Esther 2

All 23 verses in the Clear Bible Translation. Tap a verse to compare the KJV and read what it means.

Read Esther 2 in the Bible reader, with audio →

1. 1After these things, when King Ahasuerus's anger had subsided, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what had been decreed against her.
2. 2Then the king's servants who ministered to him said, "Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king."
3. 3"Let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom to gather together all the beautiful young virgins to the palace at Shushan, to the women's quarters, under the custody of Hegai, the king's eunuch, keeper of the women. And let their things for purification be given to them."
4. 4"And let the young woman who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti." The thing pleased the king, and he did so.
5. 5Now in the palace at Shushan there was a certain Jew whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite,
6. 6who 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. 7And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daughter, for she had neither father nor mother. The young woman was fair and beautiful, and when her father and mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter.
8. 8So it came to pass, when the king's command and his decree were heard, and when many young women were gathered together to the palace at Shushan, under the custody of Hegai, that Esther also was brought to the king's house, under the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women.
9. 9The young woman pleased him, and she obtained kindness from him. He quickly gave her her things for purification, with such things as belonged to her, and seven young women who were fit to be given to her from the king's house. And he moved her and her maids to the best place in the women's quarters.
10. 10Esther had not revealed her people or her kindred, for Mordecai had charged her that she should not reveal it.
11. 11And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women's quarters, to learn how Esther was doing and what would become of her.
12. 12Now when each young woman's turn came to go in to King Ahasuerus, after she had been 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 sweet odours and other things for the purifying of the women),
13. 13Then each young woman came to the king in this way: whatever she desired was given to her to take with her from the house of the women to the king's house.
14. 14In the evening she went, and in the morning she returned to the second women's quarters, under 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. 15When it was Esther's turn to go to the king, she, being the daughter of Abihail, Mordecai's uncle who had taken her as his own daughter, asked for nothing except what Hegai, the king's chamberlain in charge of the women, suggested. Esther found favor with everyone who saw her.
16. 16So 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. 17And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins, so that he set the royal crown upon her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.
18. 18Then the king made a great feast for all his princes and his servants, even Esther's feast. And he made a release to the provinces and gave gifts, according to the state of the king.
19. 19And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, Mordecai sat in the king's gate.
20. 20Esther had not yet revealed her kindred or her people, as Mordecai had charged her. For Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, just as when she was brought up with him.
21. 21In those days, while Mordecai sat in the king's gate, two of the king's eunuchs, Bigthan and Teresh, of those who kept the door, were angry and sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus.
22. 22And the thing was known to Mordecai, who told it to Esther the queen. And Esther informed the king of it in Mordecai's name.
23. 23And when the matter was investigated, it was found out. Therefore they were both hanged on a tree, and it was written in the book of the chronicles before the king.