Context at a Glance
Author:Traditional Attribution
Topic:esther Chapter 2 Study
This chapter provides a foundational look at the theological themes of esther, analyzed across multiple historic translations for maximum scholarly depth.
Esther 2
New Revised Standard Version
1After these things, when the anger of King Ahasuerus had abated, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what had been decreed against her.
2Then the king's servants who attended him said, "Let beautiful young virgins be sought out for the king.
3And let the king appoint commissioners in all the provinces of his kingdom to gather all the beautiful young virgins to the harem in the citadel of Susa under custody of Hegai, the king's eunuch, who is in charge of the women; let their cosmetic treatments be given them.
4And let the girl who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti." This pleased the king, and he did so. Introducing two Jewish heroes: Mordecai and Esther
5Now there was a Jew in the citadel of Susa whose name was Mordecai son of Jair son of Shimei son of Kish, a Benjaminite.
6Kish had been carried away from Jerusalem among the captives carried away with King Jeconiah of Judah, whom King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had carried away.
7Mordecai had brought up Hadassah, that is Esther, his cousin, for she had neither father nor mother; the girl was fair and beautiful, and when her father and her mother died, Mordecai adopted her as his own daughter.
8So when the king's order and his edict were proclaimed, and when many young women were gathered in the citadel of Susa in custody of Hegai, Esther also was taken into the king's palace and put in custody of Hegai, who had charge of the women.
9The girl pleased him and won his favor, and he quickly provided her with her cosmetic treatments and her portion of food, and with seven chosen maids from the king's palace, and advanced her and her maids to the best place in the harem.
10Esther did not reveal her people or kindred, for Mordecai had charged her not to tell.
11Every day Mordecai would walk around in front of the court of the harem, to learn how Esther was and how she fared.
12The turn came for each girl to go in to King Ahasuerus, after being twelve months under the regulations for the women, since this was the regular period of their cosmetic treatment, six months with oil of myrrh and six months with perfumes and cosmetics for women.
13When the girl went in to the king she was given whatever she asked for to take with her from the harem to the king's palace.
14In the evening she went in; then in the morning she came back to the second harem in custody of Shaashgaz, the king's eunuch, who was in charge of the concubines; she did not go in to the king again, unless the king delighted in her and she was summoned by name.
15When the turn came for Esther daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had adopted her as his own daughter, to go in to the king, she asked for nothing except what Hegai the king's eunuch, who had charge of the women, advised. Now Esther was admired by all who saw her.
16When Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus in his royal palace in the tenth month, which is the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign,
17the king loved Esther more than all the other women; of all the virgins she won his favor and devotion, so that he set the royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.
18Then the king gave a great banquet to all his officials and ministers — "Esther's banquet." He also granted a holiday to the provinces, and gave gifts with royal liberality. Mordecai and Esther save the king's life
19When the virgins were being gathered together, Mordecai was sitting at the king's gate.
20Now Esther had not revealed her kindred or her people, as Mordecai had charged her; for Esther obeyed Mordecai just as when she was brought up by him.
21In those days, while Mordecai was sitting at the king's gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king's eunuchs, who guarded the threshold, became angry and conspired to assassinate King Ahasuerus.
22But the matter came to the knowledge of Mordecai, and he told it to Queen Esther, and Esther told the king in the name of Mordecai.
23When the affair was investigated and found to be so, both the men were hanged on the gallows. It was recorded in the book of the annals in the presence of the king.
1After these things, the king's anger abated, and he no longer was concerned about Vashti or remembered what he had said and how he had condemned her.
2Then the king's servants said, "Let beautiful and virtuous girls be sought out for the king.
3The king shall appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, and they shall select beautiful young virgins to be brought to the harem in Susa, the capital. Let them be entrusted to the king's eunuch who is in charge of the women, and let ointments and whatever else they need be given them.
4And the woman who pleases the king shall be queen instead of Vashti." This pleased the king, and he did so. Mordecai and Esther
5Now there was a Jew in Susa the capital whose name was Mordecai son of Jair son of Shimei son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin;
6he had been taken captive from Jerusalem among those whom King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had captured.
7And he had a foster child, the daughter of his father's brother, Aminadab, and her name was his own. The girl was beautiful in appearance.
8So, when the decree of the king was proclaimed, and many girls were gathered in Susa the capital in custody of Gai, Esther also was brought to Gai, who had custody of the women.
9The girl pleased him and won his favor, and he quickly provided her with ointments and her portion of food, as well as seven maids chosen from the palace; he treated her and her maids with special favor in the harem.
10Now Esther had not disclosed her people or country, for Mordecai had commanded her not to make it known.
11And every day Mordecai walked in the courtyard of the harem, to see what would happen to Esther.
12Now the period after which a girl was to go to the king was twelve months. During this time the days of beautification are completed — six months while they are anointing themselves with oil of myrrh, and six months with spices and ointments for women.
13Then she goes in to the king; she is handed to the person appointed, and goes with him from the harem to the king's palace.
14In the evening she enters and in the morning she departs to the second harem, where Gai the king's eunuch is in charge of the women; and she does not go in to the king again unless she is summoned by name.
15When the time was fulfilled for Esther daughter of Aminadab, the brother of Mordecai's father, to go in to the king, she neglected none of the things that Gai, the eunuch in charge of the women, had commanded. Now Esther found favor in the eyes of all who saw her.
16So Esther went in to King Artaxerxes in the twelfth month, which is Adar, in the seventh year of his reign.
17And the king loved Esther and she found favor beyond all the other virgins, so he put on her the queen's diadem.
18Then the king gave a banquet lasting seven days for all his Friends and the officers to celebrate his marriage to Esther; and he granted a remission of taxes to those who were under his rule. Mordecai and Esther save the king's life
19Meanwhile Mordecai was serving in the courtyard.
20Esther had not disclosed her country — such were the instructions of Mordecai; but she was to fear God and keep his laws, just as she had done when she was with him. So Esther did not change her mode of life.
21Now the king's eunuchs, who were chief bodyguards, were angry because of Mordecai's advancement, and they plotted to kill King Artaxerxes.
22The matter became known to Mordecai, and he warned the two eunuchs and hanged them. Then the king ordered a memorandum to be deposited in the royal library in praise of the goodwill shown by Mordecai.