Esther,
a jewish girl, was only a little girl when her parents died and she went to
live in the home of her cousin Mordecai. Her new home was in the city of Shushan,
where the King of Persia lived. Her cousin, Mordecai, had an office in the household
of the king. Mordecai loved Esther as if she were is daughter. One day King
Ahasuerus decided to get a new queen in place of Queen Vashti. Because she wouldn't
not obey the king. So the King sent commands through all his kingdom that the
most beautiful young women should be brought to his palace, where he might choose
among them the one who would please him best. Mordecai knew that Esther was
a beautiful young woman, and he believed she would make a beautiful queen. So
he sent her to the palace with the other young women who had come from different
parts of the kingdom. At the palace she and the other young girls were taught
the manners of the court life, so they would know how to please the King. But
Mordecai told Esther not to let the fact that her people were the Jews. The
king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in
his sight more than all the young women; so that he set the royal crown upon
her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti. In those days, while Mordecai
sat in the king’s gate, two of the king’s chamberlains, Bigthan and
Teresh, they were the ones to keep the gate, were angery, and sought to lay
hand on the king Ahasuerus. And the thing was known to Mordecai, who told it
unto Esther the queen; and Esther wrote the king about it in Mordecai’s
name. And when inquisition was made of the matter, it was found out; therefore
they were both hanged on a tree: and it was written in the book of the chronicles
before the king.Among the princes at the royal palace was a proud man named
Haman. He was very rich, and he new how to behave in the most pleasing manner
whenever he appeared before the King. So the King honored Haman above all the
princes, and commanded all his servants to pay respect to this proud man. Among
the King's servants who sat in the gate of the palace was Mordecai, a Jew. And
whenever Haman passed through the gate the King's Servants were supposed to
bow to him , with their faces in the dust. And they all did EXCEPT Mordecai.
He would not bow before any man to give him honor that belonged only to GOD.
The King's servants were not pleased when they saw that Mordecai refused to
bow down before the honored prince. They asked him why he dared to disobey the
command of the King. And Mordecai told then he was a Jew and; and that only
worshipped God and would not bow before any man. The servants hurried to tell
Hmana of Mordecia's unwillingness to bow before him.Haman got very angery when
he heard that Moedecai would not bow and give him honor. And he plotted against
all the Jews to have them killed. He did not know that Queen Esther was a Jew.
