1. PEOPLE TO REMEMBER KING CYRUS -EZRA 1:1(536 BC)? KING DARIUS:EZRA 1-6(538-516 BC)? ESTHER QUEEN OF PERSIA(58 YEARS)(478 BC)? ARTAXERXES:EZRA 7-10(458-457 BC)? ARTAXERXES LONGIMANUS:(465-424 BC)? ZERUBBABEL - SHESHBAZZAR - LEVITE GOVERNOR OF JUDAH HAGGAI 1:1(536 BC)? LEVITES WHO CAME WITH ZERUBBABEL NEHEMIAH - PRIESTEZRA 2:2(536 BC)? JEREMIAH - PRIESTNEHEMIAH 12:1(536 BC)? JESHUA - HIGH PRIESTNEHEMIAH 12:1(536 BC)? EZRA - PRIESTNEHEMIAH 12:1(536 BC)?

2. PEOPLE TO REMEMBER NEBUCHADNEZZAR:KING OF BABYLON (498 BC)? JECONIAH:KING OF JUDAH (498 BC)? AHASUERUS:KING OF PERSIA(483 BC)? VASHTI:AHASUERUS’ EX-WIFE MORDECAI:GREAT-GRANDSON OF KISH - A BENJAMITE (A EUNUCH)? HEGAI:EUNUCH IN CHARGE OF KING’S HAREM ESTHER:FIRST COUSIN OF MORDECAI BIGTHAN & TERESH: KING’S DOORKEEPERS SHAASHGAZ :KEEPER OF THE KING’S CONCUBINES HIGH PRIESTSKINGS OF PERSIASTOCK OF JUDAH SERAIAH CAMBYSESJECONIAH JOZADAKCYRUSSALATHIEL JESHUADARIUSZERUBBABEL JOIAKIMXERXESHANANIAH

3. PEOPLE TO REMEMBER AHASUERUS:KING OF PERSIA 478 BC? VASHTI:AHASUERUS’ FIRST WIFE MORDECAI: (A EUNUCH)? GREAT-GRANDSON OF KISH - A BENJAMITE ESTHER:FIRST COUSIN OF MORDECAI HEGAI:EUNUCH IN CHARGE OF KING’S HAREM BIGTHAN AND TERESH: KING’S DOORKEEPERS (EUNUCHS) HAMAN:THE AGGAGITE - DESCEDENT OF KING AGAG HATHACH:EUNUCH THAT ESTHER SENT TO SEE MORDECAI

4. OUTLINE ESTHER CHAPTER TWO ALL THE VIRGINS OF THE KINGDOM GATHERED:V. 1-4 ESTHER IS BROUGHT UP BY MORDECAI:V. 5-7 ESTHER UNDER THE CARE OF HEGAI:V. 8-11 VRGINS ARE INTRODUCED TO THE KING:V. 12-14 ESTHER IS CHOSEN TO REPLACE VASHTI:V. 15-20 MORDECAI DISCOVERS PLOT TO KILL THE KING:V. 21-23

5. READ:ESTHER 2:1-4 1After these things, when the wrath of King Ahasuerus subsided, he remembered Vashti, what she had done, and what had been decreed against her. 2Then the king's servants who attended him said: "Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king;

6. QUESTIONS:ESTHER 2:1-2 1After these things, when the wrath of King Ahasuerus subsided, he remembered Vashti, what she had done, and what had been decreed against her. 2Then the king's servants who attended him said: "Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king; DID AHASUERUS GET OVER HIS ANGER? WHAT DID HE REMEMBER? WHAT DID THE KING’S SERVANTS SAY TO HIM? WHY SEEK OUT ALL THE YOUNG VIRGINS?

7. READ:ESTHER 2:3-4 3“And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather all the beautiful young virgins to Shushan the citadel, into the women's quarters, under the custody of Hegai the king's eunuch, custodian of the women. And let beauty preparations be given them. 4"Then let the young woman who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti." This thing pleased the king, and he did so.

8. QUESTIONS:ESTHER 2:3-4 3“And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather all the beautiful young virgins to Shushan the citadel, into the women's quarters, under the custody of Hegai the king's eunuch, custodian of the women. And let beauty preparations be given them. WHAT DID THEY PURPOSE TO DO? WHO WAS HEGAI?WHY A EUNUCH? WHAT WOULD HE DO WITH THESE VIRGINS?

9. QUESTIONS:ESTHER 2:3-4 4"Then let the young woman who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti." This thing pleased the king, and he did so. HOW WERE THEY TO ‘PLEASE’ THE KING? WHAT IF ONE ‘PLEASED’ THE KING? WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO HER? DID THE KING LIKE THEIR SUGGESTION?

10. READ:ESTHER 2:5-6 5In Shushan the citadel there was a certain Jew whose name was Mordecai the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite. 6Kish had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captives who had been captured with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away.

11. QUESTIONS:ESTHER 2:5-6 5In Shushan the citadel there was a certain Jew whose name was Mordecai the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite. 6Kish had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captives who had been captured with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away. WHO WAS MORDECAI? FOUR GENERATIONS: KISH (A BENJAMITE) - SHIMEI - JAIR - MORDECAI KISH: MORDECAI’S GREAT-GRAND-FATHER WHO WAS JECONIAH?KING OF JUDAH? WHO CARRIED THEM OFF TO BABYLON? (498 BC)?

12. READ:ESTHER 2:7-8 7And Mordecai had brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daughter, for she had neither father nor mother. The young woman was lovely and beautiful. When her father and mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter. 8So it was, when the king's command and decree were heard, and when many young women were gathered at Shushan the citadel, under the custody of Hegai, that Esther also was taken to the king's palace, into the care of Hegai the custodian of the women.

13. QUESTIONS:ESTHER 2:7-8 7And Mordecai had brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daughter, for she had neither father nor mother. The young woman was lovely and beautiful. When her father and mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter. WHO WAS HADASSAH? WHAT HAPPENED TO HER PARENTS? HOW DID MORDECAI TAKE CARE OF ESTHER?

14. QUESTIONS:ESTHER 2:7-8 8So it was, when the king's command and decree were heard, and when many young women were gathered at Shushan the citadel, under the custody of Hegai, that Esther also was taken to the king's palace, into the care of Hegai the custodian of the women. WHAT HAPPENED TO ESTHER? WHERE WAS SHE TAKEN? NOW WHO WOULD TAKE CARE OF HER? WHO WAS HEGAI?WHY A EUNUCH?

15. READ:ESTHER 2:9-11 9Now the young woman pleased him, and she obtained his favor; so he readily gave beauty preparations to her, besides her allowance. Then seven choice maidservants were provided for her from the king's palace, and he moved her and her maidservants to the best place in the house of the women. 10Esther had not revealed her people or family, for Mordecai had charged her not to reveal it. 11And every day Mordecai paced in front of the court of the women's quarters, to learn of Esther's welfare and what was happening to her.

16. QUESTIONS:ESTHER 2:9-11 9Now the young woman pleased him, and she obtained his favor; so he readily gave beauty preparations to her, besides her allowance. Then seven choice maidservants were provided for her from the king's palace, and he moved her and her maidservants to the best place in the house of the women. HOW DID ESTHER PLEASE HEGAI? WHAT DID HEGAI DO FOR ESTHER?

17. QUESTIONS:ESTHER 2:9-11 10Esther had not revealed her people or family, for Mordecai had charged her not to reveal it. 11And every day Mordecai paced in front of the court of the women's quarters, to learn of Esther's welfare and what was happening to her. WHAT DIDN’T ESTHER REVEAL (MAKE KNOWN)? WHY KEEP THIS A SECRET? WHAT DID MORDECAI DO EVERY DAY? WHAT WAS MORDECAI’S CONCERN?

18. READ:ESTHER 2:12-13 12Each young woman's turn came to go in to King Ahasuerus after she had completed twelve months' preparation, according to the regulations for the women, for thus were the days of their preparation apportioned: six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with perfumes and preparations for beautifying women. 13Thus prepared, each young woman went to the king, and she was given whatever she desired to take with her from the women's quarters to the king's palace.

19. QUESTIONS:ESTHER 2:12-13 12Each young woman's turn came to go in to King Ahasuerus after she had completed twelve months' preparation, according to the regulations for the women, for thus were the days of their preparation apportioned: six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with perfumes and preparations for beautifying women. WHEN DID THE VIRGINS GO IN TO THE KING? WHAT HAD THEY DOING FOR TWELVE MONTHS? WOULD THIS MAKE THEM ‘BEAUTIFUL’?

20. QUESTIONS:ESTHER 2:12-13 13Thus prepared, each young woman went to the king, and she was given whatever she desired to take with her from the women's quarters to the king's palace. WHEN SHE WAS ‘PREPARED’ WHAT DID SHE DO? WHAT COULD SHE TAKE TO THE KING’S PALACE?

21. READ:ESTHER 2:14-15 14In the evening she went, and in the morning she returned to the second house of the women, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king's eunuch who kept the concubines. She would not go in to the king again unless the king delighted in her and called for her by name. 15Now when the turn came for Esther the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her as his daughter, to go in to the king, she requested nothing but what Hegai the king's eunuch, the custodian of the women, advised. And Esther obtained favor in the sight of all who saw her.

22. QUESTIONS:ESTHER 2:14-15 14In the evening she went, and in the morning she returned to the second house of the women, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king's eunuch who kept the concubines. She would not go in to the king again unless the king delighted in her and called for her by name. HOW LONG DID SHE STAY IN THE KING’S PALACE? WHERE DID SHE GO IN THE MORNING? WHO WAS SHAASHGAZ? WHEN COULD SHE GO TO THE KING AGAIN?

23. QUESTIONS:ESTHER 2:14-15 15Now when the turn came for Esther the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her as his daughter, to go in to the king, she requested nothing but what Hegai the king's eunuch, the custodian of the women, advised. And Esther obtained favor in the sight of all who saw her. WHAT DID ESTHER TAKE WHEN SHE WENT IN? DID HEGAI KNOW WHAT WOULD PLEASE THE KING? WHO DID SHE FIND FAVOR WITH?

24. READ:ESTHER 2:16-17 16So Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus, into his royal palace, in the tenth month, which is the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign. 17The king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins; so he set the royal crown upon her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.

25. QUESTIONS:ESTHER 2:16-17 16So Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus, into his royal palace, in the tenth month, which is the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign. 17The king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins; so he set the royal crown upon her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. WHEN WAS ESTHER TAKEN TO THE KING’S PALACE? HOW MUCH DID THE KING LOVE ESTHER? WHAT DID THE KING DO FOR ESTHER?

26. READ:ESTHER 2:18-20 18Then the king made a great feast, the Feast of Esther, for all his officials and servants; and he proclaimed a holiday in the provinces and gave gifts according to the generosity of a king. 19When virgins were gathered together a second time, Mordecai sat within the king's gate. 20Now Esther had not revealed her family and her people, just as Mordecai had charged her, for Esther obeyed the command of Mordecai as when she was brought up by him.

27. QUESTIONS:ESTHER 2:18-20 18Then the king made a great feast, the Feast of Esther, for all his officials and servants; and he proclaimed a holiday in the provinces and gave gifts according to the generosity of a king. WHY DID THE KING MAKE THE FEAST OF ESTHER? WHO WAS INVITED TO THE FEAST? WHAT ELSE DID THE KING DO?

28. QUESTIONS:ESTHER 2:18-20 19When virgins were gathered together a second time, Mordecai sat within the king's gate. 20Now Esther had not revealed her family and her people, just as Mordecai had charged her, for Esther obeyed the command of Mordecai as when she was brought up by him. WHERE WAS MORDECAI AT THIS TIME? HAD ESTHER REVEALED HER FAMILY TO ANYONE? WHY DID ESTHER CONTINUE TO OBEY MORDECAI?

29. READ:ESTHER 2:21-22 21In those days, while Mordecai sat within the king's gate, two of the king's eunuchs, Bigthan and Teresh, doorkeepers, became furious and sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. 22So the matter became known to Mordecai, who told Queen Esther, and Esther informed the king in Mordecai's name.

30. QUESTIONS:ESTHER 2:21-22 21In those days, while Mordecai sat within the king's gate, two of the king's eunuchs, Bigthan and Teresh, doorkeepers, became furious and sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. WHAT DID MORDECAI LEARN AT THE KING’S GATE? WHO WERE BIGTHAN AND TERESH? WHAT HAD THEY PLANNED TO DO?

31. QUESTIONS:ESTHER 2:21-22 22So the matter became known to Mordecai, who told Queen Esther, and Esther informed the king in Mordecai's name. WHAT DID MORDECAI MAKE KNOW TO ESTHER? WHAT DID ESTHER DO? WHY IN MORDECAI’S NAME?

32. READ:ESTHER 2:23 23And when an inquiry was made into the matter, it was confirmed, and both were hanged on a gallows; and it was written in the book of the chronicles in the presence of the king.(NKJ)

33. QUESTIONS:ESTHER 2:23 23And when an inquiry was made into the matter, it was confirmed, and both were hanged on a gallows; and it was written in the book of the chronicles in the presence of the king.(NKJ) WHAT HAPPENED WHEN THIS WAS CONFIRMED? WHAT HAPPENED TO BIGTHAN AND TERESH? WHY WRITE THIS IN THE BOOK OF CHRONICLES?