History · Chapter 2 of 10

Esther 2

After the king's anger cools, his servants gather beautiful young women so he can choose a new queen. Mordecai, a Jewish exile, has raised his orphaned cousin Hadassah, called Esther, hiding her Jewish identity. Esther wins favor with Hegai and then with the king, who crowns her queen. Later Mordecai uncovers a plot against the king and reports it through Esther, and it is recorded.

What happens in Esther 2

When the king's wrath is appeased, his attendants propose a search for fair young virgins throughout the empire, gathered to the harem under Hegai. Mordecai, a Benjamite exile from Jerusalem, has adopted his orphaned cousin Esther and raised her as his own daughter. Esther is taken to the palace, where she pleases Hegai and receives favored treatment. On Mordecai's charge, she conceals her Jewish people and kindred. After twelve months of purification, each maiden goes to the king; when Esther's turn comes, she asks for nothing beyond Hegai's counsel and wins favor with all who see her.

The king loves her above all the others and sets the royal crown on her head, holding a great feast. Meanwhile Mordecai, sitting in the king's gate, learns of two chamberlains' plot to assassinate the king and reports it through Esther, and the matter is written in the chronicles.

Esther 2 in context

The Persian setting continues under Ahasuerus, identified with Xerxes I. Mordecai descends from Kish, a Benjamite, and his family was carried into exile with Jeconiah. Esther's Hebrew name, Hadassah, means myrtle.

The chapter shows faithful Jews living quietly and skillfully within a pagan empire, keeping their identity hidden for safety while God positions them for a role they cannot yet imagine.

Main themes of Esther 2

Esther 2 (KJV)

1After these things, when the wrath of king Ahasuerus was appeased, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her. 2Then said the king’s servants that ministered unto him, Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king: 3And 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 Hege the king’s chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their things for purification be given them: 4And let the maiden which pleaseth the king be queen instead of Vashti. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so. 5Now in Shushan the palace there was a certain Jew, whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite; 6Who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captivity which had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away. 7And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle’s daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter. 8So 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 Esther was brought also unto the king’s house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women. 9And the maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness of him; and he speedily gave her 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. 10Esther had not shewed her people nor her kindred: for Mordecai had charged her that she should not shew it. 11And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women’s house, to know how Esther did, and what should become of her. 12Now when every maid’s turn was come to go in to king Ahasuerus, 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 odours, and with other things for the purifying of the women;) 13Then thus came every maiden unto the king; whatsoever she desired was given her to go with her out of the house of the women unto the king’s house. 14In the evening she went, and on the morrow she returned into the second house of the women, to the custody of Shaashgaz, 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. 15Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, 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 Esther obtained favour in the sight of all them that looked upon her. 16So Esther was taken unto king Ahasuerus into his house royal in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign. 17And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti. 18Then the king made a great feast unto all his princes and his servants, even Esther’s feast; and he made a release to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the state of the king. 19And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, then Mordecai sat in the king’s gate. 20Esther had not yet shewed her kindred nor her people; as Mordecai had charged her: for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him. 21In those days, while Mordecai 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 Ahasuerus. 22And the thing was known to Mordecai, who told it unto Esther the queen; and Esther certified the king thereof in Mordecai’s name. 23And 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 book of the chronicles before the king.

Verses to carry from Esther 2

“And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle’s daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter.”Esther 2:7

“And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.”Esther 2:17

“And the thing was known to Mordecai, who told it unto Esther the queen; and Esther certified the king thereof in Mordecai’s name.”Esther 2:22

Reflection

Do I do right quietly even when no one notices or rewards me? Esther's favor and Mordecai's forgotten kindness remind me that God positions and remembers His people long before the crisis comes. I can be faithful in small, unseen things, trusting that He is arranging far more than I can see.

A prayer from Esther 2