Let the young woman whom the king finds most attractive<n id="1" /> become queen in place of Vashti.&#8221; This seemed like a good idea to the king,<n id="2" /> so he acted accordingly.p>

<p class="bodytext">The matter seemed appropriate to the king and the officials. So the king acted on the advice of Memucan.

The king replied to Haman, &#8220;Keep your money,<n id="1" /> and do with those people whatever you wish.&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

For the matter concerning the queen will spread to all the women, leading them to treat their husbands with contempt, saying, &#8216;When King Ahasuerus gave orders to bring Queen Vashti into his presence, she would not come.&#8217;

This young woman pleased him,<n id="1" /> and she found favor with him. He quickly provided her with her cosmetics and her rations; he also provided her with the seven specially chosen<n id="2" /> young women who were from the palace. He then transferred her and her young women to the best quarters in the harem.<n id="3" />p>

But the thought of striking out against<n id="1" /> Mordecai alone was repugnant to him, for he had been informed<n id="2" /> of the identity of Mordecai&#8217;s people.<n id="3" /> So Haman sought to destroy all the Jews (that is, the people of Mordecai)<n id="4" /> who were in all the kingdom of Ahasuerus.p>

When the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, she met with his approval.<n id="1" /> The king extended to Esther the gold scepter that was in his hand, and Esther approached and touched the end of the scepter.p>

If I have found favor in the king&#8217;s sight and if the king is inclined<n id="1" /> to grant my request and perform my petition, let the king and Haman come tomorrow to the banquet that I will prepare for them. At that time<n id="2" /> I will do as the king wishes.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="bodytext">Queen Esther replied, &#8220;If I have met with your approval,<n id="1" /> O king, and if the king is so inclined, grant me my life as my request, and my people as my petition.

Now you write in the king&#8217;s name whatever in your opinion is appropriate concerning the Jews and seal it with the king&#8217;s signet ring. Any decree that is written in the king&#8217;s name and sealed with the king&#8217;s signet ring cannot be rescinded.p>

<p class="bodytext">When it became the turn of Esther daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai (who had raised her as if she were his own daughter<n id="1" />) to go to the king, she did not request anything except what Hegai the king&#8217;s eunuch, who was overseer of the women, had recommended. Yet Esther met with the approval of all who saw her.

<p class="bodytext">She said, &#8220;If the king is so inclined and if I have met with his approval and if the matter is agreeable to the king and if I am attractive to him, let an edict be written rescinding those recorded intentions of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite,<n id="1" /> which he wrote in order to destroy the Jews who are throughout all the king&#8217;s provinces.