Esther Becomes Queen of Persia
1Later, the great anger of King Xerxes calmed down. Then he remembered Vashti and what she had done. He also remembered the royal order he had sent out concerning her. 2At that time the king’s personal attendants made a suggestion. They said, “King Xerxes, let a search be made for some beautiful young virgins for you. 3Appoint some officials in every territory in your kingdom. Have them bring all these beautiful young women into the fort of Susa. Put them in the special place where the virgins stay. Then put Hegai in charge of them. He’s the official who serves you. He’s in charge of the women. Let beauty care be given to the new group of women. 4Then let the young woman who pleases you the most become queen in Vashti’s place.” The king liked that advice. So he followed it.
5There was a Jew living in the fort of Susa. He was from the tribe of Benjamin. His name was Mordecai. He was the son of Jair. Jair was the son of Shimei. Shimei was the son of Kish. 6Nebuchadnezzar had forced Mordecai to leave Jerusalem. He was among the prisoners who were carried off along with Jehoiachin. Jehoiachin had been king of Judah. Nebuchadnezzar was king of Babylon. 7Mordecai had a cousin named Hadassah. He had raised her because she didn’t have a father or mother. Hadassah was also called Esther. She had a lovely figure and was very beautiful. Mordecai had adopted her as his own daughter. He had done it when her father and mother died.
8After the king’s order and law were announced, many young women were brought to the fort of Susa. Hegai was put in charge of them. Esther was also taken to the king’s palace. She was put under the control of Hegai. He was in charge of the place where the virgins stayed. 9Esther pleased him. He showed her how happy he was with her. Right away he provided her with her beauty care and special food. He appointed seven female attendants to help her. They were chosen from the king’s palace. He moved her and her attendants into the best part of the place where the virgins stayed.
10Esther hadn’t told anyone who her people were. She hadn’t talked about her family. That’s because Mordecai had told her not to. 11Mordecai tried to find out how Esther was getting along. He wanted to know what was happening to her. So he walked back and forth near the courtyard by the place where the virgins stayed. He did it every day.
12Each young woman had to complete 12 months of beauty care. They used oil of myrrh for six months. And they used perfume and makeup for the other six months. A virgin’s turn to go in to King Xerxes could come only after a full 12 months had passed. 13And here is how she would go to the king. She would be given anything she wanted from the place where the virgins stayed. She could take it with her to the king’s palace. 14In the evening she would go there. In the morning she would leave. Then she would go to the special place where the king’s concubines stayed. She would be put under the control of Shaashgaz. He was the king’s official who was in charge of the concubines. She would never return to the king unless he was pleased with her. He had to send for her by name before she could go to him again.
15Mordecai had adopted Esther. She had been the daughter of his uncle Abihail. Her turn came to go in to the king. She only asked for what Hegai suggested. He was the king’s official who was in charge of the place where the virgins stayed. Everyone who saw Esther was pleased with her. 16She was taken to King Xerxes in the royal house. It was now the tenth month. That was the month of Tebeth. It was the seventh year of the rule of Xerxes.
17The king liked Esther more than he liked any of the other women. She pleased him more than any of the other virgins. So he put a royal crown on her head. He made her queen in Vashti’s place. 18Then the king gave a feast to honor Esther. All his nobles and officials were invited. He announced a holiday all through the territories he ruled over. He freely gave many gifts in keeping with his royal wealth.
Mordecai Uncovers a Plan to Kill the King
19The virgins were gathered together a second time. At that time Mordecai was sitting at the palace gate. 20Esther had kept her family history a secret. She hadn’t told anyone who her people were. Mordecai had told her not to. She continued to follow his directions. That’s what she had always done when he was bringing her up.
21Bigthana and Teresh were two of the king’s officers. They guarded the door of the royal palace. They became angry with King Xerxes. So they decided to kill him. They made their evil plans while Mordecai was sitting at the palace gate. 22So Mordecai found out about it and told Queen Esther. Then she reported it to the king. She told him that Mordecai had uncovered the plans against him. 23Some people checked Esther’s report. And they found out it was true. So the two officials were put to death. Then poles were stuck through them. They were set up where people could see them. All of that was written in the official records. It was written down while the king was watching.
Naging Reyna si Ester
1Nang mawala na ang galit ni Haring Ahasuerus, naalala niya si Vasti at ang ginawa nito, at ang kautusan na nilagdaan niya laban dito. 2Sinabi ng mga pinunong naglilingkod sa kanya, “Mahal na Hari, bakit po hindi kayo maghanap ng magagandang dalagang birhen? 3Pumili po kayo ng mga pinuno sa bawat probinsyang nasasakupan ng kaharian ninyo para maghanap ng magagandang dalagang birhen at dalhin dito sa lungsod ng Susa, sa tahanan ng mga kababaihan. Ipaasikaso ninyo sila kay Hegai na isa sa mga pinuno ninyong mataas ang katungkulan, na nangangalaga sa tahanan ng mga kababaihan. Siya na po ang bahalang magbigay sa mga dalaga ng mga pangangailangan nila para sa pagpapaganda. 4At ang dalaga pong magugustuhan ninyo ang siyang ipapalit ninyo kay Vasti bilang reyna.” Nagustuhan ng hari ang payong ito kaya sinunod niya.
5Nang panahong iyon, may isang Judio na nakatira sa lungsod ng Susa. Ang pangalan niyaʼy Mordecai na anak ni Jair, na apo ni Shimei na anak ni Kish, na kabilang sa lahi ni Benjamin. 6Isa siya sa mga bihag ni Haring Nebucadnezar na dinala sa Babilonia mula sa Jerusalem, kasama ni Haring Jehoyakin2:6 Jehoyakin: o, Jeconia. ng Juda. 7Si Mordecai ay may pinsang dalaga. Nang itoʼy maulila, inalagaan niya ito, pinalaki at itinuring na parang sarili niyang anak. Ang pangalan niya ay Hadasa na tinatawag ding Ester. Maganda si Ester at maganda rin ang hugis ng katawan nito.
8Nang maihayag ang utos ng hari, maraming dalaga ang dinala sa palasyo ng hari roon sa Susa. Ang isa sa kanila ay si Ester. Ipinaasikaso sila kay Hegai dahil ito nga ang nangangasiwa sa mga babaeng dinadala roon. 9Tuwang-tuwa si Hegai kay Ester, kaya mabuti ang pakikitungo niya rito. Binigyan niya agad ng pagkain si Ester at ng mga kailangan nito sa pagpapaganda. Ipinili niya ito ng pinakamagandang kwarto at binigyan ng pitong katulong na babae.
10Hindi sinabi ni Ester na isa siyang Judio, dahil pinagbilinan siya ni Mordecai na huwag itong sasabihin. 11Araw-araw namang dumaraan si Mordecai malapit sa bakuran ng bahay na tinitirhan ng mga dalaga para malaman ang kalagayan ni Ester (at kung ano na ang mga nangyayari sa kanya).
12Bago humarap ang isang babae sa hari, kinakailangang matapos niya ang isang taon ng pagpapaganda. Sa unang anim na buwan, magpapahid siya ng langis ng mira sa katawan, at sa susunod na anim na buwan, magpapahid naman ng mga pabango at iba pang pampaganda. 13At bago siya pumunta sa hari, bibigyan siya ng anumang damit at alahas na gusto niyang isuot para sa pagharap sa hari. 14Pupunta siya sa hari pagsapit ng gabi at kinabukasan, dadalhin siya sa tirahan ng mga asawa ng hari na pinamamahalaan ni Shaasgaz na isa sa mga pinunong mataas ang katungkulan. Siya ang namamahala sa mga asawa ng hari. Walang sinuman sa kanila ang makakabalik sa hari maliban lang kung magustuhan siya at ipatawag ng hari.
15-16Nang ikasampung buwan, buwan ng Tibet, at ikapitong taon ng paghahari ni Ahasuerus, dumating ang araw na si Ester2:15-16 Ester: sa Hebreo, anak ni Abihail na tito ni Mordecai, at pinalaki ni Mordecai bilang sarili niyang anak. na ang haharap sa hari sa palasyo. Sinunod ni Ester ang payo ni Hegai, ang pinunong nangangalaga sa kanila sa tahanan ng mga babae. Isinuot niya ang damit na sinabi ni Hegai na isuot niya. Ganoon na lang ang paghanga at pagpuri ng mga nakakita sa kanya, at dinala siya sa palasyo ng hari.
17Nagustuhan ng hari si Ester ng higit kaysa sa ibang mga dalaga na dinala sa kanya. Tuwang-tuwa siya kay Ester, at mabuti ang trato niya sa kanya. Kinoronahan niya ito at ginawang reyna bilang kapalit ni Vasti. 18Nagdaos ang hari ng malaking handaan para parangalan si Ester. Inanyayahan niya ang lahat ng pinuno niya at ang iba pang naglilingkod sa kanya. Nang araw na iyon, ipinag-utos niya sa lahat at sa buong kaharian na magdiwang ng isang pista opisyal, at nagbigay siya ng maraming regalo sa mga tao.
Iniligtas ni Mordecai ang Hari
19Sa pangalawang pagtitipon ng mga dalaga, si Mordecai ay isa nang opisyal na nakapwesto sa pintuan ng palasyo. 20Hindi pa rin sinasabi ni Ester na isa siyang Judio, tulad ng bilin ni Mordecai. Sinusunod pa rin ni Ester si Mordecai katulad noon, nang siyaʼy nasa pangangalaga pa nito.
21Nang panahong si Mordecai ay isa nang opisyal na nakapwesto sa pintuan ng palasyo, may dalawang pinuno ng hari na ang mga pangalan ay Bigtana2:21 Bigtana: o, Bigtan. at Teres. Sila ang mga guwardya ng pintuan ng kwarto ng hari. Galit sila kay Haring Ahasuerus, at nagplano silang patayin ito. 22Pero nalaman ni Mordecai ang planong ito, kaya sinabi niya ito kay Reyna Ester. Sinabi naman ito ni Ester sa hari at ipinaalam din niya sa kanya na si Mordecai ang nakatuklas sa planong pagpatay. 23Ipinasiyasat ito ng hari. At nang mapatunayang totoo ito, ipinatuhog niya sina Bigtan at Teres sa nakatayong matulis na kahoy. At ang pangyayaring itoʼy ipinasulat ng hari sa aklat ng kasaysayan ng kaharian.
