The dedication of the wall. Nehemiah. The multitude feparated. 27 And at the dedication of the wall and I, and the half of the rulers wit of Jerufalem, they fought the Levites me: out of all their places, to bring them to Jerufalem, to keep the dedication with gladnefs, both with thanksgiving, and with finging with cymbals, pfalteries, and with harps. 28 And the fons of the fingers gathered themfelves together, both out of the plain country round about Jerufalem, and from the villages of Netophachi, 29 Alfo from the house of Gilgal, and out of the fields of Geba,and Azmaveth: for the fingers had builded them villages round about Jerufalem. 30 And the priests and the Levites purified themselves, and purified the Ipeople, and the gates, and the wall. 31 Then I brought up the princes of Judah upon the wall, and appointed two great companies of them that gave thanks, Sphereof one went on the right hand apon the wall toward the dung-gare: 32 And after them went Hofhaiah, and half of the princes of Judah, 41 And the priests; Eliakim, Maafe jah, Miniamin, Michaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah with trumpets: 42 And Maafeiah, and Shemaiah, and Eleazar, and Uzzi, and Jehohanan, and Malchijah, and Elam, and Ezer: and the fingers fang loud, with Jezrahiah their overfeer. 43 Alfo that day they offered great facrifices, and rejoyced; for God had made them rejoyce with great joy; the wives alfo and the children rejoyced: fo that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off. 44 And at that time were fome ap pointed over the chambers for the trea fures, for the offerings, for the firftfruits, and for the tithes, to gather into them out of the fields of the cities the portions of the law for the pricfts and Levites: for Judah rejoyced for the priefts and for the Levites that waited. 45 And both the fingers and the por ters kept the ward of their God, and the ward of the purification, according to the commandment of David, and of 33 And Azariah, Ezra, and Melhullam, 34 Judah, and Benjamin, and She-Solomon his fon. maiah, and Jeremiah, 35. And certain of the priests fons with trumpets: namely, Zechariah the fon of Jonathan, the fon of Shemaiab, the fon of Mattaniah, the fon of Michaiah, the fon of Zaccur, the fon of Afaph: i 36 And his brethren, Shemaiah, and Azarael, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethaneel, and Judah, Hanani, with the mufical inftruments of David the man of God, and Ezra the scribe before them. 37 And at the fountain-gate, which was over againft them, they went up by the flairs of the city of David, at the going up of the wall, above the houfe of David, even unto the water-gate caftward. 38 And the other company of them that gave thanks, went over against them, and I after them, and the half of the people upon the wall, from beyond the tower of the furnaces, even unto the broad wall: 39 And from above the gate of Ephraim, and above the old gate, and above the fifh-gate, and the tower of Hananeel, and the tower of Meah, even unto the fheep-gate; and they ftood still in the prifon-gate. 40 So ftood the two companies of them that gave thanks in the house of God, 46 For in the days of David and Afaph, of old, there were chief of the fing ers, and fongs of praise and thanksgiving unto God. 47 And all Ifrael in the days of Zerubbabel, and in the days of Nehemiah, gave the portions of the fingers, and the porters, every day his portion, and they fan&ified holy things unto the Levites, and the Levites fanctified them unto the children of Aaron. CHA P. XIII. upon the reading of the law, separation is made from the mixed multitude. N that day they read in the book of Mofes in the audience of the people; and therein was found written, that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God for ever; 2 Because they met not the children of Ifrael with bread and with water, but hired Balaamagainst them, that he should curfe them: howbeit our God turned the curfe into a bleffing. 3 Now it came to pass when they had heard the law, that they separated from Ifrael all the mixed multitude. And before this, Eliafhib the prieft having the overfight of the chamber of the houfe of our God, was allied unto Tobiah : Divers abufes are reformed by Nehemiah. 17 Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and faid unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the fabbath-day? Chap xiii. 5 And he had prepared for him a great chamber, where aforetime they laid the meat-offerings, the frankincenfe, and the veffels, and the tithes of the corn, the new wine,and the oyl, (which was commanded to be given to the Levites, and the fingers, and the potters) and the offerings of the priests. 6 But in all this time was not I at Jerufalem for in the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon came I unto the king, and after certain days obtained I leave of the king: 7 And I came to Jerufalem, and underftood of the evil chat Eliashib did for Tobiah: in preparing him a chamber in the courts of the house of God. 8 And it grieved me fore, therefore I caft forth all the houfhold-ftuff of Tobiah out of the chamber. Then I commanded, and they cleanfed the chambers; and thither brought I again the veffels of the house of God, with the meat-offering &the fankincenfe. 110 And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them for the Levites and the fingers that did the work, were fled every one to his field. 11 Then contended I with the rulers, and faid, Why is the house of God forfaken? And I gathered them together, and fet them in their place. 12 Then brought all Judah the tiche of the corn, and the new wine, and the oyl, unto the treafuries. 13 And I made treasurers over the treafuries, Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the fcribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah: and next to them was Hanan the fon of Zaccur, the fon of Mattaniah : for they were counted faithful, and their office was to diftribute unto their brethren. 14 Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for the offices thereof. 18 Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and aponthis city? yer ye bring more wrath upon Ifrael by profaning the fabbath. 19 And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerufalem began to be dark before the fabbath, I commanded that the gates fhould be fhut, and charged that they thould not be opened till after the fabbath and fome of my fervants fet I at the gates, that there fhould no burden be brought in on the fabbathday. 20 So the merchants, and fellers of all kind of ware, lodged without Jerufalem once or twice. 21 Then I teftified against them, and faid unto them, Why lodge ye about the wall? If ye do fo again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forthcame they no more on the fabbath. 22 And I commanded the Levites, that they fhould cleanse themselves, and that they thould come and keep the gates, to fanctifie the fabbath-day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this alfo, and fpare me according to the greatness of thy mercy. 23 In thofe days alfo faw ! Jews. that had married wives of Afhdod, of Ammon, and of Moab: 24 And their children fpake half in the fpeech of Afhdod, and could not fpeak in the Jews language, but according to the language of each people. 25 And I contended with them, and curfed them, and fmore certain of them, and pluckt off their hair, and made them fwear by God, faying, Ye fhall not give your daughters unto their fons,nor take their daughters unto your fons, or for your felves. 26 Did not Solomon king of Ifrael 15 In thofe days law I in Judah fin by these things? yet among many Some treading wine-prefies on the fab-nations was there no king like him, who bath, and bringing in fheaves, and lading was beloved of his God, and God made affes; as alfo wine, grapes, and figs, and him king over all Ifrael; nevertheless, all manner of burdens, which they even him did outlandish women cause brought into Jerufalem on the fabbath- to fin. day and I teftified against them in the day wherein they fold victuals. 16 There dwelt men of Tyre alfo therein, which brought fish, and all manner of ware, and fold on the fabbath unto the children of Judah, and in Jerufalem. 27 Shall we then hearken unto you to do all this great evil, to tranfgrefs againft our God, in marrying ftrange wives? 28 And one of the fons of Joiada, the fon of Eliahib the high pricft was fon in law to Sanballat the H Abafuerus his faft. Efther. The decree of mens fovereignty. nite: therefore I chafed him from me. ftrangers, and appointed the wards of 29 Remember them, O my God, be- the priefts and the Levites, every one caufe they have defiled the priesthood, in his business: and the covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levites. 30 Thus cleansed I them from all The Book of СНАР. 1. Ahasuerus maketh royal feafts. 10 Vashti fent for, refufeth to come. N OW it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, this is Abafuerus which reigned from India even unto Ethiopia, over an hundred and feven and twenty provinces) 2 That in thofe days, when the king Ahasuerus fat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shufhan the palace, 3. In the third year of his reign, he made a feaft unto all his princes, and his fervants; the power of Perfia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces being before him. 4 When he fhewed the riches of his glorious kingdom, and the honour of his excellent majefty, many days, even an hundred and fourfcore days. 31 And for the wood-offering, at times appointed, and for the first-fruits Remember me, O my God, for good. ESTHER. 11 To bring Vashti the queen before the king, with the crown royal, to fhew the people and the princes her beauty: for fhe was fair to look on. 12 But the queen Vashti refused to come at the kings commandment by his chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him. 13 Then the king faid to the wifemen which knew the times, (for fo was the kings manner towards all that knew law and judgment: 14 And the next unto him, was Carthena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marfena, and Memucan, the feven princes of Perfia, and Media, which faw the kings face, and which fat the first in the kingdom) 15 What fhall we do unto the queen Vahti, according to law, because the hath not performed the commandment of the king Ahasuerus, by the cham 5 And when thefe days were expired, the king made a feaft unto all the peo-berlains? ple that were prefent in Shufhan the palace, both unto great and fmall, feven days, in the court of the garden of the kings palace, ར 6 Where were white, green, and blue hangings, faftned with cords of fine linen and purple, to filver rings and pillars of marble: the beds were of goid, and filver, upon a pavement of red, and blue, and white, and black marble. 7 And they gave them drink in veffels of gold, (the veffels being divers one from another) and royal wine in abundance, according to the ftate of the king. 8 And the drinking was according to the law, none did compel: for fo the king had appointed to all the officers of his houfe, that they should do according to every mans pleasure. 9 Alfo Vafhti the queen made a feaft for the women in the royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus. 10 On the feventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar and Carcas, the feven chamberlains that ferved in the prefence of Ahasuerus the king, 16 And Memucan answered before the king and the princes, Vashti the queen hath not done wrong to the king only, but alfo to all the princes, and to all the people that are in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus. 17 For this deed of the queen fhall come abroad unto all women, fo that they fhall defpife their husbands in their eyes, when it fhall be reported, The king Ahasuerus commanded Vashti che queen to be brought in before him, but the came not. 18 Likewife fhall the ladies of Perfia and Media fay this day unto all the kings princes, which have heard of the deed of the queen. Thus ball there arife too much contempt and wrath. 19 If it please the king, let there go a royal commandment from him, and let it! bewritten among the laws of the Perfians and the Medes,that it be not altered, that Vashti come no more before king Ahafuerus,and let the king give her royal eftate unto another that is better than the. 20 And when the kings decree which he shall make, fhall be published throughout all his empire,(for it is great) all the wives fhall give to their husbands honour, both to great and small. Mordecai and Efther. Chap. H. 21 And the faying pleafed the king and the princes, and the king did accord ing to the word of Memucan: 22 For he fent letters into all the kings provinces, into every province according to the writing thereof, and to every peo ple after their language, that every man Thould bear rule in his own house, and that it should be published according to the language of every people. CHAP. II. Out of the choice of virgins, a queen is to be chofen. 15 Efther is elected. Fter these things, when the wrath of Efther is made queen. 10 Efther had not fhewed her people nor her kindred: for Mordecai had charged her that the fhould not fhew it. 11 And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the womens house, to know how Efther did, and what should become of her. 12 Now when every maids turn was come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after that the had been twelve months, according to the manner of the women, (for fo were the days of their purifications accomplished, to wit, fix months with oyl of myrrh, and fix months with the purifying of the women) remembred Vashti, and what he had done, and what was decreed against her. 13 Then thus came every maiden unThen faid the kings fervants that mi-to the king; whatfoever the defired niftred unto him, Let there be fair young was given her, to go with her out of virgins fought for the king. the houfe of the women, unto the kings houfe. 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 Shushan the palace, to the houfe of the women, unto the cuftody of Hege the kings chamberlain keeper of the women, and let their things for purification be given them: 4 And let the maiden which pleafedh the king, be queen inftead of Vafhti. 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, the fon of Jair, the fon of Shimei, the fon of Kifh, a Benjamite: 6 Who had been carried away from Jerufalem, with the captivity which had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away. 7 And he brought up Hadaffah (that is Efther) his uncles daughter, for the had neither facher nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful, whom Mordecal (when her father and mother were dead) took for his own daughter. 8 So it came to pass, when the kings commandment andhis decree was heard, and when many maidens were gathered together unto Shufhan the palace, to the cuftody of Hegai,that Efther was brought alfo unto the kings house, to the cuftody of Hegai, keeper of the women. 14 In the evening fhe went, and on the morrow the returned into the fecond houfe of the women, to the cuftody of Shaafhgaz, the kings chamberlain, which kept the concubines: fhe came in unto the king no more, except the king delighted in her, and that fhe were called by name. 15 Now when the turn of Efther, the daughter of Abihail, the uncle of Mordecai (who had taken her for his daughter) was come to go in unto the king, the required nothing, but what Hegai the kings chamberlain, the keeper of the women appointed and Ether obtained favour in the fight of all them that looked upon her. 16 So Efther was taken unto king Ahafuerus, into his houfe royal, in the tenth month (which is the month Tebeth) in the feventh year of his reign. 17 And the king loved Efther above all the women, and the obtained grace and favour in his fight, more than all the virgins; fo that he fet the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen in ftead of Vafhti. 18 Then the king made a great feaft unto all his princes and his fervants, even Efthers feaft, and he made a releafe to the provinces, and gave gifts according to the ftate of the king. 9 And the maiden pleafed him, and fhe 19 And when the virgins were gatherobtained kindness of him, and he fpee-ed together the fecond time, then Mordily gave her her things for purification, decai fat in the kings gate. with fuch things as belonged to her, and feven maidens which were meet to be given her, out of the kings houfe, and he preferred her and her maids unto the beft place of the houfe of the women. 20 Efther had not yet fhewed her kindred, nor her people; as Mordecai had charged her for Efther did the commandment of Mordecai, like when she was brought up with him The decree against the Jews. laws; therefore it is not for the kings profit to fuffer them. 21 In those days (while Mordecai fat in the kings gate) two of the kings chamberlains, Bigthan and Terefh, of 9 Ifit pleafe the king, let it be writ thofe which kept the door, were wroch, ten that they may be deftroyed: and I and fought to lay hand on the king Aha-will pay ren thousand talents of filver to fuerus. the hands of thofe that have the charge of the business, to bring it into the kings treafuries. 22 And the thing was known to Mordecai, who told it unto Efther the queen, and Ether certified the king thereof, in Mordecai's name. 23 And when inquifition was made of the matter, it was found out; there fore they were both hanged on a tree: and it was written in the book of the chronicles before the king. CHAP. III. Haman advanced by the king, and deSpifed by Mordecai, feeketh revenge upon all the Jews. A Frer these things did king Ahafuerus promote Haman the fon of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and fet his feat above all the princes that were with him. 2 And all the kings fervants that were in the kings gate, bowed, and reverenced Haman; for the king had fo commanded concerning him: but Mordecat bowed not, nor did him reverence. 3. Then the kings fervants, which were in the kings gate, faid unto Mordecai, Why tranfgreffeft thou the kings commandment? 4 Now it came to pafs, when they fpake daily unto him, and he hearkned not unto them, that they told Haman, to fee whether Mordecai his matters: would ftand; for he had told them that he was a Jew. 5 And when Haman faw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath. 6 And he thought fcorn 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, even the people of Mordecai. 7 In the first month (that is the month Nifan) in the twelfth year of king Abafuerus, they caft Pur, that is the lot, before Haman, from day to day, and from month to month, to the twelfth month, that is the month Adar. 8 And Haman faid unto king Abafuerus, There is a certain people icattered abroad, and difperfed among the people, in all the provinces of thy kingdom, and their laws are divers from all people, neither keep they the kings 10 And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman the fon of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews enemy. And the king faid unto Haman, The filver is given to thee, the people alfo,to do with them as it seemeth good to thee. 12 Then were the kings scribes called on the thirteeenth day of the first month, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the kings lieutenants, and to the gover nors that were over every province, 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 Ahafuerus was it written, and fealed with the kings ring. 13. And the letters were fent by pofts into all the kings provinces, to deftroy, to kill, and to caufe to perifh all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, even upon the thir teenth day of the twelfth month,(which is the month 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 pofts went out being haftened by the kings commandment, and the decree was given in Shufhan the palace: and the king and Haman fat down to drink, but the city Shufhan was per plexed. CHAP. IV. 1 Mordecai and the Jews mourn. 15 Eft. her appointeth a faft. Hen Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on fackcloth wich afhes, and went out into the midft of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry: 2 And came even before the kings gate: for none might enter into the kings gate clothed with fackcloth. 3 And in every province whither foever the kings commandment, and his decree came, there was great mourning among |