MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/related; boundary="----=_NextPart_01D08C24.EEBD2970" This document is a Single File Web Page, also known as a Web Archive file. If you are seeing this message, your browser or editor doesn't support Web Archive files. Please download a browser that supports Web Archive, such as Windows® Internet Explorer®. ------=_NextPart_01D08C24.EEBD2970 Content-Location: file:///C:/D16BAD12/Esther.htm Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii"
Esther
(King James Version)
Due to Copyright reasons we can only publish=
the
King James version - however over 100 version in more than 70 translations =
of
the bible may be found at:
Contents
1 Now it came=
to
pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus which reigned, from India
even unto Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces:)
2 That in tho=
se
days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in
Shushan the palace,
3 In the thir=
d year
of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the po=
wer
of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before =
him:
4 When he she=
wed
the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty =
many
days, even an hundred and fourscore days.
5 And when th=
ese
days were expired, the king made a feast unto all the people that were pres=
ent
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 pavem=
ent
of red, and blue, and white, and black, marble.
7 And they ga=
ve
them drink in vessels of gold, (the vessels being diverse one from another,)
and royal wine in abundance, according to the state of the king.
8 And the dri=
nking
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, whe=
n the
heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbon=
a,
Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven chamberlains that served=
in
the presence of Ahasuerus the king,
11 To bring Vashti the que=
en
before the king with the crown royal, to shew the people and the princes her
beauty: for she was fair to look on.
12 But the queen Vashti re=
fused
to come at the king's commandment by his chamberlains: therefore was the ki=
ng
very wroth, and his anger burned in him.
13 Then the king said to t=
he
wise men, which knew the times, (for so was the king's manner toward all th=
at
knew law and judgment:
14 And the next unto him w=
as
Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven
princes of Persia and Media, which saw the king's face, and which sat the f=
irst
in the kingdom;)
15 What shall we do unto t=
he
queen Vashti according to law, because she hath not performed the commandme=
nt
of the king Ahasuerus by the chamberlains?
16 And Memucan answered be=
fore
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 qu=
een
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 ladi=
es 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 dec=
ree
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 int=
o 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 eve=
ry
people.
1 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 t=
he
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 custody of Hege the king's chamberlain, keeper of the
women; and let their things 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 Shus=
han
the palace there was a certain Jew, whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jai=
r,
the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite;
6 Who had been
carried away from Jerusalem with the captivity which had been carried away =
with
Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried
away.
7 And he brou=
ght 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 mai=
den
pleased him, and she obtained kindness of him; and he speedily 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 h=
er
people nor her kindred: for Mordecai had charged her that she should not sh=
ew
it.
11 And Mordecai walked eve=
ry day
before the court of the women's house, to know how Esther did, and what sho=
uld
become of her.
12 Now when every maid's t=
urn
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 ma=
iden
unto the king; whatsoever she desired was given her to go with her out of t=
he 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 custo=
dy
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.
15 Now when the turn of Es=
ther,
the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his
daughter, was come to go in unto the king, she required nothing but what He=
gai
the king's chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed. And Esther obta=
ined
favour in the sight of all them that looked upon her.
16 So Esther was taken unt=
o king
Ahasuerus into his house royal in the tenth month, which is the month Tebet=
h,
in the seventh year of his reign.
17 And the king loved Esth=
er
above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more th=
an
all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her
queen instead of Vashti.
18 Then the king made a gr=
eat
feast unto all his princes and his servants, even Esther's feast; and he ma=
de a
release to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the state of the kin=
g.
19 And when the virgins we=
re
gathered together the second time, then Mordecai sat in the king's gate.
20 Esther had not yet shew=
ed 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 Mo=
rdecai
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 hands on the king
Ahasuerus.
22 And the thing was known=
to
Mordecai, who told it unto Esther the queen; and Esther certified the king
thereof in Mordecai's name.
23 And when inquisition wa=
s made
of the matter, it was found out; therefore they were both hanged on a tree:=
and
it was written in the book of the chronicles before the king.
1 After these
things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, =
and
advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes that were with him.
2 And all the
king's servants, that were in the king's gate, bowed, and reverenced Haman:=
for
the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai bowed not, nor did h=
im
reverence.
3 Then the ki=
ng's
servants, which were in the king's gate, said unto Mordecai, Why transgress=
est
thou the king's commandment?
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 Ha=
man
saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of
wrath.
6 And he thou=
ght
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 througho=
ut
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 s=
aid
unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispers=
ed
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 pleas=
e the
king, let it be written that they may be destroyed: and I will pay ten thou=
sand
talents of silver to the hands of those that have the charge of the busines=
s,
to bring it into the king's treasuries.
10 And the king took his r=
ing
from his hand, and gave it unto Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the
Jews' enemy.
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 sc=
ribes
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 peo=
ple
of every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people aft=
er
their language; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed wi=
th
the king's ring.
13 And the letters were se=
nt 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 is the month Adar,=
and
to take the spoil of them for a prey.
14 The copy of the writing=
for a
commandment to be given in every province was published unto all people, th=
at
they should be ready against that day.
15 The posts went out, bei=
ng
hastened by the king's commandment, and the decree was given in Shushan the
palace. And the king and Haman sat down to drink; but the city Shushan was
perplexed.
1 When Mordec=
ai
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 ev=
en
before the king's gate: for none might enter into the king's gate clothed w=
ith
sackcloth.
3 And in every
province, whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came, there w=
as
great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and m=
any
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 appointed to
attend upon her, and gave him a commandment to Mordecai, to know what it wa=
s,
and why it was.
6 So Hatach w=
ent
forth to Mordecai unto the street of the city, which was before the king's
gate.
7 And Mordeca=
i told
him of all that had happened unto him, and of the sum of the money that Ham=
an
had promised to pay to the king's treasuries for the Jews, to destroy them.=
8 Also he gav=
e him
the copy of the writing of the decree that was given at Shushan to destroy
them, to shew it unto Esther, and to declare it unto her, and to charge her
that she should go in unto the king, to make supplication unto him, and to =
make
request before him for her people.
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
women, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, th=
ere
is one law of his to put him to death, except such to whom the king shall h=
old
out the golden sceptre, that he may live: but I have not been called to com=
e in
unto the king these thirty days.
12 And they told to Mordec=
ai
Esther's words.
13 Then Mordecai commanded=
to
answer Esther, Think not 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 thy father's house shall=
be
destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a =
time
as this?
15 Then Esther bade them r=
eturn
Mordecai this answer,
16 Go, gather together all=
the
Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor d=
rink
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.
17 So Mordecai went his wa=
y, and
did according to all that Esther had commanded him.
1 Now it came=
to
pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in t=
he
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 favour 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. <= o:p>
3 Then said t=
he
king unto her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what is thy request? it sh=
all
be even given thee to the half of the kingdom.
4 And Esther
answered, If it seem good unto the king, let the king and Haman come this d=
ay
unto the banquet that I have prepared for him.
5 Then the ki=
ng
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 kin=
g said
unto Esther at the banquet of wine, What is thy petition? and it shall be
granted thee: and what is thy request? even to the half of the kingdom it s=
hall
be performed.
7 Then answer=
ed
Esther, and said, My petition and my request is;
8 If I have f=
ound
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 ban=
quet
that I shall prepare for them, and I will do to morrow as the king hath sai=
d.
9 Then went H=
aman
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 refr=
ained
himself: and when he came home, he sent and called for his friends, and Zer=
esh
his wife.
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, Ye=
a,
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 wi=
fe and
all his friends unto him, Let a gallows be made of fifty cubits high, and to
morrow speak 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.
1 On that nig=
ht
could not the king sleep, and he commanded to bring the book of records of =
the
chronicles; and they were read before the king.
2 And it was =
found
written, that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's
chamberlains, the keepers of the door, who sought to lay hand on the king
Ahasuerus.
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 kin=
g's
servants said unto him, Behold, Haman standeth in the court. And the king s=
aid,
Let him come in.
6 So Haman ca=
me 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 roy=
al
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:
9 And let this apparel and horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king's most noble princes, that they may array the man withal whom the king delighteth to hon= our, and bring him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaim bef= ore him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honour. <= o:p>
10 Then the king said to H=
aman,
Make haste, and take the apparel and the horse, as thou hast said, and do e=
ven
so to Mordecai the Jew, that sitteth at the king's gate: let nothing fail of
all that thou hast spoken.
11 Then took Haman the app=
arel
and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai, and brought him on horseback through t=
he
street of the city, and proclaimed before him, Thus shall it be done unto t=
he
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.
13 And Haman told Zeresh h=
is
wife and all his friends every thing that had befallen him. Then said his w=
ise
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 u=
nto
the banquet that Esther had prepared.
1 So the king=
and
Haman came to banquet with Esther the queen.
2 And the kin=
g 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 reque=
st?
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 i=
f 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 ene=
my
could not countervail the king's damage.
5 Then the ki=
ng
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&n=
bsp; 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 k=
ing,
Will he force the queen also before me in the house? As the word went out of
king's mouth, they covered Haman's face.
9 And Harbona=
h, one
of the chamberlains, said before the king, Behold also, the gallows fifty
cubits high, which Haman had made for Mordecai, who spoken good for the kin=
g,
standeth in the house of Haman. Then the king said, Hang him thereon.
10 So they hanged Haman on=
the
gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king's wrath pacifi=
ed.
1 On that day=
did
the king Ahasuerus give the house of Haman the Jews' enemy unto Esther the
queen. And Mordecai came before the king; for Esther had told what he was u=
nto
her.
2 And the kin=
g took
off his ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai. And
Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.
3 And Esther =
spake
yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet, and besought him with
tears to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his device that he=
had
devised against the Jews.
4 Then the ki=
ng
held out the golden sceptre toward Esther. So Esther arose, and stood before
the king,
5 And said, I=
f it
please the king, and if I have favour in his sight, and the thing seem right
before the king, and I be pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to reverse
the letters devised by Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wr=
ote
to destroy the Jews which are in all the king's provinces:
6 For how can=
I
endure to see the evil that shall come unto my people? or how can I endure =
to
see the destruction of my kindred?
7 Then the ki=
ng
Ahasuerus said unto Esther the queen and to Mordecai the Jew, Behold, I have
given Esther the house of Haman, and him they have hanged upon the gallows,
because he laid his hand upon the Jews.
8 Write ye al=
so for
the Jews, as it liketh you, in the king's name, and seal it with the king's
ring: for the writing which is written in the king's name, and sealed with =
the
king's ring, may no man reverse.
9 Then were t=
he
king's scribes called at that time in the third month, that is, the month
Sivan, on the three and twentieth day thereof; and it was written according=
to
all that Mordecai commanded unto the Jews, and to the lieutenants, and the
deputies and rulers of the provinces which are from India unto Ethiopia, an
hundred twenty and seven provinces, unto every province according to the
writing thereof, and unto every people after their language, and to the Jews
according to their writing, and according to their language.
10 And he wrote in the king
Ahasuerus' name, and sealed it with the king's ring, and sent letters by po=
sts
on horseback, and riders on mules, camels, and young dromedaries:
11 Wherein the king grante=
d the
Jews which were in every city to gather themselves together, and to stand f=
or
their life, to destroy, to slay and to cause to perish, all the power of the
people and province that would assault them, both little ones and women, an=
d to
take the spoil of them for a prey,
12 Upon one day in all the
provinces of king Ahasuerus, namely, upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth
month, which is the month Adar.
13 The copy of the writing=
for a
commandment to be given in every province was published unto all people, and
that the Jews should be ready against that day to avenge themselves on their
enemies.
14 So the posts that rode =
upon
mules and camels went out, being hastened and pressed on by the king's
commandment. And the decree was given at Shushan the palace.
15 And Mordecai went out f=
rom
the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a gre=
at
crown of gold, and with a garment of fine linen and purple: and the city of
Shushan rejoiced and was glad.
16 The Jews had light, and
gladness, and joy, and honour.
17 And in every province, =
and in
every city, whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came, the J=
ews
had joy and gladness, a feast and a good day. And many of the people of the=
land
became Jews; for the fear of the Jews fell upon them.
1 Now in the
twelfth month, that is, the month Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, =
when
the king's commandment and his decree drew near to be put in execution, in =
the
day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to have power over them, (though it =
was
turned to the contrary, that the Jews had rule over them that hated them;) =
2 The Jews ga=
thered
themselves together in their cities throughout all the provinces of the king
Ahasuerus, to lay hand on such as sought their hurt: and no man could withs=
tand
them; for the fear of them fell upon all people.
3 And all the
rulers of the provinces, and the lieutenants, and the deputies, and officer=
s of
the king, helped the Jews; because the fear of Mordecai fell upon them.
4 For Mordeca=
i was
great in the king's house, and his fame went out throughout all the provinc=
es:
for this man Mordecai waxed greater and greater.
5 Thus the Je=
ws
smote all their enemies with the stroke of the sword, and slaughter, and
destruction, and did what they would unto those that hated them.
6 And in Shus=
han
the palace the Jews slew and destroyed five hundred men.
7 And Parshan=
datha,
and Dalphon, and Aspatha,
8 And Poratha=
, and
Adalia, and Aridatha,
9 And Parmash=
ta,
and Arisai, and Aridai, and Vajezatha,
10 The ten sons of Haman t=
he son
of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews, slew they; but on the spoil laid they=
not
their hand.
11 On that day the number =
of
those that were slain in Shushan the palace was brought before the king.
12 And the king said unto =
Esther
the queen, The Jews have slain and destroyed five hundred men in Shushan the
palace, and the ten sons of Haman; what have they done in the rest of the
king's provinces? now what is thy petition? and it shall be granted thee: or
what is thy request further? and it shall be done.
13 Then said Esther, If it
please the king, let it be granted to the Jews which are in Shushan to do to
morrow also according unto this day's decree, and let Haman's ten sons be h=
anged
upon the gallows.
14 And the king commanded =
it so
to be done: and the decree was given at Shushan; and they hanged Haman's ten
sons.
15 For the Jews that were =
in
Shushan gathered themselves together on the fourteenth day also of the month
Adar, and slew three hundred men at Shushan; but on the prey they laid not
their hand.
16 But the other Jews that=
were
in the king's provinces gathered themselves together, and stood for their
lives, and had rest from their enemies, and slew of their foes seventy and =
five
thousand, but they laid not their hands on the prey,
17 On the thirteenth day o=
f the
month Adar; and on the fourteenth day of the same rested they, and made it a
day of feasting and gladness.
18 But the Jews that were =
at
Shushan assembled together on the thirteenth day thereof, and on the fourte=
enth
thereof; and on the fifteenth day of the same they rested, and made it a da=
y of
feasting and gladness.
19 Therefore the Jews of t=
he
villages, that dwelt in the unwalled towns, made the fourteenth day of the
month Adar a day of gladness and feasting, and a good day, and of sending
portions one to another.
20 And Mordecai wrote these
things, and sent letters unto all the Jews that were in all the provinces of
the king Ahasuerus, both nigh and far,
21 To stablish this among =
them,
that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteen=
th
day of the same, yearly,
22 As the days wherein the=
Jews
rested from their enemies, and the month which was turned unto them from so=
rrow
to joy, and from mourning into a good day: that they should make them days =
of
feasting and joy, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the
poor.
23 And the Jews undertook =
to do
as they had begun, and as Mordecai had written unto them;
24 Because Haman the son of
Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had devised against the
Jews to destroy them, and had cast Pur, that is, the lot, to consume them, =
and
to destroy them;
25 But when Esther came be=
fore
the king, he commanded by letters that his wicked device, which he devised
against the Jews, should return upon his own head, and that he and his sons
should be hanged on the gallows.
26 Wherefore they called t=
hese
days Purim after the name of Pur. Therefore for all the words of this lette=
r,
and of that which they had seen concerning this matter, and which had come =
unto
them,
27 The Jews ordained, and =
took
upon them, and upon their seed, and upon all such as joined themselves unto
them, so as it should not fail, that they would keep these two days accordi=
ng
to their writing, and according to their appointed time every year;
28 And that these days sho=
uld be
remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every provin=
ce,
and every city; and that these days of Purim should not fail from among the
Jews, nor the memorial of them perish from their seed.
29 Then Esther the queen, =
the
daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew, wrote with all authority, to con=
firm
this second letter of Purim.
30 And he sent the letters=
unto
all the Jews, to the hundred twenty and seven provinces of the kingdom of
Ahasuerus, with words of peace and truth,
31 To confirm these days of
Purim in their times appointed, according as Mordecai the Jew and Esther the
queen had enjoined them, and as they had decreed for themselves and for the=
ir
seed, the matters of the fastings and their cry.
32 And the decree of Esther
confirmed these matters of Purim; and it was written in the book.
1 And the king
Ahasuerus laid a tribute upon the land, and upon the isles of the sea.
2 And all the=
acts
of his power and of his might, and the declaration of the greatness of
Mordecai, whereunto the king advanced him, are they not written in the book=
of
the chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia?
3 For Mordeca=
i the
Jew was next unto king Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and accepted of=
the
multitude of his brethren, seeking the wealth of his people, and speaking p=
eace
to all his seed.
Also
try:
Also
try: