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Esther 2:1
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After these things, when the wrath of king Ahasuerus
was appeased, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed
against her. |
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| Esther 2:2 |
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Then said the king's servants that ministered
unto him, Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king: |
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| Esther 2:3 |
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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 Hege the
king's chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their things for purification
be given them: |
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| Esther 2:4 |
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And let the maiden which pleaseth the king be
queen instead of Vashti. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so. |
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| Esther 2:5 |
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Now 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; |
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| Esther 2:6 |
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Who 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. |
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| Esther 2:7 |
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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. |
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| Esther 2:8 |
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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 Esther was brought also unto the king's
house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women. |
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| Esther 2:9 |
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And 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. |
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| Esther 2:10 |
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Esther had not shewed her people nor her kindred:
for Mordecai had charged her that she should not shew it. |
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| Esther 2:11 |
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And Mordecai walked every day before the court
of the women's house, to know how Esther did, and what should become of her. |
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| Esther 2:12 |
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Now 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;) |
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| Esther 2:13 |
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Then 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. |
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| Esther 2:14 |
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In 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. |
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| Esther 2:15 |
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Now 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. |
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| Esther 2:16 |
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So 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. |
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| Esther 2:17 |
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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. |
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| Esther 2:18 |
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Then 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. |
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| Esther 2:19 |
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And when the virgins were gathered together
the second time, then Mordecai sat in the king's gate. |
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| Esther 2:20 |
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Esther 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. |
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| Esther 2:21 |
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In 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 hands on the king Ahasuerus. |
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| Esther 2:22 |
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And the thing was known to Mordecai, who told
it unto Esther the queen; and Esther certified the king thereof in Mordecai's
name. |
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| Esther 2:23 |
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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 book of the chronicles before the king. |
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