Esther 2
1 After these things, when the wrath of king Ahasuerus was appeased, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her.
2 Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king:
3 And 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:
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.
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.
World Behind This Chapter
Explore the people, places, language, history, and material world connected to Esther 2.
Was there really a Persian royal beauty contest?
No surviving Persian source documents the selection described in Esther 2. Royal courts did maintain large households with elite women, attendants, and eunuchs, but the chapter’s specific procedure is known from the book itself.
What does it mean that Mordecai sat in the king’s gate?
In ancient royal complexes, a gate could function as more than an entrance: it was also an administrative and judicial zone. The phrase plausibly places Mordecai within the working orbit of the palace without telling us his exact title at this stage.
Do Persian archives identify the biblical Mordecai?
Persepolis texts preserve the name Marduka or related forms, showing that a name closely comparable to Mordecai existed in Achaemenid administration. Attempts to identify one of those officials with the biblical Mordecai remain unproven because the name occurs for multiple individuals.
Research PathsCurated links for exploring this chapter 3
History & Daily Life1
- Women in Pre-Islamic PersiaEncyclopaedia Iranica
Scholarly reference article on women in ancient Persia, including the Achaemenid period and evidence from the Persepolis Fortification Tablets. Useful context for Esther 2’s royal women, palace hierarchy, attendants, and women’s quarters; not evidence for Esther personally.
Language & Literature1
- Esther 2 in STEP BibleSTEP Bible
Interactive tools for Hebrew vocabulary, names, morphology, and cross-references in Esther’s selection, Hadassah/Esther’s naming, Mordecai’s role, and the palace-gate conspiracy.
Artifacts & Manuscripts1
- Susa, Great GateLivius
Photo-rich archaeological page on the great gate east of the Achaemenid palace at Susa. Livius notes its relevance to Esther’s palace-gate scenes, including Mordecai’s discovery of the assassination plot.
Public Discussion
Your display name and comment can be seen by anyone visiting this chapter. Do not include private or sensitive information. Read the Community Guidelines.
You must be logged in to post a comment.