June 2, 2025, Ester 2:1-18 2  After these things, when the anger of King Ahasuerus had abated, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what had been decreed against her.  2  Then the king's young men who attended him said, “Let beautiful young virgins be sought out for the king.  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 citadel, under custody of Hegai, the king's eunuch, who is in charge of the women. Let their cosmetics be given them.  4  And let the young woman who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.” This pleased the king, and he did so. 5  Now there was a Jew in Susa the citadel whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, a Benjaminite,  6  who had been carried away from Jerusalem among the captives carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebucha...

  June 1, 2025, Ester 1:10-22 10  On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha and Abagtha, Zethar and Carkas, the seven eunuchs who served in the presence of King Ahasuerus,  11  to bring Queen Vashti before the king with her royal crown, in order to show the peoples and the princes her beauty, for she was lovely to look at.  12  But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king's command delivered by the eunuchs. At this the king became enraged, and his anger burned within him. 13  Then the king said to the wise men who knew the times (for this was the king's procedure toward all who were versed in law and judgment,  14  the men next to him being Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who saw the king's face, and sat first in the kingdom):  15  “A...