Esther 2:2-16

Coverdale^{(i) 2} Then sayde the kynges seruauntes: Let there be fayre yonge virgins soughte for the kynge, ³ and let the kynge appoynte ouerseers in all ye londes of his empyre, that they maye brynge together all fayre yonge virgins vnto the castel of Susan to the Wemens buyldinge, vnder the hande of Hegai the kynges clamberlayne, that kepeth the wemen, and let him geue them their apparell. ⁴ And loke which damsell pleaseth the kynge, let her be quene in Vasthis steade. This pleased the kynge, and he dyd so. ⁵ In the castell of Susan there was a Iewe, whose name was Mardocheus, the sonne of Iair, the sonne of Simei, the sonne of Cis, the sonne of Iemini, ⁶ which was caried awaye from Ierusalem, whan Iechonias the kynge of Iuda was led awaye, (whom Nabuchodonosor the kynge of Babilon caried awaye) ⁷ and he norished Hadassa (that is Hester) his vncles danghter: for she had nether father ner mother, and she was a fayre and beutyfull damsell. And whan hir father and mother dyed, Mardocheus receaued her as his awne daughter. ⁸ Now whan ye kynges comaundemet and comyssion was published, & many dasels were broughte together vnto the castell of Susan vnder ye hande of Hegai, Hester, was take also vnto ye kynges house vnder ye hande of Hegai ye keper of ye weme, ⁹ & the damsell pleased him, & she founde grace in his sighte. And he put her wt hir maydes in ye best place of ye Womes buildige. ¹⁰ And Hester shewed it not vnto hir people & hir kynred: for Mardocheus had charged her, yt she shulde not tell it. ¹¹ And Mardocheus walked euery daye before ye courte of ye Womes buyldinge, yt he might knowe how Hester dyd, and what shulde become of her. ¹² And whan the appoynted tyme of euery damsell came that she shulde come to ye kynge Ahasuerus, after that she had bene twolue monethes in the deckynge of the wemen (for their deckynge must haue so moch tyme, namely sixe monethes with Balme & Myrre, & sixe monethes wt good spyces, so were the weme beutifyed) ¹³ then wente there one damsell vnto ye kynge, and what so euer she requyred, yt must be geue her to go wt her out of the Womens buyldinge vnto ye kynges palace. ¹⁴ And whan one came in the euenynge, ye same wete fro him on ye morow in to ye seconde house of wemen, vnder the hande of Saasgas the kynges chamberlayne, which kepte ye concubines. And she must come vnto the kynge nomore, excepte it pleased the kynge, and that he caused her to be called by name. ¹⁵ Now whan the tyme came of Hester the daughter of Abihail Mardocheus vncle (whom he had receaued as his awne daughter) yt she shulde come to the kynge, she desyred nothinge but what Hegai the kynges chamberlayne the keper of the wemen sayde. And Hester founde fauoure in the sighte of all them that loked vpon her. ¹⁶ And Hester was taken vnto kynge Ahasuerus in to the house royall, in the tenth moneth which is called Tebeth, in the seuenthe yeare of his reigne.