It fortuned in the days of Ahasuerus - which reigned from India unto Ethiopia, over a hundred and seven and twenty lands -

even in those days when the king Ahasuerus sat on his seat royal which was in Susa, the chief city,

and the next unto him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of the Persians and Medes, which saw the king's face, and sat above in the kingdom.

And when this commandment of the king, which shall be made, is published throughout all his empire - which is great - all women shall hold their husbands in honor; both among great and small."

And look which damsel pleaseth the king, let her be queen in Vashti's stead." This pleased the king, and he did so.

which was carried away from Jerusalem, when Jechoniah the king of Judah was led away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon carried away;

And when one came in the evening, the same went from him on the morrow into the second house of women, under the hand of Shaashgaz, the king's chamberlain which kept the concubines. And she must come in unto the king no more, except it pleased the king, and that he caused her to be called by name.

Now when the time came of Esther the daughter of Abihail, the uncle of Mordecai, which had received her as his own daughter, that she should come to the king, she desired nothing but what Hegei the king's chamberlain the keeper of the women, said. And Esther found favour in the sight of all them that looked upon her.

And Esther was taken unto king Ahasuerus in to the house royal, in the tenth month, which is called Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.

And the king made a great feast unto all his princes and his servants - which feast was because of Esther - and let the lands be in quietness, and gave royal gifts.

At the same time, while Mordecai sat in the king's gate, two of the king's chamberlains, Bigthan and Teresh which kept the door, were wroth, and sought to lay their hands on the king Ahasuerus:

Then the king's servants which were in the king's gate, said unto Mordecai, "Why transgressest thou the king's commandment?"

And the writings were sent by posts into all the king's lands, to root out, to kill, and to destroy all Jews, both young and old, children and women in one day, - namely upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar - and to spoil their goods.

Then Esther called Hathach, one of the king's chamberlains which stood before her, and gave him a commandment to Mordecai, that he might know what it were, and wherefore he did so.

So Hathach went forth to Mordecai unto the street of the city, which was before the king's gate.

"All the king's servants, and the people in the lands of the king know that whosoever cometh within the court unto the king, whether it be man or woman, which is not called, the commandment is that the same shall die immediately, except the king hold out the golden scepter unto him, that he may live. As for me, I have not been called to come in to the king now this thirty days."

The same night could not the king sleep, and he commanded to bring the Chronicles and the stories: which when they were read before the king,

they happened on the place where it was written how Mordecai had told, that the king's two chamberlains which kept the thresholds sought to lay hands on king Ahasuerus.

that he may be arrayed with the royal garments which the king useth to wear: and the horse that the king rideth upon, and that the crown royal may be set upon his head.

And Harbona, one of the chamberlains that stood before the king, said, "Behold, there standeth a gallows in Haman's house fifty cubits high, which he had made for Mordecai, that spake good for the king." The king said, "Hang him thereon."

And the king put off his finger ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.

and said, "If it please the king, and if I have found grace in his sight, and if it be convenient for the king, and if it be accepted in his sight, then let it be written, that the letters of the device of Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, may be called again: which letters he wrote, to destroy the Jews in all the king's lands.

upon one day in all the lands of king Ahasuerus, namely upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar.

In the twelfth month, that is the month Adar, upon the thirteenth day, which the king's word and commandment had appointed, that it should be done, even upon the same day that the enemies should have destroyed the Jews to have oppressed them, it turned contrary wise, even that the Jews should subdue their enemies.

This was done on the thirteenth day of the month Adar, and on the fourteenth day of the same month rested they, which day they ordained to be a day of feasting and gladness.

and how Esther went and spake to the king, that through letters his wicked device - which he imagined against the Jews - might be turned upon his own head, and how he and his sons were hanged on the tree.

For the which cause they called this day Purim after the name of Pur, according to all the words of this writing: and what they themselves had seen, and what had happened unto them.

how that these days are not to be forgotten, but to be kept of the children's children among all kindreds in all lands and cities. They are the days of Purim, which are not to be overslipped among the Jews, and the memorial of them ought not to perish from their seed.

As for all the work of his power and authority, and the great worship of Mordecai, which the king gave him, behold, it is written in the Chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia.