and to the rulers of every | done,

Mordecai rent his

people of every province, clothes, and put on sackcloth to the writing with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bittercry;

according
thereof, and to every people
after their language; in the
name of king Ahasuerus was
it written, and sealed with
the king's ring.

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

13 And the letters were sent by posts into all the 3 And in every province, king's provinces, to destroy, whithersoever the king's comto kill, and to cause to perish, mandment and his decree all Jews, both young and old, came, there was great mournlittle children and women, in ing among the Jews, and one day, even upon the thir- fasting, and weeping, and teenth day of the twelfth wailing: and many lay in month, which is the mouth sackcloth and ashes.

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, that they should be ready against that day.

15 The posts went out, being hastened by the king's commandment ; and the decree was given in Shushan the palace. And the king and Haman sat down sat down to drink; but the city Shushan was perplexed.

CHAP. IV.

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 the 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 was, and why it was.

6 So Hatach went forth to Mordecai unto the street of

WHEN Mordecai per- the city, which was before

1

13

עַל־מְדִינָה וּמְדִינָה וְאֶל־שָׂרֵי עַם יָצָם מְדִינָה וּמְדִינָה בִּכְתָבָהּ וְעַם וָעָם בִּלְשׁוֹנוֹ בְּשֵׁם הַמִּלֶךְ אֲחַשְׁורש נִכְתָּב וְנֶחְתָּם בְּטַבַּעַת הַמֶּלֶךְ: וְנִשְׁלוֹחַ סְפָרִים בְּיָדָ 19

הָרָצִים אֶל־כָּל־מְדִינוֹת הַמֶּלֶךְ לְהַשְׁמִיד לַהֲרֹג + וּלְאַבֵּד אֶת־כָּל־הַיְהוּדִים מִנַּעַר וְעַד־זָקֵן טַף וְנָשִׁים

בְּיוֹם אֶחָד בִּשְׁלוֹשָׁה עָשָׂר לְחֹדֶשׁ שְׁנֵים־עֶשֶׂר הָוּא־ חֹדֶשׁ אֲדָר וּשְׁלָלֶם לָבְוֹז : פַתְשֶׁגֶן הַכְּתָב לְהִנָּתֵן אֶתבְּכָל־מְדִינָה וּמְדִינָה בֶּלֶוּי לְכָל־הָעַמִּים לִהְיוֹת עֶתְרִים לַיּוֹם הַה : הָרָצִים יָצְאוּ דְחוּפים בִּדְבַרט

הַמֶּלֶךְ וְהַדֶת נִתְּנָה בְּשׁוּשַׁן הַבִּירָה וְהַמֶּלֶךְ וְהָמָן י יָשְׁבוּ לִשְׁתּוֹת וְהָעִיר שׁוּשַׁן נָבְוֹכָה: וּמָרְדְּרַי יָדֶעו

אֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁר נַעֲשָׂה וַיִּקְרָע מָרְדְּכַי אֶת־בְּגָלִיו וַיִּלְבַּשׁ שַׂק וָאֵפֶר וַיֵּצֵא בְּתוֹךְ הָעִיר וַיִּזְעָק וְעֶקֶה גְדוֹלָה וּמָרָה: וַיָּבוֹא עֶד לִפְנֵי שַׁעַר-הַמֶּלֶךְ כִּי אֵין 2 לְבָוֹא אֶל־שַׁעַר הַמֶּלֶךְ בִּלְבוּשׁ שָׂק: וּבְכָל־מְדִינָה: וּמְדִינָה מְקוֹם אֲשֶׁר דְבַר-הַמֶּלֶךְ וְדָתוֹ מַגִּיעַ אֵבֶל גָדוֹל לַיְהוּדִים וְצָוֹם וּבְכִי וּמִסְפַּךְ שַׂק וָאֵפֶר יְצַע לָרַבֶּים: וַתָּבוֹאנָה נַעֲרוֹת אֶסְתֵּר וְסָרִיסֶיהָ וַיַּגִּידוּ : לָהּ וַתִּתְחַלְחַל הַמַּלְכָּה מְאֹד וַתִּשְׁלַח בְּגָדִים לְהַלְבִּיש אֶת־מָרְדְּלַי וּלְהָסִיר עֲקָוֹ מֵעָלַי וְלֹא קִבֵּל: וַתִּקְרָאוּ אֶסְתֵּר לַהֲתָךְ מִסְרִיסֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲשֶׁר הֶאֱמִיד לְפָנֶיהָ וַתְּצוּהוּ עַל־מָרְדְּבֵי לָדַעַת מַה־זֶּה וְעַל־מַה־זֶּה : ויצא הֲתָךְ אֶל מָרְדְּכַי אֶל־רְחוֹב הָעִיר אֲשֶׁר לִפְנֵי

יתיר

art

ESTHER, CHAP. III.

3 Then the king's servants, king Ahasuerus, There is which were in the king's gate, a certain people scattered said unto Mordecai, Why abroad and dispersed among transgressest thou the king's the people in all the pro commandments?

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.

vinces 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 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.

6 And he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; 10 And the king took his for they had shewed him the ring from his hand, and gave people of Mordecai: where- it unto Haman the son of fore Haman sought to destroy Hammedatha the Agagite, all the Jews that were through-the Jews' enemy.

out the whole kingdom of 11 And the king said unto Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai.

Haman, The silver is given to thee, the people also, to do with them as it seemeth good to thee.

7 In the first month, (that is the month Nisan,) in the twelfth year of king Aha- 12 Then were the king's suerus, they cast Pur, that is, scribes called on the thirteenth the lot, before Haman, from day of the first month, and day to day, and from month there was written according to month, to the twelfth to all that Haman had com month, that is the month manded, unto the king's lieu Adar. tenants, and to the governors that were over every province,

s And Haman said unto

JT

כאמרם

1:*:1" :

יִשְׁתַּחֲנֶה: וַיֹּאמְרוּ עַבְדֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲשֶׁר־בְּשַׁעַר הַמֶּלֶךְ 5 לְמָרְדְּכַי מַדּוּעַ אַתָּהעוֹבֵר אֵת מִצְוַת הַמֶּלֶךְ: וַיְהִי + באָמְרָם אֵלָיו יִוֹם וָיוֹם וְלֹא שָׁמַע אֲלֵיהֶם וַיַּגִּידוּ לְהָמָן לִרְאוֹת הֲיַעַמְדוּ דִּבְרֵי מָרְדְּכַי כִּי־הִגִּיד לָהֶם אֲשֶׁר־ הוּא יְהוּדִי: וַיִּרְא הָמָן כִּי־אֵין מָרְדְּלַי כֹּרֶע וּמִשְׁתַּחֲוֶהה לו וימלֵא הָמָן חֵמָה: וַיְבָז בְּעֵינָיו לִשְׁלָחַ יָדבְּמָרְדְּכַי לְבַדּוֹ כִּי־הִגִּידוּ לוֹ אֶת־עַם מָרְדְּכַי וַיְבַקְשׁ הָמָן לְהַשְׁמִיד אֶת־כָּל־הַיְהוּדִים אֲשֶׁר בְּכָל־מַלְכוּת אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹש עַם מָרְדְּכַי: בַּחֹדֶשׁ הָרִאשׁוֹן הוּא־חֹדֶש 7 נִילָן בִּשְׁנַת שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה לַמֶּלֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ הפִּיל פּוּר הוּא הַגּוֹרָל לִפְנֵי הָמָן מִיוֹם לְיוֹם וּמֵחָדָשׁ לְחדֶשׁ שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר הוּא־חֹדֶשׁ אֲדָר : וַיֹּאמֶר הָמָן לַמֶּלֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ יִשְׁנּוֹ עַם־אֶחָד מְפָאֵר וּמְבֹרָד בֵּין הָעַמִּים בכל מִדִינוֹת מַלְכוּתֵךְוְרָתֵיהֶם שֹׁנוֹת מִכָּל־עם ואת־ דָּתֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ אֵינָם עֹשִׂים וְלַמֶּלֶךְ אֵין־שָׁוֶה לְהַנִיהֶם : אִם־עַל־הַמֶּלֶךְ טוֹב יִכָּתֵב לְאַבְּדָם וְעֲשֶׂרֶת אֲלָפִים 9 כִּכַּר־כֶּסֶף אֶשְׁקוֹל עַל־יְדֵי עֹשֵׂי הַמְלָאכָה לְהָבִיא אֶל־בִּנְזֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ : וַיָּסַר הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶת־טַבַּעְתּוֹ מֵעַל יָדְוֹ וַיִּתְּנָהּ לְהָמָן בֶּן־הַמְדָתָא הָאֲגָגִי צרֵר הַיְהוּדִים : וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ לְהָמָן הַכֶּסֶף נָתוּן לָךְ וְהָעָם לַעֲשׂוֹת 1 בּוֹ טוֹב בְּעֵינֶיךְ: וַיִקְרְאוּ סְפְרֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ בַּחֹדֶשׁ 2

הָרִאשׁוֹן בִּשְׁלוֹשָׁה עָשָׂר יוֹם בּוֹ וַיִכָּתֵב בְּכָל־אֲשֶׁר־ מ צִנָּה הָמָן אֶל אֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ וְאֶל־הַפַּחוֹת אֲשֶׁר'

8

}

1