⁷ And he was bringing up Hadassah, that is ^(A)Esther, his uncle’s daughter, for she had no father or mother. Now the young lady was beautiful in form and beautiful in appearance, and when her father and her mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter.

Esther Advances in Favor

⁸ Now it happened that when the word and law of the king were heard and ^(B)many young ladies were gathered to the citadel of Susa into the hand of ^(C)Hegai, that Esther was taken to the king’s ^[a]house into the hand of Hegai, who kept charge of the women. ⁹ And the young lady was good in his eyes, and she advanced in lovingkindness before him. So he hurried to give her ^(D)cosmetics and portions of food to her, and to give to her seven choice young women from the king’s ^[b]house. And he transferred her and her young women to the best place in the harem.