The counsel of Haman. ESTHER. Mordecai is honoured. that I shall prepare for them, and I will do which the king useth to wear, and the horse to-morrow as the king hath said. that the king rideth upon, and the crown 9 Then went Haman forth that day royal which is set upon his head: joyful and with a glad heart: but when 9 And let this apparel and horse be deHaman saw Mordecai in the king's gate, livered to the band of one of the king's that he stood not up, nor moved for him, he most noble princes, that they may array was full of indignation against Mordecai. the man withal whom the king delighteth 10 Nevertheless, Haman refrained him- to honour, and bring him on horseback self: and when he came home, he sent and through the street of the city, and proclaim called for his friends, and Zeresh his wife. before him, Thus shall it be done to the 11 And Haman told them of the glory man whom the king delighteth to honour. of his riches, and the multitude of his chil- 10 Then the king said to Haman, Make dren, and all the things wherein the king haste, and take the apparel and the horse, had promoted bim, and how he had ad- as thou hast said, and do even so to Morvanced him above the princes and servants decai the Jew, that sitteth at the king's of the king. gate: let nothing fail of all that thou hast 12 Haman said moreover, Yea, Esther spoken. the queen did let no man come in with the 11 Then took Haman the apparel and the king unto the banquet that she had pre-horse, and arrayed Mordecai, and brought pared but myself; and to-morrow am I him on horseback through the street of the 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. city, and proclaimed before him, Thus shall it be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour. 12 And Mordecai came again to the 14 Then said Zeresh his wife and all king's gate. But Haman hasted to his house his friends unto him, Let a gallows be mourning, and having his head covered. made of fifty cubits high, and to-morrow 13 And Haman told Zeresh his wife and speak thou unto the king that Mordecai may all his friends every thing that had befallen be hanged thereon: then go thou in mer him. Then said his wise men and Zerily with the king unto the banquet. And resh his wife unto him, If Mordecai be of the thing pleased Haman; and he caused the seed of the Jews, before whom thou the gallows to be made. hast begun to fall, thou shalt not prevail against him, but shalt surely fall before him. 14 while they were yet talking with CHAP. VI. 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. hasted to bring Haman unto the banquet that Esther had prepared. Ο CHAP. VII. the king and Haman came to banquet with Esther the queen. 2 And the king said again to Esther on the second day at the banquet of wine, What 3 And the king said, What honour and is thy petition, queen Esther? and it shall dignity hath been done to Mordecai for be granted thee: and what is thy request? this? Then said the king's servants that and it shall be performed, even to the half ministered unto him, There is nothing of the kingdom. done for him. 3 Then Esther the queen answered and 4 And the king said, Who is in the court? said, If I have found favour in thy sight, (Now Haman was come into the outward O king, and if it please the king, let my court of the king's house, to speak unto life be given me at my petition, and my the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows people at my request: that he had prepared for him.) 4 For we are sold, I and my people, to 5 And the king's servants said unto him, be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. Behold, Haman standeth in the court. But if we had been sold for bond-men and And the king said, Let him come in. bond-women, I had held my tongue, al6 So Haman came in. And the king though the enemy could not countervail said unto him, What shall be done unto the king's damage. the man whom the king delighteth to ho- 5 Then the king Ahasuerus answered nour? (Now Haman thought in his heart, and said unto Esther the queen, Who is To whom would the king delight to do he, and where is he, that durst presume in honour more than to myself?) his heart to do so? 7 Aud Haman answered the king, For 6 And Esther said, The adversary and the man whom the king delighteth to eneiny is this wicked Haman. Then Hahonour, man was afraid before the king and the 8 Let the royal apparel be brought queen. He is advanced. CHAP. VIII, IX. The joy of the Jews 7 ¶ And the king arising from the ban- 9 Then were the king's scribes called quet of wine in his wrath went into the at that time in the third month, that is, the palace-garden and Haman stood up to month Sivan, on the three and twentieth make request for his life to Esther the day thereof; and it was written, accordqueen; for he saw that there was evil de-ing to all that Mordecai commanded, unto termined against him by the king. the Jews, and to the lieutenants, and the : 8 Then the king returned out of the pa- deputies and rulers of the provinces which lace-garden into the place of the banquet are from India unto Ethiopia, a hundred of wine; and Haman was fallen upon the twenty and seven provinces, unto every bed whereon Esther was. Then said the province according to the writing thereof, king, Will he force the queen also before and unto every people after their language, me in the house? As the word went out of and to the Jews according to their writing, the king's mouth, they covered Haman's and according to their language. 10 And he wrote in the king Ahasuerus' face. 9 And Harbonah, one of the chamber-name, and sealed it with the king's ring, lains, said before the king. Behold also the and sent letters by posts on horseback, gallows fifty cubits high, which Haman and riders on mules, camels, and young had made for Mordecai, who had spoken dromedaries: good for the king, standeth in the house of 11 Wherein the king granted the Jews Haman. Then the king said, Hang him which were in every city to gather themthereon. 10 So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king's wrath pacified. CHAP. VIII. ON selves 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 women, and to take the spoil of them N that day did the king Ahasuerus for a prey, give the house of Haman, the Jews 12 Upon one day in all the provinces of enemy, unto Esther the queen. And Mor-king Ahasuerus, namely, upon the thirdecai came before the king; for Esther had teenth day of the twelfth month, which is told what he was unto her. the month Adar. 2 And the king took off his ring which 13 The copy of the writing for a comhe had taken from Haman, and gave it un-mandment to be given in every province to Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai was published unto all people, and that over the house of Haman. the Jews should be ready against that day 3 T And Esther spake yet again before to avenge themselves on their enemies. the king, and fell down at his feet, and be- 14 So the posts that rode upon mules sought him with tears to put away the mis-and camels went out, being hastened and chief of Haman the Agagite, and his device pressed on by the king's commandment. that he had devised against the Jews. And the decree was given at Shushan the 4 Then the king held out the golden palace. sceptre toward Esther. So Esther arose, 15 ¶ And Mordecai went out from the and stood before the king, presence of the king in royal apparel of 5 And said, If it please the king. and blue and white, and with a great crown of if I have found favour in his sight, and the gold, and with a garment of fine linen thing seem right before the king, and I be and purple: and the city of Shushan repleasing in his eyes, let it be written to joiced, and was glad: reverse the letters devised by Haman the 16 The Jews had light, and gladness, son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he and joy, and honour. wrote to destroy the Jews which are in all the king's provinces: 17 And in every province, and in every city, whithersoever the king's command 6 For how can I endure to see the evil ment and his decree came, the Jews had that shail come unto my people? or how joy and gladness, a feast and a good day. can I endure to see the destruction of my And many of the people of the land bekindred? came Jews; for the fear of the Jews fell CHAP. IX. 7 Then the king Ahasuerus said unto upon them. Esther the queen and to Mordecai the Jew, Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and him they have hanged upon NOW in the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar, on the thirteenth day of the gallows, because he laid his hand upon the same, when the king's commandment the Jews. and his decree drew near to be put in exe 8 Write ye also for the Jews, as it liketh cution, in the day that the enemies of the you, in the king's name, and seal it with Jews hoped to have power over them, the king's ring for the writing which is (though it was turned to the contrary, that written in the king's name, and sealed the Jews had rule over them that hated with the king's ring, may no man reverse. them ;) The Jews slay their enemies. ESTHER. They establish a festival. 2 The Jews gathered themselves toge- thereof, and on the fourteenth thereof; and ther in their cities throughout all the pro- on the fifteenth day of the same they restvinces of the king Ahasuerus, to lay hand ed, and made it a day of feasting and on such as sought their hurt and no man gladness. could withstand them; for the fear of them fell upon all people. 19 Therefore the Jews of the villages, that dwelt in the unwalled towns, made 3 And all the rulers of the provinces, the fourteenth day of the month Adara day and the lieutenants, and the deputies, and of gladness and feasting, and a good day, officers of the king helped the Jews; be- and of sending portions one to another. cause the fear of Mordecai fell upon them. 20 T And Mordecai wrote these things, 4 For Mordecai was great in the king's and sent letters unto all the Jews that were house, and his fame went out throughout in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, all the provinces: for this man Mordecai both nigh and far, 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 that 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 band. 11 On that day the number of those that were slain in Shushan the palace was brought before the king. 21 To establish this among them, that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth 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 sorrow 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; 12 T And the king said unto Esther the 25 But when Esther came before the queen, The Jews have slain and destroyed king, he commanded by letters that his five hundred men in Shushan the palace, wicked device, which he devised against and the ten sons of Haman; what have the Jews, should return upon his own head, they done in the rest of the king's pro-and that he and his sons should be hanged vinces? now what is thy petition? and it on the gallows. shall be granted thee: or what is thy re- 26 Wherefore they called these days quest further? and it shall be done. Purim after the name of Pur. Therefore 13 Then said Esther, If it please the for all the words of this letter, and of that king, let it be granted to the Jews which which they had seen concerning this matare in Shusban to do to-morrow also ac-ter, and which had come unto them, cording unto this day's decree, and iet Ha- 27 The Jews ordained, and took upon man's ten sons be hanged upon the gallows. them, and upon their seed, and upon all 14 And the king commanded it so to be such as joined themselves unto them, so done and the decree was given at Shu- as it should not fail, that they would keep shan; and they hanged Haman's ten sons. these two days according to their writing, 15 For the Jews that were in Shushan and according to their appointed time evegathered themselves together on the four-ry year; teenth day also of the month Adar, and 28 And that these days should be reslew three hundred men at Shushan; but membered and kept throughout every geon the prey they laid not their hand. neration, every family, every province, and 16 But the other Jews that were in every city; and that these days of Purim the king's provinces gathered themselves should not fail from among the Jews, nor the together, and stood for their lives, and had memorial of them perish from their seed. rest from their enemies, and slew of their foes seventy and five thousand, but they laid not their hands on the prey, 29 Then Esther the queen, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew, wrote with all authority, to confirm this 17 On the thirteenth day of the month second letter of Purim. Adar; and on the fourteenth day of the 30 And he sent the letters unto all the same rested they, and made it a day of Jews, to the hundred twenty and seven feasting and gladness. provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, with words of peace and truth, 18 But the Jews that were at Shushan assembled together on the thirteenth day 31 To confirm these days of Purim in |