1 After these things, when the wrath of King Ahasuerus was pacified, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her. 2 Then the king’s servants who served him said, "Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king. 3 Let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the beautiful young virgins to the citadel of Susa, to the women’s house, to the custody of Hegai the king’s eunuch, keeper of the women. Let cosmetics be given them; 4 and let the maiden who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti." The thing pleased the king, and he did so.

5 There was a certain Jew in the citadel of Susa 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 captives who had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away. 7 He brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle’s daughter; for she had neither father nor mother. The maiden was fair and beautiful; and when her father and mother were dead, Mordecai took her for his own daughter.

8 So, when the king’s commandment and his decree was heard, and when many maidens were gathered together to the citadel of Susa, to the custody of Hegai, Esther was taken into the king’s house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women. 9 The maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness from him. He quickly gave her cosmetics and her portions of food, and the seven choice maidens who were to be given her out of the king’s house. He moved her and her maidens to the best place in the women’s house. 10 Esther had not made known her people nor her relatives, because Mordecai had instructed her that she should not make it known. 11 Mordecai walked every day in front of the court of the women’s house, to find out how Esther was doing, and what would become of her.

12 Each young woman’s turn came to go in to King Ahasuerus after her purification for twelve months (for so were the days of their purification accomplished, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet fragrances and with preparations for beautifying women). 13 The young woman then came to the king like this: whatever she desired was given her to go with her out of the women’s house to the king’s house. 14 In the evening she went, and on the next day she returned into the second women’s house, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch, who kept the concubines. She came in to the king no more, unless the king delighted in her, and she was 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, came to go in to the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king’s eunuch, the keeper of the women, advised. Esther obtained favor in the sight of all those who looked at her.

16 So Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus into his royal house in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign. 17 The king loved Esther more than all the women, and she obtained favor and kindness in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown on her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.

18 Then the king made a great feast for all his princes and his servants, even Esther’s feast; and he proclaimed a holiday in the provinces, and gave gifts according to the king’s bounty.

19 When the virgins were gathered together the second time, Mordecai was sitting in the king’s gate. 20 Esther had not yet made known her relatives nor her people, as Mordecai had commanded her; for Esther obeyed Mordecai, like she did when she was brought up by him. 21 In those days, while Mordecai was sitting in the king’s gate, two of the king’s eunuchs, Bigthan and Teresh, who were doorkeepers, were angry, and sought to lay hands on the King Ahasuerus. 22 This thing became known to Mordecai, who informed Esther the queen; and Esther informed the king in Mordecai’s name. 23 When this matter was investigated, and it was found to be so, they were both hanged on a gallows; and it was written in the book of the chronicles in the king’s presence.

1 这些事以后， 亚哈随鲁王的怒气消减了， 就想念瓦实提和她所行的， 以及怎样降旨办她的事。

2 于是有些侍臣对王说： "要差人为王寻找一些美貌的少女。

3 王可以委派官员在国中各省， 把所有美貌的少女都召到书珊城的女院那里， 交在掌理女子的王家太监希该手下， 可以供给她们洁身用的香品。

4 王喜悦的女子， 就可以作王后， 代替瓦实提。"王喜悦这话， 就这样行了。

5 在书珊城里， 有一个犹大人， 名叫末底改， 是便雅悯人基士的曾孙、示每的孙子、睚珥的儿子。

6 末底改在巴比伦王尼布甲尼撒掳走犹大王耶哥尼雅和别的俘虏的时候， 也同时被掳走。

7 末底改抚养自己叔叔的女儿哈大沙（哈大沙就是以斯帖）， 因为她没有父母。这女子体态美丽， 容貌娟秀； 她父母死了， 末底改就收养她作自己的女儿。

8 王的命令和谕旨传开了， 许多少女都被召到书珊城， 交在希该的手下； 以斯帖也被带到王宫里去， 交在管理女子的希该手下。

9 希该喜悦以斯帖， 就恩待她， 急忙供给她洁身用的香品和她应得的食物， 又给她七个美丽的侍女， 都是从王宫里选出来给她的， 再把她和她的侍女搬进女院上好的房子里。

10 以斯帖没有把自己的种族和身世告诉人， 因为末底改吩咐她不可告诉人。

11 末底改天天都在女院的院子前面徘徊， 要知道以斯帖平安不平安， 她的情形怎样。

12 每个少女轮流进宫见亚哈随鲁王之前， 都要照着女子的规例洁净身体十二个月， 因为女子洁身的规例是这样： 六个月用没药油， 六个月用香品和妇女洁身用的其他物品。

13 那时， 少女进去见王是这样的： 从女院到王宫的时候， 她所要的都要给她。

14 她晚上进去， 次日早晨回到第二女院去， 交给管理妃嫔的沙甲， 就是王的太监； 除非王喜悦她， 题名召她， 她就不再进去见王。

15 末底改的叔叔亚比孩的女儿以斯帖， 就是末底改收养作自己女儿的， 轮到她进去见王的时候， 除了王的太监， 掌理女子的希该所预备的以外， 以斯帖别无所求； 看见以斯帖的， 都喜爱她。

16 亚哈随鲁王执政第七年十月， 就是提别月， 以斯帖被带进王宫去见亚哈随鲁王。

17 王爱以斯帖超过所有其他的女子； 在所有的处女中， 她在王的面前， 最得王的恩宠与喜爱； 王把王后的冠冕戴在她头上， 立她为王后， 代替瓦实提。

18 王为他的文武百官大摆筵席， 就是以斯帖的婚筵， 又向各省颁布休假一天， 并且照着王的厚意， 颁赐礼物。

19 第二次召集处女的时候， 末底改坐在朝门那里。

20 以斯帖照着末底改吩咐她的， 没有把自己的身世和种族告诉人； 末底改所说的话， 以斯帖都遵行， 就像昔日养育她的时候一样。

21 那时， 末底改坐在朝门那里， 王有两个守门的太监： 辟探和提列， 一时因为恼怒， 正想下手害亚哈随鲁王。

22 这阴谋给末底改知道了， 他就告诉王后以斯帖； 以斯帖就以末底改的名义对王说起这事。

23 那阴谋查究起来， 就发现真相； 于是把二人悬挂在木架上。这事在王面前曾写于史记。