1 Passadas estas coisas, e apaziguado já o furor do rei Assuero, lembrou-se de Vasti, e do que fizera, e do que se tinha decretado a seu respeito.
2 Então disseram os servos do rei, que lhe serviam: Busquem-se para o rei moças virgens e formosas.
3 E ponha o rei oficiais em todas as províncias do seu reino, que ajuntem a todas as moças virgens e formosas, na fortaleza de Susã, na casa das mulheres, aos cuidados de Hegai, camareiro do rei, guarda das mulheres, e dêem-se-lhes os seus enfeites.
4 E a moça que parecer bem aos olhos do rei, reine em lugar de Vasti. E isto pareceu bem aos olhos do rei, e ele assim fez.
5 Havia então um homem judeu na fortaleza de Susã, cujo nome era Mardoqueu, filho de Jair, filho de Simei, filho de Quis, homem benjamita,
6 Que fora transportado de Jerusalém, com os cativos que foram levados com Jeconias, rei de Judá, o qual transportara Nabucodonosor, rei de babilônia.
7 Este criara a Hadassa (que é Ester, filha de seu tio), porque não tinha pai nem mãe; e era jovem bela de presença e formosa; e, morrendo seu pai e sua mãe, Mardoqueu a tomara por sua filha.
8 Sucedeu que, divulgando-se o mandado do rei e a sua lei, e ajuntando-se muitas moças na fortaleza de Susã, aos cuidados de Hegai, também levaram Ester à casa do rei, sob a custódia de Hegai, guarda das mulheres.
9 E a moça pareceu formosa aos seus olhos, e alcançou graça perante ele; por isso se apressou a dar-lhe os seus enfeites, e os seus quinhões, como também em lhe dar sete moças de respeito da casa do rei; e a fez passar com as suas moças ao melhor lugar da casa das mulheres.
10 Ester, porém, não declarou o seu povo e a sua parentela, porque Mardoqueu lhe tinha ordenado que o não declarasse.
11 E passeava Mardoqueu cada dia diante do pátio da casa das mulheres, para se informar de como Ester passava, e do que lhe sucederia.
12 E, chegando a vez de cada moça, para vir ao rei Assuero, depois que fora feito a ela segundo a lei das mulheres, por doze meses (porque assim se cumpriam os dias das suas purificações, seis meses com óleo de mirra, e seis meses com especiarias, e com as coisas para a purificação das mulheres),
13 Desta maneira, pois, vinha a moça ao rei; dava-se-lhe tudo quanto ela desejava, para levar consigo da casa das mulheres à casa do rei;
14 À tarde entrava, e pela manhã tornava à segunda casa das mulheres, sob os cuidados de Saasgaz, camareiro do rei, guarda das concubinas; não tornava mais ao rei, salvo se o rei a desejasse, e fosse chamada pelo nome.
15 Chegando, pois, a vez de Ester, filha de Abiail, tio de Mardoqueu (que a tomara por sua filha), para ir ao rei, coisa nenhuma pediu, senão o que disse Hegai, camareiro do rei, guarda das mulheres; e alcançava Ester graça aos olhos de todos quantos a viam.
16 Assim foi levada Ester ao rei Assuero, à sua casa real, no décimo mês, que é o mês de tebete, no sétimo ano do seu reinado.
17 E o rei amou a Ester mais do que a todas as mulheres, e alcançou perante ele graça e benevolência mais do que todas as virgens; e pôs a coroa real na sua cabeça, e a fez rainha em lugar de Vasti.
18 Então o rei deu um grande banquete a todos os seus príncipes e aos seus servos; era o banquete de Ester; e deu alívio às províncias, e fez presentes segundo a generosidade do rei.
19 E reunindo-se segunda vez as virgens, Mardoqueu estava assentado à porta do rei.
20 Ester, porém, não declarava a sua parentela e o seu povo, como Mardoqueu lhe ordenara; porque Ester cumpria o mandado de Mardoqueu, como quando a criara.
21 Naqueles dias, assentando-se Mardoqueu à porta do rei, dois camareiros do rei, dos guardas da porta, Bigtã e Teres, grandemente se indignaram, e procuraram atentar contra o rei Assuero.
22 E veio isto ao conhecimento de Mardoqueu, e ele o fez saber à rainha Ester; e Ester o disse ao rei, em nome de Mardoqueu.
23 E inquiriu-se o negócio, e se descobriu, e ambos foram pendurados numa forca; e foi escrito nas crônicas perante o rei.
1 After these things, when the fury 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 attended upon him, Let there be maidens, virgins of beautiful countenance, 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 young virgins of beautiful countenance to Shushan the fortress, to the house of the women, unto the custody of Hegai the king's chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their things for purification be given.
4 And let the maiden that pleaseth the king be queen instead of Vashti. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.
5 There was in Shushan the fortress a certain Jew, whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjaminite,
6 who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captives who had been carried away with Jeconiah 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 maiden was fair and beautiful-and when her father and mother were dead, Mordecai took her for his own daughter.
8 And it came to pass when the king's commandment and his decree was heard, and when many maidens were gathered together unto Shushan the fortress, unto the custody of Hegai, that Esther also was brought into the king's house, unto the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women.
9 And the maiden pleased him, and obtained favour before him; and he speedily gave her her things for purification, and her portions, and the seven maidens selected to be given her, out of the king's house; and he removed her and her maids to the best {place} of the house of the women.
10 Esther had not made known her people nor her birth; for Mordecai had charged her that she should not make it known.
11 And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women's house, to know how Esther did, and what should become of her.
12 And when every maiden's turn came to go in to king Ahasuerus after that she had been treated for twelve months, according to the manner of the women (for so were the days of their purification accomplished-six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with spices, and with things for the purifying of the women,
13 and thus came the maiden in unto the king), whatever she desired was given her to go with her out of the house of the women to the king's house.
14 In the evening she went, and on the morrow she returned into the second house of the women, unto the custody of Shaashgaz, the king's chamberlain, keeper of the concubines. She came in to the king no more, unless the king delighted in her, and she were called by name.
15 And when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, came to go in to the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king's chamberlain, keeper of the women, appointed. And Esther obtained grace in the sight of all them that saw her.
16 So Esther was taken to king Ahasuerus, into his royal house, in the tenth month, that 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 favour in his sight more than all the virgins, and he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.
18 And the king made a great feast to all his princes and his servants, Esther's feast; and he made a release to the provinces, and gave presents according to the king's bounty.
19 And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, Mordecai sat in the king's gate.
20 (Esther, as Mordecai had charged her, had not yet made known her birth nor her people; for Esther did what Mordecai told her, 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, Bigthan and Teresh, of those which kept the threshold, were wroth, and sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus.
22 And the thing became known to Mordecai, and he related it to Esther the queen, and Esther told it to the king in Mordecai's name.
23 And the matter was investigated and found out; and they were both hanged on a tree. And it was written in the book of the chronicles before the king.