Esther

8 And when the king’s word and his ruling were heard, and vast numbers of young women were gathered in to the imperial city, Shushan, and into the charge of Hegai - Esther too was taken to the king’s palace, into the charge of Hegai, the keeper of the women. 9 And the young woman pleased him, and she carried kindness with her, and he hastened to her all her ointments and meals, and the seven young maids to whom she was entitled, from the king’s palace; and he treated her with 10 especial care, her and her maids, all the time that she was in the harem. Esther, meanwhile, made no mention of her people or her birth, for Mordekhai had 11 bid her strictly not to tell. And every single day, Mordekhai would walk about before the harem courtyard, to find out whether Esther was well, and what was being done with her. 12 As each young woman’s turn would arrive to come before King Ahasuerus, after twelve months following her beauty regime (for that was how long the days of their ointments lasted: six months in myrrh oil and six months in 13 perfumes and the women’s ointments) — then the young woman would come before the king: and all that she asked for would be given her, to bring with 14 her from the harem to the palace of the king. She would go in the evening, and in the morning would return to the harem again, into the charge of Sha‘ashgaz, the king’s eunuch, keeper of the concubines. And then she would come no more before the king, unless he desired her, and she was called for by name. 1s And when the time came for Esther, daughter of Mordekhai’s uncle, Avihayil, whom Mordekhai had adopted as his own child, to come before the king - she did not ask for anything, except for what Hegai the king’s eunuch, keeper of the women, told her to bring. And Esther carried grace in the eyes of all who saw her. 16 Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus, to his royal palace, in the tenth month, 17 the month of Tevet, that is, in the seventh year of his reign. And the king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she pleased him and carried grace and kindness with her in his eyes, more so than all the other virgins, and he placed a royal crown upon her head, and made her queen in Vashti’s place. 18 And the king made a great feast for all his ministers and courtiers: the feast of Esther. And he granted the provinces a remission of their dues, and gifts as great as the king’s largesse. 19 As the virgins were gathered in for a second time, Mordekhai was sitting 20 at the King’s Gate. And Esther had not told of her birth or of her people, just as Mordekhai had bid her; for Esther still heeded Mordekhai’s words, 21 just as she had when she had lived under his care. And as Mordekhai sat at