Esther 2:17-20·~1 min

Esther Becomes Queen

The king loves Esther more than the others, sets the royal crown on her head, and makes her queen in Vashti's place. He then holds a great banquet in her honor, grants a tax holiday, and distributes royal gifts.

A¹⁷nd the king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she found grace and favor in his sight more than all of the other virgins. So he placed the royal crown upon her head and made her queen in place of Vashti. ¹⁸Then the king held a great banquet, Esther’s banquet, for all his officials and servants. He proclaimed a tax holiday in the provinces and gave gifts worthy of the king’s bounty.

When the virgins are assembled again, Mordecai is sitting at the king's gate. Esther still does not reveal her lineage or people, continuing to obey Mordecai as she did before.

¹⁹When the virgins were assembled a second time, Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate. ²⁰Esther still had not revealed her lineage or her people, just as Mordecai had instructed. She obeyed Mordecai’s command, as she had done under his care.

Section summaryEsther's favor before others now reaches the king himself. He chooses her above all the other women, crowns her in Vashti's place, and celebrates her elevation, while the chapter quietly keeps in view that her lineage still remains concealed and Mordecai remains near the gate.

Role in the chapterThis section brings the court's search to its outcome while preserving the secrecy established earlier. Esther's rise answers the opening search, yet the chapter does not let that rise dissolve the hidden tensions already in place.