² in those days when King Ahasuerus ^(A)sat on his royal throne in ^(B)Susa, the capital,^[a]

⁵ And when these days were completed, the king gave for all the people present in Susa, the citadel, both great and small, a feast lasting for seven days in the court of ^(A)the garden of the king's palace.

³ And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom to gather all the beautiful young virgins to the harem in Susa the capital, under custody of ^(A)Hegai, the king's eunuch, who is in charge of the women. ^(B)Let their cosmetics be given to them.

⁵ Now there was a Jew in Susa the citadel whose name was ^(A)Mordecai, the son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, a Benjaminite,