1After these things, when the wrath of king Ahasuerus was appeased, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her. 2Then said the king’s servants that ministered unto him, Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king: 3And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the fair young virgins unto Shushan the palace, to the house of the women, unto the custody of Hege the king’s chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their things for purification be given them:2.3 unto the…: Heb. unto the hand2.3 Hege: also called, Hegai 4And 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; 6Who 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.2.6 Jeconiah: also called, Jehoiachin 7And 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.2.7 brought…: Heb. nourished2.7 fair…: Heb. fair of form, and good of countenance
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. 9And 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.2.9 such…: Heb. her portions2.9 preferred: Heb. changed 10Esther had not shewed her people nor her kindred: for Mordecai had charged her that she should not shew it. 11And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women’s house, to know how Esther did, and what should become of her.2.11 to know…: Heb. to know the peace
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;) 13Then 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. 14In 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. 16So 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. 17And 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.2.17 favour: or, kindness2.17 in his…: Heb. before him 18Then 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.2.18 release: Heb. rest 19And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, then Mordecai sat in the king’s gate. 20Esther 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.
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.2.21 Bigthan: also called, Bigthana2.21 the door: Heb. the threshold 22And the thing was known to Mordecai, who told it unto Esther the queen; and Esther certified the king thereof in Mordecai’s name. 23And 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.
Ester é coroada rainha
1Quando a ira do rei Assuero se foi apaziguando, começou a pensar na rainha Vasti, naquilo que acontecera e na decisão tomada contra ela. 2Então os seus colaboradores sugeriram: “Vamos reunir as raparigas mais bonitas do império e trazê-las à presença do rei. 3Nomeie o rei agentes em cada província que selecionem raparigas jovens e bonitas para o harém real. Hegai, o eunuco responsável pelas mulheres, fará com que passem por tratamentos de beleza. 4Depois a rapariga que mais agradar ao rei tornar-se-á rainha em lugar de Vasti.” O rei ficou contente com esta opinião, e o plano foi logo posto em prática.
5Havia um certo judeu que vivia em Susã, chamado Mardoqueu, filho de Jair, da tribo de Benjamim, neto de Simei e bisneto de Cis. 6Cis fora transportado de Jerusalém, quando aquela cidade foi destruída pelo rei Nabucodonozor, e viera exilado para a Babilónia, juntamente com o rei Jeconias de Judá e muitos outros. 7Mardoqueu tinha uma prima muito bonita de feições e formas, de nome Hadassa, mas conhecida por Ester, cujos pais tinham morrido, e que ele tinha trazido para sua casa e educado como filha.
8Em consequência do decreto real, Ester foi levada para o harém do soberano do palácio de Susã, juntamente com muitas outras moças. Hegai, responsável pelo harém, 9ficou muito impressionado quando a viu, e tratou-a o melhor possível, tanto nos alimentos que lhe dava a comer como nos meios de torná-la ainda mais bela. Deu-lhe também sete raparigas do palácio como criadas, assim como os melhores quartos do harém.
10Ester não dissera a ninguém que era judia, porque Mardoqueu assim a instruíra. 11Aliás, o seu primo vinha todos os dias ao pátio do harém para saber notícias de Ester e informar-se do que se ia passando com ela.
12As instruções quanto a estas raparigas eram que, antes de serem levadas para junto do rei, deveriam passar um ano em tratamentos de beleza: seis meses com óleo de mirra, seguidos doutros seis meses com perfumes especiais e unguentos. 13Quando chegava a vez de alguma moça ir para o harém do rei, recebia o que pedisse para se vestir e arranjar. 14No dia seguinte, passava ao segundo harém, onde viviam as mulheres do rei, e ficava sob os cuidados de Saasgaz, eunuco real, e aí vivia o resto dos seus dias, nunca mais tornando a ver o rei, a não ser que lhe agradasse especialmente ou fosse chamada pelo seu próprio nome.
15Chegou a vez de Ester preparar-se para ir à presença do rei. Ester era filha de Abiail, tio de Mardoqueu, que a adotara por filha. Ela aceitou vestir-se e arranjar-se de acordo com o gosto de Hegai; Ester agradava a toda a gente. 16Assim, ela foi levada para o palácio do rei no décimo mês que é o mês de Tebet2.16 Mês de Tebet. Entre a lua nova do mês de dezembro e o mês de janeiro., no sétimo ano do seu reinado.
17O rei sentiu-se atraído por Ester, mais do que por qualquer outra moça, de tal maneira que colocou na sua cabeça a coroa real e declarou-a rainha em lugar de Vasti. 18Então o rei deu outro grande banquete para todos os seus príncipes e ministros, decretou feriado em todas as províncias e mandou distribuir presentes.
19Mais tarde, as raparigas voltaram a juntar-se; nessa altura já Mardoqueu estava de serviço junto ao portão do palácio. 20Ester não dissera ainda a ninguém que era judia, pois continuava a seguir as instruções de seu primo Mardoqueu, como quando vivia em sua casa.
Mardoqueu revela uma conspiração
21Um dia, estando Mardoqueu exercendo as suas funções no palácio, dois dos eunucos do rei, Bigtã e Teres, que eram guardas do portão do palácio, começaram a conspirar um atentado contra o rei, para o assassinarem. 22Mardoqueu soube do que se passava e deu a informação à rainha Ester, que a transmitiu ao rei, informando que a recebera do primo. 23Feitas as devidas investigações, os dois homens foram descobertos e enforcados. Tudo isto está devidamente registado nas crónicas do reinado de Assuero.
