11 Wherein the king granted the about 510. Jews which were in every city to gather themselves together, and to stand for 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 wo1 See ch. 9. 10, men, and 'to take the spoil of them for a prey,

15, 16.

ch. 3. 13,

&c. & 9.1.

1 ch. 3. 14, 15.

+ Heb, resealed

I Or, violet.

ITA

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 from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a garment of fine linen and purple: See ch. 3.15. and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad.

Prov. 29. 2

* Ps. 97. 11.

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 Jews had joy and gladness, a 41 Sam. 25. 8. feast and a good day. And many of the people of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews fell upon them.

cb. 9. 19, 22.

? Ps. 18. 43.

• Gen. 35. 5. Ex. 15. 16. Dent. 2. 25. & 11.25. ch.9.2.

about 509. & ch. 8. 12. beh. 3. 13.

Nis, the month Adar, on the thir

OW in the twelfth month, that

teenth 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 con2Sam. 22. 41. trary, that the Jews had rule over them that hated them;

4 ch. 3. 11. & ver. 16.

2 The Jews gathered themselves together in their cities throughout all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, P.71. 13, 24. to lay hand on such as sought their hurt and no man could withstand them; for 'the fear of them fell upon all people.

fch. 8. 17.

Their enemies are slain.

deputies, and officers of the king, helped the Jews; because the fear of Mordecai fell upon them.

4 For Mordecai was great in the king's house, and his fame went out throughout all the provinces: for this man Mordecai waxed greater and greater.

5 Thus the Jews smote all their enemies with the stroke of the sword, and slaughter, and destruction, and did what they would unto those + Heb.accordthat hated them.

6 And in Shushan the palace the Jews slew and destroyed five hundred men.

7 And Parshandatha, and Dalphon, and Aspatha,

8 And Poratha, and Adalia, and Aridatha,

9 And Parmashta, and Arisai, and Aridai, and Vajezatha,

10 The ten sons of Haman the 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.

ing to their will.

h ch. 5. 11. Job 18. 19. & 27. 13, 14, 15. Ps. 21. 10. i See ch. 8. 11.

+ Heb. came.

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 k ch. 5. 6. & 7. 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 hanged upon the gallows.

m

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 Pgathered them- P ver. 2. & selves 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 a See ch. 8. 11. their hands on the prey,

17 On the thirteenth day of the month Adar; and on the fourteenth day of the same rested they, and † Heb. in it. made it a day of feasting and glad

The festival of Purim is

B. C.

about 509.

r ver. 11, 15.

18 But the Jews that were at Shushan assembled together on the thirteenth day thereof, and on the fourteenth thereof; and on the fifteenth day of the same they rested, and made it a day of feasting and gladness. 19 Therefore the Jews of the villages, that dwelt in the unwalled towns, made the fourteenth day of Deut. 16. 11, 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,

14.

t ch. 8. 17. u ver. 22.

Neh. 8. 10, 12.

+ Heb. when she came.

a ver. 13, 14. ch. 7. 5, &c. & 8. 3, &c. b ch. 7. 10. Ps. 7. 16.

c ver. 20.

a

25 But when Esther came before 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 these days That is, lot. Purim after the name of Pur. Therefore for all the words of this letter, 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

492

established by the Jews.

28 And that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city; and that these days of Purim should not fail from + Heb.j among the Jews, nor the memorial of them perish from their seed.

t

e

pass.

+ Heb. be ended.

e ch. 2. 15.

strength. f See ch. 8. 10. & ver. 20.

29 Then Esther the queen, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew, wrote with tall authority, Heb. all to confirm this 'second letter of Purim. 30 And he sent the letters unto all the Jews, to the hundred twenty ch. 1.1. 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 their 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.

CHAPTER X.

The greatness of Ahasuerus, S and of Mordecai.

AND the king Ahasuerus laid a

tribute upon the land, and upon

a the isles of the sea.

+ Heb. for

h ch 4.5, 16.

their souls.

about 495.

a Gen. 10. 5. Ps. 72 10. Is. 24.15.

b ch. 8. 15. & 9.4

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 Heb. made they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia?

him great.

e Gen. 41. 40. 2 Chr. 28.7.

3 For Mordecai the Jew was next unto king Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and accepted of the multitude of his brethren, seeking the Neh. 2 10 wealth of his people, and speaking peace to all his seed.

d

Ps. 122, 8, 9.

the cast.

• Ger 8.20. cb 12 8.

4 And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.

5 And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and 'cursed God in their hearts. Thus Heb all the did Job continually.

f 1 Kings 21. 10. 13.

days.

(ch. 2. 1.

6 ¶ Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present Heb. the Ad-themselves before the LORD, and † Satan came also among them.

Berasry,

1 Chr. 21. 1. Rev. 12. 9, 10. + Heb, in the midst of them

h1 Kings 22. 19. ch.58.7.

ch. 2.2. Matt. 12 43 1Pet.

+ Heb. Hast thou set thy heart on. I ch. 2. 3. iver. L.

Ps. 34. 7. 18. 5.2.

7 And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

8 And the LORD said unto Satan, +Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, 'a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?

9 Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?

10 Hast not thou made a hedge about him, and about his house, and

about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.

11 But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.

12 And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy + power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.

13 And there was a day when Ecc. 9. 12. his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house:

14 And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were ploughing, and the asses feeding beside them:

15 And the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

fire.

16 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heav- Or, 4 great en, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

17 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and + fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

18 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, "Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house:

19 And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

20 Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and

+ Heb. rushed.

r ver. 4, 13.

+ Heb. from aside, &c.

Gen. 37, 29. Ezra 9. 3. Or, robe.

Job is smitten with sore boils.

B. C.

t1 Pet. 5. 6. u Ps. 49. 17. Ece 5, 15.

1 Tim. 6. 7. * Ecc. 5. 19. James 1. 17.

y Matt. 20. 15.

|| Or, attributed folly to God.

z Eph. 5. 20. 1 Thess. 5. 18.

a ch. 2. 10.

a ch. 1. 6.

b ch. 1. 7.

c ch. 1. 1, 8.

d ch. 27. 5, 6.

+ Heb. to swallow him up.

e ch. 9. 17.

! ch. 1. 11. g ch. 19. 20.

h ch. 1. 12. II Or, only.

i Is. 1. 6.

* 2 Sam. 13.

B. C. about 1520.

Rom. 12. 15.

12 And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they tch. 42. 11. lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and "sprinkled dust upon their heads to- Neh. 9. 1.

CHAPTER II.

Satan obtaineth further leave to tempt Job. 7 He smiteth him with sore boils. 9 Job's wife moveth him to curse God; he rebuketh her. 11 His three friends condole with him.

AGAIN there was a day when

the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Sa

tan came also among them to present

himself before LORD.

2 And the LORD said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. 3 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.

4 And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.

5 But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face. 6 And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life.

7 ¶ So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.

8 And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat

19. ch. 42. 6. down among the ashes.

Ez. 27. 30. Matt. 11. 21. 1 ch. 21. 15. m ver. 3.

n ch. 1. 21.

Rom. 12. 12. James 5. 10, 11.

o ch. 1. 22.

p Ps. 39. 1.

q Pro. 17. 17.

r Gen. 36. 11. Jer. 49. 7. s Gen. 25, 2,

9 Then said his wife unto him, 'Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.

10 But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job P sin with his lips.

11 Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the "Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to

13 So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him for they saw that his grief was very great.

Lam. 2. 10. Ez. 27. 30.

8 Let them curse it that curse the day, who are ready to raise up their | Or, a leviamourning.

than. © Jer. 9. 17, 18.

9 Let the stars of the twilight thereof be dark; let it look for light, but have none; neither let it see the Heb. the dawning of the day:

10 Because it shut not up the doors of my mother's womb, nor hid sorrow from mine eyes.

eyelids of the morning, ch. 41. 18.

11 Why died I not from the womb? ch. 10.18. why did I not give up the ghost when I came out of the belly?

е

12 Why did the knees prevent me? or why the breasts that I should suck? 13 For now should I have lain still and been quiet, I should have slept: then had I been at rest,

e Gen. 30, S. Is. 66. 12.

14 With kings and counsellors of the earth, which built desolate places ch. 15. 28. for themselves;

15 Or with princes that had gold, who filled their houses with silver:

16 Or as a hidden untimely birth Ps. 58. 8. I had not been; as infants which never saw light.

17 There the wicked cease from

Job complaineth of life.

B. C. about 1520.

⚫ Heb. tearied in strength

b ch. 39. 7.

i Jer. 20. 18. ki Sam. 1. 10. ?Kings 4. 27. Prov. 31. 6.

⚫ Heb, wait.

I Bev. 9. 6.

■ Prov. 2. 4.

ch. 19. 8. Lam. 3. 7.

+ Heb. before my meal.

Heb. I fear

troubling; and there the at rest.

weary be

18 There the prisoners rest together; h they hear not the voice of the oppressor.

19 The small and great are there; and the servant is free from his

master.

20 Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the * bitter in soul;

21 Which 'long for death, but it cometh not; and dig for it more than for hid treasures;

22 Which rejoice exceedingly, and are glad, when they can find the grave?

23 Why is light given to a man whose way is hid, "and whom God hath hedged in?

24 For my sighing cometh before I eat, and my roarings are poured out like the waters.

25 For the thing which I greatly fer feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto

if came upon

me.

26 I was not in safety, neither had I rest, neither was I quiet; yet trouble

came.

CHAPTER IV.

5 But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled.

6 Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, thy hope, and the uprightness of thy ways?

7 Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? or where were the righteous cut off?

8 Even as I have seen, they that plough iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same.

9 By the blast of God they perish, and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed.

10 The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions, are broken.

11 The old lion perisheth for lack

Eliphaz's night vision.

of prey, and the stout lion's whelps are scattered abroad.

12 Now a thing was secretly brought to me, and mine ear received a little thereof.

B. C. about 1520.

+ Heb. by stealth.