Esther 2:18-20

The Voice

¹⁸ King Ahasuerus invited all of the nobles and officials to a state banquet in honor of Esther, his new queen. He declared that day as a holiday throughout his entire kingdom and distributed extravagant gifts.

¹⁹ When the young women were gathered together for a second time, Mordecai was sitting at the palace gate where the men gathered for business and legal decisions. ²⁰ Since Mordecai had required Esther to keep her Jewish heritage a secret, she had told no one. She continued to obey him as she did when he took care of her.