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The drinking was according to the law; none could compel: for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man's pleasure.

Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house which belonged to king Achashverosh.

to bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to show the peoples and the princes her beauty; for she was beautiful to look on.

Then the king said to the wise men, who knew the times, (for so was the king's manner toward all who knew law and judgment;

For this deed of the queen will come abroad to all women, to make their husbands contemptible in their eyes, when it shall be reported, The king Achashverosh commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she didn't come.

When the king's decree which he shall make shall be published throughout all his kingdom (for it is great), all the wives will give to their husbands honor, both to great and small.

for he sent letters into all the king's provinces, into every province according to the writing of it, and to every people after their language, that every man should bear rule in his own house, and should speak according to the language of his people.

Then said the king's servants who ministered to him, Let there be beautiful young virgins sought for the king:

and let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the beautiful young virgins to Shushan the palace, to the house of the women, to the custody of Hegai the king's chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their things for purification be given them;

He brought up Hadassah, who is, Ester, his uncle's daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maiden was fair and beautiful; and when her father and mother were dead, Mordekhai took her for his own daughter.

The maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness of him; and he speedily gave her things for her purification, with her portions, and the seven maidens who were meet to be given her out of the king's house: and he removed her and her maidens to the best place of the house of the women.

Ester had not made known her people nor her relatives; for Mordekhai had charged her that she should not make it known.

Now when the turn of every maiden was come to go in to king Achashverosh, after it had been done to her as prescribed for the women twelve months (for so were the days of their purification accomplished, [to wit], six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odors and with the things for the purifying of the women),

Now when the turn of Ester, the daughter of Avichayil the uncle of Mordekhai, who had taken her for his daughter, was come to go in to the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king's chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed. Ester obtained favor in the sight of all those who looked at her.

Ester had not yet made known her relatives nor her people; as Mordekhai had charged her: for Ester did the mitzvah of Mordekhai, like as when she was brought up with him.

All the king's servants, who were in the king's gate, bowed down, and did reverence to Haman; for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordekhai didn't bow down, nor did him reverence.

Now it came to pass, when they spoke daily to him, and he didn't listen to them, that they told Haman, to see whether Mordekhai's matters would stand: for he had told those who he was a Yehudi.

But he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordekhai alone; for they had made known to him the people of Mordekhai: therefore Haman sought to destroy all the Yehudim who were throughout the whole kingdom of Achashverosh, even the people of Mordekhai.

Haman said to king Achashverosh, There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom; and their laws are diverse from [those of] every people; neither keep they the king's laws: therefore it is not for the king's profit to allow them.

Letters were sent by posts into all the king's provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Yehudim, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, even on the thirteenth [day] of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to take the spoil of them for a prey.