Esther 2:17-19

Lexham English Bible

¹⁷ And the king loved Esther more than all the women, and she won his favor and loyalty more than all the virgins, so he put a royal crown^[a] on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. ¹⁸ And the king gave a great banquet, Esther’s banquet, for all his officials and servants. And he granted a tax amnesty^[b] to the provinces and he gave gifts with royal liberality.

A Plot Against the King

¹⁹ When the virgins were gathered a second time, Mordecai was sitting at the gate of the king.