Esther 2
English Standard Version
Esther Chosen Queen
2 After these things, (A)when the anger of King Ahasuerus had abated, he remembered Vashti (B)and what she had done and what had been decreed against her. 2 Then the king's young men who attended him said, “Let beautiful young virgins be sought out for the king. 3 And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom to gather all the beautiful young virgins to the harem in Susa the citadel, under custody of (C)Hegai, the king's eunuch, who is in charge of the women. (D)Let their cosmetics be given them. 4 And let the young woman who pleases the king[a] be queen instead of Vashti.” This pleased the king, and he did so.
5 Now there was a Jew in Susa the citadel whose name was (E)Mordecai, the son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, a Benjaminite, 6 (F)who had been carried away from Jerusalem among the captives carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried away. 7 He was bringing up Hadassah, that is Esther, (G)the daughter of his uncle, for she had neither father nor mother. The young woman had a beautiful figure and was lovely to look at, and when her father and her mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter. 8 So when the king's order and his edict were proclaimed, and (H)when many young women were gathered in Susa the citadel in custody of (I)Hegai, Esther also was taken into the king's palace and put in custody of Hegai, who had charge of the women. 9 And the young woman pleased him and won his favor. And he quickly provided her (J)with her cosmetics and her portion of food, and with seven chosen young women from the king's palace, and advanced her and her young women to the best place in the harem. 10 (K)Esther had not made known her people or kindred, for Mordecai had commanded her not to make it known. 11 And every day Mordecai walked in front of the court of the harem to learn how Esther was and what was happening to her.
12 Now when the turn came for each young woman to go in to King Ahasuerus, after being twelve months under the regulations for the women, since this was the regular period of their beautifying, six months with oil of myrrh and six months with spices and ointments for women— 13 when the young woman went in to the king in this way, she was given whatever she desired to take with her from the harem to the king's palace. 14 In the evening she would go in, and in the morning she would return to the second harem in custody of Shaashgaz, the king's eunuch, who was in charge of the concubines. She would not go in to the king again, unless the king delighted in her and she was summoned by name.
15 When the turn came for Esther (L)the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her as his own daughter, to go in to the king, she asked for nothing except what (M)Hegai the king's eunuch, who had charge of the women, advised. Now Esther was winning favor in the eyes of all who saw her. 16 And when Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus, into his royal palace, in the tenth month, which is the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign, 17 the king loved Esther more than all the women, and she won grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins, so that he set (N)the royal crown[b] on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. 18 Then the king (O)gave a great feast for all his officials and servants; it was Esther's feast. He also granted a remission of taxes to the provinces and gave gifts with royal generosity.
Mordecai Discovers a Plot
19 Now when the virgins were gathered together (P)the second time, Mordecai was sitting (Q)at the king's gate. 20 (R)Esther had not made known her kindred or her people, as Mordecai had commanded her, for Esther obeyed Mordecai just (S)as when she was brought up by him. 21 In those days, as Mordecai was sitting at the king's gate, (T)Bigthan and (U)Teresh, two of the king's eunuchs, who guarded the threshold, became angry and sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. 22 And this came to the knowledge of Mordecai, (V)and he told it to Queen Esther, and Esther told the king in the name of Mordecai. 23 When the affair was investigated and found to be so, the men were both hanged on the gallows.[c] And it was recorded in (W)the book of the chronicles in the presence of the king.
Footnotes
- Esther 2:4 Hebrew who is good in the eyes of the king
- Esther 2:17 Or headdress
- Esther 2:23 Or wooden beam or stake; Hebrew tree or wood. This Persian execution practice involved affixing or impaling a person on a stake or pole (compare Ezra 6:11)
Esther 2
New American Standard Bible
Vashti’s Successor Sought
2 After these things, (A)when the anger of King Ahasuerus had subsided, he remembered Vashti and what she had done, and (B)what had been decided regarding her. 2 Then the king’s attendants, who served him, said, “(C)Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king. 3 And may the king appoint overseers in (D)all the provinces of his kingdom, and have them [a]bring every beautiful young virgin to the citadel of Susa, to the harem, into the custody of (E)Hegai, the king’s eunuch, who is in charge of the women; and (F)let their cosmetics be given to them. 4 Then let the young woman who pleases the king be queen in place of Vashti.” And the [b]suggestion pleased the king, and he did accordingly.
5 There was a Jew at the citadel in Susa whose name was (G)Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjaminite, 6 (H)who had been taken from Jerusalem with the exiles who had been deported with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had deported. 7 He was the guardian to Hadassah, that is (I)Esther, his uncle’s daughter, for she had no father or mother. Now the young woman was beautiful of form and [c]face, and when her father and her mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter.
Esther Finds Favor
8 So it came about, when the command and decree of the king were heard and (J)many young ladies were gathered to the citadel of Susa into the [d]custody of (K)Hegai, that Esther was taken to the king’s [e]palace into the custody of Hegai, who was in charge of the women. 9 Now the young lady pleased him and found favor with him. So he quickly provided her with her (L)cosmetics and [f]food, gave her seven choice female attendants from the king’s palace, and transferred her and her attendants to the best place in the harem. 10 (M)Esther did not reveal her people or her kindred, because Mordecai had instructed her that she was not to reveal them. 11 And every day Mordecai walked back and forth in front of the courtyard of the harem to learn how Esther was and what was happening to her.
12 Now when the turn came for each young woman to go in to King Ahasuerus, after the end of her twelve months under the regulations for the women—for the days of their beauty treatment were completed as follows: six months with oil of myrrh and six months with balsam oil and the cosmetics for women— 13 the young woman would go in to the king in this way: anything that she [g]desired was given her to [h]take with her from the harem to the king’s palace. 14 In the evening she would enter and in the morning she would return to the second harem, to the [i]custody of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the concubines. She would not go in to the king again, unless the king delighted in her and she was summoned by name.
15 Now when the turn of Esther, (N)the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai who had taken her as his daughter, came to go in to the king, she did not request anything except what (O)Hegai, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the women, [j]advised. And Esther was finding favor in the eyes of all who saw her. 16 So Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus in his royal palace in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.
Esther Becomes Queen
17 The king loved Esther more than all the women, and she found favor and kindness with him more than all the virgins, so that (P)he set the royal turban on her head and made her queen in place of Vashti. 18 Then (Q)the king held a great banquet, Esther’s banquet, for all his officials and his servants; he also made a holiday for the provinces and gave gifts (R)in proportion to the king’s bounty.
19 (S)Now when the virgins were gathered together for the second time, then Mordecai (T)was sitting at the king’s gate. 20 (U)Esther still had not revealed her relatives or her people, just as Mordecai had instructed her; for Esther did [k]what Mordecai told her just as she had (V)when under his care.
Mordecai Saves the King
21 In those days, while Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, (W)Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king’s officials from those who guarded the door, became angry and sought to [l]attack King Ahasuerus. 22 But the [m]plot became known to Mordecai and (X)he informed Queen Esther, and Esther told the king in Mordecai’s name. 23 Then when the plot was investigated and found to be so, they were both hanged on a wooden gallows; and it was written in (Y)the Book of the Chronicles in the king’s presence.
Footnotes
- Esther 2:3 Lit gather
- Esther 2:4 Lit word
- Esther 2:7 Lit good of appearance
- Esther 2:8 Lit hand
- Esther 2:8 Lit house
- Esther 2:9 Lit portions
- Esther 2:13 Lit said
- Esther 2:13 Lit come
- Esther 2:14 Lit hand
- Esther 2:15 Lit said
- Esther 2:20 Lit the command of Mordecai
- Esther 2:21 Or kill; lit put out a hand against
- Esther 2:22 Lit matter, so also v 23
Ester 2
Nueva Biblia de las Américas
Ester elegida reina
2 Después de estas cosas, cuando el furor del rey Asuero se había aplacado(A), él se acordó de Vasti, de lo que ella había hecho y de lo que se había decretado contra ella(B). 2 Entonces los cortesanos al servicio del rey, dijeron: «Busquen para el rey muchachas vírgenes y de buen parecer(C). 3 Que el rey nombre oficiales en todas las provincias de su reino(D) para que reúnan a todas las jóvenes vírgenes y de buen parecer en el harén de la fortaleza de Susa. Estarán bajo la custodia[a] de Hegai, eunuco del rey, encargado de las mujeres(E), y que se les den sus cosméticos(F). 4 Entonces la joven que agrade al rey sea reina en lugar de Vasti». Esto le pareció bien al rey, y así lo hizo.
5 Y había en la fortaleza de Susa un judío que se llamaba Mardoqueo(G), hijo de Jair, hijo de Simei, hijo de Cis, el benjamita. 6 Él había sido deportado de Jerusalén con los cautivos que habían sido deportados con Jeconías, rey de Judá, a quien se había llevado cautivo Nabucodonosor, rey de Babilonia(H). 7 Mardoqueo estaba criando a Hadasa, es decir, Ester, hija de su tío, pues ella no tenía ni padre ni madre. La joven era de hermosa figura y de buen parecer, y cuando su padre y su madre murieron, Mardoqueo la tomó como hija suya(I).
8 Así que cuando el mandato y el decreto del rey fueron oídos, muchas jóvenes fueron reunidas en la fortaleza de Susa bajo la custodia de Hegai. Ester también fue llevada al palacio[b] del rey, bajo la custodia de Hegai, encargado de las mujeres(J). 9 La joven le agradó a Hegai y halló favor delante de él, por lo que se apresuró en proveerle cosméticos(K) y alimentos[c]. Le dio siete doncellas escogidas del palacio del rey, y la trasladó con sus doncellas al mejor lugar del harén. 10 Ester no dio a conocer ni su pueblo ni su familia, porque Mardoqueo le había mandado que no los diera a conocer(L). 11 Todos los días Mardoqueo se paseaba delante del patio del harén para enterarse de cómo estaba Ester y qué le sucedía.
12 Cuando le tocaba a cada joven venir al rey Asuero, al cumplirse sus doce meses, según las ordenanzas para las mujeres, pues los días de su embellecimiento se cumplían así: seis meses con aceite de mirra y seis meses con especias y cosméticos para las mujeres, 13 entonces la joven venía al rey de esta manera: cualquier cosa que ella deseaba[d] se le concedía para que la llevara consigo del harén al palacio del rey. 14 Ella entraba por la tarde y a la mañana siguiente volvía al segundo harén, bajo la custodia de Saasgaz, eunuco del rey, encargado de las concubinas. Ella no iba otra vez al rey a menos que el rey se complaciera en ella y fuera llamada por nombre.
15 Cuando a Ester, hija de Abihail, tío de Mardoqueo, que la había tomado como hija(M), le tocó venir al rey, ella no pidió cosa alguna sino lo que le aconsejó[e] Hegai, eunuco del rey, encargado de las mujeres(N). Y Ester hallaba favor ante los ojos de cuantos la veían.
16 Ester fue llevada al rey Asuero a su palacio real el mes décimo, que es el mes Tebet, en el año séptimo de su reinado. 17 Y el rey amó a Ester más que a todas las otras mujeres, y ella halló gracia y bondad con él más que todas las demás vírgenes. Así que él puso la corona real sobre su cabeza(O) y la hizo reina en lugar de Vasti. 18 Entonces el rey hizo un gran banquete para todos sus príncipes y siervos(P), el banquete de Ester. También concedió un día de descanso para las provincias y dio presentes conforme a la liberalidad[f] del rey(Q).
19 Cuando las vírgenes fueron reunidas(R) por segunda vez, Mardoqueo estaba sentado a la puerta del rey(S). 20 Ester todavía no había dado a conocer ni su familia ni su pueblo, tal como Mardoqueo le había mandado(T), porque Ester hizo lo que le había dicho[g] Mardoqueo, como cuando estaba bajo su tutela(U).
21 En aquellos días, estando Mardoqueo sentado a la puerta del rey, Bigtán y Teres, dos eunucos del rey, guardianes del umbral, se enojaron y procuraban echar mano al[h] rey Asuero(V). 22 Pero el asunto llegó a conocimiento de Mardoqueo, y él se lo comunicó a la reina Ester, y Ester informó[i] al rey en nombre de Mardoqueo(W). 23 Cuando el asunto fue investigado y hallado cierto, los dos eunucos fueron colgados en una horca[j]. Esto fue escrito en el libro de las Crónicas(X) en presencia del rey.
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