Quotes About King

The king and his princes were pleased with this counsel; so the king did as Memucan had advised.

Some time later, when the anger of King Xerxes had subsided, he remembered Vashti and what she had done, and what had been decreed against her.

Then the kingís attendants proposed, “Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king,

and let the king appoint commissioners in each province of his kingdom to assemble all the beautiful young women into the harem at the citadel of Susa. Let them be placed under the care of Hegai, the kingís eunuch in charge of the women, and let them be given beauty treatments.

Then let the young woman who pleases the king become queen in place of Vashti.” This suggestion pleased the king, and he acted accordingly.

When the kingís command and edict had been proclaimed, many young women gathered at the citadel of Susa under the care of Hegai. Esther was also taken to the palace and placed under the care of Hegai, the custodian of the women.

When the young woman would go to the king, she was given whatever she requested to take with her from the harem to the kingís palace.

She would go there in the evening, and in the morning she would return to a second harem under the care of Shaashgaz, the kingís eunuch in charge of the concubines. She would not return to the king unless he delighted in her and summoned her by name.

Now Esther was the daughter of Abihail, the uncle from whom Mordecai had adopted her as his own daughter. And when it was her turn to go to the king, she did not ask for anything except what Hegai, the kingís trusted official in charge of the harem, had advised. And Esther found favor in the eyes of everyone who saw her.

And the king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she found grace and favor in his sight more than all of the other virgins. So he placed the royal crown upon her head and made her queen in place of Vashti.

Then the king held a great banquet, Estherís banquet, for all his officials and servants. He proclaimed a tax holiday in the provinces and gave gifts worthy of the kingís bounty.

When the virgins were assembled a second time, Mordecai was sitting at the kingís gate.

After these events, King Xerxes honored Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, elevating him to a position above all the princes who were with him.

Then Haman informed King Xerxes, “There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the peoples of every province of your kingdom. Their laws are different from everyone elseís, and they do not obey the kingís laws. So it is not in the kingís best interest to tolerate them.

If it pleases the king, let a decree be issued to destroy them, and I will deposit ten thousand talents of silver into the royal treasury to pay those who carry it out.”

So the king removed the signet ring from his finger and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews.

The couriers left, spurred on by the kingís command, and the edict was issued in the citadel of Susa. Then the king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Susa was in confusion.

But he went only as far as the kingís gate, because the law prohibited anyone wearing sackcloth from entering that gate.

“All the royal officials and the people of the kingís provinces know that one law applies to every man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned—that he be put to death. Only if the king extends the gold scepter may that person live. But I have not been summoned to appear before the king for the past thirty days.”

On the third day, Esther put on her royal attire and stood in the inner court of the palace across from the kingís quarters. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the royal courtroom, facing the entrance.

As soon as the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, she found favor in his sight. The king extended the gold scepter in his hand toward Esther, and she approached and touched the tip of the scepter.

“What is it, Queen Esther?” the king inquired. “What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be given to you.”

“If it pleases the king,” Esther replied, “may the king and Haman come today to the banquet I have prepared for the king.”

“Hurry,” commanded the king, “and bring Haman, so we can do as Esther has requested.” So the king and Haman went to the banquet that Esther had prepared.