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.

Then said Memucan before the king and the princes, "The queen Vashti hath not only done evil against the king but also against all the princes and all the people in all the lands of king Ahasuerus:

Then said the king's servants, "Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king,

And the damsel pleased him, and she found grace in his sight. And he caused her ointment to be given her, and her gifts, and gave her seven comely damsels out of the king's house, and favored both her and her gentle women singularly in the house of the women.

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 the king loved Esther above all the women, and she found grace and mercy in his sight before all the virgins: and he set the queens crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.

And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, Mordecai sat in the king's gate.

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:

After these acts did the king promote Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and set him high, and set his seat above all the princes that were with him.

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

And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, "There is a people scattered abroad and dispersed among all people in all the lands of thine empire, and their law is contrary unto all people, and they do not after the king's laws, neither is it the king's profit to suffer them after this manner.

And the king said unto Haman, "Let the silver be given thee, and that people also, to do withal what pleaseth thee."

Then were the king's scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written, according as Haman commanded, unto the king's princes, and to the captains everywhere in the lands, and to the rulers of every people in the countries on every side, according to the writing of every nation, and after their language in the name of king Ahasuerus, and sealed with the king's ring.

And the posts went in all the haste according to the king's commandment. And in the castle of Susa was the commandment devised. And the king and Haman sat and drank. But the city Susa was disquieted.

And on the third day put Esther on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king's palace within, over against the king's house. And the king sat upon his royal seat in the king's palace over against the gate of the house.

And when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, she found grace in his sight. And the king held out the golden scepter in his hand toward Esther. So Esther stepped forth, and touched the top of the scepter.

Then said the king unto her, "What wilt thou, queen Esther? And what requirest thou? Ask even the half of the empire, and it shall be given thee."

Esther said, "If it please the king, let the king and Haman come this day unto the banquet that I have prepared."

The king said, "Cause Haman to make haste, that he may do as Esther hath said." Now when the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared,

the king said unto Esther, when he had drunken wine, "Esther what is thy petition? And it shall be given thee. And what requirest thou? Even the half of the empire, it shall be done."

Then answered Esther and said, "My petition and desire is,

if I have found grace in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to give me my petition, and to fulfill my request, then let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them, and so will I do tomorrow as the king hath said."

Haman said moreover, "Yea and Esther the queen let no man come with the king unto the banquet that she had prepared, except me, and tomorrow am I bidden unto her also with the king.

Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto him, "Let them make a gallows of fifty cubits high, and tomorrow speak thou unto the king, that Mordecai may be hanged thereon, if thou comest merrily with the king unto the banquet." Haman was well content withal, and caused a gallows to be prepared.

And the king said, "What worship and good have we done to Mordecai therefore?" Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, "There is nothing done for him."

And the king said, "Who is in the court?" For Haman was gone into the court without before the king's house, that he might speak unto the king to hang Mordecai on the tree, that he had prepared for him.

And the king's servants said unto him, "Behold, Haman standeth in the court." The king said, "Let him come in."

And when Haman came in, the king said unto him, "What shall be done unto the man, whom the king would fain bring unto worship?" But Haman thought in his heart, "Whom desireth the king to bring unto worship, more than me?"

And Haman said unto the king, "Let the man unto whom the king would be glad to do worship, be brought hither,

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.

The king said, "Make haste, and take, as thou hath said, the raiment and the horse: and do even so with Mordecai the Jew that sitteth before the king's gate; and let nothing fail of all that thou hast spoken."

and told Zeresh his wife and all his friends, everything that had happened him. Then said his wise men and Zeresh his wife unto him, "If it be Mordecai of the seed of the Jews, before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou canst do nothing unto him, but shalt fall before him."

the king said unto Esther on the second day, when he had drunken wine, "What is thy petition queen Esther, that it may be given thee? And what requirest thou? Yea, ask even half of the empire, and it shall be done."

Esther the queen answered and said: If I have found grace in thy sight, O king, and if it please the king, then grant me my life at my desire and my people for my petition's sake:

The king Ahasuerus spake and said unto queen Esther, "Who is he? And where is he that dare presume in his mind to do such a thing after that manner?"

Esther said, "The enemy and adversary is this wicked Haman." As for Haman, he was exceedingly afraid before the king and the queen.

And when the king came again out of the palace garden into the parlor where they had eaten, Haman had laid him upon the bed that Esther sat upon. Then said the king, "Will he force the queen also? Beside me, in the house?" As soon as that word went out of the king's mouth, they covered Haman's face.

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.

Then said the king Ahasuerus unto queen Esther, and to Mordecai the Jew, "Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and him have they hanged upon a tree, because he laid hand upon the Jews.

And the king said unto queen Esther, "The Jews have slain and destroyed five hundred men at the castle of Susa, and the ten sons of Haman: What shall they do in the other lands of the king? What is thy petition, that it may be given thee? And what requirest thou more to be done?"

Esther said, "If it please the king, let him suffer the Jews tomorrow also to do according unto this day's commandment, that they may hang Haman's ten sons upon the tree."

And the Jews set it up, and took it upon them and their seed, and upon all such as joined themselves unto them, that they would not miss to observe these two days yearly, according as they were written and appointed;

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.

to confirm these days of Purim, in their time appointed, according as Mordecai the Jew and Esther the queen had ordained concerning them: like as they upon their soul and upon their seed had confirmed the acts of the fasting and of her complaint.

For Mordecai the Jew was the second next unto king Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and accepted among the multitude of his brethren, as one that seeketh the wealth of his people, and speaketh the best for all his seed.