And, the drinking, was according to the law, no one compelling, - for, so, had the king appointed unto every chief of his household, that every man, should do according to his pleasure.

Then said the king unto the wise men having knowledge of the times, - for, so, was the manner of the king before all having knowledge of law and judgment;

For the report of the queen, will go forth, unto all women, so putting contempt upon their lords, in their eyes, - when it is reported to them, King Ahasuerus, commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she came not.

If, unto the king, it seem good, let there go forth a royal declaration from before him, and let it be written among the laws of Persia and Media, so that it shall not pass away, - That Vashti, is not to come in, before King Ahasuerus, and, her royal estate, let the king give unto her neighbour, who is better than she.

So he sent letters, into all the provinces of the king, into every province according to she writing thereof, and unto every people according to their tongue, - That every man should he ruler in his own house, and issue his commands, according to the tongue of his people.

and, the maiden that is pleasing in the eyes of the king, let her be queen instead of Vashti. And the thing seemed good in the eyes of the king, and he did so.

And it came to pass, that he was bringing up Hadassah, the same, was Esther, his uncle's daughter, for she had neither father nor mother, - and, the maiden, was of beautiful form and pleasing appearance, and when her father and mother died, Mordecai took her for his own daughter.

So it came to pass, when the king's command and decree was heard, and there had been gathered together many maidens unto Shusan the palace, unto the custody of Hegai, that Esther was taken into the house of the king, unto the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women;

Now, when the turn of each maiden came, to go in unto King Ahasuerus, after it had been done to her according to the law of the women for twelve months, for, so, were filled the days of their purification, - six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with perfumes, and with things for the purification of the women,

in the evening, she went in, and, in the morning, she returned - unto the second house of the women, unto the custody of Shaashgaz the king's eunuch, who kept the concubines, - she went not in again unto the king, except the king delighted in her, and she were called by name.

But, when the turn came for Esther daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai - who had taken her as his own daughter - to go in unto the king, she requested nothing, save what Hegai the king's eunuch who kept the women might direct, - but so it was, that Esther obtained favour in the eyes of all who beheld her.

So then Esther was taken unto King Ahasuerus, into his royal house, in the tenth month, the same, was the month Tebeth, - in the seventh year of his reign.

And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained favour and lovingkindness before him, above all the virgins, - so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen, instead of Vashti.

And, all the kings servants who were in the kings gate, used to bend and bow themselves down unto Haman, for, so, had the king given command concerning him, - but, Mordecai, bent not nor bowed himself down.

Then said the king's servants who were in the king's gate unto Mordecai, -

Wherefore art, thou, transgressing the command of the king? And it came to pass, when they had spoken unto him day by day, and he had not hearkened unto them, that they told Haman, to see whether the account of Mordecai would stand, for he had told them, that, he, was a Jew.

And, when Haman saw that Mordecai did not bend nor bow down unto him, then was Haman filled with wrath;

So then the king took his signet-ring from off his hand, and gave it unto Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the adversary of the Jews;

So the maidens of Esther and her eunuchs went in and told her, and the queen writhed in great anguish, - and sent garments to clothe Mordecai, and to remove his sackcloth from off him, but he accepted them not.

So Hathach went forth unto Mordecai, - in the broadway of the city, which was before the gate of the king.

But, if thou, do indeed hold thy peace, at this time, respite and deliverance, will be appointed for the Jews, from another place, but, thou, and thy father's house, will perish, - and who knoweth whether, for a time such as this, thou hast attained unto the royal estate?

Go! gather ye together all the Jews who are to be found in Shusan, and fast ye for me - and neither eat nor drink - three days, night nor day, and, I and my maidens, will fast so, - and, in this manner, will I go in unto the king, though it is not according to the law, and, when I have perished, I have perished!

So Mordecai departed, - and did according to all that Esther had charged upon him.

And it came to pass, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favour in his eyes, - and the king held out to Esther, the golden sceptre which was in his hand, so Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre.

And the king said, Hasten ye Haman, to perform the word of Esther. So the king with Haman came in, unto the banquet which Esther had prepared,

Then went Haman forth on that day, joyful and of a merry heart, - but, when Haman saw Mordecai in the gate of the king, that he rose not up nor moved because of him, then was Haman filled with wrath against Mordecai.

Yet, all this, sufficeth me not, - so long as, I, see Mordecai the Jew, sitting in the gate of the king.

Then said the king, What honour and dignity hath been done unto Mordecai, for this? Then said the king's young men, who were ministering unto him, Nothing hath been done for him.

So the king's young men said unto him, Lo! Haman, standing in the court. And the king said, Let him come in.

So Haman came in, and the king said unto him, What shall be done unto the man in whose honour, the king delighteth? Then said Haman, in his own heart, Unto whom will the king delight to do honour, more than unto me?

So Haman said unto the king, - As touching the man in whose honour, the king, delighteth,

and let the apparel and the horse be delivered unto the hand of one of the king's rulers, one of the nobles, and so let them array the man, in whose honour, the king, delighteth, - and cause him to ride upon the horse through the broadway of the city, and let them proclaim before him, Thus and thus, shall it be done unto the man in whose honour, the king, delighteth!

Then said the king unto Haman, Haste, take the apparel and the horse, just as thou hast said, and do even so unto Mordecai the Jew, who is sitting in the kings gate, - do not let fail a thing, of all which thou hast spoken!

So Haman took the apparel and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai, - and caused him to ride through the broadway of the city, and proclaimed before him, Thus and thus, shall it be done unto the man in whoso honour, the king, delighteth!

So the king and Haman came in, to banquet with Esther the queen.

Now, the king, arising in his wrath from the banquet of wine, and going into the palace garden, Haman, stood to make request for his life from Esther the queen, for he saw that ruin, was determined against him, by the king.

Then said Harbonah - one of the eunuchs before the king - Yea lo! the gallows that Haman made ready for Mordecai, who had spoken well for the king, is standing in Haman's house, of a height of fifty cubits. Then said the king, Hang him thereon.

So they hanged Haman on the gallows which he had prepared for Mordecai, - and, the wrath of the king, was appeased.

And the king held out unto Esther, the golden sceptre, - so Esther arose, and stood before the king;

For how can I endure to see the ruin that shall overtake my people? or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?

Ye, therefore, write concerning the Jews as may seem good in your own eyes, in the name of the king, and seal it with the kings signet-ring, - for a writing which hath been written in the king's name, and sealed with the king's signet-ring, none can reverse.

and he wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus, and sealed it with the king's signet-ring, - and sent letters by the hand of runners on horses, riding the swift steeds used in the kings service, bred of the stud:

The runners that rode on the swift steeds used in the king's service, went forth, being urged forward and pressed on, by the word of the king, - and, the edict, was given in Shusan the palace.

And, in the twelfth month, the same, is the month Adar, on the thirteenth day thereof, when the word of the king and his edict arrived to be put in execution, - on the day when the enemies of the Jews hoped to have power over them, though it, was changed, so that the Jews themselves should have power over them who hated them,

So then the Jews smote all their enemies, with the smiting of the sword and slaughter, and destruction, - and they dealt with them who hated them according to their pleasure.

And the king commanded it to be done so, and there was given an edict, in Shusan, - and, the ten sons of Haman, they hanged.

So the Jews who were in Shusan assembled themselves together, on the fourteenth day also, of the month Adar, and slew in Shusan three hundred men, - but, on the spoil, thrust they not forth their hand.

but, by Esther's going in before the king, he commanded by letter, that his wicked plot which he had plotted against the Jews, should return, upon his own head, - and that he and his sons should be hanged upon the gallows.

And King Ahasuerus laid tribute upon the land, and upon the shores of the sea.