1. After these things, when the wrath of king Ahasuerus was abated, 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 beautiful young virgins sought out for the king:
3. And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the beautiful young virgins unto Shushan the citadel, to the house of the women, unto the custody of Hegai the king's eunuch, keeper of the women; and let their beautifying ointments be given them:
4. And let the maiden who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.
5. Now in Shushan the citadel 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 captives who had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away.
7. And he had brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maiden was fair and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took as 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 citadel, 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 beautifying ointments, with such things as belonged to her, and seven maidens, who were suitable to be given her, out of the king's house: and he moved her and her maidens unto the best place of the house of the women.