Esther Chosen as Queen
Esther 2:1-18
Esth.2.1 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- אחר: PREP
- הדברים: NOUN,m,pl,def
- האלה: DEM,pl,abs
- כשך: CONJ,temporal
- חמת: NOUN,f,sg,cons
- המלך: NOUN,m,sg,def
- אחשורוש: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- זכר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- את: PRT,acc
- ושתי: CONJ+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- ואת: CONJ+PRT,acc
- אשר: PRON,rel
- עשתה: VERB,qal,perf,3,f,sg
- ואת: CONJ+PRT,acc
- אשר: PRON,rel
- נגזר: VERB,niphal,perf,3,m,sg
- עליה: PREP+PRON,3,f,sg
Parallels
- No parallels.
Alternative generated candidates
- After these things, when the wrath of King Ahasuerus had subsided, he recalled Vashti and the thing that had been decreed against her.
- After these things, when the rage of King Ahasuerus had subsided, he remembered Vashti and what she had done, and what had been decreed against her.
Esth.2.2 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- ויאמרו: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,m,pl
- נערי: NOUN,m,pl,cons
- המלך: NOUN,m,sg,def
- משרתיו: NOUN,m,pl,suff-3ms
- יבקשו: VERB,qal,imperfect,3,m,pl
- למלך: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,def
- נערות: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- בתולות: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- טובות: ADJ,f,pl,abs
- מראה: NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- No parallels.
Alternative generated candidates
- Then the king's servants who attended him said, “Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king;
- Then the king's servants who attended him said, 'Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king.'
Esth.2.3 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- ויפקד: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- המלך: NOUN,m,sg,def
- פקידים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- בכל: PREP+DET
- מדינות: NOUN,f,pl,cons
- מלכותו: NOUN,f,sg,abs,poss:3,m,sg
- ויקבצו: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,pl
- את: PRT,acc
- כל: DET
- נערה: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- בתולה: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- טובת: NOUN,f,sg,cs
- מראה: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אל: PREP
- שושן: NOUN,m,sg,def
- הבירה: NOUN,f,sg,def
- אל: PREP
- בית: NOUN,m,sg,cs
- הנשים: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- אל: PREP
- יד: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- הגא: NOUN,m,sg,def
- סריס: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- המלך: NOUN,m,sg,def
- שמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- הנשים: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- ונתון: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- תמרוקיהן: NOUN,f,pl,def
Parallels
- No parallels.
Alternative generated candidates
- and let the king appoint officers in every province of his realm to gather together all the fair young virgins to Shushan the citadel, to the house of the women, under the charge of Hegai the king’s chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their prescribed things for purification be given them.
- 'Let the king appoint officers in every province to gather together all the fair young women to the citadel of Susa, into the custody of Hegai, the king's eunuch, keeper of the women, and let their cosmetics and their prescribed rites of purification be provided for them.
Esth.2.4 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- והנערה: CONJ+NOUN,f,sg,def
- אשר: PRON,rel
- תיטב: VERB,qal,impf,3,f,sg
- בעיני: PREP+NOUN,f,pl,cons
- המלך: NOUN,m,sg,def
- תמלך: VERB,qal,impf,3,f,sg
- תחת: PREP
- ושתי: CONJ+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- וייטב: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- הדבר: NOUN,m,sg,def
- בעיני: PREP+NOUN,f,pl,cons
- המלך: NOUN,m,sg,def
- ויעש: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- כן: ADV
Parallels
- No parallels.
Alternative generated candidates
- And let the maiden who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.” The proposal pleased the king, and he did so.
- And let the maiden who pleases the king be made queen instead of Vashti.' This proposal pleased the king, and he acted accordingly.
Esth.2.5 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- איש: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- יהודי: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- היה: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- בשושן: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,prop
- הבירה: NOUN,f,sg,def
- ושמו: CONJ+NOUN,m,sg,abs+3,m,sg
- מרדכי: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- בן: NOUN,m,sg,const
- יאיר: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- בן: NOUN,m,sg,const
- שמעי: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- בן: NOUN,m,sg,const
- קיש: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- איש: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ימיני: ADJ,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- No parallels.
Alternative generated candidates
- Now there was at Shushan the citadel a certain Jew, whose name was Mordecai, son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, a Benjaminite;
- So the officers were commissioned in all the king's provinces to bring in all the fair young women to the citadel of Susa, into the care of Hegai.
Esth.2.6 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- אשר: PRON,rel
- הגלה: VERB,hifil,perf,3,m,sg
- מירושלים: PREP+NOUN,prop,f,sg
- עם: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- הגלה: NOUN,f,sg,def
- אשר: PRON,rel
- הגלתה: VERB,hifil,perf,3,f,sg
- עם: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- יכניה: NOUN,prop,m,sg
- מלך: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- יהודה: NOUN,prop,m,sg
- אשר: PRON,rel
- הגלה: VERB,hifil,perf,3,m,sg
- נבוכדנאצר: NOUN,prop,m,sg
- מלך: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- בבל: NOUN,prop,f,sg
Parallels
- No parallels.
Alternative generated candidates
- who had been taken captive from Jerusalem with the captives who had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried away.
- Now there was a certain Jew in Susa the citadel, whose name was Mordecai son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, a Benjamite.
Esth.2.7 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- ויהי: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,m,sg
- אמן: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- את: PRT,acc
- הדסה: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- היא: PRON,3,f,sg
- אסתר: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- בת: NOUN,f,sg,construct
- דדו: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- כי: CONJ
- אין: PART
- לה: PRON,3,f,sg
- אב: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ואם: CONJ
- והנערה: NOUN,f,sg,def
- יפת: ADJ,f,sg
- תאר: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- וטובת: ADJ,f,sg,construct
- מראה: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ובמות: PREP+NOUN,m,pl,abs
- אביה: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ואמה: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- לקחה: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- מרדכי: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- לו: PRON,3,m,sg
- לבת: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs
Parallels
- No parallels.
Alternative generated candidates
- He had brought up Hadassah—this is Esther—his uncle’s daughter, for she had neither father nor mother. The young woman was beautiful and lovely; and when her father and mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter.
- Kish had been carried away from Jerusalem with the exiles who had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried into exile.
Esth.2.8 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- ויהי: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,m,sg
- בהשמע: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,def
- דבר: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- המלך: NOUN,m,sg,def
- ודתו: CONJ+NOUN,f,sg,abs,poss3,ms
- ובהקבץ: CONJ+PREP+NOUN,m,sg,def
- נערות: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- רבות: ADJ,f,pl
- אל: PREP
- שושן: NOUN,m,sg,prop
- הבירה: NOUN,f,sg,def
- אל: PREP
- יד: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- הגי: NOUN,m,sg,prop
- ותלקח: CONJ+VERB,nip,imf,3,fs
- אסתר: NOUN,f,sg,prop
- אל: PREP
- בית: NOUN,m,sg,cs
- המלך: NOUN,m,sg,def
- אל: PREP
- יד: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- הגי: NOUN,m,sg,prop
- שמר: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- הנשים: NOUN,f,pl,abs
Parallels
- No parallels.
Alternative generated candidates
- When the king’s command and decree was heard, and many young women were gathered at Shushan the citadel to the custody of Hegai, Esther was taken also to the king’s house, assigned to Hegai, keeper of the women.
- Mordecai had brought up Hadassah—that is, Esther—his uncle's daughter, for she had neither father nor mother; the young woman was fair and beautiful, and when her father and mother died Mordecai took her as his own daughter.
Esth.2.9 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- ותיטב: VERB,qal,impf,3,f,sg
- הנערה: NOUN,f,sg,def
- בעיניו: PREP+NOUN,f,pl,abs+PRON,3,m,sg
- ותשא: VERB,qal,impf,3,f,sg
- חסד: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- לפניו: PREP+PRON,3ms
- ויבהל: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- את: PRT,acc
- תמרוקיה: NOUN,m,pl,abs+PRON,3,f,sg
- ואת: CONJ+PRT,acc
- מנותה: NOUN,f,pl,abs+PRON,3,f,sg
- לתת: VERB,qal,inf
- לה: PREP+PRON,3,f,sg
- ואת: CONJ+PRT,acc
- שבע: NUM,card,sg
- הנערות: NOUN,f,pl,def
- הראיות: ADJ,f,pl,def
- לתת: VERB,qal,inf
- לה: PREP+PRON,3,f,sg
- מבית: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- המלך: NOUN,m,sg,def
- וישנה: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- ואת: CONJ+PRT,acc
- נערותיה: NOUN,f,pl,abs+PRON,3,f,sg
- לטוב: PREP+ADJ,m,sg,abs
- בית: NOUN,m,sg,cs
- הנשים: NOUN,f,pl,abs
Parallels
- No parallels.
Alternative generated candidates
- And the young woman pleased him and won favor, and she obtained kindness from him; so he quickly provided for her things for purification and gifts, and he assigned to her seven choice young women from the king’s household, and he moved her and her attendants into the best place in the house of the women.
- When the king's command and decree became known and many young women were gathered to Susa the citadel under Hegai's charge, Esther was taken also into the king's house and entrusted to Hegai, keeper of the women.
Esth.2.10 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- לא: PART,neg
- הגידה: VERB,hiph,perf,3,f,sg
- אסתר: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- את: PRT,acc
- עמה: NOUN,m,sg,abs,prsfx:3,f
- ואת: CONJ+PRT,acc
- מולדתה: NOUN,f,sg,abs,prsfx:3,f
- כי: CONJ
- מרדכי: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- צוה: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- עליה: PREP+prsfx:3,f
- אשר: PRON,rel
- לא: PART,neg
- תגיד: VERB,qal,impf,3,f,sg
Parallels
- No parallels.
Alternative generated candidates
- Esther did not reveal her people or her kindred, for Mordecai had charged her not to make it known.
- The maiden pleased him and won his favor, and he speedily provided her with her prescribed things for purification and with her allotted days; moreover he gave her seven maidservants chosen from the king's palace, and he advanced her and her maidens into the best place of the women's quarters.
Esth.2.11 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- ובכל: CONJ+PREP
- יום: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ויום: CONJ+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- מרדכי: NOUN,prop,m,sg
- מתהלך: VERB,hitp,ptc,3,m,sg
- לפני: PREP
- חצר: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- בית: NOUN,m,sg,cs
- הנשים: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- לדעת: PREP+VERB,qal,inf
- את: PRT,acc
- שלום: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אסתר: NOUN,prop,f,sg
- ומה: CONJ+INTPRON
- יעשה: VERB,qal,imperf,3,m,sg
- בה: PREP+PRON,3,f,sg
Parallels
- No parallels.
Alternative generated candidates
- And Mordecai would sit at the king’s gate.
- Esther did not reveal her people or her kindred, for Mordecai had charged her not to make it known; for Esther obeyed the instruction given her.
Esth.2.12 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- ובהגיע: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- תר: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- נערה: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- ונערה: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- לבוא: PREP+VERB,qal,inf
- אל: PREP
- המלך: NOUN,m,sg,def
- אחשורוש: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- מקץ: PREP
- היות: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- לה: PRON,3,f,sg
- כדת: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- הנשים: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- שנים: NUM,pl
- עשר: NUM,f,sg,abs
- חדש: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- כי: CONJ
- כן: ADV
- ימלאו: VERB,qal,impf,3,pl
- ימי: NOUN,m,pl,cons
- מרוקיהן: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- ששה: NUM,sg
- חדשים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- בשמן: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- המר: NOUN,m,sg,def
- וששה: NUM,sg
- חדשים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- בבשמים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- ובתמרוקי: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- הנשים: NOUN,f,pl,abs
Parallels
- No parallels.
Alternative generated candidates
- Each young woman’s turn came after the prescribed twelve months of their preparations for the king: six months with oil of myrrh for purification, and six months with perfumes and preparations for women.
- Now when each young woman's turn came to go in to the king according to the customs of the time—she who went in came after twelve months' preparation, namely, six months with oil of myrrh and six months with fragrances and other apparel for women—
Esth.2.13 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- ובזה: CONJ+PREP+DEM,m,sg
- הנערה: NOUN,f,sg,def
- באה: VERB,qal,perf,3,f,sg
- אל: PREP
- המלך: NOUN,m,sg,def
- את: PRT,acc
- כל: DET
- אשר: PRON,rel
- תאמר: VERB,qal,imperfect,3,f,sg
- ינתן: VERB,niph,imperfect,3,m,sg
- לה: PRON,3,f,sg
- לבוא: PREP+VERB,qal,inf
- עמה: PREP+PRON,3,f,sg
- מבית: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,const
- הנשים: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- עד: PREP
- בית: NOUN,m,sg,cs
- המלך: NOUN,m,sg,def
Parallels
- No parallels.
Alternative generated candidates
- Then at the turn of her months the young woman would go in to the king; whatever she asked would be given her to take with her from the house of the women to the king’s house.
- at the appointed time she went in to the king; and whatever she requested was given her to take to the king's house from the women's quarters.
Esth.2.14 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- בערב: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- היא: PRON,3,f,sg
- באה: VERB,qal,perf,3,f,sg
- ובבקר: CONJ+PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- היא: PRON,3,f,sg
- שבה: VERB,qal,perf,3,f,sg
- אל: PREP
- בית: NOUN,m,sg,cs
- הנשים: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- שני: NUM,card,m,sg
- אל: PREP
- יד: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- שעשגז: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- סריס: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- המלך: NOUN,m,sg,def
- שמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- הפילגשים: NOUN,f,pl,def
- לא: PART,neg
- תבוא: VERB,qal,impf,3,f,sg
- עוד: ADV
- אל: PREP
- המלך: NOUN,m,sg,def
- כי: CONJ
- אם: CONJ
- חפץ: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- בה: PREP+PRON,3,f,sg
- המלך: NOUN,m,sg,def
- ונקראה: CONJ+VERB,niphal,perf,3,f,sg
- בשם: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- No parallels.
Alternative generated candidates
- In the evening she would go, and in the morning she would return to the second house of the women, except the king’s maiden who pleased; she would go in again to the king’s house.
- And when she pleased the king, he set the royal crown upon her head and made her queen in place of Vashti.
Esth.2.15 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- ובהגיע: PREP+VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- תר: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אסתר: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- בת: NOUN,f,sg,cons
- אביחיל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- דד: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- מרדכי: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אשר: PRON,rel
- לקח: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- לו: PRON,3,m,sg
- לבת: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- לבוא: PREP+VERB,qal,inf
- אל: PREP
- המלך: NOUN,m,sg,def
- לא: PART,neg
- בקשה: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- דבר: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- כי: CONJ
- אם: CONJ
- את: PRT,acc
- אשר: PRON,rel
- יאמר: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- הגי: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- סריס: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- המלך: NOUN,m,sg,def
- שמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- הנשים: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- ותהי: CONJ+VERB,qal,perf,3,f,sg
- אסתר: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- נשאת: VERB,niphal,perf,3,f,sg
- חן: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- בעיני: PREP+NOUN,f,pl,cons
- כל: DET
- ראיה: NOUN,f,sg,abs
Parallels
- No parallels.
Alternative generated candidates
- Now when Esther’s turn came to go in to the king, she found favor in his sight and in the sight of Hegai the chamberlain. Esther obtained his favor and kindness, and he provided her special provisions and her maids, and he advanced her and her attendants to the best place in the house of the women.
- Then the king held a great banquet for all his princes and servants; and Esther was brought to the king's house in the tenth month, which is Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.
Esth.2.16 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- ותלקח: VERB,niphal,imperfect,3,f,sg
- אסתר: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- אל: PREP
- המלך: NOUN,m,sg,def
- אחשורוש: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אל: PREP
- בית: NOUN,m,sg,cs
- מלכותו: NOUN,f,sg,abs,poss:3,m,sg
- בחדש: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- העשירי: ADJ,m,sg,def
- הוא: PRON,3,m,sg
- חדש: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- טבת: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- בשנת: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,cons
- שבע: NUM,card,sg
- למלכותו: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs,poss,3,m,sg
Parallels
- No parallels.
Alternative generated candidates
- And the king loved Esther more than all the women, and she obtained grace and favor with him and his servants; and he set the royal crown upon her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.
- And the king loved Esther more than all the women, and she obtained grace and favor with him and with his servants.
Esth.2.17 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- ויאהב: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- המלך: NOUN,m,sg,def
- את: PRT,acc
- אסתר: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- מכל: PREP
- הנשים: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- ותשא: VERB,qal,perf,3,f,sg
- חן: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- וחסד: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- לפניו: PREP+PRON,3ms
- מכל: PREP
- הבתולת: NOUN,f,pl,def
- וישם: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- כתר: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- מלכות: NOUN,f,sg,cs
- בראשה: PREP,3,f,sg
- וימליכה: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- תחת: PREP
- ושתי: CONJ+NOUN,f,sg,abs
Parallels
- No parallels.
Alternative generated candidates
- Then the king made a great feast for all his princes and servants; and the city of Shushan rejoiced.
- So he set the royal crown upon her head and made her queen instead of Vashti; and the king established a royal house for Esther, and he advanced Mordecai in the king's service.
Esth.2.18 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- ויעש: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- המלך: NOUN,m,sg,def
- משתה: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- גדול: ADJ,m,sg,abs
- לכל: PREP+PRON,indef,pl
- שריו: NOUN,m,pl,abs,ps:3ms
- ועבדיו: CONJ+NOUN,m,pl,abs,ps:3ms
- את: PRT,acc
- משתה: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אסתר: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- והנחה: VERB,hiph,perf,3,m,sg
- למדינות: PREP+NOUN,f,pl,abs
- עשה: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- ויתן: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- משאת: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- כיד: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- המלך: NOUN,m,sg,def
Parallels
- No parallels.
Alternative generated candidates
- And Esther had not revealed her people or her kindred, for Mordecai had charged her not to make it known.
- And the people and princes of the provinces gave gifts to the king and to Queen Esther; and the matter of Esther's rise was reported throughout the provinces.
After these things, when the wrath of King Ahasuerus had cooled, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and the decree that had gone out against her.
Then the king's attendants who served him said, "Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king;
and let the royal officers be appointed in every province of the realm to gather together every fair young woman to Shushan the citadel, to the house of the women, under the care of Hegai, the king's eunuch, who is in charge of the women; and let their cosmetics and provisions for purification be given them. And let the maiden who pleases the king be made queen instead of Vashti." This proposition pleased the king, and it was done. Now there was in Shushan the citadel a man of the tribe of Benjamin named Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish,
who had been carried away from Jerusalem among those taken captive with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon carried into exile.
He had brought up Hadassah—she is called Esther—his uncle's daughter, for she had neither father nor mother; the young woman was fair and beautiful. When her father and mother died, Mordecai adopted her as his own daughter. So when the king's edict and his command were heard, and many young women were gathered at Shushan the citadel to the custody of Hegai, Esther was brought to the king's house and placed in the care of Hegai, the keeper of the women. And the maiden pleased him and found favor with him; so he speedily provided her with cosmetics and other things for purification and assigned to her seven maidservants chosen from the king's palace. He advanced her and her maidservants to the best place among the women.
Esther did not reveal her people or her kindred, for Mordecai had charged her that she should keep silence. And Esther obeyed Mordecai’s command, as she had been brought up by him.
Mordecai would walk every day before the court of the women's house to learn how Esther fared and what would become of her. Now when each young woman's turn came to go in to the king, she had to undergo twelve months' preparation prescribed for the women—six months with oil of myrrh and six months with sweet perfumes and with other things for the purification of the women—before she came to the king. And when the young woman came to the king, whatever she desired to ask was given her to take from the house of the women to the king.
In the evening she would go in to the king, and in the morning she would return to the second house of the women under the custody of Shaashgaz, the king's eunuch, who kept the concubines; thus it was done for all the virgins. Now when Esther's turn came to go in to the king, she asked for nothing but what Hegai the king's eunuch, who had charge of the women, appointed. And Esther found favor with all who saw her. So Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus into his royal palace in the tenth month, which is Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign. And the king loved Esther more than all the women, and she obtained grace and favor with him and with his attendants. So he set the royal crown upon her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.
Then the king made a great feast for all his princes and servants; and he put Esther at the head of the house of the women, and he caused a remembrance of Mordecai to be established before him.