This passage describes the complex process young women went through when presented to the king to become the new queen. We can assume that the girls possess not only beauty but also complete submission.
Two elements are crucial to the story: the first is the silence around Esther’s background (10), which is hard to believe since Jews are rarely unnoticed anywhere; and the second is Ahasuerus’ preference for young Esther (17ff), which has been the primary focus of the story from the start. The Israeli reader, familiar with their traditions, can easily see God’s hand at work in Esther’s selection.
Verses 21-23 suggest that Mordecai’s actions for the king, whose importance will become clear later during crucial moments in the lives of the entire Jewish people, are significant. At this point, the narrator notes that “this event was recorded in the annals of the kingdom” (23).