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Esther 2

Esther book home•Chapter 2 of 10•23 verses

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Esther 2 Overview

After Vashti’s removal, young women are gathered for the king, including Esther, a Jewish orphan raised by her cousin Mordecai. Esther gains favor, becomes queen, and keeps her Jewish identity concealed at Mordecai’s instruction. Mordecai then uncovers an assassination plot against the king, and his service is recorded in the royal chronicles.

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Before you read Esther 2

Coming from

Chapter 1 ended with Vashti removed and the throne seeking a new queen.

In this chapter

Esther enters the royal court, becomes queen, and Mordecai performs an unrewarded act of loyalty that is preserved in the official record.

Leads into

Chapter 3 introduces Haman, whose promotion and hatred of Mordecai turn the story from court advancement to a threat against the entire Jewish people.

Key understandingExplore deeper

Esther and Mordecai are Jews living in the Persian diaspora. Esther’s concealment of her identity is reported without an explicit moral evaluation at this point. Mordecai’s unrewarded discovery of the assassination plot becomes a deliberately stored detail that will later reverse the story.

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

Truth 1

Esther’s rise places a Jewish woman in a position of influence before the coming crisis is known.

Truth 2

Mordecai’s faithful service is recorded even though he receives no immediate reward.

Truth 3

Small details that appear unresolved can become decisive later in the narrative.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

Connection 1

Genesis 41 and Daniel 1–6 also show members of God’s people elevated within foreign courts.

Connection 2

Ecclesiastes 9:15-16 describes wisdom that can be overlooked even when it delivers others, which resembles Mordecai’s initially unrewarded service.

Connection 3

The royal chronicles in Esther 6 will return directly to the event recorded here.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Keep this clear 1

Do not claim the text says Esther became queen because of a direct miracle; the narrative shows providential timing without naming the mechanism.

Keep this clear 2

Do not make Esther’s concealment of her Jewish identity a universal command for believers under pressure.

Keep this clear 3

Mordecai and Esther’s conduct should be evaluated from what the text says, not idealized beyond the narrative.

Read Esther 2 watching for…

Esther’s family background and relationship to Mordecai.

The repeated language of favor Esther receives.

Mordecai’s instruction that Esther conceal her identity.

Esther’s accession to the throne.

The assassination plot and the fact that Mordecai’s deed is written down.

Chapter outline5 sections

1-4The king’s servants propose gathering young women so a new queen can be chosen 5-11Mordecai raises Esther, and she is taken into the king’s house 12-14The women complete their preparations before going in to the king 15-18Esther obtains favor, is made queen, and a great feast is held 19-23Mordecai uncovers a plot against the king, and the matter is recorded

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.

Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king:

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:

And let the maiden which pleaseth the king be queen instead of Vashti. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.

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;

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.

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.

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.

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.

Esther had not shewed her people nor her kindred: for Mordecai had charged her that she should not shew it.

And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women's house, to know how Esther did, and what should become of her.

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;)

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, then Mordecai sat in the king's gate.

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.

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 hand on the king Ahasuerus.

And the thing was known to Mordecai, who told it unto Esther the queen; and Esther certified the king thereof in Mordecai's name.

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.

STUDY THIS VERSE

Esther 2:12

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