▁the ▁Ex il ic ▁Period ▁who ▁claimed ▁as ▁an ▁ancest or ▁ ▁K ish , ▁a ▁Ben j am ite ▁who ▁had ▁been ▁taken ▁from ▁Jerusalem ▁into ▁capt ivity . ▁She ▁was ▁the ▁or phan ed ▁daughter ▁of ▁Mor de ca i ' s ▁uncle , ▁another ▁Ben j am ite ▁named ▁Ab ih ail . ▁Upon ▁the ▁king ' s ▁orders ▁Est her ▁was ▁taken ▁to ▁palace ▁where ▁H eg ai ▁prepared ▁her ▁for ▁meeting ▁the ▁king . ▁Even ▁as ▁she ▁advanced ▁to ▁the ▁highest ▁position ▁of ▁the ▁ha rem , ▁perf umed ▁with ▁my r rh ▁and ▁allocated ▁certain ▁food s ▁and ▁servants , ▁she ▁was ▁under ▁strict ▁instructions ▁from ▁Mor de ca i , ▁who ▁met ▁with ▁her ▁each ▁day , ▁to ▁conce al ▁her ▁Jewish ▁orig ins . ▁The ▁king ▁falls ▁in ▁love ▁with ▁her ▁and ▁makes ▁her ▁Queen . ▁ ▁Later , ▁Mor de ca i ▁ref uses ▁to ▁bow ▁to ▁Ham an ▁the ▁Ag ag ite , ▁who ▁was ▁recently ▁made ▁A has uer us ' ▁highest ▁advis er , ▁and ▁Ham an ▁requests ▁and ▁is ▁given ▁permission ▁to ▁order ▁all ▁the ▁Jews ▁in ▁Pers ia ▁to ▁be ▁killed . ▁When ▁Est her ▁lear ns ▁of ▁this , ▁Mor de ca i ▁tells ▁her ▁to ▁reve al ▁to ▁the ▁king ▁that ▁she ▁is ▁Jewish ▁and ▁to ▁ask ▁him ▁to ▁repe al ▁the ▁order . ▁Est her ▁hes it ates , ▁saying ▁that ▁she ▁could ▁be ▁put ▁to ▁death ▁if ▁she ▁goes ▁to ▁the ▁king ▁without ▁being ▁sum