Esther 2
New International Reader's Version
Esther Becomes Queen of Persia
2 Later, the great anger of King Xerxes calmed down. Then he remembered Vashti and what she had done. He also remembered the royal order he had sent out concerning her. 2 At that time the king’s personal attendants made a suggestion. They said, “King Xerxes, let a search be made for some beautiful young virgins for you. 3 Appoint some officials in every territory in your kingdom. Have them bring all these beautiful young women into the fort of Susa. Put them in the special place where the virgins stay. Then put Hegai in charge of them. He’s the official who serves you. He’s in charge of the women. Let beauty care be given to the new group of women. 4 Then let the young woman who pleases you the most become queen in Vashti’s place.” The king liked that advice. So he followed it.
5 There was a Jew living in the fort of Susa. He was from the tribe of Benjamin. His name was Mordecai. He was the son of Jair. Jair was the son of Shimei. Shimei was the son of Kish. 6 Nebuchadnezzar had forced Mordecai to leave Jerusalem. He was among the prisoners who were carried off along with Jehoiachin. Jehoiachin had been king of Judah. Nebuchadnezzar was king of Babylon. 7 Mordecai had a cousin named Hadassah. He had raised her because she didn’t have a father or mother. Hadassah was also called Esther. She had a lovely figure and was very beautiful. Mordecai had adopted her as his own daughter. He had done it when her father and mother died.
8 After the king’s order and law were announced, many young women were brought to the fort of Susa. Hegai was put in charge of them. Esther was also taken to the king’s palace. She was put under the control of Hegai. He was in charge of the place where the virgins stayed. 9 Esther pleased him. He showed her how happy he was with her. Right away he provided her with her beauty care and special food. He appointed seven female attendants to help her. They were chosen from the king’s palace. He moved her and her attendants into the best part of the place where the virgins stayed.
10 Esther hadn’t told anyone who her people were. She hadn’t talked about her family. That’s because Mordecai had told her not to. 11 Mordecai tried to find out how Esther was getting along. He wanted to know what was happening to her. So he walked back and forth near the courtyard by the place where the virgins stayed. He did it every day.
12 Each young woman had to complete 12 months of beauty care. They used oil of myrrh for six months. And they used perfume and makeup for the other six months. A virgin’s turn to go in to King Xerxes could come only after a full 12 months had passed. 13 And here is how she would go to the king. She would be given anything she wanted from the place where the virgins stayed. She could take it with her to the king’s palace. 14 In the evening she would go there. In the morning she would leave. Then she would go to the special place where the king’s concubines stayed. She would be put under the control of Shaashgaz. He was the king’s official who was in charge of the concubines. She would never return to the king unless he was pleased with her. He had to send for her by name before she could go to him again.
15 Mordecai had adopted Esther. She had been the daughter of his uncle Abihail. Her turn came to go in to the king. She only asked for what Hegai suggested. He was the king’s official who was in charge of the place where the virgins stayed. Everyone who saw Esther was pleased with her. 16 She was taken to King Xerxes in the royal house. It was now the tenth month. That was the month of Tebeth. It was the seventh year of the rule of Xerxes.
17 The king liked Esther more than he liked any of the other women. She pleased him more than any of the other virgins. So he put a royal crown on her head. He made her queen in Vashti’s place. 18 Then the king gave a feast to honor Esther. All his nobles and officials were invited. He announced a holiday all through the territories he ruled over. He freely gave many gifts in keeping with his royal wealth.
Mordecai Uncovers a Plan to Kill the King
19 The virgins were gathered together a second time. At that time Mordecai was sitting at the palace gate. 20 Esther had kept her family history a secret. She hadn’t told anyone who her people were. Mordecai had told her not to. She continued to follow his directions. That’s what she had always done when he was bringing her up.
21 Bigthana and Teresh were two of the king’s officers. They guarded the door of the royal palace. They became angry with King Xerxes. So they decided to kill him. They made their evil plans while Mordecai was sitting at the palace gate. 22 So Mordecai found out about it and told Queen Esther. Then she reported it to the king. She told him that Mordecai had uncovered the plans against him. 23 Some people checked Esther’s report. And they found out it was true. So the two officials were put to death. Then poles were stuck through them. They were set up where people could see them. All of that was written in the official records. It was written down while the king was watching.
Ester 2
La Palabra (España)
Buscando una reina
2 Después de algún tiempo, el rey Asuero, con el ánimo ya calmado, pensó en Vasti, en lo que esta había hecho y en lo que se había decretado contra ella. 2 Entonces los consejeros del rey le hicieron esta propuesta:
— Estaría bien buscar para el rey muchachas vírgenes y hermosas. 3 El rey puede nombrar delegados en cada una de las provincias de su reino, con el encargo de reunir a todas esas jóvenes vírgenes y hermosas en el harén de la ciudadela de Susa; luego serán puestas al cuidado de Hegeo, el eunuco real guardián del harén, quien les proporcionará cosméticos. 4 La muchacha que más agrade al rey puede ocupar el puesto de Vasti.
La propuesta agradó al rey, y se llevó a cabo.
5 En la ciudadela de Susa vivía un judío llamado Mardoqueo, hijo de Jaír y descendiente de Simeí y de Quis, de la tribu de Benjamín. 6 Era uno de los muchos que el rey Nabucodonosor de Babilonia había llevado cautivos de Jerusalén junto con Jeconías, rey de Judá. 7 Mardoqueo tenía a su cargo a una prima, huérfana de padre y madre, llamada Hadasá —es decir, Ester—. Al morir sus padres, Mardoqueo la había adoptado como hija suya. La joven era hermosa y atractiva.
8 Cuando se promulgaron la orden y el edicto del rey, muchas jóvenes fueron reunidas en la ciudadela de Susa y puestas al cuidado de Hegeo. Ester también fue llevada al palacio real y confiada a Hegeo, guardián de las mujeres. 9 La joven agradó mucho a Hegeo y se ganó su favor, por lo que pronto le proporcionó cremas de belleza y alimentos, y puso a su disposición siete doncellas escogidas de lo mejor de la corte real, trasladándola junto con las doncellas al mejor lugar del harén.
10 Ester, siguiendo el consejo que Mardoqueo le había dado, no quiso revelar cuál era su raza ni a qué familia pertenecía. 11 Cada día, Mardoqueo paseaba frente al patio del harén para saber cómo le iba a Ester y cómo la trataban.
12 Ahora bien, según la costumbre del harén, para poder presentarse ante el rey Asuero, cada muchacha debía completar un tratamiento de belleza de doce meses. En los primeros seis meses el tratamiento se realizaba con aceite de mirra, y los seis meses restantes con bálsamos y otros cosméticos femeninos. 13 Al finalizar, la muchacha ya estaba lista para presentarse ante el rey; al tal efecto, se le permitía llevar consigo del harén al palacio real todo lo que quisiera. 14 Iba al palacio real por la noche y, a la mañana siguiente, se la trasladaba a un segundo harén, en donde quedaba al cuidado de Saasgaz, el eunuco real encargado de las concubinas. Y no volvía a presentarse ante el rey, a no ser que él la deseara y la mandara llamar expresamente.
15 Cuando a Ester, la joven que Mardoqueo había adoptado y que era hija de su tío Abijail, le llegó el turno de presentarse ante el rey, ella no pidió nada fuera de lo aconsejado por Hegeo, eunuco real guardián del harén. Ester cautivaba a todo aquel que la veía. 16 Llevaron, pues, a Ester al palacio real para presentarla ante el rey Asuero, en el décimo mes, es decir, el mes de Tébet, del séptimo año de su reinado. 17 Le gustó Ester al rey más que las otras mujeres, y ella se ganó su cariño y su afecto más que todas las demás muchachas hasta el punto que el rey la coronó y la proclamó reina en lugar de Vasti. 18 Después, en honor de Ester, el rey ofreció un gran banquete a todos sus oficiales y altos funcionarios; rebajó los impuestos a las provincias y repartió regalos como corresponde a un rey generoso.
Mardoqueo descubre un complot contra el rey
19 Cuando Ester pasó al segundo harén con las otras jóvenes, Mardoqueo se hallaba sentado a la puerta del palacio real. 20 Ester seguía sin revelar cuál era su raza ni a qué familia pertenecía, siguiendo el consejo de Mardoqueo, pues ella seguía obedeciéndole como cuando estaba bajo su tutela.
21 Por aquellos días, estando Mardoqueo sentado a la puerta del palacio real, Bigtán y Teres, dos eunucos de la guardia real que custodiaban la puerta, descontentos con el rey Asuero, planeaban un atentado contra él. 22 Al enterarse Mardoqueo del plan, se lo hizo saber a Ester, y esta se lo comunicó al rey de parte de Mardoqueo. 23 El asunto fue investigado, y cuando se descubrió que era cierto, los dos eunucos fueron ahorcados. De todo esto quedó constancia al ser anotado, en presencia del rey, en las crónicas del reino.
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La Palabra, (versión española) © 2010 Texto y Edición, Sociedad Bíblica de España