Then Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus at his royal residence in the tenth<n id="1" /> month (that is, the month of Tebeth) in the seventh<n id="2" /> year of his reign.

<p class="bodytext">It so happened that when the king&#8217;s edict and his law became known<n id="1" /> many young women were taken to Susa the citadel to be placed under the authority of Hegai. Esther also was taken to the royal palace<n id="2" /> to be under the authority of Hegai, who was overseeing the women.