1After these things, when the wrath of King Xerxes had subsided, he remembered Vashti, what she had done, and what was decreed against her. 2Then the king's servants that ministered to him said, “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, into the custody of Hegai, the king's chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let things for purification be given them. 4And let the maiden who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.” And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.

5Now in Shushan, the palace, there was a certain Jew, whose name was Mordecai, son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, a Benjamite, 6Who had been carried away from Jerusalem with Jeconiah, king of Judah, when Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, carried them away. 7And he was the guardian of his uncle's daughter, Hadassah, that is, Esther; for her father and mother were dead and Mordecai had taken her for his own daughter; and she was fair and beautiful. 8So when the king's commandment and decree was heard, and many young maidens were gathered to Shushan, the palace, Esther was among those brought to the king's house, into the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women. 9And the maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness from him; and he quickly provided her ointments for beautification, her food, and her choice of seven maidens, out of the king's house; and he moved her and her maids into the best place of the house of the women. 10Esther had not revealed her people nor her kindred; for Mordecai had charged her that she should not make it known. 11And Mordecai (who was an attendant in the king’s court), walked back and forth every day in front of the courtyard of the women's house, to know how Esther was getting along, and what was happening with her.

12Now when every maid's turn came to go in to King Xerxes, after she had been twelve months, according to the regulations for the women (for so were the days of their beautification accomplished, to wit, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odors, and balms for the beautifying the women), 13Then every maiden came unto the king in this way: whatever she desired was given her from the house of the women to take into the king's house. 14In the evening she went, and on the next day she returned to the second house of the women, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king's chamberlain, who kept the concubines. She would not come into the presence of the king again, except if the king delighted in her, and she was called for by name.

15Now when her turn to go in to the king came, Esther required nothing but what Hegai, the king's chamberlain, the keeper of the women, advised. And Esther obtained favor in the sight of all who looked upon her. 16So Esther was taken into his house royal to King Xerxes in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign. 17And the king loved Esther more than all the women, and she obtained more grace and favor in his sight than all the virgins, so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti. 18Then the king made a great banquet for all his princes and his servants - Esther's banquet; and he proclaimed a holiday and release from taxes to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the bounty of the king.

19And when the virgins were gathered the second time, Mordecai sat in the king's gate. 20Esther still had not revealed her kindred (her Jewish background) nor her people, as Mordecai had instructed her; for Esther did as Mordecai told her, just as when he was bringing her up. 21In those days, while Mordecai sat in the king's gate, two of the king's chamberlains, Bigthan and Teresh, who guarded the door, became angry, and conspired to attack the King Xerxes. 22But the plot became known to Mordecai, who told it to Esther, the queen; and Esther informed the king of it in Mordecai's name. 23And when the matter was investigated, it was found to be true; therefore, they were both hanged on a tree; and it was recorded in the book of the chronicles before the king.