AFTER these things, when the wrath of King Achashverosh was appeased, he remembered Vashtiy, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her.
Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, Let there be fair 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 fair young virgins unto Shushan the palace, to the house of the women unto the custody of Hegai the king's chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their things for purification be given them:
And let the maiden which pleases the king be queen instead of Vashtiy. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.
Now in Shushan the palace there was a certain Yahudiy, whose name was Mordekai, the son of Ya'iyr, the son of Shim'iy, the son of Qiysh, a Binyamiyniy;
Who had been carried away from Yerushalayim with the captivity which had been carried away with Yekonyahu king of Yahudah, whom Nevukadne'tstsar the king of Babel had carried away.
And he brought up Hadaccah, that is, Ecter, his uncle's daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful; whom Mordekai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter.
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 palace, to the custody of Hegai, that Ecter was brought also unto the king's house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women.
And the maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness of him; and he speedily gave her things for purification, with such things as belonged to her, and seven maidens, which were meet to be given her, out of the king's house: and he preferred her and her maids unto the best place of the house of the women.
Ecter had not showed her people nor her kindred: for Mordekai had charged her that she should not show it.
And Mordekai walked every day before the court of the women's house, to know how Ecter did, and what should become of her.
Now when every maid's turn was come to go in to King Achashverosh, after that she had been twelve months, according to the manner of the women, (for so were the days of their purifications accomplished, to wit, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odors, and with other things for the purifying of the women;)
Then thus came every maiden unto the king את; whatsoever she desired was given her to go with her out of the house of the women unto the king's house.
In the evening she went, and on the morrow she returned into the second house of the women, to the custody of Sha`ashgaz, the king's chamberlain, which kept the concubines: she came in unto the king no more, except the king delighted in her, and that she were called by name.
Now when the turn of Ecter, the daughter of Aviyhayil the uncle of Mordekai, who had taken her for his daughter, was come to go in unto the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king's chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed. And Ecter obtained favor in the sight of all them that looked upon her.
So Ecter was taken unto King Achashverosh into his house royal in the tenth month, which is the month Teveth, in the seventh year of his reign.
And the king loved Ecter above all the women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashtiy.
Then the king made a great feast unto all his princes and his servants, even Ecter's feast; and he made a release to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the state of the king.
And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, then Mordekai sat in the king's gate.
Ecter had not yet showed her kindred nor her people; as Mordekai had charged her: for Ecter did the commandment of Mordekai, like as when she was brought up with him.
In those days, while Mordekai sat in the king's gate, two of the king's chamberlains, Bigthan and Teresh, of those which kept the door, were wroth, and sought to lay hand on the king Achashverosh.
And the thing was known to Mordekai, who told it unto Ecter the queen; and Ecter certified the king thereof in Mordekai's name.
And when inquisition was made of the matter, it was found out; therefore they were both hanged on a tree: and it was written in the cepher of the chronicles before the king.