A.C. 453. ration. 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 one 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 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, *Heb. respi- 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? + Heb found. + Heb. passed. 15 Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer, 16 Go, gather together all the Jews that are + present in Shushan, and fast 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. 17 So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him. ESTHER V. 1 Esther, adventuring on the king's favour, obtaineth the grace of the golden sceptre, and inviteth the king and Haman to a banquet. She, being encouraged by the king in her suit, inviteth them to another banquet the next day. 9 Heman, proud of his advancement, repineth at the contempt of Mordecai. 14 Bg the counsel of Zeresh he buildeth for him a pair of gallows. 1 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 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. 3 Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what is thy request? it shall 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 day unto the banquet A.C. 453. 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? even to the half of the kingdom it shall be performed. 7 Then answered Esther, and said, My petition and my request is; 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 Heb. to do. request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them, 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 † called for his friends, and Zeresh + Heb. caused 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, 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. to come. 14 Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto him, Let a gallows be made of fifty cubits high, and to Heb. tree. 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. ESTHER VI. 11 Ahasuerus, reading in the chronicles of the good service done by Mordecai, taketh care for his reward. 4 Haman, coming to sue that Mordecai might be hanged, unawares giveth counsel that he might do him honour. 12 Complaining of his misfortune, his friends tell him of his final destiny. Heb. the king's sleep 1 On that night § could not the king sleep, and he commanded to bring the book of records of the chronicles; and Aed away. they were read before the king. A. C. 453. *Or, Bigtham, + Heb. in whose honour 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 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 dethe king de lighteth to honour? Now Haman thought in his heart, To whom would the king delight to do honour more than to myself? lighteth. Heb. in whose honour the king de lighteth. Heb. Let them bring the 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 royal apparel. useth to wear, and the horse that the king rideth upon, and with the king the crown royal which is set upon his head: *Heb. where. clotheth him self. 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 honour, and + Heb. cause bring him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaim before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honour. him to ride. 10 Then the king said to Haman, Make haste, and take the apparel and the horse, as thou hast said, and do even Heb. fer so to Mordecai the Jew, that sitteth at the king's gate: ‡let nothing fail of all that thou hast spoken. fall. suffer 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 ho nour. 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 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 began 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. ESTHER VII. 1 Esther, entertaining the king and Haman, maketh suit for her own life and her people's. 5 She accuseth Haman. 7 The king in his anger, understanding of the gallows which Haman had made for Mordecai, causeth him to be hanged thereon. A. C. 453. 1 So the king and Haman came to banquet with Esther Heb. to 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: drink. they should 4 For we are sold, I and my people, † to be destroyed, + Heb. that to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for destroy, and bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my tongue, although to perish. 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. kill, and cause Heb. whose heart hath filled him. Heb. The man adver sary. || Or, at the presence of. 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 Heb. with the word went out of the king's mouth, they covered Haman's face. 9 And Harbonah, one of the chamberlains, said before the king, Behold also, the + 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. me. + Heb. tree. A. C. 453. 10 So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king's wrath paci fied. ESTHER VIII. Heb. and besought him. she wept and + Heb. the de- Heb. be able that I may see. 1 Mordecai is advanced. 2 Esther maketh suit to reverse Haman's letters. 7 Ahasuerus granteth to the Jews to defend themselves. 15 Mordecai's honour, and the Jews' joy. 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 unto her. 2 And the king 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 king held out the golden sceptre toward Esther. So Esther arose, and stood before the king, 5 And said, If it please the king, and if I have found 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 wrote 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 king 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 also 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 •See ch. 1. 19. king's ring, may no man reverse. e 9 Then were the 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 |