1. After these things when King Ahasuerus’ anger subsided, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what had been decreed against her.
2. Then the king’s servants who attended him said: “Let a search be made on the king’s behalf for beautiful young virgins.
3. Let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom to gather together all the beautiful young virgins to the palace at Shushan in the house of women under the supervision of Hegai the king’s eunuch, who oversees the women. Let them be given beauty treatments.
4. Then let the young woman who pleases the king become queen instead of Vashti.” This advice pleased the king and he acted accordingly.
5. There was a Jewish man in the Shushan palace whose name was Mordecai, son of Jair son of Shimei, son of Kish, a Benjamite,
6. who had been taken into exile from Jerusalem with the captives that had been carried away with King Jeconiah of Judah, whom King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had taken away.
7. He had raised Hadassah—that is Esther—his uncle’s daughter, for she had neither father nor mother. The girl was attractive and had a beautiful figure. When her father and mother died, Mordecai took her to him as his own daughter.
8. After the king’s order and decree became known, many young women were assembled in the palace of Shushan under the supervision of Hegai. Esther also was taken into the king’s household under the supervision of Hegai, guardian of the women.