| 1:2 |
in those days as King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne which was at the citadel in Susa the capital, |
| 1:3 |
in the third year of his reign, he gave a banquet for all his princes and attendants, the army officers of Persia and Media, the nobles, and the princes of his provinces being in his presence. |
| 1:5 |
AndWhen when these days were completed, the king gave a banquet lasting seven days for all the people who were present at the citadel in Susa the capital, from the greatest to the least, in the court of the garden of the kings palace. |
| 1:6 |
There were hangings of fine white and violet linen held by cords of fine purple linen on silver rings and marble columns, and couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother of pearl, and precious stones. |
| 1:8 |
AndThe the drinking was done according to the law, there was no compulsion, for so the king had given orders to each official of his household that he should do according to the desires of each person. |
| 1:10 |
On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carkas, the seven eunuchs who served in the presence of King Ahasuerus, |
| 1:13 |
Then the king said to the wise men who understood the times —for it was the custom of the king so to speak before all who knew law and justice, |
| 1:14 |
and were close to him: Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media who had access to the kings presence and sat in the first place in the kingdom— |
| 1:16 |
AndIn in the presence of the king and the princes, Memucan said, Queen Vashti has wronged not only the king but also all the princes, and all the peoples who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus. |
| 1:18 |
AndThis this day the ladies of Persia and Media who have heard of the queens conduct will speak in the same way to all the kings princes, and there will be plenty of contempt and anger. |
| 1:19 |
If it pleases the king, let a royal edict be issued by him and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media so that it cannot be repealed, that Vashti shouldmay come no morelonger come into the presence of King Ahasuerus, and let the king give her royal position to another who is more worthy than she. |
| 1:20 |
AndWhen when the kings edict which he shallwill make is heard throughout all his kingdom, great as it is, then all women will give honor to their husbands, great and small. |
| 1:21 |
AndThis this word pleased the king and the princes, and the king did as Memucan proposed. |
| 2:3 |
AndLet let the king appoint overseers in all the provinces of his kingdom that they may gather every beautiful young virgin to Susa the capitalcitadel of Susa, to the harem, into the custody of Hegai, the kings eunuch, who wasis in charge of the women; and let their cosmetics be given them. |
| 2:5 |
Now there was aat Jewthe citadel in Susa thea capitalJew whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite, |
| 2:7 |
AndHe he was bringing up Hadassah, that is Esther, his uncles daughter, for she had neitherno father noror mother. Now the young lady was beautiful of form and face, and when her father and her mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter. |
| 2:8 |
So it came about when the command and decree of the king were heard and many young ladies were gathered to Susa the capitalcitadel of Susa into the custody of Hegai, that Esther was taken to the kings palace into the custody of Hegai, who was in charge of the women. |
| 2:9 |
Now the young lady pleased him and found favor with him. So he quickly provided her with her cosmetics and food, gave her seven choice maids from the kings palace, and transferred her and her maids to the best place in the harem. |
| 2:11 |
AndEvery every day Mordecai walked back and forth in front of the court of the harem to learn how Esther was and how she fared. |
| 2:12 |
Now when the turn of each young lady came to go in to King Ahasuerus, after the end of her twelve months under the regulations for the women —for the days of their beautification were completed as follows: six months with oil of myrrh and six months with spices and the cosmetics for women— |
| 2:17 |
AndThe the king loved Esther more than all the women, and she found favor and kindness with him more than all the virgins, so that he set the royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. |
| 2:19 |
AndWhen when the virgins were gathered together the second time, then Mordecai was sitting at the kings gate. |
| 2:20 |
Esther had not yet made known her kindred or her people, even as Mordecai had commanded her,; for Esther did what Mordecai told her as she had done when under his care. |
| 2:22 |
But the plot became known to Mordecai, and he told Queen Esther, and Esther informed the king in Mordecais name. |
| 3:2 |
AndAll all the kings servants who were at the kings gate bowed down and paid homage to Haman; for so the king had commanded concerning him. But Mordecai neither bowed down nor paid homage. |
| 3:8 |
Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom; their laws are different from those of all other people, and they do not observe the kings laws, so it is not in the kings interest to let them remain. |
| 3:11 |
AndThe the king said to Haman, The silver is yours, and the people also, to do with them as you please. |
| 3:12 |
Then the kings scribes were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month, and it was written just as Haman commanded to the kings satraps, to the governors who were over each province, and to the princes of each people, each province according to its script, each people according to its language, being written in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with the kings signet ring. |
| 3:13 |
AndLetters letters were sent by couriers to all the kings provinces to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, women and children, in one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to seize their possessions as plunder. |
| 3:15 |
The couriers went out impelled by the kings command while the decree was issued at the citadel in Susa the capital; and while the king and Haman sat down to drink, the city of Susa was in confusion. |
| 4:2 |
AndHe he went as far as the kings gate, for no one was to enter the kings gate clothed in sackcloth. |
| 4:3 |
AndIn in each and every province where the command and decree of the king came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping, and wailing; and many lay on sackcloth and ashes. |
| 4:7 |
And Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, and the exact amount of money that Haman had promised to pay to the kings treasuries for the destruction of the Jews. |
| 4:9 |
And Hathach came back and related Mordecais words to Esther. |
| 4:12 |
AndThey they related Esthers words to Mordecai. |
| 5:2 |
AndWhen it happened when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, she obtained favor in his sight; and the king extended to Esther the golden scepter which was in his hand. So Esther came near and touched the top of the scepter. |
| 5:3 |
Then the king said to her, What is troubling you, Queen Esther? And what is your request? Even to half of the kingdom it willshall be given to you. |
| 5:4 |
And Esther said, If it pleasepleases the king, may the king and Haman come this day to the banquet that I have prepared for him. |
| 5:6 |
And,As as they drank their wine at the banquet, the king said to Esther, What is your petition, for it shall be granted to you. And what is your request? Even to half of the kingdom it shall be done. |
| 5:7 |
So Esther answered and saidreplied, My petition and my request is: |
| 5:8 |
if I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it pleasepleases the king to grant my petition and do what I request, may the king and Haman come to the banquet which I shallwill prepare for them, and tomorrow I will do as the king says. |
| 5:9 |
Then Haman went out that day glad and pleased of heart; but when Haman saw Mordecai in the kings gate, and that he did not stand up or tremble before him, Haman was filled with anger against Mordecai. |
| 5:10 |
Haman controlled himself, however, went to his house, and sent for his friends and his wife Zeresh. |
| 5:11 |
Then Haman recounted to them the glory of his riches, and the number of his sons, and every instance where the king had magnified him, and how he had promoted him above the princes and servants of the king. |
| 5:14 |
Then Zeresh his wife and all his friends said to him, Have a gallows fifty cubits high made and in the morning ask the king to have Mordecai hanged on it,; then go joyfully with the king to the banquet. And the advice pleased Haman, so he had the gallows made. |
| 6:2 |
AndIt it was found written what Mordecai had reported concerning Bigthana and Teresh, two of the kings eunuchs who were doorkeepers, that they had sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. |
| 6:3 |
AndThe the king said, What honor or dignity has been bestowed on Mordecai for this? Then the kings servants who attended him said, Nothing has been done for him. |
| 6:5 |
AndThe the kings servants said to him, Behold, Haman is standing in the court. And the king said, Let him come in. |
| 6:13 |
And Haman recounted to Zeresh his wife and all his friends everything that had happened to him. Then his wise men and Zeresh his wife said to him, If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of Jewish origin, you will not overcome him, but will surely fall before him. |
| 7:3 |
Then Queen Esther answered and saidreplied, If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it pleasepleases the king, let my life be given me as my petition, and my people as my request; |
| 7:6 |
And Esther said, A foe and an enemy, is this wicked Haman! Then Haman became terrified before the king and queen. |
| 7:7 |
AndThe the king arose in his anger from drinking wine and went into the palace garden; but Haman stayed to beg for his life from Queen Esther, for he saw that harm had been determined against him by the king. |
| 8:2 |
AndThe the king took off his signet ring which he had taken away from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman. |
| 8:3 |
Then Esther spoke again to the king, fell at his feet, wept, and implored him to avert the evil scheme of Haman the Agagite and his plot which he had devised against the Jews. |
| 8:4 |
AndThe the king extended the golden scepter to Esther. So Esther arose and stood before the king. |
| 8:6 |
For how can I endure to see the calamity which shallwill befall my people, and how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred? |
| 8:9 |
So the kings scribes were called at that time in the third month that is, the month Sivan, on the twentythirdtwenty third day; and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded to the Jews, the satraps, the governors, and the princes of the provinces which extended from India to Ethiopia, 127 provinces, to every province according to its script, and to every people according to their language, as well as to the Jews according to their script and their language. |
| 8:10 |
AndHe he wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus, and sealed it with the kings signet ring, and sent letters by couriers on horses, riding on steeds sired by the royal stud. |
| 8:11 |
In them the king granted the Jews who were in each and every city the right to assemble and to defend their lives, to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate the entire army of any people or province which might attack them, including children and women, and to plunder their spoil, |
| 8:13 |
A copy of the edict to be issued as law in each and every province, was published to all the peoples, so that the Jews shouldwould be ready for this day to avenge themselves on their enemies. |
| 8:14 |
The couriers, hastened and impelled by the kings command, went out, riding on the royal steeds; and the decree was given out at the citadel in Susa the capital. |
| 8:17 |
AndIn in each and every province, and in each and every city, wherever the kings commandment and his decree arrived, there was gladness and joy for the Jews, a feast and a holiday. And many among the peoples of the land became Jews, for the dread of the Jews had fallen on them. |
| 9:3 |
Even all the princes of the provinces, the satraps, the governors, and those who were doing the kings business assisted the Jews, because the dread of Mordecai had fallen on them. |
| 9:6 |
AndAt the citadel in Susa the capital the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men, |
| 9:9 |
Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai, and Vaizatha, |
| 9:11 |
On that day the number of those who were killed at the citadel in Susa the capital was reported to the king. |
| 9:12 |
AndThe the king said to Queen Esther, The Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men and the ten sons of Haman at the citadel in Susa the capital. What then have they done in the rest of the kings provinces! Now what is your petition? It shall even be granted you. And what is your further request? It shall also be done. |
| 9:15 |
AndThe the Jews who were in Susa assembled also on the fourteenth day of the month Adar and killed three hundred men in Susa, but they did not lay their hands on the plunder. |
| 9:24 |
For Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the adversary of all the Jews, had schemed against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast Pur, that is the lot, to disturb them and destroy them. |
| 9:25 |
But when it came to the kings attention, he commanded by letter that his wicked scheme which he had devised against the Jews, should return on his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows. |
| 9:27 |
the Jews established and made a custom for themselves, and for their descendants, and for all those who allied themselves with them, so that they shouldwould not fail to celebrate these two days according to their regulation, and according to their appointed time annually. |
| 9:28 |
So these days were to be remembered and celebrated throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city; and these days of Purim were not to fail from among the Jews, or their memory fade from their descendants. |
| 9:30 |
AndHe he sent letters to all the Jews, to the 127 provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, namely, words of peace and truth, |
| 9:32 |
AndThe the command of Esther established these customs for Purim, and it was written in the book. |
| 10:2 |
And all the accomplishments of his authority and strength, and the full account of the greatness of Mordecai, to which the king advanced him, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Media and Persia? |
| 10:3 |
For Mordecai the Jew was second only to King Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and in favor with thehis multitudemany of his kinsmen, one who sought the good of his people and one who spoke for the welfare of his whole nation. |