Est. 2: Esther's The One

Esther 2:15 "When the turn came for Esther (the girl Mordecai had adopted, the daughter of his uncle Abihail) to go to the king, she asked for nothing other than what Hegai, the king's eunuch who was in charge of the harem, suggested. And Esther won the favor of everyone who saw her."

Xerxes wanted the most beautiful, hottest best virgin ever. He was the king, and he could make that type of proclamation. He was replacing Vashti, who was quite the prize pig herself apparently, but she was expendable because she made the king mad. What beautiful young virgin out there wouldn't want to be the king's next slampiece? 

So this search takes about 4 years before a woman named Hadassah, or Esther, is uncovered (I know...I'd go with "Esther," too). She was being raised as a daughter by her cousin, Mordecai, since her parents died. I don't know if Mordecai put Esther up to this, or if she was just found by Xerxes' Virgin Patrol, but the bottom line is, she was totally hot, and she fit all the criteria to go into Xerxes Hot Virgin Finishing School, which was six months of oil of myrrh treatments, and six months of perfumes and cosmetics. They were going to make her even more beautiful, since Photoshop wasn't around at that time. Well, maybe 1.0 was.

Esther was forbidden by Mordecai to reveal her Jewish ancestry. No reason is given for this in scripture, but I imagine Xerxes probably wanted to preserve his race. Plus he probably wouldn't want to give a position of that kind of power and respect to a Jew.

Esther won the favor of those eunuchs that were in charge of the Hot Virgin Finishing School. Probably because she wasn't a diva, like I'd imagine most women were who were continually told they were hot stuff all their lives and then had a chance to compete to be queen. I'd rather be a eunuch than be in charge of that group of women. 

The king finally sees her, and knows right away that she is the one. Yep, based on looks. So he crowns her and throws a banquet in her honor.

But all is not well in Susa. Mordecai, who sat at the king's gate to try to talk to Esther whenever he could overheard a plot to kill Xerxes hatched by two of his officials. Mordecai told Esther who told Xerxes what she heard from Mordecai, and the two officials were hanged. Mordecai must be up for a big promotion!