Esther 2:16-18

Common English Bible

¹⁶ Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus, to his own palace, in the tenth month (that is, the month of Tevet)^[a] in the seventh year of his rule. ¹⁷ The king loved Esther more than all the other women; she had won his love and his favor more than all the others. He placed the royal crown on her head and made her ruler in place of Vashti. ¹⁸ The king held a magnificent, lavish feast, “the feast of Esther,” for all his officials and courtiers. He declared a public holiday^[b] for the provinces and gave out gifts with royal generosity.