אַחַר הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה כְּשֹׁךְ חֲמַת הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ זָכַר אֶת־וַשְׁתִּי וְאֵת אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂתָה וְאֵת אֲשֶׁר־נִגְזַר עָלֶיהָ

After these matters, when the fury of king Ahashverosh had abated, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her. Since it is not explicitly stated that she was executed, and imposition of the death penalty for the nobility was rare, except for the most serious crimes, it can be assumed that she was not put to death. Perhaps Vashti had been exiled, and Ahashverosh missed her.

וַיֹּאמְרוּ נַעֲרֵי־הַמֶּלֶךְ מְשָׁרְתָיו יְבַקְשׁוּ לַמֶּלֶךְ נְעָרוֹת בְּתוּלוֹת טוֹבוֹת מַרְאֶה

The king’s ministers did not merely carry out his commands; they also paid attention to his moods and tried to anticipate his wishes. The king’s lads, his attendants, said: We can find a replacement for Vashti. Let there be sought for the king virgin young women who are of fair appearance, as befits the honor of a king.

וְיַפְקֵד הַמֶּלֶךְ פְּקִידִים בְּכָל־מְדִינוֹת מַלְכוּתוֹ וְיִקְבְּצוּ אֶת־כָּל־נַעֲרָה־בְתוּלָה טוֹבַת מַרְאֶה אֶל־שׁוּשַׁן הַבִּירָה אֶל־בֵּית הַנָּשִׁים אֶל־יַד הֵגֵא סְרִיס הַמֶּלֶךְ שֹׁמֵר הַנָּשִׁים ונָתוֹן תַּמְרֻקֵיהֶן

In keeping with the king’s status, this was to be a large and organized project, ensuring that only suitable candidates would be sent: Have the king appoint officials in all the provinces of his kingdom to perform an initial selection, and they will gather every virgin young woman of fair appearance to the Shushan citadel, to the harem, to the custody of Hegai, the king’s chamberlain, guardian of the women in the palace; and to complement and enhance their natural beauty, their perfumes and cosmetics will be provided.

וְהַנַּעֲרָה אֲשֶׁר תִּיטַב בְּעֵינֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ תִּמְלֹךְ תַּחַת וַשְׁתִּי

The young woman who will be pleasing in the eyes of the king at the end of this process will be crowned queen in place of Vashti. The proposal was pleasing in the eyes of the king and he did so.

אִישׁ יְהוּדִי הָיָה בְּשׁוּשַׁן הַבִּירָה וּשְׁמוֹ מָרְדֳּכַי בֶּן יָאִיר בֶּן־שִׁמְעִי בֶּן־קִישׁ אִישׁ יְמִינִי

There was a Judean [Yehudi] man,from the land of Judah, the small independent province which the Persians called Yehud, who was in the Shushan citadel. It is not clear whether he actually lived there or simply worked there as a court official. And his name was Mordekhai, son of Ya’ir, son of Shimi, son of Kish, a Benjamite, from the tribe of Benjamin. Although he came from the land of Judah, he was from the tribe of Benjamin. This was Mordekhai,

אֲשֶׁר הָגְלָה מִירוּשָׁלַיִם עִם־הַגֹּלָה אֲשֶׁר הָגְלְתָה עִם יְכָנְיָה מֶלֶךְ־יְהוּדָה אֲשֶׁר הֶגְלָה נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר מֶלֶךְ בָּבֶל

who had been exiled from Jerusalem in his youth, together with the first exile, that was exiled with Yekhonya king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon exiled.

וַיְהִי אֹמֵן אֶת־הֲדַסָּה הִיא אֶסְתֵּר בַּת־דֹּדוֹ כִּי אֵין לָהּ אָב וָאֵם וְהַנַּעֲרָה יְפַת־תֹּאַר וְטוֹבַת מַרְאֶה וּבְמוֹת אָבִיהָ וְאִמָּהּ לְקָחָהּ מָרְדֳּכַי לוֹ לְבַת

He was rearing Hadassa as her guardian, she was Esther. Hadassa was her Hebrew name, while Esther was her Persian or Babylonian name. She was his uncle’s daughter and was much younger than he. Mordekhai had become her guardian as she had no father or mother. The young woman was of fine form and fair appearance, and with the death of her father and her mother, Mordekhai had adopted her as his own daughter.

וַיְהִי בְּהִשָּׁמַע דְּבַר־הַמֶּלֶךְ וְדָתוֹ וּבְהִקָּבֵץ נְעָרוֹת רַבּוֹת אֶל־שׁוּשַׁן הַבִּירָה אֶל־יַד הֵגָי וַתִּלָּקַח אֶסְתֵּר אֶל־בֵּית הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶל־יַד הֵגַי שֹׁמֵר הַנָּשִׁים

It was when the edict of the king and his new decree was heard, and when there was the gathering of many young women to the Shushan citadel, to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was taken against her will to the king’s palace, to the custody of Hegai, guardian of the women. Presumably, most of the young women were delighted to come from their lands to the capital city and excited at the opportunity the search for the queen provided. The young woman who was chosen would become the queen of the empire. Esther, in contrast, was taken against her will.

וַתִּיטַב הַנַּעֲרָה בְעֵינָיו וַתִּשָּׂא חֶסֶד לְפָנָיו וַיְבַהֵל אֶת תַּמְרוּקֶיהָ וְאֶת־מָנוֹתֶהָ לָתֶת לָהּ וְאֵת שֶׁבַע הַנְּעָרוֹת הָרְאֻיוֹת לָתֶת־לָהּ מִבֵּית הַמֶּלֶךְ וַיְשַׁנֶּהָ וְאֶת־נַעֲרוֹתֶיהָ לְטוֹב בֵית הַנָּשִׁים

The young woman was pleasing in his eyes. Hegai, who was in charge of the women of the royal household, and was familiar with the king’s tastes, considered Esther a serious candidate for the role of queen. She exhibited grace before him. In addition to her beauty, he was charmed by her, and therefore he took special care of her needs: He hastened to provide her with a supply of cosmetics, and her portions of food to which she was entitled, and the seven young women it was requisite to provide her from the king’s palace. It was unbecoming for a candidate for queen of Persia to venture forth by herself, and therefore she was given seven maidservants. And he elevated her status, as he promoted her and her young women to the best place of the harem.

לֹא־הִגִּידָה אֶסְתֵּר אֶת־עַמָּהּ וְאֶת־מוֹלַדְתָּהּ כִּי מָרְדֳּכַי צִוָּה עָלֶיהָ אֲשֶׁר לֹא־תַגִּיד

Throughout this entire period Esther did not disclose her people or her birthplace. She had hidden her ethnic origin and her place of birth, because Mordekhai had commanded her that she should not disclose it, her identity. Even after she left his house, and when she later rose to a position of greatness, she remained obedient to Mordekhai.

וּבְכָל־יוֹם וָיוֹם מָרְדֳּכַי מִתְהַלֵּךְ לִפְנֵי חֲצַר בֵּית־הַנָּשִׁים לָדַעַת אֶת־שְׁלוֹם אֶסְתֵּר וּמַה־יֵּעָשֶׂה בָּהּ

On each and every day, Mordekhai would walk before the courtyard of the harem, to know Esther’s well-being, and what would be done with her. As her guardian, Mordekhai had both personal affection for Esther and was responsible for her welfare.

וּבְהַגִּיעַ תֹּר נַעֲרָה וְנַעֲרָה לָבוֹא אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ מִקֵּץ הֱיוֹת לָהּ כְּדָת הַנָּשִׁים שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ כִּי כֵּן יִמְלְאוּ יְמֵי מְרוּקֵיהֶן שִׁשָּׁה חֳדָשִׁים בְּשֶׁמֶן הַמֹּר וְשִׁשָּׁה חֳדָשִׁים בַּבְּשָׂמִים וּבְתַמְרוּקֵי הַנָּשִׁים

The young women’s preparation for their encounters with the king followed a clearly defined process: When each and every maiden’s turn arrived to come to King Ahashverosh, at the end of her having twelve months, according to the custom of the women, when she had been readied for the king by completing the standard beauty regimen as instructed, a process lasting twelve months, for so were prescribed the days for their treatment: Six months she was anointed with myrrh oil, which, among other things, was a depilatory, and six months with various perfumes, and with women’s cosmetics,

וּבָ זֶה הַנַּעֲרָה בָּאָה אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ אֵת כָּל־אֲשֶׁר תֹּאמַר יִנָּתֵן לָהּ לָבוֹא עִמָּהּ מִבֵּית הַנָּשִׁים עַד־בֵּית הַמֶּלֶךְ

and with that the young woman would come to the king, after she had completed all of the treatments. One of the rules of her arrival was that whatever she would say, or request, in order to enhance her beauty would be given to her, to come with her from the harem to the king’s palace. She was entitled to ask for a special ornament, or escort, or even an entire retinue, and her every wish would be granted.

בָּעֶרֶב הִיא בָאָה וּבַבֹּקֶר הִיא שָׁבָה אֶל־בֵּית הַנָּשִׁים שֵׁנִי אֶל־יַד שַׁעַשְׁגַז סְרִיס הַמֶּלֶךְ שֹׁמֵר הַפִּילַגְשִׁים לֹא־תָבוֹא עוֹד אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ כִּי אִם־חָפֵץ בָּהּ הַמֶּלֶךְ וְנִקְרְאָה בְשֵׁם

She would come in the evening to the king and stay the night, and return in the morning to the second harem, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king’s chamberlain, guardian of the concubines. She would not go back to the compound where the candidates were being groomed, but rather to the harem of the concubines, where all the young women went after they had been with the king. She would not come to the king anymore, unless the king desired her, and she was called by name. If the king remembered her, he would instruct his minister to call her again, and if not, she would remain with the other concubines in the harem.

וּבְהַגִּיעַ תֹּר־אֶסְתֵּר בַּת־אֲבִיחַיִל דֹּד מָרְדֳּכַי אֲשֶׁר לָקַח לוֹ לְבַת לָבוֹא אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ לֹא בִקְשָׁה דָּבָר כִּי אִם אֶת־אֲשֶׁר יֹאמַר הֵגַי סְרִיס־הַמֶּלֶךְ שֹׁמֵר הַנָּשִׁים וַתְּהִי אֶסְתֵּר נֹשֵׂאת חֵן בְּעֵינֵי כָּל־רֹאֶיהָ

With the arrival of the turn of Esther, daughter of Avihayil, who had been the uncle of Mordekhai, who had taken her as a daughter for him, to come to the king, she did not request anything except that which Hegai, the king’s chamberlain, guardian of the women, said. The other young women made an effort to impress the king, whereas Esther refrained from taking such measures on her own initiative and merely accepted the recommendations of the expert, Hegai. And Esther found favor in the eyes of everyone who saw her.

וַתִּלָּקַח אֶסְתֵּר אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ אֶל־בֵּית מַלְכוּתוֹ בַּחֹדֶשׁ הָעֲשִׂירִי הוּא־חֹדֶשׁ טֵבֵת בִּשְׁנַת־שֶׁבַע לְמַלְכוּתוֹ

Esther was taken to King Ahashverosh to his royal palace, in the tenth month, which is the month of Tevet, in the seventh year of his reign. This was four years after Ahashverosh had dismissed Vashti. During this period the young women had been gathered and had undergone meticulous preparation before presentation to the king.

וַיֶּאֱהַב הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶת־אֶסְתֵּר מִכָּל־הַנָּשִׁים וַתִּשָּׂא־חֵן וָחֶסֶד לְפָנָיו מִכָּל־הַבְּתוּלוֹת וַיָּשֶׂם כֶּתֶר־מַלְכוּת בְּרֹאשָׁהּ וַיַּמְלִיכֶהָ תַּחַת וַשְׁתִּי

The king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she found favor and grace in his eyes more than all the other virgins. He placed the royal crown on her head, and he crowned her queen in place of Vashti. It is surprising that in Persia and Media a woman who was not of royal blood would be selected as queen. As stated above, it seems likely that although Esther concealed her origins, she was believed to come from a noble family.

וַיַּעַשׂ הַמֶּלֶךְ מִשְׁתֶּה גָדוֹל לְכָל־שָׂרָיו וַעֲבָדָיו אֵת מִשְׁתֵּה אֶסְתֵּר וַהֲנָחָה לַמְּדִינוֹת עָשָׂה וַיִּתֵּן מַשְׂאֵת כְּיַד הַמֶּלֶךְ

The king made a great banquet for all his princes and his servants, the banquet of Esther. A private celebration to mark the appointment of the new queen did not suffice; rather, he issued an announcement to all the nations. Since everyone had heard about the removal of Vashti, the king decided to declare publicly that her replacement had been found. He awarded an abatement for the provinces; he lowered the taxes so his subjects would participate in his joy. And furthermore, he gave gifts in accordance with the king’s bounty, in order to improve the general welfare of his subjects and encourage their devotion.

וּבְהִקָּבֵץ בְּתוּלוֹת שֵׁנִית וּמָרְדֳּכַי יֹשֵׁב בְּשַׁעַר־הַמֶּלֶךְ

With the gathering of the virgins a second time; it seems that some of the candidates who had been gathered had not yet had been presented to the king, and therefore the process continued in some form even after Esther had been chosen, Mordekhai was sitting at the king’s gate, that is, he held a position in the royal court, from which he was able to follow the events at the palace.

אֵין אֶסְתֵּר מַגֶּדֶת מוֹלַדְתָּהּ וְאֶת־עַמָּהּ כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה עָלֶיהָ מָרְדֳּכָי וְאֶת־מַאֲמַר מָרְדֳּכַי אֶסְתֵּר עֹשָׂה כַּאֲשֶׁר הָיְתָה בְאָמְנָה אִתּוֹ

It had been some time since she had entered the house of the king, and still Esther did not disclose her birthplace or her people, as Mordekhai had commanded her; Esther would perform the directive of Mordekhai, as it was when she was reared by him, in her childhood.

בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם וּמָרְדֳּכַי יוֹשֵׁב בְּשַׁעַר־הַמֶּלֶךְ קָצַף בִּגְתָן וָתֶרֶשׁ שְׁנֵי־סָרִיסֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ מִשֹּׁמְרֵי הַסַּף וַיְבַקְשׁוּ לִשְׁלֹחַ יָד בַּמֶּלֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵרֹשׁ

In those days, as Mordekhai was sitting at the king’s gate, two of the king’s chamberlains, Bigtan and Teresh, among the guardians of the threshold, became angry and sought to do violence to King Ahashverosh, to assassinate him. The royal court in Persia was rife with intrigue, plots, and conspiracies at that time. In some cases it is hard to know whether a particular Persian king took the throne by virtue of his lineage, or essentially successfully performed a coup d’etat.

וַיִּוָּדַע הַדָּבָר לְמָרְדֳּכַי וַיַּגֵּד לְאֶסְתֵּר הַמַּלְכָּה וַתֹּאמֶר אֶסְתֵּר לַמֶּלֶךְ בְּשֵׁם מָרְדֳּכָי

The matter, the plot that was being hatched, became known to Mordekhai. One suggestion is that Mordekhai discovered the plot because the men conversed in a language they thought no one knew, but which Mordekhai could understand. And he, Mordekhai, told Queen Esther about it, in order that she pass the message on to Ahashverosh, since Mordekhai himself did not have direct contact with the king, as he was a mere official or representative of the Judeans in the royal court. And Esther reported the plot to the king in the name of Mordekhai, with whom the king was unfamiliar.

וַיְבֻקַּשׁ הַדָּבָר וַיִּמָּצֵא וַיִּתָּלוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם עַל־עֵץ וַיִּכָּתֵב בְּסֵפֶר דִּבְרֵי הַיָּמִים לִפְנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ

The matter was investigated, and it was revealed that Bigtan and Teresh were indeed involved in the plot, and the two of them were hanged on a gibbet. It seems that hanging was the preferred method of execution by the Persian monarchy, as it served to display publicly the offenders’ dishonorable end. It, the two men’s attempt to assassinate King Ahashverosh on that date, as well as how he was saved, was recorded in the book of the chronicles before the king.