Esther 2:17-19

Common English Bible

¹⁷ The king loved Esther more than all the other women; she had won his love and his favor more than all the others. He placed the royal crown on her head and made her ruler in place of Vashti. ¹⁸ The king held a magnificent, lavish feast, “the feast of Esther,” for all his officials and courtiers. He declared a public holiday^[a] for the provinces and gave out gifts with royal generosity. ¹⁹ When they gathered the young women to the second women’s house,^[b] Mordecai was working for the king at the King’s Gate.