Bible Verses About Marriage: Wives taken by edict

And the Kings seruants that ministred vnto him, sayd, Let them seeke for the King beautifull yong virgins,

And let the King appoynt officers through all the prouinces of his kingdome, and let them gather all the beautiful yong virgins vnto the palace of Shushan, into the house of the women, vnder the hand of Hege the Kings eunuche, keeper of the women, to giue them their things for purification.

And the mayde that shall please the King, let her reigne in the steade of Vashti. And this pleased the King, and he did so.

And when the Kings commandement, and his decree was published, and many maydes were brought together to the palace of Shushan, vnder the hand of Hege, Ester was brought also vnto the Kings house vnder the hande of Hege the keeper of the women.

And the mayde pleased him, and she founde fauour in his sight: therefore he caused her things for purification to be giuen her speedily, and her state, and seuen comely maides to be giuer her out of the Kings house, and he gaue change to her and to her maydes of the best in the house of the women.

But Ester shewed not her people and her kinred: for Mordecai had charged her, that shee should not tell it.

Aud Mordecai walked euery day before the court of the womens house, to knowe if Ester did well, and what should be done with her.

And when the course of euery mayd came, to go in to King Ahashuerosh, after that she had bene twelue moneths according to the maner of the women (for so were the dayes of their purifications accomplished, sixe moneths with oyle of myrrhe, and sixe moneths with sweete odours and in the purifying of the women:

And thus went the maides vnto the King) whatsoeuer she required, was giuen her, to go with her out of the womens house vnto ye kings house.

In the euening she went, and on the morow she returned into the second house of the women vnder the hand of Shaashgaz the Kings eunuche, which kept the concubines: shee came in to the King no more, except shee pleased the King, and that she were called by name.