1After all that drama, when king Ahasuerus calmed down, he thought about Vashti and what went down with her.

2The king’s squad was like, “Yo, let’s find some cute young girls for the king.”

3And the king was like, “Get some peeps in every province to gather all the fair young virgins to Shushan, to chill with Hege, the king’s keeper of the women, and let’s hook them up with purification stuff.”

4And whoever vibes with the king gets to be queen instead of Vashti. The king was totally down with that.

5Now in Shushan, there was this Jew named Mordecai, son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, straight outta Benjamin.

6He got taken from Jerusalem during the whole captivity with Jeconiah, king of Judah, by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon.

7He raised Hadassah, aka Esther, his uncle’s daughter, 'cause she was orphaned and super pretty; Mordecai took her in as his own.

8So when the king’s orders got out and all the girls were gathered to Shushan, Esther was brought to the king’s crib, under Hege’s watch.

9The maiden vibed with him, and he showed her mad kindness; he quickly gave her purification stuff and seven maidens to serve her, putting her in the best spot in the house of the women.

10Esther kept her fam and people on the down-low; Mordecai told her to keep it a secret.

11Mordecai was out there every day by the women’s house, checking on how Esther was doing and what would happen to her.

12When it was time for every maiden to roll into king Ahasuerus after twelve months of prep (six months with myrrh oil and six months with sweet scents),

13every girl came to the king, and whatever she wanted was given to her to take from the women’s house to the king’s place.

14In the evening she went in, and the next day she rolled back to the second house of the women, under Shaashgaz, the king’s keeper of the concubines; she didn’t see the king again unless he was really feeling her and called for her by name.

15When it was Esther’s turn, daughter of Abihail, Mordecai’s uncle, she asked for nothing but what Hegai, the keeper of the women, suggested. Esther was totally favored by everyone who saw her.

16So Esther was taken to king Ahasuerus’ royal pad in the tenth month, Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.

17The king was all about Esther, more than any other girl; he gave her mad grace and favor, putting the royal crown on her head and making her queen instead of Vashti.

18Then the king threw a massive feast for all his homies and servants, even Esther’s feast; he made a release for the provinces and gave gifts based on his royal status.

19When the virgins gathered again, Mordecai was chilling at the king’s gate.

20Esther hadn’t revealed her fam or people yet, just as Mordecai told her to; she was following his orders like back in the day.

21While Mordecai was at the king’s gate, two of the king’s chamberlains, Bigthan and Teresh, got mad and plotted against king Ahasuerus.

22Mordecai caught wind of it and told Esther, who let the king know in Mordecai’s name.

23When they looked into the matter, it was confirmed, so they both got hanged on a tree; it was written in the chronicles before the king.

1After these things, when the wrath of king Ahasuerus was appeased, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her.

2Then said the king’s servants that ministered unto him, 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, unto the custody of Hege the king’s chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their things for purification be given them:

4And let the maiden which pleaseth 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, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite;

6Who 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.

7And 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.

8So 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.

9And 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.

10Esther had not shewed her people nor her kindred: for Mordecai had charged her that she should not shew it.

11And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women’s house, to know how Esther did, and what should become of her.

12Now 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;)

13Then 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.

14In 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.

15Now 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.

16So 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.

17And 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.

18Then 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.

19And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, then Mordecai sat in the king’s gate.

20Esther 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.

21In 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.

22And the thing was known to Mordecai, who told it unto Esther the queen; and Esther certified the king thereof in Mordecai’s name.

23And 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.