Vashti the queen had been removed from her position. The king was getting ready to go to war with Greece. It may be that the king left for this war shortly after his decree to remove Vashti as queen.
The war did not go well for King Ahasuerus. He took all of his mighties men and his naval fleet to try to conquer the Greece in hopes of expanding his vast empire, but it was a costly defeat.
Ahasuerus returned to his palace of Shushan and realized that he wasn't coming home to his beautiful wife. This must have been very disparaging for him.
Esther 2:1- 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.
The problem with making decrees which cannot be changed is that when you make a rule out of anger, and then you calm down you cannot take it back. The king made a decree that Vashti would no longer be queen, nor would she ever see him again. But, this was made in anger! And, once he calmed down, he realized that he missed his wife.
Esther 2:2-4- 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.
Because the law of the Medes and Persians couldn't be changed, the king's counsellors decided that it would be best for the king if he sought out another queen. They counseled him to gather up all the unmarried women who lived around Shushan. These women would be put through a Persian ritual of purification, and when it was over, the king would meet them. Whoever pleased the king the best would become the next queen.
It has been some years after the Jews had been allowed to go back to Judea. There were some that took king Cyrus up on his offer. But, there were others who had gotten comfortable in this foreign land, and they had decided to stay.
Of these who stayed was a man named Mordecai and his niece, Hadassah. Hadassah had two names. Her Hebrew name was Hadassah, but her Persian name was Esther. She is known by her Persian name because that's the name that God chose to give to the book of the Bible which has her story in it.
Esther 2:5-7- 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.
Our leading lady was adopted. Esther's parent's had died, and so her uncle took her in and raised her. The Bible says that she was very beautiful! And, of course, her beauty would catch the eye of the men gathering up young ladies to meet the king.
Esther 2:8- 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.
Esther was taken to the palace to go through the ritual of purification.
Not only was she beautiful, but she was sweet and kind. And, this wonderful disposition of hers got the attention of the person in charge.
Esther 2:9- 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.
The man in charge gave Esther the things that she needed quickly. He then gave her some maidens to help her through the process, and he put her in the best room!
As Esther was being taken to the palace, her uncle gave her a piece of advice that she took and followed.
Esther 2:10-11- 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.
Mordecai loved Esther like she was his own daughter. He went every day to the court of the palace to see how Esther was doing. He was hoping to hear some news of the outcome of the process.
Esther 2:12- 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;)
After the women went through this year of purifying, they each took a turn meeting the king. They were allowed to take something with them to try to impress the king with. Each lady would get to chose an item.
Esther 2:13-16- 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.
When it was Esther's turn to meet the king, she asked for the king's servant's advice. She knew that this servant would know what the king liked. Because Esther was so sweet and king, she was often given special privileges from those around her. When she asked the servant for his advice, he gladly told her what to take- and she followed his counsel.
Esther 2:17-18- 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.
Esther was loved by the king as well. Her beauty, sweetness, and kindness won his heart! He crowned her the next queen of Persia.
Esther 2:19-20- 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.
Even though Esther was now the queen, she still followed her Uncle Mordecai's advice.
And, Mordecai still came every day to hear news of how his niece was doing.
But, just like most information gathering, you find out more than you ever expected to. You see, the purification process took over a year! And, so, for more than a year Mordecai was in the court listening to the talking of those around him.
Esther 2:21-23- 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
Mordecai overheard an assassination plot meant for the king! He was able to get word of the plan to Esther, who told the king. When the royal guards started asking around, they found out that it was true. The wicked men were hanged for treason!
Mordecai had saved the king's life! He was in the right place, at the right time, and he did the right thing. Soon, Esther would have to follow his example.
