17:002:005 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;

17:002:006 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.

17:002:007 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.

17:002:008 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.

17:002:009 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.

17:002:010 Esther had not shewed her people nor her kindred:  for Mordecai
           had charged her that she should not shew it.

17:002:011 And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women’s
           house, to know how Esther did, and what should become of her.

17:002:012 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;)

17:002:013 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.

17:002:014 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.

17:002:015 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.