Short Stories Old and New | Page 4

women, unto the custody of Hegai the
king's chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their things for
purification be given them:
4. And let the maiden which pleaseth the king be queen instead of
Vashti. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.
5. Now in Shushan the palace there was a certain Jew, whose name was
Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a
Benjamite;

6. Who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captivity which
had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom
Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away.
7. And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daughter: for
she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful;
whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his
own daughter.
8. So it came to pass, when the king's commandment and his decree
was heard, and when many maidens were gathered together unto
Shushan the palace, to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was brought
also unto the king's house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the
women.
9. And the maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness of him; and
he speedily gave her her things for purification, with such things as
belonged to her, and seven maidens, which were meet to be given her,
out of the king's house: and he preferred her and her maids unto the
best place of the house of the women.
10. Esther had not shewed her people nor her kindred: for Mordecai
had charged her that she should not shew it.
11. And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women's
house, to know how Esther did, and what should become of her.
12. Now when every maid's turn was come to go in to king Ahasuerus,
after that she had been twelve months, according to the manner of the
women, (for so were the days of their purifications accomplished, to
wit, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odours,
and with other things for the purifying of the women,)
13. Then thus came every maiden unto the king; whatsoever she
desired was given her to go with her out of the house of the women
unto the king's house.
14. In the evening she went, and on the morrow she returned into the

second house of the women, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king's
chamberlain, which kept the concubines: she came in unto the king no
more, except the king delighted in her, and that she were called by
name.
15. Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of
Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, was come to go in unto
the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king's chamberlain,
the keeper of the women, appointed. And Esther obtained favour in the
sight of all them that looked upon her.
16. So Esther was taken unto king Ahasuerus into his house royal in the
tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his
reign.
17. And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained
grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the
royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.
18. Then the king made a great feast unto all his princes and his
servants, even Esther's feast; and he made a release to the provinces,
and gave gifts, according to the state of the king.
19. And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, then
Mordecai sat in the king's gate.
20. Esther had not yet shewed her kindred nor her people, as Mordecai
had charged her: for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, like as
when she was brought up with him.
MORDECAI SAVES THE KING'S LIFE
21. In those days, while Mordecai sat in the king's gate, two of the
king's chamberlains, Bigthan and Teresh, of those which kept the door,
were wroth, and sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus.
22. And the thing was known to Mordecai, who told it unto Esther the
queen; and Esther certified the king thereof in Mordecai's name.

23. And when inquisition was made of the matter, it was found out;
therefore they were both hanged on a tree: and it was written in the
book of the chronicles before the king.


CHAPTER III
THE CONSPIRACY OF HAMAN
1. After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman the son of
Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above all
the princes that were with him.
2. And all the king's servants, that were in the