for this deed of the queen shall come abroad unto all women, so that they shall despise their husbands before their eyes, and shall say, 'The king Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to come before him, but she would not.'

And so shall the princesses in Persia and Media say likewise unto all the king's princes, when they hear of this deed of the queen, thus shall there arise dispitefulness and wrath enough.

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."

This pleased the king and the princes, and the king did according to the word of Memucan.

Then were there letters sent forth into all the king's lands, into every land according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language, that every man should be lord in his own house. And this caused he to be spoken after the language of his people.

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

And when they spake this daily unto him and he followed them not, they told Haman, that they might see whether Mordecai's matters would endure: for he had told them that he was a Jew.

In the first month, that is the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of king Ahasuerus they cast Pur - that is, a lot - before Haman, on what day and what month this should be done: and it went out the twelfth month, that is the month Adar.

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.

This was the sum of the writing, that there should be a commandment given in all lands, to be published unto all people, that they should be ready against the same day.

"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."

for if thou holdest thy peace at this time, then shall the Jews have help and deliverance out of another place, and thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed. And who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom, for this time's sake?"

Esther bade, "Give Mordecai this answer:

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

But in all this am I not satisfied as long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate."

And let this raiment and horse be delivered under the hand of one of the king's princes, that he may array the man withal, whom the king would fain honour: and carry him upon the horse through the streets of the city, and cause it to be proclaimed before him, 'Thus shall it be done to every man, whom the king would fain honour.'"

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

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."

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.

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.

And queen Esther the daughter of Abihail and Mordecai the Jew wrote with all authority, to confirm this second writing of Purim,

And Esther commanded to establish these acts of this Purim, and to write them in a book.