In this category of Bible Stories – Esther is our focus for this post. It is a very interesting and captivating story. It is covered in several parts because of the length and in order to emphasize all the different aspects of the story. This part focuses on Chapters one and two of her story as narrated in the Bible. Enjoy.
Hadassah
Hadassah sat up on her bed stretching and yawning. It was already daylight and she wondered how she had slept so long. Within seconds, she took in her opulent surroundings, silk bed sheets, high ceiling wall and the artwork and sculptures that decorated the walls slightly confused, and then it all came back to her. She pondered the events of the day before and how she had come to be in the king’s palace.
Only the day before, she had been in her cousin Mordecai’s house in city of Susa which was the fortress of the Persian empire. He had raised her as a daughter when she lost her parents, and she obeyed and respected him as a father. She had listened to him tell her how she had to be discreet because of the king’s latest edict. The king had called for all the beautiful young virgins in the land to be brought to the palace as he needed a new Queen to replace his wife, Vashti. The king had cast her off for disobeying and rebelling against him.
Vashti
A few years before, the king had hosted a feast in the palace for his nobles, high-ranking officials, and all the residents of Susa. Vashti the queen was also hosting a small party for the women at her end. Then the king, full of wine and merriment had asked his eunuchs to bring Vashti in her royal regalia and wearing her crown so he could show off her beauty to everyone.
Vashti apparently had other plans, because she refused to show up. The king was furious, and in order not to lose respect in the eyes of those he had tried to impress, and the whole empire for that matter, he made a statement and removed Vashti from being queen. He signed it into law, that she would never be queen again and his ego was finally satisfied.
Moving on
A couple of years and a lost battle with Greece later, the king realized he needed the companionship of a wife, not just the fleeting pleasure of a concubine of which he had many. So, he issued another decree in search of a new queen.
Mordecai had been warning Hadassah to ensure she was well covered and if possible disguised as an old lady whenever she was outdoors. He said otherwise, she might be destined to spend the rest of her life living in a harem. He had barely finished his words when they heard a loud knock on the door.
The messengers from the king had been told there was a fair virgin in Mordecai’s house and they had come to take her away to the palace. Hadassah was confused, anxious, and terrified all at the same time as she followed the men. She looked desperately to Mordecai for help as he whispered fiercely to her that she had to keep her heritage secret and not let anyone know she was Jewish. So, when Hegai, the eunuch in charge of the harem had asked for her name, she remembered Mordecai’s instruction and said her name was Esther. She chose a Persian name that meant “star”.
The Palace
Hadassah was still taking in her surroundings when the maids came to her.
“Good morning my lady” the maid who seemed to be in charge of the other six greeted her. “We need to get you bathed and dressed as Hegai has requested the attention of the ladies in the ceremonial room”
Esther thanked them and tried to undress, but they told her to hold still while they undressed her. They had prepared her bath in the middle of the huge quarters where she was assigned. She could see the oil of Myrrh, and some other sweet-smelling perfumes she did not recognize. Esther had never experienced anything like it and felt self-conscious as the ladies bathed and clothed her.
She arrived in the lavishly furnished ceremonial room where dozens of other young girls were already gathered. They were mostly within the same age range as her sixteen years. They all looked at each other, assessing the competition. Some of the girls were obviously children of Persian nobles and looked down their noses at the rest of the city girls. A few like her looked self-conscious initially, but relaxed when they realized it was just a room full of young women who were all new and in awe of their rich surroundings.
Hegai
“Welcome to you all” Hegai began as he walked in a few minutes later with a handful of more young ladies.
“I am Hegai as most of you already know and you will be in my care for the next year or more depending on how quickly you learn”
This got a reaction from some of the girls as they wondered what exactly it was they would be learning.
“In case you are wondering what you’ll be learning” he continued “You will learn about the history of the Persian empire and the 127 provinces that make up the empire.” He paused for effect “But that won’t be all, you would learn the palace protocols, beauty treatments – including hair and make-up, about the kings likes and dislikes, and whatever else interests your pretty heads.
“You will be required to gather in this very room twice a day for your lessons. Your evenings are yours to explore and do as you like. Your maids will show you the parts of the palace you have access to and the parts to avoid if you wish to keep your heads intact.
“Lessons begin this afternoon, and I will see you all back here when the sun shines over the palace courtyard” having finished his speech, he left the room and the girls broke out talking all at once. Hadassah took a liking to a dark-skinned girl from Ethiopia, named Yasmin. They made each other’s acquaintance and quickly became friends.
Palace Life
Time flew by in a blur of lessons and meetings with other girls in the harem. Hadassah blossomed and she felt her skin grow softer and smell more of perfume with each passing day. Hegai also noticed how well she was doing and gave her special attention. He moved her and her maids into an even bigger space in the harem and monitored her diet specially.
He was impressed that she was so humble, unassuming, and never rude or unkind to the maids as some of the girls were. She also listened attentively during classes and had a pleasant personality. He had high hopes for her and knew she would be one of the king’s favorites.
Mordecai
Mordecai worked for the king and could usually be found at the palace gate. Esther had devised a way to talk to her cousin as he took a walk every day along the palace walls. She could not leave the harem and was little more than a prisoner, but at least she was a wealthy prisoner. She told her cousin as much in one of their conversations.
“I hope you are still keeping your identity secret as I told you,” he asked her on one of the days they talked. “You must never let down your guard because the palace is full of people with all kinds of ulterior motives,” he said.
“My heritage remains my secret, as you advised, cousin,” she said. She did not ask him why but she trusted his wisdom and had listened to and obeyed him since she was a child.
Final Days
As the one-year preparatory period for the girls was coming to an end, Hegai let them know that when it was their turn to go to the king, they could ask for whatever they desired to make themselves beautiful and more attractive to the king.
He explained that after their night with the king, they would no longer come back to their current quarters, but would be moved to the larger harem, the one where the king’s concubines lived. There, each girl would be under the care of Shaashgaz, never to belong to another man and never to come into the king’s presence again. That is unless the king was especially happy with her and requested for her by name. He emphasized the need to make an impression.
The girls grew chattier as the days went on, and they gossiped about who had a better chance of being queen. Ahalya, the girl from India finally asked the question that had been on the mind of most of the girls. “How do we know what to do when we come to the king?”
At this, Hegai turned red at the tips of his ears, and he told them he had no experience in that area, being a Eunuch. He promised to arrange private meetings with some of the women in the second harem so the girls could ask all the questions they wanted.
A night with the king
About a month later, when it was Hadassah’s turn to go to the king, she confided in Hegai. She asked for his advice with her clothes, hair, make-up, and all the works. She concluded that since he knew the king better, he would know what the king liked. Hegai was delighted to share his opinion and she did everything just as he advised. The result was stunning!
Everyone who looked at her was impressed by her beauty. But Esther had learned a valuable lesson while she was at the palace. Of beautiful concubines, the king had plenty. But if the king was still looking, then he obviously wanted more than a pretty face. He likely wanted camaraderie, something his nobles and other high-ranking officials could not provide. Because they had to be ‘yes men’, stroke his ego and agree with everything he said to keep their jobs and most importantly their heads. The king had been known to have outbursts that could result in him having someone’s head, literally!
Hadassah had decided she would listen to the king and try to know his heart. And hopefully, he could find a friend in her. That was all that was on her mind when she went into his bed chamber that evening. She met him in a mood and he barely looked up or acknowledged her presence. As she wondered what to do and why he had asked for someone in the first place if he was in no mood for company.
In his presence
Hadassah waited in the doorway while he poured over some notes that no doubt had to do with the business of the kingdom. As she tried to decide if she should say anything, she remembered Hegai’s admonition not to speak unless spoken to. “The king is too busy to be bothered with your opinion on anything” he had said. “keep your answers short and straight to the point when he talks to you and keep everything else down. Be still, be mute, he will let you know what he wants.”
After about 10 minutes, Hadassah decided she had had enough. “Will the king be needing companionship tonight or would he rather I came back another day?” she asked as politely and humbly as she could muster while all her senses screamed that she was asking for trouble. The king looked up like he was shocked to find that someone was in his room. She wondered which shocked him more, the fact that she spoke to him or that she was standing there in the first place.
Getting comfortable
She panicked and then decided she could not stop now, so she stumbled along “I apologize for breaking the king out of his thoughts, I was only….”
“You can’t backtrack now,” he said “why apologize for an act you had obviously thought through”
“Forgive my insolence my king,” she said finally bowing slightly
“Where are you from?” he asked
“I grew up in Susa” my king she responded
“Well take a seat, and tell me about yourself,” he said
Esther bowed as she took a seat on the couch he directed her to, in a corner of his bed chamber. He sat and observed her intently as she summarized her childhood, being an orphan and being raised by her cousin. She added that her childhood had been very happy though because her cousin had treated her well and she had no regrets whatsoever. “Interesting,” he said and she ventured to ask what his childhood had been like growing up as the heir to the throne. “Full of tutors and training” he summarized with a frown as he tried to remember details about his childhood.
They talked casually and she even noticed the king lighten up after a while. When he was ready to retire for the night. He took her hand and led her to his bed. He was gentle and she eventually fell asleep in his arms. She was led out of his chamber in the morning by the same eunuch who had brought her and she was taken to the other harem as she had expected. Her maids had prepared their new living quarters and she just hoped she had made enough of an impression to be remembered.
Good news
She was surprised later that afternoon when Shaashgaz asked her maids to get her ready because the king had requested her company again that evening. And again the evening after. Within a week she learned from the chief eunuch who attended to the king that he was so impressed with her and had decided to make her his queen. Her shock and delight knew no bounds as she spent the next week in a flurry of activities preparing for the feast the king was throwing to celebrate her.
The king proclaimed a holiday throughout the provinces and gave gifts liberally to all and sundry. After the feast, Hadassah and her maids moved into the queen’s quarters which was enormous and second only to the king’s in how lavishly it was furnished. The king requested her company every evening and she had the glow of a new bride as she pondered how she had come to be so fortunate.
Adapted from the Holy Bible, book of Esther chapters 1 and 2.
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