15 In those days saw I in Judah some treading winepresses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses

ber a

Dismissal of strange wives.

O me, my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the B greatness of thy mercy.

16 There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on the sabbath unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem.

17 Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day?

18 Did not your fathers thus," and did not our God bring all this evil upon

Ammon, and of Moab :

24 And their children spake half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews' language, but according to the language of Seach people.

25 And I contended with them, and 7 cursed them, and smote certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, saying, Ye shall not give your daughters unto their sons, nor take their daughters unto your sons, or for yourselves.

26 Did not Solomon' king of Israel sin by these things? yet among many

19 And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the sabbath and some of my servants set I at the gates, that there should no burden be brought in on the sabbath day.

20 So the merchants and sellers of all kind of ware lodged without Jerusalem once or twice.

21 Then I testified against them, and said unto them, Why lodge ye about the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth came they no more on the sabbath.

22 And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. Remem

was beloved' of his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless, even him did outlandish women cause to sin.

27 Shall we then hearken unto you do all this great evil, to transgress against our God in marrying strange

wives ?

28 And one of the sons of Joiada," the son of Eliashib the high priest, was son in law to Sanballat the Horonite: therefore I chased him from me.

29 Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, and the covenant" of the priesthood, and of the Levites.

30 Thus cleansed I them from all strangers, and appointed the wards of the priests and the Levites, every one in his business;

31 And for the wood offering, at times appointed, and for the firstfruits. Remembers me, O my God, for good.

CHAPTER I.

Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus which reigned from India even unto Ethiopia, overd an hundred and seven and twenty provinces,)

B. C. 521.

a Ezr. 7. 14. 62 Ki. 25. 19.

c Ezr. 4. 6. Da. 9. 1.

2 That in those days, when the king What to do. Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his king-chap. 8. 9. dom, which was in Shushan the palace,

3 In the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him;

4 When he shewed the riches of his glorious kingdom, and the honour of his excellent majesty, many days, even an hundred and fourscore days.

5 And when these days were expired, the king made a feast unto all the people that were 7 present in Shushan the palace, both unto great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king's palace;

6 Where were white, green, and blue hangings, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble: the beds were of gold and silver, upon a pavement of red, and blue, and white, and black marble.

7 And they gave them drink in vessels of gold, (the vessels being diverse one from another,) and "royal wine in abunμ dance, according to the state of the king.

8 And the drinking was according to the law; none did compel; for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man's pleasure.

9 Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus.

10 On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merrym with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona," Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven P chamberlains that served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king,

11 To bring Vashti the queen before the king, with the crown royal, to shew the people and the princes her beauty: for she was fair to look on.

T

12 But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king's commandment by his chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him.

13 Then the king said to the wise men, which knew the times, (for so was the king's manner toward all that knew law and judgment;

14 And the next unto him was Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Mar

Da. 6. 1. e Ne. 1. 1.

chap. 2. 18. Ge. 40. 20. Mar. 6. 21. Y found. dor, violet, chap. 8. 15. be good with. from before

him.

Eze. 23. 41.

Am. 6. 4.

or, of porphyre, and marble, and alabaster, and stone of blue colour.

pass not a

way,
chap. 8. 8.

Da. 6. 8..15. λher companion.

wine of

kingdom. v hand.

i

the

Hab. 2. 15.
Ep. 5. 33.

Col. 3. 18.

was good in the eyes of. k chap. 8. 9. 12 Sa. 13. 28. m Ec. 10. 19. n chap. 7. 9. Ep. 5.22..24 1 Ti. 2. 12. por, eunuchs. one should publish it according to the lanquage of his people. τ good of countenance, 1 Sa. 25. 3. ch.1. 19, 20. which was by the hand of his eunuchs.

Je. 10. 7. r1 Ch. 12.32. x hand.

or, Hegai,

verse.8.

sena, and Memucan, the seven a princes of Persia and Media, which saw the king's face, and which sat the first in the kingdom;)

15 What shall we do unto the queen Vashti according to law, because she hath not performed the commandment of the king Ahasuerus by the chamberlains?

16 And Memucan answered before the king and the princes, Vashti the queen hath not done wrong to the king only, but also to all the princes, and to all the people that are in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus.

17 For this deed of the queen shall come abroad unto all women, so that they shall despise their husbands in their eyes, when it shall be reported, The king Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she came not.

18 Likewise shall the ladies of Persia and Media say this day unto all the king's princes, which have heard of the deed of the queen. Thus shall there arise too much contempt and wrath.

19 If it please the king, let there go a royal commandment from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, that it be not altered, That Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate unto another that is

better than she.

20 And when the king's decree which he shall make shall be published throughout all his empire, (for it is great,) all the wives shall give to their husbands honour, both to great and small.

21 And the saying "pleased the king and the princes; and the king did according to the word of Memucan:

22 For he sent letters into all the king's provinces, into every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language, that every man should bear rule in his own house; and that it should be published according to the language of every people. CHAPTER II.

AFTER these things, when the wrath of king Ahasuerus was appeased, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what? was decreed against her.

2 Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king:

3 And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the fair young virgins unto Shushan the palace, to the house of the women, unto the x custody of Hege the king's chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their things

Esther chosen queen.

for purification be given them:

4 And let the maiden which pleaseth the king be queen" instead of Vashti. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.

5 Now in Shushan the palace there was a certain Jew, whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite,

6 Who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captivityd which had been carried away with yJeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away.

7 And he brought up Hadassah, that is Esther, his uncle's daughter; for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter.

8 So it came to pass, when the king's commandment and his decree was heard, and when many maidens were gathered together unto Shushan the palace, to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was brought also unto the king's house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women.

9 And the maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness of him; and he speed-e ily gave her her things for purification, with such things as belonged to her, and seven maidens, which were meet to be

given her, out of the king's house: and he preferred her and her maids unto the best place of the house of the women.

10 Esther had not shewed her people nor her kindred: for Mordecai had charged herm that she should not shew it.

11 And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women's house to know how Esther did, and what should become of her.

12 Now, when every maid's turn was come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after that she had been twelve months, according to the manner of the women, (for so were the days of their purifications accomplished, to wit, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odours, and with other things for the purifying of the women,)

13 Then thus came every maiden unto the king; whatsoever she desired was given her, to go with her out of the house of the women unto the king's house.

14 In the evening she went, and on the morrow she returned into the second house of the women, to the custody of Shaashgaz the king's chamberlain, which kept the concubines: she came in unto the king no more, except the king delighted in her, and that she were called by name.

Ep. 6. 1..3.

& nourished, Eph. 6. 4.

k

fair of form, and good of

counte

nance.

or, Big

thana,
chap. 6. 2.
threshold.

verse 3.
chap. 6. 1,2.

Ps. 106. 46.

ver. 3, 12.

her por

tions.

A changed. Nu. 24. 7. 1 Sa.15.8,33

m verse 20.

n Ge. 41. 43.

the peace
of Esther,
Ge. 37. 14.
1 Sa. 17. 18.

o Ps. 15. 4.
p verse 2.
Pr. 7. 17.
Is. 57.9.
r verse 2.
chap. 5. 9.

* Ge. 4. 5, 6. Da. 3. 19.

t

Ps. 83. 4.

Re. 12. 17.

u Ge. 34. 19. De. 21. 14.

Is. 62. 4, 5. Is. 43. 1. chap. 9. 24.

x Ezr. 4. 13. Ac. 16. 20.

8.10.

Ac. 7. 10.

15 Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daugh- Ca. 6. 9. ter, was come to go in unto the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king's chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed: and Esther obtained favoury in the sight of all them that looked upon her.

16 So Esther was taken unto king Ahasuerus into his house royal in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.

17 And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and σ favour in his sight more than all the

v

ν

meet, or,
equal.

π to destroy them.

T

weigh. or, kind

ness.

before

him.

Haman's malignant proposal.

virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.

18 Then the king made a great feast unto all his princes and his servants, even Esther's feast; and he made a release to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the state of the king.

C

19 And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, then Mordecai sat in the king's gate,

20 Esther had not yet shewed her kindred nor her people, as Mordecai had charged her for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him.

21 In those days, while Mordecai sat in the king's gate, two of the king's chamberlains, "Bigthan and Teresh, of those which kept the door, were wroth, and sought to lay hand on the king Aha

suerus.

4 Now it came to pass, when they spake daily unto him, and he hearkened not unto them, that they told Haman, to see whether Mordecai's matters would stand: for he had told them that he was a Jew.

5 And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not," nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath.

6 And he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they had shewed him the people of Mordecai: wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai.

7 In the first month, that is the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of king Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that is, the lot, before Haman, from day to day, and from month to month, to the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar.

8 And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from all people, neither keep they the king's laws, therefore it is not for the king's profit to suffer them.

9 If it please the king, let it be written that they may be destroyed; and I will P pay ten thousand talents of silver to the hands of those that have the charge of the business, to bring it into the king's treasuries.

Mordecai's application to Esther.

10 And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews' Benemy.

11 And the king said unto Haman, The silver is given to thee, the people also, to do with them as it seemeth good to thee.

12 Then were the king's Y scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded, unto the king's lieutenants, and to the governors that were over every province, and to the rulers of every people of every province, according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king's ring.

13 And the letters were sent by posts into all the king's provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, even upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which

Esther's approach to the king.

9 And Hatach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai.

10 Again Esther spake unto Hatach, and gave him commandment unto Mordecai;

11 All the king's servants, and the people of the king's provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is oned law of his to put him to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days.

12 And they told to Mordecai Esther's words.

13 Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think note with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews.

14 For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and

of them for a prey.

Job 9. 18.

CHAPTER IV.

WHEN Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes," and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter" cry;

2 And came even before the king's gate: for none might enter into the king's gate clothed with sackcloth.

3 And in every province, whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came, there was great mourning? among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.

4 So Esther's maids and her chamberlains came and told it her. Then was the queen exceedingly grieved; and she sent raiment to clothe Mordecai, and to take away his sackcloth from him: but" he received it not.

5 Then called Esther for Hatach, one of the king's chamberlains, whom he had Aappointed to attend upon her, and gave him a commandment to Mordecai, to know what it was, and why it was.

6 So Hatach went forth to Mordecai unto the street of the city, which was before the king's gate.

7 And Mordecai told him of all that had happened unto him, and of the sum of the money that Haman had promised to pay to the king's treasuries for the Jews, to destroy them:

i Jon. 3. 4..9.

& Pr. 29. 2. Ge. 43. 14.

n passed. m 2 Sa. 1. 11.

Job 1. 20.

n Jos. 7. 6. Eze. 27. 30. Jon. 3. 6.

Ge. 27. 34. chap. 4. 16. 9 chap. 4. 11. 6.4.

Is. 22. 4, 5.

37. 1..3.

sackcloth

and ashes
were laid
under
many,
Is. 58. 5.
Da. 9. 3.

& Ne. 1. 11.

who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?

15 Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer;

16 Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fasti ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law; and if I' perish, I perish.

CHAPTER V.

17 So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him. Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king's house, over against the king's house: and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the gate of the house.

2 And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favours in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre.

3 Then said the king unto her, What 2. 4, &c. wilt thou, queen Esther? and what is thy request? it shall be even given thee to the half of the kingdom.

Pr. 21. 1.

eunuchs. tchap. 8. 4.

u Ps. 77. 2.

9. 12.

y verse 3.

a Ne. 2. 4.

4 And Esther answered, If it seem good unto the king, let the king and Haman come this day unto the banquet that I have prepared for him.

5 Then the king said, Cause Haman to make haste, that he may do as Esther hath said. So the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared.

6 And the king said unto Esther at the banquet of wine, What is thy petition? and it shall be granted thee: and what is thy request? eveny to the half of the kingdom it shall be performed.

7 Then answered Esther, and said, My

Pr. 21. 1.

8 If I have found favour in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to grant my petition, and to perform my request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them,

Record of Mordecai's loyalty.

and I will do to morrow as the king hath said.

9 Then went Haman forth that day joyful and with a glad heart: but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate, that he stood not up, nor moved for him, he was full of indignation against Mordecai. 10 Nevertheless, Haman refrained himself: and when he came home, he sent and Y called for his friends, and Zeresh his wife.

d

11 And Haman told them of the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his children, and all the things wherein the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the princes and servants of the king.

12 Haman said moreover, Yea, Esther the queen did let no man come in with the king unto the banquet that she had prepared, but myself; and to morrow am I invited unto her also with the king.

13 Yet all this availeth me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate.

14 Then said Zeresh his wife, and, all his friends unto him, Let a gallows' be made of fifty cubits high, and to morrow speak" m thou unto the king, that Mordecai may be hanged thereon: then go thou in merrily with the king unto the banquet. And the thing pleased Haman; and he caused the gallows to be made."

CHAPTER VI.

ON that night could not the king sleep, and he commanded to bring the book of records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king.

B. C. 510.

suffer not a whit to fall. a chap. 3. 5. Da.3.16..19. Mat. 2. 16.

62 Sa. 13. 22. y caused to

come.

c2 Ch. 26. 20. d ch. 9. 12, 13. e 2 Sa. 15.30.

Je. 14. 3, 4. chap. 3. 1. g Job 15. 24. Pr. 28. 18.

Ho. 14. 9.

i1 Ki. 21. 4. Job 15.20. k chap. 5. 8. 8 tree. I chap. 7. 9. S drink.

m chap. 6. 4.

Ps.37.14,32.

n the king's sleep fled away.

0

chap. 2. 23. or, Bigthan, chap. 2. 21. K threshold. r chap. 3. 9.

4. 7.

that they

should destroy, and kill, and cause to

perish.

K

3 And the king said, What honour and dignity hath been done to Mordecai for this? Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, There is nothing done for him.

4 And the king said, Who is in the court? Now Haman was come into the outward court of the king's house, to speak unto the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him.

5 And the king's servants said unto him, Behold, Haman standeth in the court. And the king said, Let him come in.

6 So Haman came in. And the king said unto him, What shall be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour? Now Haman thought in his heart,, To whom would the king delight to do honour more than to myself?

7 And Haman answered the king, For the man whom the king delighteth to honour,

8 Let the royal apparel be brought which the king useth to wear, and the horse that the king rideth upon, and the crown royal which is set upon his head:

whose heart hath filled him. v The man adversary.

ρ

Pr. 16. 14. έ or, at the presence of in whose

X

honour
the king
delighteth.

& Pr. 18. 12.

in whose
honour

the king delighteth. them bring the royal apparel. wherewith the king clotheth himself. with.

t Job 9. 24.

chap. 1. 10.

tree.

chap. 5. 14. Ps.7.15, 16. 35.8. 141. 10.

Pr. 11. 5, 6. him

to ride.

w Ge. 41. 43. 1Ki.1.33,34.

* Da. 6. 24.

Haman accused, and executed.

haste, and take the apparel and the horse, as thou hast said, and do even so to Mordecai the Jew, that sitteth at the king's gate: Blet nothing fail of all that thou hast spoken.

11 Then took Haman the apparel and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai, and brought him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaimed before him, Thus shall it be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour.

12 And Mordecai came again to the king's gate. But Haman hasted to his house, mourning, and having his head covered.e

13 And Haman told Zeresh his wife, and all his friends, every thing that had befallen him. Then said his wise men and Zeresh his wife unto him, If Mordecai be of the seed of the Jews, before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou shalt not prevail against him, but shalt surely fall before him.

14 And while they were yet talking with him, came the king's chamberlains, and hasted to bring Haman unto the banquet that Esther had prepared.

CHAPTER VII.

SO the king and Haman came to $banquet with Esther the queen.

2 And the king said again unto Esther on the second day at the banquet of wine, What is thy petition, queen Esther? and it shall be granted thee: and what is thy request? and it shall be performed, even to the half of the kingdom.

3 Then Esther the queen answered and said, If I have found favour in thy sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request:

4 For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my tongue, although the enemy could not countervail the king's damage.

5 Then the king Ahasuerus answered and said unto Esther the queen, Who is he, and where is he, that durst presume in his heart to do so?

6 And Esther said, The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman. Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen.

7 And the king, arising from the banquet of wine in his wrath, went into the palace garden; and Haman stood up to make request for his life to Esther the queen; for he saw that there was evil determined against him by the king.

8 Then the king returned out of the palace garden into the place of the banquet of wine; and Haman was fallen upon the bed whereon Esther was. Then said the king, Will he force the queen also before me in the house? As the word went out of the king's mouth, they coveredt Haman's face.

9 And Harbonah," one of the chamberlains, said before the king, Behold also, the x gallows," fifty cubits high, which Haman had made for Mordecai, who had spoken good for the king, standeth in the house of Haman. Then the king said, Hang him thereon.

10 So they hanged Haman on the gal Ps.37.35,36. lows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king's wrath pacified.