Esther

The Emperor had cast the unfortunate episode of Queen Vashti behind him and returned to his kingdom-type duties for the next three years. Then, sometime during the sixth year of his reign, Ahasuerus began to think again what it might be like to have another Queen. His own personal attendants were aware that the Great Emperor was now preoccupied with the matter, and accordingly, they proposed that a search be conducted for the most beautiful single women in all the land. The extensive quest would begin immediately, and as each young and desirable maiden was spotted by an official in charge, she would be informed of her duty and taken forthwith to the city of the King. Once she arrived in Susa, she would then be escorted through the city and into the citadel or government complex. Then she would proceed further into the royal palace, and of course, to the residence that had been especially prepared for the girls. No one doubted that Hegai, the official in charge of the women, would be able to expertly fashion each young girl with the help of extensive treatments. Yes, the servants were extremely hopeful that as a result of Hegai’s thorough preparation and within the appropriate amount of time, one of the virtuous maidens would catch the King’s eye and take hold of his heart. * * * The royal citadel of Susa, zealously guarded by the Emperor’s elite troops, was a most impressive and imposing place—the illustrious home of the most powerful ruler of the world. Here also, in the midst of the magnificent palace and resplendent gardens, next to awe-inspiring monuments and majestic halls, a considerable number of royal princes and noble dignitaries gathered to make the most important decisions of the land. In addition, many other government officials and staff were employed within the citadel, including a dedicated civil servant whose name was Mordecai. Mordecai was a Jew and a member of the Benjamin tribe—one of the twelve tribes of the kingdom of Israel. He was extremely proud of his ancestry, beginning with his father whose name was Jair, his grandfather Shimei, and his great-grandfather by the name of Kish. It was his great-grandfather Kish who had been captured more than 100 years before by the troops of Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, and forced to leave Jerusalem with many other thousands of Jews in the year 597 BC. Among those taken captive at that time was also the King of Judah—King Jehoiachin. About sixty years later (536 BC), forty thousand Jews were permitted to return to Jerusalem during the reign of King Cyrus the Great. But at the same time, many Jewish people chose to remain in Babylon or move to other parts of the empire, such as the city of Susa, the home of the Great King. Mordecai’s ancestors were some of those people who had decided to move to the land of Persia. Mordecai was older now, and as a government official employed at a prestigious location called the King’s Gate, he had also been afforded the privilege of living within the great city of Susa, where for years, he had raised a young girl named Hadassah. Hadassah’s name meant “myrtle.” Myrtle? But what is “myrtle”? It is a beautiful shrub with green shining leaves, deep purple berries, and starry white flowers that gently exhale a delightful perfume. When Hadassah’s father and mother had died several years earlier, she had gone to live with her older cousin Mordecai who had taken the place of her father, Abihail. Growing up in the capital city, Hadassah had been given a Persian name as well—Esther, meaning “star,” which suited her perfectly, because she was as captivating as one of the brilliant lights enhanced by the night sky. During the next several years, living under the guidance and protection of Mordecai, Esther grew to be even more stunningly beautiful with exquisite features and an elegant figure. * * * Mordecai and Esther, along with everyone else in the city of Susa, not to mention the entire empire, had heard of the King’s most recent decree. Young single women—the most beautiful women in all the land—were to be taken from their households and brought to the imperial palace to be meticulously groomed and carefully prepared. The King was seeking a wife and Queen. Almost immediately, girls with fascinating features began to arrive in the capital city where they were escorted into the citadel complex—the fortified government compound of the King. Next, they journeyed further into the royal palace, and finally, they were led to the special quarters where all the women were commanded to stay. Within the women’s residence of the royal home already lived a very large number of girls and women considered property of the King—from the closest of the King’s relatives to many others related more distantly, from old to young, from noble princesses to lowly servants, musicians, and dancers. And now, these residences were becoming even more crowded. Some of the girls chosen may have wanted to go to the royal estate; perhaps others would have rather stayed home. To be singled out might have been considered the highest honor...or maybe it was more of a curse. For once you were selected and taken away, you would never be allowed to return to your family. You had no choice in the matter—no officer would ask for your opinion. A command of the King was a command of the King, and no one had any other option but to obey. * * * Hegai certainly had his work cut out for him. What type of man could possibly handle the monumental task of organizing and preparing dozens of girls arriving daily from all over the world? Young ladies from diversified kingdoms and a multitude of cultures…daughters and sisters who had been brought up practicing unfamiliar customs and peculiar religious beliefs…each and every girl having a distinctive personality, not to mention all manner of strange habits and quirks. Obviously, Hegai was no stranger to this type of responsibility, considering that he had already established himself as the senior officer in charge of all the palace women. And when the King’s attendants had proposed the idea of searching for a new Queen, hadn’t they also quickly expressed their strong belief that he could get the job done? Nothing short of perfection would be acceptable, and Hegai would see to it that each young lady was altogether ready when her appointed time came to meet with the King. This meant that not only would she be groomed to her physical best, she would also be coached in the social graces befitting royalty—her etiquette and manners impeccable, her posture and style precise. But perhaps Hegai’s most daunting task would be to narrow the selection down to a reasonable few so that his Emperor’s choice would be an easy and enjoyable one. And so the campaign began, and in time, the royal quarters would be occupied by many more women…seemingly from all over the world. But yet, not everyone would travel all that far. Just today, one exceptional-looking young lady had arrived after a journey that had been quite sudden and brief. She was a local Susa girl who had been raised by a cousin, an employee of the King’s Gate. * * * As she quietly followed her escort down the hall, the palace staff nudged one another and felt compelled to turn and take a second look. It wasn’t just her extraordinary beauty, but her uncommon air of goodness and grace. And it was no exaggeration to say that everyone was captivated by her looks—yes, everyone—even the senior official in charge.