. Estherhad not yet showedher kindrednor her people; asMordecaihad chargedher: for Estherdidthe commandmentof Mordecai, like aswhen she wasbrought upwithhim. In thosedays, while Mordecaisatin the king's gate, twoof the king's chamberlains, Bigthanand Teresh, of those which keptthe door, were wroth, and soughtto layhandon the kingAhasuerus. And the thingwas knownto Mordecai, who told it unto Estherthe queen; and Esthercertifiedthe king thereof in Mordecai's name. And when inquisition was madeof the matter, it was found out; therefore they were bothhangedona tree: and it was writtenin the bookof the chroniclesbeforethe king.