most infolent and rapacious Minifter of State, juftly punished for his Pride and Cruelty.

In the Part acted by Ahafuerus is clearly feen the fovereign Dominion of the Almighty, controuling the Counfels of Princes; for the very Night before the cruel Purpose of Haman against Mordecai was to be executed, the King became restlefs; his Sleep flying from him (to relieve himself) he calls for the Annals of his Reign, and there finds the great and unrewarded Services of Mordecai; whereupon he orders the greatest Honours to be done to him, and this to be performed by Haman his Favourite.

CHAP. I.

1 Abafuerus, called alfo Artaxerxes, maketh a Royal Feaft. 10 Vashti the Queen fent for by the King refufeth to come, for which he is depofed. 13 Decree is made that all Wives Should honour and obey their Husbands.

CHA P. II.

1 Out of the Choice of Virgins a Queen is to be chofen. 8 Efther a Jewess is preferred before the reft. 12 The manner of Purification and going in to the King. 15 Efther beft pleafing the King is made Queen. 21 Mordecai, the Uncle of Efther, difcovering the Treafon of two of the King's Chamberlains is recorded in the Chronicles.

was

Ver. 17HEN the Wrath of King Ahafuerus was appeafed, he remembred Vashti, and what fhe had done, and what was decreed against her.

2 Then faid the King's Servants unto him, Let there be fair young Virgins fought 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 Shufhan, the Palace to the House of the Women, unto the Cuftody 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 pleafeth the King, be Queen instead

inftead of Vahti. And the Thing pleafed the King, and he did fo.

5 Now in Shufhan, the Palace, there was a certain Jew whofe Name was Mordecai, a Benjamite.

6 Who had been carried away in the Captivity of Jeconiah King of Judah.

7 And he brought up Haddafha (that is Efther) his Uncle's Daughter, and the Maiden was fair and beautiful, whom Mordecai, when her Father and Mother were dead, took for his Daughter.

8 So it came to pafs when the King's Commandment was heard, and when many Maidens were gathered together unto Shufhan the Palace, that Efther was brought also to the King's House to the Cuftody of Hegai, Keeper of the Women,

9 And the Maiden pleafed him, and the obtained Kindness of him, and he speedily gave her Things for Purification, and seven Maidens which were meet to be given her, and he first preferred her and her Maids to the best Place of the House of the Women.

10 Efther had not fhewed her People, nor her Kindred: for Mordecai had charged her that she should not fhew it.

II And Mordecai walked every Day before the Court of the Womens Houfe, to know how Efther did, and what fhould become of her.

15 Now when the Turn of Efther was come to go in unto the King, fhe required nothing, but what Hegai the King's Chamberlain, the Keeper of the Women, appointed: and Efther obtained Favour in the Sight of all them that looked upon her.

16 So Efther was taken unto King Ahafuerus into his House Royal, in the tenth Month, in the feventh Year of his Reign.

17 And the King loved Esther above all the Women, and the obtained Grace and Favour in his Sight, more than all the Virgins; fo that he fet the Royal Crown upon her Head, and made her Queen inftead of Vashti.

18 Then the King made a great Feast unto all his Princes and his Servants.

20 Efther had not yet fhewed her Kindred, nor her People; as Mordecai had charged her: for Efther did the Commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him.

21 In those Days (while Mordecai fat in the King's Ppppz Gate

Gate) two of the King's Chamberlains, Bigthem and Terefh, of those which kept the Door, were wroth, and fought to lay Hand on the King Ahafuerus.

22 And the Thing was known of Mordecai, who told it unto Esther the Queen, and Efther certified the King thereof, in Mordecai's Name.

23 And when Inquifition was 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 Haman advanced by the King and defpifed by Mordecai, feeketh Revenge upon all the Jews. 7 He cafleth Lots. 8 He obtaineth a Decree to put the Jews to Death.

Ver.1. A man the Hagagite, and fet his Seat above all the AFTER thefe Things did Ahafuerus promote Ha

Princes that were with him.

2 And all the King's Servants bowed and reverenced Haman; for the King had fo commanded: but Mordecai bowed not, nor did him Reverence.

3 Then the King's Servants faid unto Mordecai, Why tranfgreffeft thou the King's Commandment?

5 And when Haman faw 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 fhewed him the People of Mordecai: wherefore Haman fought to deftroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole Kingdom of Ahasuerus.

7 In the first Month (that is the Month Nifan) in the twelfth Year of King Ahafuerus, they caft Pur, that is the Lot, before Haman from Day to Day, to the twelfth Month that is the Month Adar.

8 And Haman faid unto the King, There is a certain People scattered abroad, and difperfed among the People, in all the Provinces of thy

into the Lap: but the whole difpoing thereof is of the LORD.

Prov. xvi. 33 The Lot is caften

Prov. xxi. 31 There is no Wisdom, nor Understanding, nor Counsel against the LORD.

Job v. 12 He disappointeth the Devices of the Crafty, so that their Hand cannot perform their Enterprize.

13 He taketh the Wife in their own Craftinels, and the Counsel of the froward is carried headlong.

Numb. xxiii. 23 Surely there is no Enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any Divination against I(

Kingdom

Kingdom, and their Laws are rael, according to this Time fhall it divers from all People, neither be faid of Jacob, and of Ifrael, What hath GOD wrought? keep they the King's Laws;

therefore it is not for the King's Profit to fuffer them.

9 If it please the King, let it be written that they may be destroyed: and I will pay ten thoufand Talents of Silver to the Hands of thofe that have the Charge of the Business, to bring into the King's Treafuries.

10 And the King took his Ring from his Hand, and gave it unto Haman the Jews Enemy.

11 And the King faid 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 Scribes called on the thirteenth Day of the Month, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the King'sLieutenants, 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 fealed with the King's Ring.

13 And the Letters were fent by Pofts 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, upon the thirteenth Day of the twelfth Month, and to take the Spoil of them for a Prey.

14 The Copy of the Writing for a Commandment to be given to every Province, was published to all People, that they should be ready against that Day.

15 The Poft went out, being haftned by the King's Commandment, and the Decree was given in Shufhan the Palace: and the King and Haman fat down to drink, but the City Shufhan was perplexed.

CHA P. IV.

1 The great Mourning of Mordecai and the Jews. 4 Efther understanding of it fendeth to Mordecai, who fheweth the Caufe, and adviseth her to undertake the Suit. 10 She excufing herself is threatened by Mordecai. 15 She appointing a Faft undertaketh the Suit.

*Note, ten Thousand Babylonish Talents are by Dr. Prideaux computed to a

mount to 2119000 Pounds.

WHEN

W

Ver. 1 THEN * Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai rent his Cloaths, 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 cloathed with Sackcloth.

3 And in every Province the King's whitherfoever Commandment, and his Decree came, there was great Mourning among the Jews, and Fafting, and Weeping, and Wailing, and many lay in Sackcloth and Ashes.

4 So Efther's Maids, and

her Chamberlains came and told it her: Then was the Queen exceedingly grieved, and the sent Raiment to cloth Mordecai, and to take away his Sackcloth from him, but he received it not.

5 Then called Efther 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 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

* Pfal. xxvii. The LORD is my Light, and my Salvation, whom fhall I fear the LORD is the Strength of my Life, of whom fhall I be afraid.

2 When the Wicked, even mine Enemies and my Foes came upon me to eat up my Flesh, they ftumbled and fell.

3 Though an Hoft should encamp against me, my Heart fhall not fear: though War fhould rife against me, this will I be confident.

4 One Thing have I defired of the LORD, that will I feek after, that I may dwell in the Houfe of the LORD all the Days of my Life, to behold the Beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his Temple.

s For in the Time of Trouble he fhall hide me in his Pavilion: in the

Secret of his Tabernacle fhall he hide me, he shall fet me up upon a Rock

6 And now fhall mine Head be

lifted up above mine Enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his Tabernacle Sacrifices of Joy, I will fing, yea, I will fing Praifes un

to the LORD.

7 Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my Voice: have Mercy alfo upon me, and answer me.

8 When thou faidft, Seek ye my Face; my Heart faid unto thee, Thy

Face, LORD, will I feek.

9 Hide not thy Face far from me, put not thy Servant away in Anger: thou haft been my Help, leave me not, neither forfake me, a God of

my Salvation.

10 When my Father and my Mother forfake me, then the LORD will take me up.

11 Teach me thy Way, and lead me in a plain Path, because of mine Enemies

12 Deliver me not over unto the Will of mine Enemies: for falle Witneffes are rifen up against me, and fuch as breath our Cruelty.

13 I had fainted, unless I had be.

lieved to fee the Goodness of the LORD in the Land of the Living.

14 Wait on the LORD, be of good Courage, and he fhall ftrengthen thine Heart: wait, I fay, on the LORD.

Money