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Esther Becomes Queen
After a while, King Xerxes got over being angry. But he kept thinking about what Vashti had done and the law that he had written because of her.
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Mordecai had a very beautiful cousin named Esther, whose Hebrew name was Hadassah. He had raised her as his own daughter, after her father and mother died.
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When the king ordered the search for beautiful women, many were taken to the king's palace in Susa, and Esther was one of them. Hegai was put in charge of all the women,
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and from the first day, Esther was his favorite. He began her beauty treatments at once. He also gave her plenty of food and seven special maids from the king's palace, and they had the best rooms.
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Mordecai had warned Esther not to tell anyone that she was a Jew, and she obeyed him.
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He was anxious to see how Esther was getting along and to learn what had happened to her. So each day he would walk back and forth in front of the court where the women lived.
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Xerxes had been king for seven years when Esther's turn came to go to him during Tebeth, the tenth month of the year. Everyone liked Esther. The king's personal servant Hegai was in charge of the women, and Esther trusted Hegai and asked him what she ought to take with her.
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Xerxes liked Esther more than he did any of the other young women. None of them pleased him as much as she did, and he immediately fell in love with her and crowned her queen in place of Vashti.
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In honor of Esther he gave a big dinner for his leaders and officials. Then he declared a holiday everywhere in his kingdom and gave expensive gifts.
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Mordecai Saves the King's Life
When the young women were brought together again, Esther's cousin Mordecai had become a palace official.
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He had told Esther never to tell anyone that she was a Jew, and she obeyed him, just as she had always done.
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Mordecai found out about their plans and asked Queen Esther to tell the king what he had found out.
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Mordecai Asks for Esther's Help
When Mordecai heard about the letter, he tore his clothes in sorrow and put on sackcloth. Then he covered his head with ashes and went through the city, crying and weeping.
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When Esther's servant girls and her other servants told her what Mordecai was doing, she became very upset and sent Mordecai some clothes to wear in place of the sackcloth. But he refused to take them.
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Esther had a servant named Hathach, who had been given to her by the king. So she called him in and said, “Find out what's wrong with Mordecai and why he's acting this way.”
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Mordecai gave Hathach a copy of the orders for the murder of the Jews and told him that these had been read in Susa. He said, “Show this to Esther and explain what it means. Ask her to go to the king and beg him to have pity on her people, the Jews!”
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Hathach went back to Esther and told her what Mordecai had said.
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When Mordecai was told what Esther had said,
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Esther sent a message to Mordecai, saying,
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Mordecai did everything Esther told him to do.
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Esther Invites the King and Haman to a Dinner
Three days later, Esther dressed in her royal robes and went to the inner court of the palace in front of the throne. The king was sitting there, facing the open doorway.
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He was happy to see Esther, and he held out the gold scepter to her. When Esther came up and touched the tip of the scepter,
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the king said, “Esther, what brings you here? Just ask, and I will give you as much as half of my kingdom.”
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Esther answered, “Your Majesty, please come with Haman to a dinner I will prepare for you later today.”
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The king said to his servants, “Hurry and get Haman, so we can accept Esther's invitation.” The king and Haman went to Esther's dinner,
