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Esther Becomes Queen
After 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.
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He had brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his cousin, for she had neither father nor mother; the young woman was fair and beautiful, and when her father and her mother died, Mordecai adopted her as his own daughter.
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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 was taken into the king’s palace and put in custody of Hegai, who had charge of the women.
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Esther did not reveal her people or kindred, for Mordecai had charged her not to tell.
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Every day Mordecai would walk back and forth in front of the court of the harem to learn how Esther was and how she fared.
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When 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.
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When 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,
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the 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.
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Then 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.
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Now 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.
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But 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.
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Esther Agrees to Help the Jews
When Mordecai learned all that had been done, Mordecai tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes and went through the city, wailing with a loud and bitter cry;
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When Esther’s maids and her eunuchs came and told her, the queen was deeply distressed; she sent garments to clothe Mordecai, so that he might take off his sackcloth, but he would not accept them.
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Then Esther called for Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs who had been appointed to attend her, and ordered him to go to Mordecai to learn what was happening and why.
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Mordecai also gave him a copy of the written decree issued in Susa for their destruction, that he might show it to Esther, explain it to her, and charge her to go to the king to make supplication to him and to entreat him for her people.
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Hathach went and told Esther what Mordecai had said.
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Then Esther spoke to Hathach and gave him a message for Mordecai:
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When they told Mordecai what Esther had said,
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Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not think that in the king’s palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews.
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Then Esther said in reply to Mordecai,
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Mordecai then went away and did everything as Esther had ordered him.
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Esther’s Banquet
On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king’s palace, opposite the king’s hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne inside the palace opposite the entrance to the palace.
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As soon as the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, she won his favor, and he held out to her the golden scepter that was in his hand. Then Esther approached and touched the top of the scepter.
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The king said to her, “What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? Even to half of my kingdom, it shall be given you.”
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Then Esther said, “If it pleases the king, let the king and Haman come today to a banquet that I have prepared for the king.”