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Ester 2
Swedish New Living Bible (Nya Levande Bibeln)
Ester 2
Swedish New Living Bible (Nya Levande Bibeln)
Kungen väljer Ester
2 Sedan kung Ahasveros vrede hade lagt sig kom han ihåg vad Vasti hade gjort och vad man beslutat om henne.
2 Låt oss leta reda på de vackraste flickorna i riket åt kungen, föreslog hans rådgivare.
3 Vi ska se till att det i varje provins finns män som kan välja ut de vackraste kvinnorna och föra dem till kungens harem i Susans borg. Hovmannen Hegai får i uppdrag att se till att de blir väl omhändertagna och får sin skönhetsbehandling,
4 innan Ers Majestät väljer någon av dem till drottning i Vastis ställe.Kungen tyckte detta var ett mycket bra förslag och såg till att det genast blev genomfört.
5 I kungapalatset fanns det en jude från Benjamins stam, som hette Mordokai, son till Jair, sonson till Simei och sonsons son till Kis.
6 Han hade tagits tillfånga och förts i landsflykt till Babylon samtidigt med Juda rikes kung Jekonja och många andra judar, när Nebukadnessar intog Jerusalem.
7 Mordokai hade en mycket vacker ung kusin, Hadassa, eller Ester, som hon också kallades. Hennes föräldrar var döda och Mordokai hade därför tagit hand om henne och fostrat henne som sin egen dotter.
8 Till följd av kungens befallning var nu Ester en av många flickor som fördes till kungens harem i Susans borg.
9 Hegai, som hade uppsikt över kungens harem, blev mycket förtjust i henne och gjorde allt för att hon skulle trivas. Han såg genast till att hon fick skönhetsbehandlingar och särskild mat. Han gav henne sju tjänsteflickor, som fick bo med henne i haremets finaste rum.
10 Ester hade inte talat om för någon att hon var av judisk börd. Det hade Mordokai förbjudit henne, och som alltid lydde hon honom.
11 Han kom till palatset utanför hennes rum varje dag för att ta reda på hur hon hade det.
12-14 Innan en kvinna presenterades för kungen, fick hon först under sex månader genomgå en särskild behandling med myrraolja, och sedan under ytterligare sex månader behandlades hon med välluktande parfymer av olika slag. När det sedan var hennes tur att tillbringa natten med kung Ahasveros fick hon själv välja ut vilka kläder och juveler hon ville ha för att ytterligare framhäva sin skönhet. Hon fördes till kungen på kvällen och nästa morgon tog man henne till den avdelning av haremet, där alla hans hustrur bodde. Där hade Saasgas, en annan av hovmännen, ansvaret. Ingen av dem fick träffa kungen igen om hon inte hade behagat honom så mycket att han personligen kallade på henne.
15 När det blev Esters tur att gå in till kungen, följde hon de råd som hovmannen Hegai gav henne och klädde sig efter hans instruktioner. Alla som såg Ester kunde inte annat än beundra henne för hennes skönhet.
16 Ester blev hämtad till kungens palats i den tionde månaden, Tebet, under hans sjunde regeringsår.
17 Kungen blev mer förtjust i Ester än i någon annan kvinna. Han tog därför den kungliga kronan och satte den på hennes huvud och förklarade att hon skulle vara drottning i stället för Vasti.
18 För att fira denna händelse ordnade han en fest till hennes ära för alla sina furstar och tjänare. Han gav generösa gåvor till alla och lät utlysa en allmän helgdag.
19 Vid ett senare tillfälle var också ett antal unga kvinnor samlade vid palatset. Mordokai hade vid denna tid fått tjänst hos kungen.
20 Ester hade följt Mordokais råd och ännu inte talat om för någon att hon var judinna. Hon lydde honom alltjämt som om hon fortfarande bodde i hans hus.
21 En dag, när Mordokai var i tjänst i palatset, råkade han höra att Bigetana och Teres, två av de hovmän som höll vakt vid porten till palatset, var missnöjda med kungen och planerade att mörda honom.
22 Mordokai berättade detta för drottning Ester, som i sin tur lät kungen få veta vad Mordokai hade hört.
23 En undersökning visade att männen var skyldiga, de spetsades på pålar och deras kroppar hängdes upp till allmänt beskådande. Detta blev antecknat i den krönika som fördes under kung Ahasveros regeringstid.
Ester 2
Svenska Folkbibeln 2015
Ester 2
Svenska Folkbibeln 2015
Ester blir drottning
2 (A) Efter en tid, när kung Ahasveros vrede hade lagt sig, tänkte han åter på Vashti och vad hon hade gjort och vad som beslutats om henne. 2 Då sade de unga män som var i tjänst hos kungen: ”Man borde söka upp unga och vackra, orörda kvinnor åt kungen. 3 Och kungen skulle utse ämbetmän i sitt rikes alla provinser och låta dem samla alla dessa unga vackra kvinnor till kvinnohuset i Susas borg och överlämna dem åt kungens hovman[a] Hegaj, som har tillsynen över kvinnorna. Där kan de få skönhetsbehandling. 4 Den unga kvinna som vinner kungens gillande kan då bli drottning i Vashtis ställe.” Det förslaget tyckte kungen var gott, och man gjorde så.
5 I Susas borg fanns då en judisk man som hette Mordokaj[b]. Han var son till Jair, son till Shimei, son till benjaminiten Kish,[c] 6 (B) som hade förts bort från Jerusalem med de fångar som tvingades följa med Juda kung Jekonja[d] när han fördes bort av Babels kung Nebukadnessar. 7 Mordokaj var fosterfar åt Hadassa,[e] det vill säga Ester[f], hans farbrors dotter, för hon hade varken far eller mor. Den unga kvinnan var välväxt och mycket vacker. Efter det att hennes far och mor dött hade Mordokaj adopterat henne som sin egen dotter.
8 När kungens befallning och förordning blev känd och många unga kvinnor samlades i Susas borg och överlämnades till Hegaj, blev också Ester hämtad till kungens hus och överlämnad till Hegaj som hade tillsynen över kvinnorna. 9 Flickan behagade honom och vann hans välvilja. Därför skyndade han att ge henne de skönhetsmedel och den mat hon skulle ha. Dessutom gav han henne sju tjänsteflickor, utvalda från kungens hus, och han flyttade henne och hennes tjänsteflickor till den bästa delen av kvinnohuset.
10 Ester hade inte nämnt något om sitt folk och sin släkt, eftersom Mordokaj hade förbjudit henne att göra det. 11 Mordokaj gick varje dag fram och tillbaka utanför gården till kvinnohuset för att få veta om Ester hade det bra och vad som hände med henne.
12 I tur och ordning gick de unga kvinnorna in till kung Ahasveros, sedan de under tolv månader hade genomgått vad som var bestämt för dem. Så lång tid tog nämligen deras skönhetsbehandling: sex månader med myrraolja och sex månader med väldoftande kryddor och andra skönhetsmedel för kvinnor. 13 När den unga kvinnan skulle gå in till kungen fick hon ta med sig allt hon ville från kvinnornas hus till kungens hus. 14 På kvällen gick hon in, och nästa morgon fick hon återvända till ett annat kvinnohus för att stå under uppsikt av kungens hovman Saasgaz, som hade ansvaret för bihustrurna. Hon fick inte komma in till kungen igen, om han inte hade fattat sådant tycke för henne att hon blev kallad till honom vid namn.
15 Och när turen att gå in till kungen kom till Ester, dotter till Abihajil som var farbror till Mordokaj som adopterat henne, begärde hon ingenting annat än det som kungens hovman Hegaj, kvinnovaktaren, rådde henne till. Alla som såg Ester tyckte om henne. 16 Hon blev hämtad till kung Ahasveros i hans kungliga palats i tionde månaden[g], det är månaden Tebet, i hans sjunde regeringsår.
17 Kungen älskade Ester mer än alla de andra kvinnorna, och hon vann hans gunst och välvilja mer än alla de andra unga kvinnorna. Han satte den kungliga kronan på hennes huvud och gjorde henne till drottning i Vashtis ställe. 18 Och kungen ordnade ett stort gästabud för alla sina furstar och tjänare, ett gästabud till Esters ära. Han beviljade skattelindring åt sina provinser och delade ut gåvor som det anstår en kung.
Mordokaj räddar kungens liv
19 När man för andra gången samlade ihop unga kvinnor satt Mordokaj i kungens port. 20 (C) Ester hade inte nämnt något om sin släkt eller sitt folk, precis som Mordokaj hade sagt åt henne. Ester gjorde som Mordokaj hade sagt, liksom när hon var under hans vård.
21 I de dagarna, medan Mordokaj satt i kungens port[h], blev Bigtan och Teres, två av de hovmän hos kungen som höll vakt vid porten, så förbittrade på kung Ahasveros att de sökte efter tillfälle att döda honom[i]. 22 Mordokaj fick veta det och berättade det för drottning Ester, och hon förde det vidare till kungen på Mordokajs vägnar. 23 (D) Saken undersöktes och man fann att det var sant. Hovmännen blev båda upphängda på trä. Detta nertecknades i krönikan, i kungens närvaro.
Footnotes
- 2:3 hovman Annan översättning: ”eunuck” (en kastrerad man, därför betrodd att ansvara för kungens harem, jfr not till 7:7).
- 2:5 Mordokaj Namnet är troligen bildat från den babyloniske krigsguden Marduk (jfr Dan 1:7). En kilskriftstavla från Borsippa nämner en hovman i Susa med detta namn hos Xerxes I.
- 2:5 Kish Så hette också fadern till Saul som kämpade mot Hamans förfader Agag (1 Sam 15).
- 2:6 Jekonja Också kallad Jojakin (2 Kung 24:8f), bortförd till Babel ca 597 f Kr.
- 2:7 Hadassa Betyder ”myrten” och påminner om akkadiska hadassatu, ”brud”.
- 2:7 Ester Betyder ”stjärna” och liknar den babyloniska kärleksgudinnan Ishtars namn.
- 2:16 tionde månaden Ca dec 479 f Kr. Den grekiske historikern Herodotos (484-425 f Kr) skriver att Xerxes efter sin misslyckade invasion av Grekland år 480 f Kr istället ägnade sig åt sitt harem.
- 2:21 kungens port Utgrävningar har visat att porten låg ca 80 meter öster om palatset och rymde en öppen sal om ca 20 x 20 m.
- 2:21 döda honom Några år senare, 465 f Kr, föll kungen offer för en liknande komplott genom livvakten Artabanus.
Esther 2
New International Version
Esther 2
New International Version
Esther Made Queen
2 Later when King Xerxes’ fury had subsided,(A) he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what he had decreed about her. 2 Then the king’s personal attendants proposed, “Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king. 3 Let the king appoint commissioners in every province of his realm to bring all these beautiful young women into the harem at the citadel of Susa. Let them be placed under the care of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, who is in charge of the women; and let beauty treatments be given to them. 4 Then let the young woman who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.” This advice appealed to the king, and he followed it.
5 Now there was in the citadel of Susa a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin, named Mordecai son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish,(B) 6 who had been carried into exile from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, among those taken captive with Jehoiachin[a](C) king of Judah.(D) 7 Mordecai had a cousin named Hadassah, whom he had brought up because she had neither father nor mother. This young woman, who was also known as Esther,(E) had a lovely figure(F) and was beautiful. Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter when her father and mother died.
8 When the king’s order and edict had been proclaimed, many young women were brought to the citadel of Susa(G) and put under the care of Hegai. Esther also was taken to the king’s palace and entrusted to Hegai, who had charge of the harem. 9 She pleased him and won his favor.(H) Immediately he provided her with her beauty treatments and special food.(I) He assigned to her seven female attendants selected from the king’s palace and moved her and her attendants into the best place in the harem.
10 Esther had not revealed her nationality and family background, because Mordecai had forbidden her to do so.(J) 11 Every day he walked back and forth near the courtyard of the harem to find out how Esther was and what was happening to her.
12 Before a young woman’s turn came to go in to King Xerxes, she had to complete twelve months of beauty treatments prescribed for the women, six months with oil of myrrh and six with perfumes(K) and cosmetics. 13 And this is how she would go to the king: Anything she wanted was given her to take with her from the harem to the king’s palace. 14 In the evening she would go there and in the morning return to another part of the harem to the care of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the concubines.(L) She would not return to the king unless he was pleased with her and summoned her by name.(M)
15 When the turn came for Esther (the young woman Mordecai had adopted, the daughter of his uncle Abihail(N)) to go to the king,(O) she asked for nothing other than what Hegai, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the harem, suggested. And Esther won the favor(P) of everyone who saw her. 16 She was taken to King Xerxes in the royal residence in the tenth month, the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.
17 Now the king was attracted to Esther more than to any of the other women, and she won his favor and approval more than any of the other virgins. So he set a royal crown on her head and made her queen(Q) instead of Vashti. 18 And the king gave a great banquet,(R) Esther’s banquet, for all his nobles and officials.(S) He proclaimed a holiday throughout the provinces and distributed gifts with royal liberality.(T)
Mordecai Uncovers a Conspiracy
19 When the virgins were assembled a second time, Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate.(U) 20 But Esther had kept secret her family background and nationality just as Mordecai had told her to do, for she continued to follow Mordecai’s instructions as she had done when he was bringing her up.(V)
21 During the time Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, Bigthana[b] and Teresh, two of the king’s officers(W) who guarded the doorway, became angry(X) and conspired to assassinate King Xerxes. 22 But Mordecai found out about the plot and told Queen Esther, who in turn reported it to the king, giving credit to Mordecai. 23 And when the report was investigated and found to be true, the two officials were impaled(Y) on poles. All this was recorded in the book of the annals(Z) in the presence of the king.(AA)
Footnotes
- Esther 2:6 Hebrew Jeconiah, a variant of Jehoiachin
- Esther 2:21 Hebrew Bigthan, a variant of Bigthana
Esther 2
Christian Standard Bible
Esther 2
Christian Standard Bible
The Search for a New Queen
2 Some time later,(A) when King Ahasuerus’s rage(B) had cooled down, he remembered Vashti, what she had done, and what was decided against her.(C) 2 The king’s personal attendants suggested, “Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king.(D) 3 Let the king appoint commissioners(E) in each province of his kingdom, so that they may gather all the beautiful young virgins to the harem at the fortress of Susa.(F) Put them under the supervision of Hegai, the king’s eunuch,(G) keeper of the women,(H) and give them the required beauty treatments. 4 Then the young woman who pleases the king(I) will become queen instead of Vashti.”(J) This suggestion pleased the king, and he did accordingly.
5 In the fortress of Susa, there was a Jewish man named Mordecai(K) son of Jair, son of Shimei,(L) son of Kish,(M) a Benjaminite. 6 Kish[a] had been taken into exile from Jerusalem with the other captives when King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon took King Jeconiah of Judah into exile.(N) 7 Mordecai was the legal guardian of his cousin[b] Hadassah (that is, Esther), because she had no father or mother. The young woman had a beautiful figure and was extremely good-looking. When her father and mother died, Mordecai had adopted her as his own daughter.(O)
8 When the king’s command and edict became public knowledge and when many young women were gathered at the fortress of Susa under Hegai’s supervision, Esther was taken to the palace, into the supervision of Hegai, keeper of the women. 9 The young woman pleased him and gained his favor so that he accelerated the process of the beauty treatments and the special diet that she received. He assigned seven hand-picked female servants to her from the palace and transferred her and her servants to the harem’s best quarters.
10 Esther did not reveal her ethnicity or her family background, because Mordecai had ordered her not to make them known. 11 Every day Mordecai took a walk in front of the harem’s courtyard to learn how Esther was doing and to see what was happening to her.
12 During the year before each young woman’s turn to go to King Ahasuerus, the harem regulation required her to receive beauty treatments with oil of myrrh for six months and then with perfumes and cosmetics for another six months. 13 When the young woman would go to the king, she was given whatever she requested to take with her from the harem to the palace. 14 She would go in the evening, and in the morning she would return to a second harem under the supervision of the king’s eunuch Shaashgaz, keeper of the concubines.(P) She never went to the king again, unless he desired her and summoned her by name.(Q)
Esther Becomes Queen
15 Esther was the daughter of Abihail,(R) the uncle of Mordecai who had adopted her as his own daughter. When her turn came to go to the king, she did not ask for anything except what Hegai, the king’s eunuch, keeper of the women, suggested. Esther gained favor in the eyes of everyone who saw her.(S)
16 She was taken to King Ahasuerus in the palace in the tenth month, the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.(T) 17 The king loved Esther more than all the other women. She won more favor and approval from him than did any of the other virgins. He placed the royal crown on her head and made her queen in place of Vashti.(U) 18 The king held a great banquet for all his officials and staff.(V) It was Esther’s banquet. He freed his provinces from tax payments and gave gifts worthy of the king’s bounty.(W)
Mordecai Saves the King
19 When the virgins(X) were gathered a second time, Mordecai was sitting at the King’s Gate.(Y) 20 Esther still did not reveal her family background or her ethnicity, as Mordecai had directed. She obeyed Mordecai’s orders, as she always had while he raised her.
21 During those days while Mordecai was sitting at the King’s Gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs(Z) who guarded the entrance, became infuriated and planned to assassinate[c] King Ahasuerus. 22 When Mordecai learned of the plot, he reported it to Queen Esther, and she told the king on Mordecai’s behalf.(AA) 23 When the report was investigated and verified, both men were hanged on the gallows.(AB) This event was recorded in the Historical Record in the king’s presence.
Esther 2
English Standard Version
Esther 2
English Standard Version
Esther Chosen Queen
2 After these things, (A)when the anger of King Ahasuerus had abated, he remembered Vashti (B)and what she had done and what had been decreed against her. 2 Then the king's young men who attended him said, “Let beautiful young virgins be sought out for the king. 3 And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom to gather all the beautiful young virgins to the harem in Susa the citadel, under custody of (C)Hegai, the king's eunuch, who is in charge of the women. (D)Let their cosmetics be given them. 4 And let the young woman who pleases the king[a] be queen instead of Vashti.” This pleased the king, and he did so.
5 Now there was a Jew in Susa the citadel whose name was (E)Mordecai, the son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, a Benjaminite, 6 (F)who had been carried away from Jerusalem among the captives carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried away. 7 He was bringing up Hadassah, that is Esther, (G)the daughter of his uncle, for she had neither father nor mother. The young woman had a beautiful figure and was lovely to look at, and when her father and her mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter. 8 So when the king's order and his edict were proclaimed, and (H)when many young women were gathered in Susa the citadel in custody of (I)Hegai, Esther also was taken into the king's palace and put in custody of Hegai, who had charge of the women. 9 And the young woman pleased him and won his favor. And he quickly provided her (J)with her cosmetics and her portion of food, and with seven chosen young women from the king's palace, and advanced her and her young women to the best place in the harem. 10 (K)Esther had not made known her people or kindred, for Mordecai had commanded her not to make it known. 11 And every day Mordecai walked in front of the court of the harem to learn how Esther was and what was happening to her.
12 Now when the turn came for each young woman to go in to King Ahasuerus, after being twelve months under the regulations for the women, since this was the regular period of their beautifying, six months with oil of myrrh and six months with spices and ointments for women— 13 when the young woman went in to the king in this way, she was given whatever she desired to take with her from the harem to the king's palace. 14 In the evening she would go in, and in the morning she would return to the second harem in custody of Shaashgaz, the king's eunuch, who was in charge of the concubines. She would not go in to the king again, unless the king delighted in her and she was summoned by name.
15 When the turn came for Esther (L)the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her as his own daughter, to go in to the king, she asked for nothing except what (M)Hegai the king's eunuch, who had charge of the women, advised. Now Esther was winning favor in the eyes of all who saw her. 16 And when Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus, into his royal palace, in the tenth month, which is the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign, 17 the king loved Esther more than all the women, and she won grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins, so that he set (N)the royal crown[b] on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. 18 Then the king (O)gave a great feast for all his officials and servants; it was Esther's feast. He also granted a remission of taxes to the provinces and gave gifts with royal generosity.
Mordecai Discovers a Plot
19 Now when the virgins were gathered together (P)the second time, Mordecai was sitting (Q)at the king's gate. 20 (R)Esther had not made known her kindred or her people, as Mordecai had commanded her, for Esther obeyed Mordecai just (S)as when she was brought up by him. 21 In those days, as Mordecai was sitting at the king's gate, (T)Bigthan and (U)Teresh, two of the king's eunuchs, who guarded the threshold, became angry and sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. 22 And this came to the knowledge of Mordecai, (V)and he told it to Queen Esther, and Esther told the king in the name of Mordecai. 23 When the affair was investigated and found to be so, the men were both hanged on the gallows.[c] And it was recorded in (W)the book of the chronicles in the presence of the king.
Footnotes
- Esther 2:4 Hebrew who is good in the eyes of the king
- Esther 2:17 Or headdress
- Esther 2:23 Or wooden beam or stake; Hebrew tree or wood. This Persian execution practice involved affixing or impaling a person on a stake or pole (compare Ezra 6:11)
Swedish New Living Bible (Nya Levande Bibeln) (SVL)
Copyright © 1974, 1977, 1987, 1995, 2003, 2004 by Biblica
Svenska Folkbibeln 2015 (SFB15)
Svenska Folkbibeln 2015, Copyright © 2015 by Svenska Folkbibeln Foundation
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.