Out of the choice of virgins Before about 519. † Heb. If it the king Heb. from before him. † Heb. ESTHER. unto all the king's princes, CHRIST which have heard of the deed of the queen. Thus shall there arise too much contempt and wrath. 19 If it please the king, let there go a royal commandment from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, that it be not that it pass altered, That Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate tunto another that is better than she. not away, Dan. 6. 8, 12, † Heb. unto her companion. P Eph. 5. 33. Col. 3. 18. 1 Pet. 3. 1. † Heb. was good in the eyes of the king. 4 ch. 8. 9. 23, 24. 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, both to great and small. 21 And the saying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did according to the word of Memucan: 22 For he sent letters into all the king's provinces, into every Eph. 5. 22, province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language, that every man should rbear rule in his own house, and that it should guage of his be published according to the language of every people. 1 Tim. 2. 12. † Heb. that one should publish it according to the lan people. 518. CHAPTER II. 1 Out of the choice of virgins a queen is to be chosen. 5 Mordecal the nursing a ther of Esther. 8 Esther is preferred by Hegni before the rest. 12 The manner of purification, and going in to the king. 15 Esther best pleasing the king is made queen. 21 Mordecai discovering a treason is recorded in the chronicles. AFTER the of king the wrath of king Ahasuerus was appeased, he remembered Vashti, and what she had a ch. 1. 19, 20. done, and a what 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 And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the fair young vir gins unto Shushan the palace, to the house of the women, tunto the custody of Hege the king's Oregai, chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their things for purification be given them: † Heb. unto the hand. ver. 8. 4 And let the maiden which pleaseth the king be queen in a queen is to be chosen. stead of Vashti. And the thing 6b Who had been carried away 11 And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women's house, to know how t Heb. to know the Esther did, and what should bepeace. come of her. 12 ¶ Now when every maid's about 515. 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, 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 Esther is made queen. Before CHRIST about 515. about 515. 8 ver. 7. 1Or, kindness. † Heb. her out of the house of the wo-out; therefore they were both CHAPTER III. Haman, advanced by the king, and despised Before CHRIST about 514. m ch. 6. 1. except the king delighted in her, Ahasuerus promote Haman and that she were called by name. 16 So Esther was taken unto 17 And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour tin his sight more than all the virbefore him, gins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti. 18 Then the king made a great feast unto all his princes and his servants, even Esther's feast; and he made a trelease to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the state of the king. about 514. h ch. 1.3. ↑ Heb. rest. i ver. 21. ch. 3. 2. k ver. 10. I Or, 1 ch. 6. 2. 19 And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, then Mordecai sat in the king's gate. 20 Esther had not yet shewed her kindred nor her people, as Mordecai had charged her: for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him. 21 In those days, while Mordecai sat in the king's gate, two of the king's chamberlains, Bigthan and Teresh, of those which kept the door, were wroth, and sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus. 1 Sam. 15. 8. the son of Hammedatha the 2 And all the king's servants, ence. 3 Then the king's servants, which were in the king's gate, said unto Mordecai, Why transgressest thou the king's 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. © ver. 5. Ps. 15. 4. d ver. 2. ch. 5. 9. 5 And when Haman saw that Mordecai e bowed not, nor did ver.2. him reverence, then was Haman ffull of wrath. fDan. 3. 19. 6 And he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they had shewed him the people of Mordecai: wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews & Ps. 83. 4. that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai. 510. 7 In the first month, that is, the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of king Ahasuerus, they h ch. 9. 24. cast 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 said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered abroad and dis22 And the thing was known persed among the people in all to Mordecai, who told it unto the provinces of thy kingdom; Esther the queen; and Esther and their laws are diverse from i Ezra 4. 13. certified the king thereof in Mor-all people; neither keep they the decai's name. king's laws: therefore it is not for the king's profit to suffer t Heb. meet, them. 23 And when inquisition was made of the matter, it was found Acts 16. 20. or, equal. destroy the Jews. Before 510. ↑ Heb. to destroy them. ESTHER. 9 If it please the king, let it be CHRIST 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. † Heb.weigh. k Gen. 41. 42. 1 ch. 8. 2, 8. 1 Or, oppressor, ch. 7. 6. m ch. 8. 9. 1 Or. secretaries. ch. 1. 22. & 8. 9. 1 Kings 21.8. cli. 8. 8, 10. P ch. 8. 10. 4 ch. 8. 12, &c. rch. 8. 11. ch. 8. 13, 14. 10 And the king k took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews' enemy. 11 And the king said unto Haman, The silver is given to thee, the people also, to do with them as it seemeth good to thee. 12 m Then were the king's Iscribes 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; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king's ring. 13 And the letters were Psent 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 commandment, and the decree was given in Shushan the palace. And the king and Haman sat down to Seech. 8. 15. drink; but the city Shushan was perplexed. The great mourning of the Jews. 2 And came even before the Before king's gate: for none might enter CHRIST into the king's gate clothed with sackcloth. 3 And in every province, whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes. 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 his sackcloth from him: but he received it not. about 510. Heb. sack cloth and ashes were laid under Is. 58. 5. many, Dan. 9. 3. † Heb. eunuchs. he had set before her. 5 Then called Esther for Hatach, one of the king's chamberlains, † whom he had appointed to at-Heb. whom tend 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 the city, which was before the king's gate. 7 And Mordecai told him of all that had happened unto him, and of d the sum of the money deh. 3. 9. that Haman had promised to pay to the king's treasuries for the Jews, to destroy them. 8 Also he gave him the copy ch. 3. 14, 15. of the writing of the decree that was given at Shushan to destroy them, to shew it unto Esther, and to declare it unto her, and to charge her that she should go in unto the king, to make supplication unto him, and to make request before him for her people. 9 And Hatach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai. 10 ¶ Again Esther spake unto Hatach, and gave him commandment unto Mordecai; a See ch.4. 16. & 6. 4. 17 So Mordecai † went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him. CHAPTER V. 1 Esther, adventuring on the king's favour, obtameth the grace of the golden sceptre, TOW it came to pass a on the Haman prepareth a gallows. about 510. do as Esther hath said. So the Before 6 And the king said unto 7 Then answered Esther, and said, My petition and my request is; fch. 7. 2. 6 ch. 9. 12. 8 If I have found favour in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to grant my petition, and to perform my request, lett Heb. to do. the king and Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them, 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, hthat he stood not up, nor h ch. 3. 5. moved for him, he was full of indignation against Mordecai. 10 Nevertheless Haman irefrained himself: and when he came home, he sent and called for his friends, and Zeresh his wife. iSo 2 Sam. 13. 22. Heb.caused to come. 11 And Haman told them of the glory of his riches, and the kch. 9.7, &c. Nthird clay, that Esther put multitude of his children, and on her royal apparel, and stood in b See ch.4.11. the inner court 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. all the things wherein the king 12 Haman said moreover, Yea, 13 Yet all this availeth me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate. 14 Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto him, Let amgallows be made of fifty cubits high, and to morrow Heb. tree. m ch. 7. 9. ch. 6. 4. speak thou unto the king that Mordecai may be hanged thereon: then go thou in merrily with the king unto the banquet. And the thing pleased Haman; and he caused the gallows to ch. 7. 10. be made. Mordecai's service. Before CHRIST about 510. † Heb. the Ling's sleep fled away. a ch. 2. 23. 1 Or, Bigthan, ch. 2. 21. † Heb. threshold, b See ch. 5. 1. ech. 5. 14. † Heb. in whose hon delighteth. CHAPTER VI. ESTHER. 1 Ahasuerus, reading in the chronicles of the good service done by Mordecai, taketh care for his reward. 4 Haman, coming to sue that Mordecai might be hanged, unawares giveth counsel that he might do him honour. 12 Complaining of his misfortune, his friends tell him of his final destiny. ON N that night + could not the king sleep, and he commanded to bring the book of records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king. And it was found written, that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's chamberlains, the keepers of the t 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 done for him. 4 And the king said, Who is in the court? Now Haman was come into the outward court of the king's house, to speak unto the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him. 5 And the king's servants said unto him, Behold, Haman standeth in the court. And the king said, Let him come in. Mordecai honoured. Before about 510. not a whit to fall. man, Make haste, and take the apparel and the horse, as thou CHRIST hast said, and do even so to Mordecai the Jew, that sitteth at the king's gate: tlet nothing! Heb. suffer 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. Sam. 15 30. Jer. 14.3, 4. 12 And Mordecai came again to the king's gate. But Haman fhasted to his house mourning, f2 Chr. 26. 20. and having his head covered. 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, If 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 before him. 14 And while they were yet talking with him, came the king's chamberlains, and hasted to bring Haman unto the banquet hel. 5. 8. that Esther had prepared. CHAPTER VII. 6 So Haman came in. And the 1 Esther, entertaining the king and Haman, king said unto him, What shall be done unto the man whom our the king the king delighteth to honour? Now Haman thought in his heart, To whom would the king delight to do honour more than to myself? † Heb. in whose hon our the king delighteth. t Heb. Let them bring the royal apparel. † Heb. wherewith the king clotheth himself. 7 And Haman answered the king, For the man whom the king delighteth to honour, 8 Let the royal apparel be brought 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 diKings 1.33. horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king's most noble princes, that they may array the man withal whom the king delighteth to honour, and bring him on horseback through the Gen. 41. 43. street of the city, and proclaim before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honour. † Heb. cause him to ride. 10 Then the king said to Ha 2 And the king said again unto Esther on the second day a at the "ch. 5. 6. banquet of wine, What is thy petition, queen Esther? and it shall be granted thee: and what is thy request? and it shall be performed, even to the half of the kingdom. 3 Then Esther the queen answered and said, If I have found favour in thy sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request: 4 For we are sold, I and my bch 3. 9. & people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my tongue, although the enemy could not countervail the king's damage. |