2:1
his itaque gestis postquam regis Asueri deferbueratindignatio recordatus est Vasthi et quae fecisset vel quaepassa esset

2:2
dixeruntque pueri regis ac ministri eius quaerantur regipuellae virgines ac speciosae

2:3
et mittantur qui considerent per universas provinciaspuellas speciosas et virgines et adducant eas ad civitatemSusan et tradant in domum feminarum sub manu Aegaei eunuchi quiest praepositus et custos mulierum regiarum et accipiant mundummuliebrem et cetera ad usus necessaria

2:4
et quaecumque inter omnes oculis regis placuerit ipsa regnetpro Vasthi placuit sermo regi et ita ut suggesserant iussitfieri

2:5
erat vir iudaeus in Susis civitate vocabulo Mardocheusfilius Iair filii Semei filii Cis de stirpe Iemini

2:6
qui translatus fuerat de Hierusalem eo tempore quo Iechoniamregem Iuda Nabuchodonosor rex Babylonis transtulerat

2:7
qui fuit nutricius filiae fratris sui Edessae quae alteronomine Hester vocabatur et utrumque parentem amiserat pulchranimis et decora facie mortuisque patre eius ac matre Mardocheussibi eam adoptavit in filiam

2:8
cumque percrebuisset regis imperium et iuxta mandata illiusmultae virgines pulchrae adducerentur Susan et Aegaeotraderentur eunucho Hester quoque inter ceteras puellas eitradita est ut servaretur in numero feminarum

2:9
quae placuit ei et invenit gratiam in conspectu illius utadceleraret mundum muliebrem et traderet ei partes suas etseptem puellas speciosissimas de domo regis et tam ipsam quampedisequas eius ornaret atque excoleret

2:10
quae noluit indicare ei populum et patriam suam Mardocheusenim praeceperat ut de hac re omnino reticeret

2:11
qui deambulabat cotidie ante vestibulum domus in quaelectae virgines servabantur curam agens salutis Hester etscire volens quid ei accideret

2:12
cum autem venisset tempus singularum per ordinem puellarumut intrarent ad regem expletis omnibus quae ad cultum muliebrempertinebant mensis duodecimus vertebatur ita dumtaxat ut sexmenses oleo unguerentur myrtino et aliis sex quibusdampigmentis et aromatibus uterentur

2:13
ingredientesque ad regem quicquid postulassent ad ornatumpertinens accipiebant et ut eis placuerat conpositae detriclinio feminarum ad regis cubiculum transiebant

2:14
et quae intraverat vespere egrediebatur mane atque inde insecundas aedes deducebatur quae sub manu Sasagazi eunuchi erantqui concubinis regis praesidebat nec habebat potestatem adregem ultra redeundi nisi voluisset rex et eam venire iussissetex nomine

2:15
evoluto autem tempore per ordinem instabat dies quo Hesterfilia Abiahil fratris Mardochei quam sibi adoptaverat in filiamintrare deberet ad regem quae non quaesivit muliebrem cultumsed quaecumque voluit Aegaeus eunuchus custos virginum haec eiad ornatum dedit erat enim formonsa valde et incredibilipulchritudine omnium oculis gratiosa et amabilis videbatur

2:16
ducta est itaque ad cubiculum regis Asueri mense decimo quivocatur tebeth septimo anno regni eius

2:17
et amavit eam rex plus quam omnes mulieres habuitquegratiam et misericordiam coram eo super omnes mulieres etposuit diadema regni in capite eius fecitque eam regnare inloco Vasthi

2:18
et iussit convivium praeparari permagnificum cunctisprincipibus et servis suis pro coniunctione et nuptiis Hesteret dedit requiem in universis provinciis ac dona largitus estiuxta magnificentiam principalem

2:19
cumque et secundo quaererentur virgines et congregarenturMardocheus manebat ad regis ianuam

2:20
necdumque prodiderat Hester patriam et populum suum iuxtamandatum eius quicquid enim ille praecipiebat observabat Hesteret ita cuncta faciebat ut eo tempore solita erat quo eamparvulam nutriebat

2:21
eo igitur tempore quo Mardocheus ad regis ianuam morabaturirati sunt Bagathan et Thares duo eunuchi regis qui ianitoreserant et in primo palatii limine praesidebant volueruntqueinsurgere in regem et occidere eum

2:22
quod Mardocheum non latuit statimque nuntiavit reginaeHester et illa regi ex nomine Mardochei qui ad se rem detulerat

2:23
quaesitum est et inventum et adpensus uterque eorum inpatibulo mandatumque historiis et annalibus traditum coram rege

Continued...

002:001
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.

002:002
Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king:

002:003
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:

002:004
And let the maiden which pleaseth the king be queen instead of Vashti. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.

002:005
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;

002:006
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.

002:007
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.

002:008
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.

002:009
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.

002:010
Esther had not shewed her people nor her kindred: for Mordecai had charged her that she should not shew it.

002:011
And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women's house, to know how Esther did, and what should become of her.

002:012
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;)

002:013
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.

002:014
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.

002:015
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.

002:016
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.

002:017
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.

002:018
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.

002:019
And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, then Mordecai sat in the king's gate.

002:020
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.

002:021
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 hands on the king Ahasuerus.

002:022
And the thing was known to Mordecai, who told it unto Esther the queen; and Esther certified the king thereof in Mordecai's name.

002:023
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.

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