¹ 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.² Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king:³ 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:⁴ And let the maiden which pleaseth the king be queen instead of Vashti. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.⁵ 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;⁶ 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.⁷ 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.⁸ 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.⁹ 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.¹⁰ Esther had not shewed her people nor her kindred: for Mordecai had charged her that she should not shew it.¹¹ And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women's house, to know how Esther did, and what should become of her.¹² 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;)¹³ 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.¹⁴ 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.¹⁵ 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.¹⁶ 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.¹⁷ 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.¹⁸ 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.¹⁹ And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, then Mordecai sat in the king's gate.²⁰ 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.²¹ 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.²² And the thing was known to Mordecai, who told it unto Esther the queen; and Esther certified the king thereof in Mordecai's name.²³ 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.

¹ Knowest thou the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth? or canst thou mark when the hinds do calve?² Canst thou number the months that they fulfil? or knowest thou the time when they bring forth?³ They bow themselves, they bring forth their young ones, they cast out their sorrows.⁴ Their young ones are in good liking, they grow up with corn; they go forth, and return not unto them.⁵ Who hath sent out the wild ass free? or who hath loosed the bands of the wild ass?⁶ Whose house I have made the wilderness, and the barren land his dwellings.⁷ He scorneth the multitude of the city, neither regardeth he the crying of the driver.⁸ The range of the mountains is his pasture, and he searcheth after every green thing.⁹ Will the unicorn be willing to serve thee, or abide by thy crib?¹⁰ Canst thou bind the unicorn with his band in the furrow? or will he harrow the valleys after thee?¹¹ Wilt thou trust him, because his strength is great? or wilt thou leave thy labour to him?¹² Wilt thou believe him, that he will bring home thy seed, and gather it into thy barn?¹³ Gavest thou the goodly wings unto the peacocks? or wings and feathers unto the ostrich?¹⁴ Which leaveth her eggs in the earth, and warmeth them in dust,¹⁵ And forgetteth that the foot may crush them, or that the wild beast may break them.¹⁶ She is hardened against her young ones, as though they were not her's: her labour is in vain without fear;¹⁷ Because God hath deprived her of wisdom, neither hath he imparted to her understanding.¹⁸ What time she lifteth up herself on high, she scorneth the horse and his rider.¹⁹ Hast thou given the horse strength? hast thou clothed his neck with thunder?²⁰ Canst thou make him afraid as a grasshopper? the glory of his nostrils is terrible.²¹ He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his strength: he goeth on to meet the armed men.²² He mocketh at fear, and is not affrighted; neither turneth he back from the sword.²³ The quiver rattleth against him, the glittering spear and the shield.²⁴ He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage: neither believeth he that it is the sound of the trumpet.²⁵ He saith among the trumpets, Ha, ha; and he smelleth the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting.²⁶ Doth the hawk fly by thy wisdom, and stretch her wings toward the south?²⁷ Doth the eagle mount up at thy command, and make her nest on high?²⁸ She dwelleth and abideth on the rock, upon the crag of the rock, and the strong place.²⁹ From thence she seeketh the prey, and her eyes behold afar off.³⁰ Her young ones also suck up blood: and where the slain are, there is she.