A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country/Esther
ESTHER, Wife of Artaxerxes Longimanus.
While the whole nation of the Jews were in captivity, far from their native country, the wife of the sovereign had offended him, by refusing to appear before strangers at a feast, when he demanded her presence: and the king, having once divorced her, could not recal his decree, though desirous of so doing; he was counselled to assemble the most beautiful women throughout his dominions, out of which he might choose his future queen. He accordingly did so, and fixed on Esther, an orphan, of the tribe of Benjamin, who was brought up by an uncle, one of the principal men among the Jews. She was exceedingly beautiful; and messengers were dispatched unto every nation in that wide monarchy, to ordain a general rejoicing; while the king feasted the chief persons of the Medes and Persians, a whole month, on account of his marriage.
Esther was brought to the royal palace, and a diadem placed upon her head, without the king's knowing what country she was of. Her uncle, Mordecai, with whom she had been brought up, removed from Babylon to Shushan, being every day about the palace, that he might behold his niece, whom he loved as a daughter. An Amalekite, who, from his nation, was enemy to the Jews, and bore personal hated to Mordecai, was in great favour with the king; and, by slandering that people as vile and seditious, persuaded him that it would be an act of policy to extirpate them, and in the end be beneficial to the state.
Accordingly a decree was given, and a day fixed for this purpose. Mordecai sent a copy of the proclamation to Esther, and besought her to petition the king. She sent him word, that unless her presence was demanded, it was death for her to present herself before him, guards always standing on each side of the throne, with axes to cut down such intruders: but desired him to gather all the Jews at Shushan together, and to fast with them; she and her maidens would do the same; and thus she would go to the king. She, accordingly, put on mourning garments, cast herself upon the earth, prayed and fasted three days, at the end of which, she changed her habit, attired herself in rich robes, and, attended by two maids, who held her train, went, with fear and confusion, into the presence of the king. But, on his looking on her with some sternness and surprise, she fainted; on which he leaped from his throne and took her in his arms, bidding her be of good cheer, as that law was made only for subjects, and not for a queen. But her spirits were too much flattened to allow her to enter on the subject she intended: and though he assured he would grant her request to the half of his kingdom, she delayed declaring herself, and only asked him, together with Haman, the Amalekite, to a banquet the next day. Even then she put it off, asked them a second time; and then when the king wished her to name the request, she told him of the plot to destroy herself and her nation, and named Haman as the author of it. The king was, at first, in some disorder on hearing his favourite accused; but, persuaded of his vileness, he commanded him to be hung upon a gallows he had that day erected for Mordecai: and, as he could not revoke a decree, which, having once passed, the laws of Persia rendered irrevocable, he passed another, to encourage the Jews to defend themselves and slay their enemies, of which 75,800, chiefly Amalekites, perished that day; which was commemorated among the Jews, by an annual feast, called Purim. Mordecai became a considerable person at court, and the influence of Esther considerably bettered the state of the Jews.