Esther 2

And after these words the king's wrath abated, and he no longer made mention of Astin, calling to mind what she had said and how he had condemned her.

And the king's servants said: Let there be sought for the king young girls, undefiled, beautiful in appearance.

And let the king appoint village-officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, and let them select virgin girls beautiful in appearance, into the city of Susa, into the women's quarters; and let them be handed over to the king's eunuch, the keeper of the women; and let ointment and the rest of the care be given.

And the woman who pleases the king shall reign in the place of Astin. And the matter pleased the king, and he did so.

And there was a Jewish man in the city of Susa, and his name was Mardochaeus, son of Jairus, son of Semeias, son of Kisaios, of the tribe of Benjamin.

He was a captive from Jerusalem, which Nabouchodonosor king of Babylon had carried away captive.

And he had a foster child, a daughter of Aminadab his father's brother, and her name was Esther. And when her parents died, he brought her up for himself as a wife. And the girl was beautiful in appearance.

And when the king's ordinance was heard, many girls were gathered into the city of Susa under the hand of Gai; and Esther too was brought to Gai the keeper of the women.

And the girl pleased him and found favour before him, and he hastened to give her the ointment and her portion, and the seven maidens assigned to her from the royal house; and he dealt well with her and with her handmaids in the women's quarters.

And Esther did not disclose her race nor her native land, for Mardochaeus had charged her not to tell it.

And every day Mardochaeus walked about along the women's court, watching what would become of Esther.

And this was the time for a girl to go in to the king: when she had completed twelve months; for thus are the days of the treatment completed — six months anointed with oil of myrrh, and six months with the spices and with the ointments of the women.

And then she goes in to the king; and whatever she asks for is handed over to her, to go in with her from the women's quarters to the royal apartments.

In the evening she goes in, and toward day she departs to the second women's quarters, where Gai the king's eunuch, the keeper of the women, is; and she goes in to the king no more, unless she is called by name.

And when the time was completed for Esther, the daughter of Aminadab the brother of Mardochaeus's father, to go in to the king, she set aside nothing of what the eunuch, the keeper of the women, had charged her; for Esther was finding favour with all who looked upon her.

And Esther went in to Artaxerxes the king in the twelfth month, which is Adar, in the seventh year of his reign.

And the king fell in love with Esther, and she found favour beyond all the virgins, and he set upon her the woman's diadem.

And the king made a drinking feast for all his friends and for the forces, for seven days; and he exalted the marriage of Esther, and granted a release to those under his kingdom.

And Mardochaeus served in the court.

And Esther did not disclose her native land; for so Mardochaeus had charged her: to fear God and to keep his ordinances, just as she did when she was with him. And Esther did not change her manner of life.

And the king's two eunuchs, the chiefs of the bodyguard, were grieved because Mardochaeus had been promoted, and they sought to kill Artaxerxes the king.

And the matter was disclosed to Mardochaeus, and he signified it to Esther, and she made known to the king the things of the plot.

And the king examined the two eunuchs and hanged them; and the king ordered that it be recorded for a memorial in the royal library, concerning the goodwill of Mardochaeus, with commendation.