1And after these matters, when the anger of King Akhashiresh was appeased, he remembered Vashti the Queen and everything that she had done and everything that he had decreed against her. 2And the young men of the King and his Ministers said to him: “We will seek for the King girls who are beautiful in their appearance. 3And let the King command all the provinces and let them gather all virgin girls who are beautiful in their appearance to the house of women with Haggi the Eunuch, Keeper of the women, and he will give their adornments. 4And the young girl who is pleasing before the King shall reign in the place of Vashti, and the matter was pleasing in the eyes of the King, and he did so.

5And there was a Jewish man in Shushan the palace, and his name was Murdacai, son of Yair, son of Shemei, son of Qish, from the tribe of Benyamin 6Whom they took captive from Jerusalem with the captivity which was taken captive with Yokania, King of Yehuda, whom Nebukadnetsar King of Babel took captive. 7And he had raised Hedess, who is Esthir, daughter of his paternal uncle, because she had no father or mother, and the young girl was beautiful in her appearance, and her face was beautiful, and when her father and her mother died, Murdacai took her as a daughter.

8And when the word of King was heard, and his command, and as many virgins were gathered to Shushan the Palace to Haggi, the Eunuch, Esthir also was led to the house of the King, to the Keeper of the women. 9And the girl was pleasing in his eyes, and she received favor before him, and he hurried to give her gown to her and her portion, and seven Maidens who were worthy to give to her from the house of the King, and he distinguished her and her Maidens above all the women. 10And Esthir did not reveal her name or her family because Murdacai had ordered her that she would not reveal it. 11And every day Murdacai was walking before the court of the women to know the account of Esthir and what was done for her.

12And whenever the time had arrived that one of the girls was to enter before King Akhashiresh, when twelve days were done for her according to the law of women, because thus were finished the days of their adornments, six days of oil of myrrh, and six days of ointment and in the adorning of the women 13And thus the girl entered before the King, and everything that she may say is given her to enter with her from the house of women and unto the house of the King. 14In the evening she entered and at dawn she returned to the house of women at the side of Shangashir, the Eunuch of the King, the Keeper of the concubines, and she did not approach before the King again unless the King asked for her and he called her by her name.

15And when the time of Esthir, daughter of Abikhel, paternal uncle of Murdacai, who took her to himself as a daughter, arrived to enter in front of the King, she did not ask for anything but what Haggi the Eunuch Keeper of the women said, and Esthir received favor in the eyes of all who saw her. 16And Esthir entered before King Akhashiresh to the house of the King in the tenth month, which is the latter half of Canun, in year four of his kingdom.

17And the King loved Esthir more than all the women, and she obtained favor from before him more than all the virgins, and she received the crown of the kingdom on her head, and she became Queen in the place of Vashti. 18And the King made a great feast for all his Princes, and he made a feast for Esthir, and he made rest for the provinces, and he gave gifts according to the hand of the King.

19And when the virgins were gathered the second time, Murdacai was sitting in the gate of the King. 20And Esthir did not reveal her tribe and her people according to what Murdacai commanded her, and Esthir was obeying the command of Murdacai, as she was in the faith with him.

21And in those days, Murdacai was sitting in the gate of the King, and Begthan and Teresh, two of the Eunuchs of the King, Keepers of the gate, were enraged, and they attempted to lay hands on King Akhashiresh. 22And the matter was revealed to Murdacai and he revealed it to Esthir the Queen, and Esthir spoke to the King in the name of Murdacai. 23And the matter was investigated and it was uncovered, and both were crucified on crosses. They were written in The Book of Days in front of the King.