New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
Esther 2
1
Later, the anger of King Xerxes calmed down. Then he remembered Vashti and what she had done. He also remembered the royal order he had sent out concerning her.
Reference
Judgment
Esther 7:10
2
At that time the king's personal attendants made a suggestion. They said, "King Xerxes, let a search be made for some beautiful young virgins for you.
Reference
Kingdom
1 Kings 1:2
3
Appoint some officials in every territory in your kingdom. Have them bring all of those beautiful virgins into the safest place in Susa. Put them in the special place where the virgins stay. Then put Hegai in charge of them. He's the eunuch who serves you. He's in charge of the virgins. Let beauty care be given to the new group of virgins.
People
4
Then let the one who pleases you the most become queen in Vashti's place." The king liked that advice. So he followed it.
5
There was a Jew living in the safest place in Susa. He was from the tribe of Benjamin. His name was Mordecai. He was the son of Jair. Jair was the son of Shimei. Shimei was the son of Kish.
Reference
People
6
Nebuchadnezzar had forced Mordecai to leave Jerusalem. He was among the prisoners who were carried off along with Jehoiachin. Jehoiachin had been king of Judah. Nebuchadnezzar was king of Babylonia.
Reference
7
Mordecai had a cousin named Hadassah. He had brought her up in his own home. She didn't have a father or mother. Hadassah was also called Esther. She was very beautiful. Mordecai had adopted her as his own daughter. He had done it when her father and mother died.
Reference
People
8
After the king's order and law were announced, many virgins were brought to the safest place in Susa. Hegai was put in charge of them. Esther was also taken to the king's palace. She was put under the control of Hegai. He was in charge of the place where the virgins stayed.
Reference
Kingdom
Esther 2:3
9
Esther pleased him. He showed her his favor. Right away he provided her with her beauty care and special food. He appointed seven female attendants to help her. They were chosen from the king's palace. He moved her and her attendants into the best part of the place where the virgins stayed.
Reference
Kingdom
Esther 2:3
Esther 2:12
Ezra 7:6
Acts 7:10
Parallel theme
Proverbs 16:7
Genesis 39:21
Daniel 1:9
Psalm 106:46
1 Kings 8:50
10
Esther hadn't told anyone who her people were. She hadn't talked about her family. That's because Mordecai had told her not to.
Reference
11
Mordecai tried to find out how Esther was getting along. He wanted to know what was happening to her. So he walked back and forth near the courtyard by the place where the virgins stayed. He did it every day.
Reference
12
Each virgin had to complete 12 months of beauty care. They used oil of myrrh for six months. And they used perfume and make-up for the other six months. A virgin's turn to go in to King Xerxes could come only after a full 12 months had passed.
Reference
13
And here is how she would go to the king. She would be given anything she wanted from the place where the virgins stayed. She could take it with her to the king's palace.
14
In the evening she would go there. In the morning she would leave. Then she would go to the special place where the king's concubines stayed. She would be put under the control of Shaashgaz. He was the king's eunuch who was in charge of the concubines. She would never return to the king unless he was pleased with her. He had to send for her by name before she could go to him again.
Reference
People
Kingdom
Esther 4:11
15
Mordecai had adopted Esther. She had been the daughter of his uncle Abihail. Her turn came to go in to the king. She only asked for what Hegai suggested. He was the king's eunuch who was in charge of the place where the virgins stayed. Everyone who saw Esther was pleased with her.
Reference
People
16
She was taken to King Xerxes in the royal house. It was now the tenth month. That was the month of Tebeth. It was the seventh year of the rule of Xerxes.
Reference
Kingdom
Esther 8:9
17
The king liked Esther more than he liked any of the other women. She pleased him more than any of the other virgins. So he put a royal crown on her head. He made her queen in Vashti's place.
Reference
18
Then the king gave a big dinner. It was in honor of Esther. All of his nobles and officials were invited. He announced a holiday all through the territories he ruled over. He freely gave many gifts in keeping with his royal wealth.
19
The virgins were gathered together a second time. At that time Mordecai was sitting at the palace gate.
Reference
20
Esther had kept her family history a secret. She hadn't told anyone who her people were. Mordecai had told her not to. She continued to follow his directions. That's what she had always done when he was bringing her up.
Reference
Parallel theme
Esther 2:10
21
Bigthana and Teresh were two of the king's officers. They guarded the door of the royal palace. They became angry with King Xerxes. So they decided to kill him. They made their evil plans while Mordecai was sitting at the palace gate.
Reference
People
Kingdom
Esther 6:2
22
So he found out about it. And he told Queen Esther. Then she reported it to the king. She told him that Mordecai had uncovered the plans against him.
23
Some people checked Esther's report. And they found out it was true. So the two officials were put to death. Then poles were stuck through them. They were set up where people could see them. All of that was written in the official records. It was written down while the king was watching.
Reference
Summary of Esther 2
Esther Chapter 2 describes how Esther becomes queen of Persia and introduces Mordecai's important role in protecting the king. After Vashti's removal, King Ahasuerus eventually begins looking for a new queen. His attendants recommend gathering beautiful young women from throughout the empire and bringing them to the royal palace at Susa. The king accepts the proposal, and officials begin the process of selecting candidates.
The chapter then introduces Mordecai, a Jewish man from the tribe of Benjamin whose family had been connected with the exile from Jerusalem. Mordecai had raised his young cousin Hadassah, known as Esther, because her parents had died. Esther was described as beautiful and attractive, and she was taken to the palace as one of the candidates for queen.
Esther quickly gained the favor of Hegai, the official responsible for the women. She received special treatment and extensive preparation. Before appearing before the king, each candidate underwent twelve months of beauty treatments involving oils, perfumes, and cosmetics. Esther followed Hegai's advice and did not request anything beyond what he recommended.
An important detail throughout the chapter is that Esther kept her Jewish identity secret. Mordecai had instructed her not to reveal her nationality, and she continued following his instructions even after becoming queen. This hidden identity will later become essential when a powerful official attempts to destroy the Jewish people.
Esther was eventually brought before Ahasuerus in the seventh year of his reign. The king preferred her over all the other women and placed the royal crown on her head. Esther became queen instead of Vashti. A great celebration followed, and the king distributed gifts and granted relief throughout the empire.
The second major part of the chapter concerns Mordecai. He was sitting at the king's gate when he discovered a conspiracy by two royal guards, Bigthan and Teresh, who planned to assassinate Ahasuerus. Mordecai reported the plot to Esther, and Esther reported it to the king in Mordecai's name. The investigation confirmed the accusation, the two conspirators were executed, and the event was recorded in the royal records.
Interestingly, Mordecai received no immediate reward for saving the king. This detail may seem insignificant at first, but it becomes one of the most important pieces of the story later. The official record preserves Mordecai's good deed even though the king initially does nothing to honor him.
The chapter is therefore filled with events that appear ordinary but are quietly preparing the way for what comes later. Esther becomes queen, but her Jewish identity remains hidden. Mordecai gains access to the royal environment and saves the king's life, but receives no reward. The royal records preserve the event.
One of the most important themes is hidden providence. God is never explicitly mentioned in Esther, yet circumstances repeatedly move into place: Esther is brought into the palace, she becomes queen, Mordecai discovers the assassination plot, and the king's official records preserve the event. At the time, none of these events appears to have a larger purpose.
Historically, the chapter is set during the reign of Xerxes I of Persia, probably around 479 BC. The Persian Empire was at the height of its power, and the royal court at Susa was an enormous center of political influence.
Esther 2 therefore establishes the two central characters who will soon become crucial to the survival of the Jewish people: Esther, the newly crowned queen whose identity is hidden, and Mordecai, the faithful guardian who has already demonstrated his loyalty to the king.
The chapter then introduces Mordecai, a Jewish man from the tribe of Benjamin whose family had been connected with the exile from Jerusalem. Mordecai had raised his young cousin Hadassah, known as Esther, because her parents had died. Esther was described as beautiful and attractive, and she was taken to the palace as one of the candidates for queen.
Esther quickly gained the favor of Hegai, the official responsible for the women. She received special treatment and extensive preparation. Before appearing before the king, each candidate underwent twelve months of beauty treatments involving oils, perfumes, and cosmetics. Esther followed Hegai's advice and did not request anything beyond what he recommended.
An important detail throughout the chapter is that Esther kept her Jewish identity secret. Mordecai had instructed her not to reveal her nationality, and she continued following his instructions even after becoming queen. This hidden identity will later become essential when a powerful official attempts to destroy the Jewish people.
Esther was eventually brought before Ahasuerus in the seventh year of his reign. The king preferred her over all the other women and placed the royal crown on her head. Esther became queen instead of Vashti. A great celebration followed, and the king distributed gifts and granted relief throughout the empire.
The second major part of the chapter concerns Mordecai. He was sitting at the king's gate when he discovered a conspiracy by two royal guards, Bigthan and Teresh, who planned to assassinate Ahasuerus. Mordecai reported the plot to Esther, and Esther reported it to the king in Mordecai's name. The investigation confirmed the accusation, the two conspirators were executed, and the event was recorded in the royal records.
Interestingly, Mordecai received no immediate reward for saving the king. This detail may seem insignificant at first, but it becomes one of the most important pieces of the story later. The official record preserves Mordecai's good deed even though the king initially does nothing to honor him.
The chapter is therefore filled with events that appear ordinary but are quietly preparing the way for what comes later. Esther becomes queen, but her Jewish identity remains hidden. Mordecai gains access to the royal environment and saves the king's life, but receives no reward. The royal records preserve the event.
One of the most important themes is hidden providence. God is never explicitly mentioned in Esther, yet circumstances repeatedly move into place: Esther is brought into the palace, she becomes queen, Mordecai discovers the assassination plot, and the king's official records preserve the event. At the time, none of these events appears to have a larger purpose.
Historically, the chapter is set during the reign of Xerxes I of Persia, probably around 479 BC. The Persian Empire was at the height of its power, and the royal court at Susa was an enormous center of political influence.
Esther 2 therefore establishes the two central characters who will soon become crucial to the survival of the Jewish people: Esther, the newly crowned queen whose identity is hidden, and Mordecai, the faithful guardian who has already demonstrated his loyalty to the king.