The Book of ESTHER. From the Creation, 3483.....From the Deluge, 1846....From the foundation of the Temple, 489....From the division of Judah and Israel, 453....From the Captivity of Israel, 200....From the destruction of the Temple, 67. CHAPTER I. 1 Ahasuerus maketh royal feasts. 10 Vashti sent for. B. C. 521. Iman, Biztha, Harbona, i Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven 6 chamberlains that served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king, a Ezr.4.6. Da.9.1. Da.6.1. c Ne.1.1. Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, a (this is Ahasue-b ch.8.9. rus which reigned from India even unto Ethiopia, over b an hundred and seven and twenty provinces :) 2 That in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan c the palace, 3 In the third year in his reign, he made a feast d'unto all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him: 4 When he showed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty many days, even an hundred and fourscore days. d ch.2.18. 1 found. ch.8.15. e Eze,23.41. 3 or, of por- wine of the 5 And when three days were ex-4 pired, the king made a feast unto all the people that were 1 present in Shushan the palace, both unto great and small, seven days, in the f Hab.2.15. 5 hand. 11 To bring Vashti the queen be fore the king, with the crown royal, to show the people and the princes her beauty for she was 7 fair to look on. 12 But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king's commandment by his chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him. 13 Then the king said to the wise k men which knew the times, (for so was the king's manner toward all that knew law and judgment: 14 And the next unto him was Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marséna, and Memucan, the seven m princes of Persia and Media, which n saw the king's face, and which sat the first in the kingdom ;) 15 9 What shall we do unto the court of the garden of the king's g 2Sa. 13.28.queen Vashti according to law, bepalace; 6 Where were white, green, and 2 blue hangings, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble: the beds e were of gold and silver, upon a pavement of red, and blue, and white, and black marble. h Ec.10.19. i ch.7.9. or, eunuchs. counte nance, 7 And they gave them drink in vessels of gold, (the vessels being 1Sa.25.3. diverse one from another,) and 8 which was 4 royal wine in abundance, accord-by the hand ing to the 5 state of the king. of his 8 And the drinking was according cunuchs. to the law; none did compel: f fork Je. 10.7. so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man's pleasure. 9 Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus. 1Ch.18.32. m Ezr.7.14. n 2Ki.25.19. What to do. 10 be good with. 10 On the seventh day, when 11 from bethe g heart of the king was merry h fore him. with wine, ho commanded Mehu cause she hath not performed the commandment of the king Ahasuerus by the chamberlains? 16 And Memucan answered before the king and the princes, Vashti the queen hath not done wrong to the king only, but also 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 shall come abroad unto all women, so that they shall despise their husbands in their eyes, when it shall be reported, The king Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she came not. 18 Likewise shall the ladies of Persia and Media say this day unto all the king's princes, which have heard of the deed of the queen. Thus shall there arise too much contempt and wrath. 19 If it 10 please the king, let there Igo a royal commandment 11 from Of Mordecai him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, that it 12 be not altered, That Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate unto 13 another that is better than she. 20 And when the king's decree which he shall make shall be published throughout all his empire, (for it is great,) all the wives shall give to their husbands honour,oboth to great and small. 21 And the saying 14 pleased the king and the princes; and the king did according to the word of Memucan: 9 And the maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness e of him; and he speedily gave her her things for fpurification, with 6 such things as belonged to her, and seven maidens which were meet to be given her, out of the king's house: and he preferred her and her maids unto the best place of the house of the women. 10 Esther had not showed her people nor her kindred: for Morhis people.decai had charged her g that she should not show it. 22 For he sent letters p into all the king's provinces, into every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language, that every man should bear rule q in his own nouse, and that 15 it should be published according to the language a ch.1.19,20. of every people. CHAPTER II. (CHAP. 2.) 1 hand. 2 or, Hegai, ver.8. b Mat.20.16. 22.14. 15. wrath of king Ahasuerus was c 2Ki.24. 14, appeased, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what a was decreed against her. 2 Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king: 3 Je.24.1. or, Jehoiachin, 2Ki.24.6. 4 nourished, Eph.6.4. 5 fair of form, and good of countenance. 3 And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they inay gather together all the fair young virgins unto Shushan the palace, to the house of the women, unto the 1 custody of 2 Hege the king's chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their things d ver.3. for purification be given them: 4 And let the maiden which e Ps. 106.46. pleaseth the king be queen b in-f ver. 3, 12. stead of Vashti. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so. 5 T Now in Shushan the palace there was a certain Jew, whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite, her por tions. 7 changed. g ver.20. 8 the peace of Esther, Ge.37.14. 1Sa. 17.18. 6 Who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captivity c which had been carried away with h Pr.7.17. 9 Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Baby-; lon had carried away. Is.57.6. Ge.34.19. De.21.14. R Is.43.1. 7 And he brought up Hadassah, (that is, Esther,) his uncle's daughter for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was 5 fair and 1 Ca.6.9. beautiful; whom Mordecai, (when her father and mother were dead,) took for his own daughter. 8.10. Ac.7.10. 11 And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the wo8 how men's house, to know Esther did, and what should become of her. 12 ¶ Now when every maid's turn was come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after that she had been twelve months, according to the manner of the women, (for so were the days of their purifications accomplished, to wit, six months with oil of myrrh, h and six months with sweet odours, and with other things for the purifying of the women;) 13 Then thus came every maiden unto the king; whatsoever she desired was given her to go with her out of the house of the women unto the king's house. 14 In the evening she went, and on the morrow she returned into the second house of the women, to the custody of Shanshgaz the king's chamberlain, which kept the concubines: she came in unto the king no more, except i the king delighted in her, and that she were called by k name. 15 Now when the turn of T Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, (who had taken her for his daughter,) was come to go unto the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king's chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed. And Esther obtained favour I in the sight of all them that looked upon her. 16 So Esther was taken unto the king Ahasuerus into his house royal in the tenth month, (which is the month Tebeth,) in the seventh year of his reign. 17 And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she Haman seeketh revenge. ESTHER, III. obtained grace and 9 favour 10 in B. C. 519. his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti. 9 or, kind ness. He casteth lots. Mordecai: wherefore Haman sought to destroy all g the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai. 7 In the first month, (that is, 18 Then the king made a great m feast unto all his princes and his 10before him. the month Nisan,) in the twelfth m ch.1.3. servants, even Esther's feast; and 19 And when the virgins were n Ne.8.12. 20 Esther had not yet showed her kindred nor her people, as Mordecai had charged her: for p Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him. 21 T In those days, (while Mordecai sat in the king's gate,) two of the king's chamberlains, 12 Bigthan and Teresh, of those which kept the 13 door, were wroth, and sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus. P Ep.6. 1,3. year of king Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, h 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 T And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and i their laws are diverse from all people; neither keep they the king's laws: therefore it is not 1 for the king's 13 threshold.profit to suffer them. 12 or, Big- q ch.6. 1,2. (CHAP. 3.) a Nu.24.7. 1Sa. 15.8,33. c Ps. 15.4. 22 And the thing was known to Mordecai, who q told it unto Esther b Ge.41.43. the queen, and Esther certified the king thereof in Mordecai's name. 23 And when inquisition was made of the matter, it was found out; therefore they were both hanged on a tree: and it was written in the book of the chronicles before the king. CHAPTER III. d ver.2. e ver.2. If Ge.4.5,6. Re. 12.17. FTER these things did king g Ahasuerus promote Haman the Ps.83.4. son of Hammedatha the Agagite, a and advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes that were with him. 2 And all the king's servants, that were in the king's gate, bowed, b and reverenced Haman: for the 1 king had so commanded concerning him: but Mordecai bowed not, c nor did him reverence. h ch.9.24. i Ezr.4.13. meet, or, 2 to destroy 3 Then the king's servants, which were in the king's gate, said unto 3 weigh. Mordecai, Why transgressest thou the king's d commandment? 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, e nor did him reverence, then was Haman full off wrath. 6 And he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they had showed him the people of 9 If it please the king, let it be written 2 that they may be destroyed and I will 3 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. 10 And the king tookk his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews' 4 enemy. 11 And the king said unto Hainan, The silver is given to thee, the people also, to do with them as it seemeth good to thee. 12 Then? were the king's 5 scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the king's lieutenants, and to the governors 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; inm the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king's ring. 13 And the letters were sent by posts into all the king's provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, even upon the thirteenth 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 posts went out, being hastened by the king's commandm 1Ki.21.8. ment, and the decree was given in Shushan the palace. And the king n Pr.29.2. and Haman sat down to drink; but n the city of Shushan was perplexed. The great mourning of Mordecai and the Jews. ESTHER, IV, V. B. C. 510. (CHAP. 4.) sa.1.11. a2Sa. 1.11. Job 1.20. b Jos.7.6. Eze.27.30. Jon.3.6. c Ge.27.34. d Is.22.4,5. WHEN Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai renta his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, b and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter c cry; 2 And came even before the king's gate for none might enter into the king's gate clothed with sackcloth. 3 And in every province, whithersoever the king's commandment 1 sackcloth and his decree came, there was great mourning d among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes. 4 T So Esther's maids and her 37.1-3. and ashes were laid under many, Is.58.5. Da.9.3. 2 chamberlains came and told it 2 eunuchs. her. Then was the queen exceedingly grieved; and she sent raiment e Ps.77.2. to clothe Mordecai, and to take 3 set before. away his sackcloth from him: bute he received it not. f ch.3.9. 5 Then called Esther for Hatach, g ch.3.14,15. one of the king's chamberlains, whom he had 3 appointed to attend h Ne.2.4. upon her, and gave him a commandment to Mordecai, to know i ch.5.1. what it was, and why it was. Pr.21.1. 8,4. 6 So Hatach went forth to Mor-k Da.2.9. decai unto the street of the city, I ch.5.2. which was before the king's gate. 7 And Mordecai told him of all that had happened unto him, and~~~ of the sum off the money that Haman had promised to pay to them Pr.24.11, king's treasuries for the Jews to destroy them. 12. n Nu.23.23. 1Sa. 12.22. respiration Job 9.18. 8 Also he gave him the copy of the writing g of the decree that was given at Shushan to destroy 4 them, to show it unto Esther, and to declare it unto her, and to charge her that she should go in unto the king, to make supplicationḥ unto him, and to make request before him for her people. 9 And Hatach came and told 6 passed. Esther the words of Mordecai. 11 All the king's servants, and the people of the king's provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner i court, who is not called, there is one k law of his to put him to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days. 12 And they told to Mordecai Esther's words. 13 Then Mordecai commanded to found. o Jon.3.4-9. p Ge.43.14. Esther appointeth a banquet. answer Esther, Think not m with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house,more than all the Jews. 14 Forn if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there 4 enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this ? 15 Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer, 16 Go, gather together all the Jews that are 5 present in Shushan, and fast o ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law and if Ip perish, I perish. 17 So Mordecai 6 went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him. CHAPTER V. Esther obtaineth the grace of the OW it came to pass on the third a day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court b of the king's house, over against the king's house: and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the gate of the house. 2 And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favour c in his sight: and the king held outd to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre. 3 Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, queen Esther and what is thy request? ite shall be even given thee to the half of the kingdom. 4 And Esther answered, If it seem good unto the king, let the king and Haman come this day unto the banquet that I have prepared for him. 5 Then the king said, Cause Haman to make haste, that he may do as Esther hath said. So the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared. 6 T And the king said unto Esther at the banquet of wine, Whatf is thy petition? and it shall be granted thee and what is thy request? eveny to the half of the kingdom it shall be performed. 7 Then answered Esther, and said My petition and my request is; 8 If I have found favour in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to grant my petition, and The pride of Haman. 1 ch.3.5. Mat.2.16. come. Haman's counsel. 6 So Haman came in. And the king said unto him, What shall be done unto the man 4 whom the | king delighteth to honour? Nowc Haman thought in his heart, To whom would the king delight to do honour more than to myself? 7 And Haman answered the king. For the man 5 whom the king delighteth to honour, ESTHER, VI, VII. to perform my request, let the B. C. 510. king and Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them, 1 do. and I will do to-morrow as the king | hath said. 9 Then went Haman forth that day joyful and with a glad heart: but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate, that h he stood not up, nor moved for him, he was full of indignation against Mordecai. 10 Nevertheless Haman i frained himself: and when he came home, he sent and 2 called for his friends, and Zeresh his wife. 11 And Haman told them of the glory of his riches, and the multi-n ch.7.9. tude of his children, and all the o ch.6.4. things wherein the king had pro-p Ps.37.14,32. moted him, and how he had advanced him above the princes and servants of the king. k ch.9.12,13. m 1Ki,21.4. 3 tree. (CHAP. 6.) 1 the king's than, a threshold. b Ec.9.15. 12 Haman said moreover, Yea, Esther the queen did let no man come in with the king unto the banquet that she had prepared but myself; and to-morrow am I invited unto her also with the king. 13 Yet m all this availeth me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate. 14 T Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto him, Let a 3 gallows n be made of fifty cubits high, and to-morrow speak o thou unto the king that Mordecai may be hanged thereon: then go thou in merrily with the king unto the c banquet. And the thing pleased | 5 Haman; and he caused the gallows to be made.p CHAPTER VI. Ahasuerus rewardeth Mordecai. N that night could not the king sleep, and he commanded to bring the book a of records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king. 2 And it was found written, that Mordecai had told of 2 Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's chamberlains, the keepers of the a door, who sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus. 3 And the king said, What honour and dignity hath been done to Mordecai for this? Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, There is nothing b done for him. 4 T And the king said, Who is in the court? (Now Haman was come into 4 in whose honour honour Job 15.24. 8 Let the royal apparel be brought 7 which the king useth to wear, and the horse that the king rideth upon, and the crown royal which is set upon his head : 9 And let this apparel and horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king's most noble princes, that whom the king delighteth to hothey may array the man withal nour, and 8 bring him on horseback through the street of the city, and d proclaim before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honour. 10 Then the king said to Haman Make haste, and take the apparel and the horse, as thou hast said, and do even so to Mordecai the Jew, that sitteth at the king's gate: 9 let nothing fail of all that thou hast spoken. 11 Then took Haman the apparel and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai, and brought him on horseback through the street of the city. and proclaimed before him, Thus shall it be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour. 12 T And Mordecai came again to the king's gate. But Haman hasted e to his house mourning, and having his head covered.ƒ 13 And Haman told Zeresh his wife and all his friends every thing that had befallen him. Then said his wise men and Zeresh his wife unto him, Ifg Mordecai be of the seed of the Jews, before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou shalt not prevail against him, but shalt surely fall h before him. 14 And while they were yet talking with him, came the king's chamberlains, and hasted to bring Haman unto the banquet that i Esther had prepared. house, to tward cont of the king's Pr.28.18. Sto banquet with Esther the h speak the to hang Mordecai on the gallows that ne had prepared for him.) 5 T And the king's servants said (CHAP. 7.) Esther on the second day at the unto him, Behold, Haman standeth in the court. And the king said, Let him come in. |