[:en]SCRIPTURE: ESTHER 2
“But Esther had kept secret her family background and nationality just as Mordecai had told her to do, for she continued to follow Mordecai’s instruction as she had done when he was bringing her up” (Esther 2:20)
ESTHER MADE QUEEN (vs. 1-18)
Since Vashti had been dethroned, King Xerxes was without a queen. The counselor advised him to seek another queen. So, they began the great search for the ideal queen.
There was in Susa, a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin named Mordecai. He had been carried to exile in Babylon among those taken captive. He had a cousin name Hadassah (Esther) whose parents had died. He took her as his own daughter and raised her up.
When the king’s order and edict was proclaimed, Mordecai was in the king’s palace. He advised Esther to enter as a candidate to be chosen as queen. So, Esther underwent 12 months of beauty treatment of oil and myrrh and 6 months of perfume and cosmetics. When the time arrived for the contest, Esther was chosen and a great feast was held in her honor.
MORDECAI UNCOVERS A CONSPIRACY (vs. 19-23)
While Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s officials who guarded the doorway, conspired to assassinate the king. Mordecai told the plot to Esther, who in turn reported it to the king. When the report was investigated and found out to be true, the two officials were hanged on a gallows. All this was recorded in the book of annals in the presence of the king.
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