1* The words of Ne·he·miʹah+ the son of Hac·a·liʹah: Now it came about in the month Chisʹlev,*+ in the twentieth year,+ that I myself happened to be in Shuʹshan+ the castle.*

8 And it came about that, when the king’s word and his law were heard, and when many young women were collected together at Shuʹshan+ the castle in charge of Hegʹa·i,+ then Esther was taken to the king’s house in charge of Hegʹa·i the guardian of the women.