Study Desk

Now in Shushan the palace, there was a certaine Iew, whose name was Mordecai, the sonne of Iair, the sonne of Shimei, the sonne of Kish, a Beniamite,

Who had bene caried away from Ierusalem, with the captiuitie which had bene caried away with Ieconiah king of Iudah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the King of Babylon had caried away.

And hee brought vp Hadassah (that is Esther) his vncles daughter, for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was faire and beautiful, whom Mordecai (when her father and mother were dead) tooke for his owne daughter.

So it came to passe, when the kings commandement and his decree was heard, and when many maidens were gathered together vnto Shushan the palace, to the custodie of Hegai, that Esther was brought also vnto the kings house, to the custodie of Hegai, keeper of the women.

And the maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindnesse of him, and hee speedily gaue her her things for purification, with such things as belonged to her, and seuen maidens, which were meet to be giuen her, out of the Kings house, and hee preferred her and her maids, vnto the best place of the house of the women.

Esther had not shewed her people, nor her kinred: for Mordecai had charged her, that she should not shew it.

And Mordecai walked euery day before the court of the womens house, to know how Esther did, and what should become of her.