7 And he had brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle’s daughter; for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful; and as her father and mother were dead, Mordecai had taken her for his own daughter.
8 So it came to pass, when the king’s commandment and his decree was heard and when many maidens were gathered together unto Shushan, the palace, to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was brought also unto the king’s house to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women.
9 And the maiden pleased him, and she found mercy before him; and he speedily gave her that which was necessary for purification and her rations, and seven maidens, which were meet to be given her out of the king’s house; and he moved her and her maids into the best place of the house of the women.
10 Esther had not declared her people nor her birth, for Mordecai had charged her that she should not declare it.
11 And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women’s house to know the peace of Esther and what was done with her.
12 Now when each maid’s turn was come to go in to King Ahasuerus, after she had been twelve months according to the law regarding the women (for so were the days of their purifications accomplished, that is, six months with oil of myrrh and six months with aromatic odours and oils for women),
13 then thus came each maiden unto the king; whatever she desired was given her to go with her out of the house of the women unto the king’s house.