The following events happened in the days of Ahasuerus. (I am referring to that Ahasuerus who used to rule over a hundred and twenty-seven provinces extending all the way from India to Ethiopia.)

In the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him:

And he displayed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the splendor of his great majesty for many days, 180 days in all.

And when these days were expired, the king made a feast unto all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both unto great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king's palace;

There were hangings of white cloth , of green, and of blue, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble: the couches were of gold and silver, upon a pavement of red, and white, and yellow, and black marble.

Drinks were served in golden containers, all of which differed from one another. Royal wine was available in abundance at the king's expense.

And the drinking was according to the law; none did compel: for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man's pleasure.

A week later, when the king was under the influence of all that wine, he ordered Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven eunuchs who served King Ahasuerus,

And the queen Vashti will refuse to come in at the word of the king which was by the hand of the eunuchs: and the king will be angry greatly, and his wrath burnt in him.

Then the king said to the wise men, which knew the times, (for so was the king's manner toward all that knew law and judgment:

And Memucan answered before the king and the princes, Vashti the queen hath not done wrong to the king only, but also to all the princes, and to all the people that are in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus.

For this deed of the queen shall come abroad unto all women, so that they shall despise their husbands in their eyes, when it shall be reported, The king Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she came not.

Likewise shall the ladies of Persia and Media say this day unto all the king's princes, which have heard of the deed of the queen. Thus shall there arise too much contempt and wrath.

{If it pleases} the king, let {a royal edict} go out from him, and let it be written among the laws of Persia and Media so that it will not be altered, that Vashti cannot come before King Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal position to her neighbor who [is] better than she.

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.

And the word will be good in the eyes of the king and the chiefs; and the king will do according to the word of Memucan.

For he sent letters into all the king's provinces, into every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language, that every man should bear rule in his own house, and that it should be published according to the language of every people.

And the king's young men will say, those serving him, They shall seek for the king, maidens, virgins good of appearance:

And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the fair young virgins unto Shushan the palace, to the house of the women, unto the custody of Hege the king's chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their things for purification be given them:

Then the young woman who pleases the king will become queen instead of Vashti.” This suggestion pleased the king, and he did accordingly.

And he will be nourishing Hadassah (this is Esther) his uncle's daughter: for not to her, father and mother, and the maiden beautiful of form and good of aspect; and in the death of her father and her mother; Mordecai took her to him for a daughter.

And it will be in hearing the word of the king and his edict, and in the gathering together of the many maidens to Shushan the fortress, to the hand of Hegai, and Esther will be taken to the house of the king to the hand of Hegai watching the women.

And the maiden will be good in his eyes, and she will receive mercy before him; and he will hasten her purifications, and to give her portion to her, and to give to her seven chosen maidens from the house of the king: and he will change her and her maidens for good to the house of the women.

Every day Mordecai would walk back and forth in front of the court of the harem to find out about Esther's well-being and what was happening to her.

Now when every maid's 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;)

and with this the young woman hath come in unto the king, all that she saith is given to her, to go in with her, out of the house of the women, unto the house of the king;

In the evening she came, and in the morning she turned back to the second house of the women, to the hand of Shaashgaz, the king's eunuch watching the concubines: she will no more come to the king except the king delighted in her, and she was called by name.

Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, was come to go in unto the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king's chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed. And Esther obtained favour in the sight of all them that looked upon her.

And Esther will be taken to the king Ahasuerus, to the house of his kingdom, in the tenth month, this the month Tebeth, in the seventh year to his kingdom.

And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.

Then the king made a great feast unto all his princes and his servants, even Esther's feast; and he made a release to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the state of the king.

Esther still had not revealed her birthplace or her ethnic background, as Mordecai had directed. She obeyed Mordecai’s orders, as she always had while he raised her.

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.

And the word will be known to Mordecai, and he will announce to Esther the queen; and Esther will tell to the king in the name of Mordecai.

And the word will be sought out and found, and they two will be hung upon a tree: and it will be written in the book of the words of the days before the king.

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

And all the king's servants, that were in the king's gate, bowed, and reverenced Haman: for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence.

And the king's servants that were in the king's gate will say to Mordecai, Wherefore dost thou pass by the king's Command?

And it will be in their saying to him day and day, and he will not hear to them, and they will announce to Haman to see whether the words of Mordecai will stand: for he announced to them that he was a Jew.

And Haman will see that Mordecai bowed not, and not worshiping to him, and Haman will be filled with wrath.

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 that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai.

And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from all people; neither keep they the king's laws: therefore it is not for the king's profit to suffer them.

If it please the king, let it be 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.

And the king will remove the signet ring from his hand, and will give it to Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, to press the Jews.

And the king will say to Haman, The silver is given to thee, and the people, to do with them as is good in thine eyes.

Then were the king's scribes 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.

And the letters were sent 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.

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.

The couriers left, spurred on by royal command, and the law was issued in the fortress of Susa. The king and Haman sat down to drink, while the city of Susa was in confusion.

When Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry;

And he will come even before the king's gate: for none to come into the king's gate in putting on sackcloth.

And in all lands and places, as far as the king's word and commandment extended, there was great lamentation among the Jews and many fasted, wept, mourned and lay in sackcloth and in ashes.

And Esther's maidens will go in, and her eunuchs, and they will announce to her: and the queen will be greatly grieved; and she will send garments to clothe Mordecai and to put away his sackcloth from off him: and he received not

And Esther will call to Hatach from the king's eunuchs, whom he caused to stand before her, and she will give him a charge to Mordecai, to know what this, and for what this

And Mordecai told him of all that had happened unto him, and of the sum of the money that Haman had promised to pay to the king's treasuries for the Jews, to destroy them.

And Hatach will go in and announce to Esther the words of Mordecai.

And Esther will say to Hatach, and will give him a charge to Mordecai;

All the king's servants, and the people of the king's provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law of his to put him to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days.

And they will announce to Mordecai, Esther's words.

Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews.

For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then will relief and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place, but thou and thy father's house will perish: and who knoweth whether thou art not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?

And Esther will tell to turn back to Mordecai:

Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.

So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.

{ And it will be in the third day, Esther will put on dominion, and she will stand in the enclosure of the king's house, the interior before the king's house: and the king will sit upon the throne of his kingdom, in the house of the kingdom, before the door of the house.}

And it will be when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the enclosure, she received favor in his eyes: and the king will stretch out to Esther the sceptre of gold which is in his hand: and Esther will draw near and touch upon the head of the sceptre.

Then the king said to her, “What is troubling you, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given to you, up to half of the kingdom.”

And Esther will say, If good to the king, will the king come, and Haman, this day, to the drinking which I made for him?

And the king will say, Hasten ye Haman to do the word of Esther. And the king will go in, and Haman, to the drinking which Esther made.

And the king said to Esther {while they were drinking wine}, "What [is] your petition? It will be given to you. What [is] your request? Even half the kingdom, it will done.

And Esther will answer and say, My asking and my seeking:

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, let 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.

And Haman went forth in that day being glad and good of heart: and when Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate, and he rose not up and moved not himself for him, and Haman will be filled with wrath against Mordecai.

And Haman will contain himself, and will go in to his house; and he will send and cause his friends to come, and Zeresh his wife.

And Haman told them of the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his children, and all the things wherein the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the princes and servants of the king.

And Haman will say also, Esther the queen caused none to come in with the king to the drinking which she made but me; and also to-morrow I am called to her with the king.

Yet all this availeth me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate.

Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto him, Let a gallows be made of fifty cubits high, and to morrow 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 be made.

That night the king was unable to get any sleep; and he sent for the books of the records; and while some one was reading them to the king,

And it will be found written that Mordecai announced concerning Bigthana and Teresh, the king's two eunuchs watching the threshold, who sought to stretch forth the hand upon the king Ahasuerus.

And the king will say, What honor was done and greatness to Mordecai for this? And the young men of the king serving him will say, Not a word was done with him.

And the king will say, Who is in the enclosure? And Haman came to the enclosure of the king's house the exterior, to say to the king to hang Mordecai upon the tree which he prepared for him.

And the king's young men will say to him, Behold, Haman standing in the enclosure. And the king will say, He shall 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?

And Haman will say to the king, The man whom the king delighted in his honor,

And let the clothing and the horse be given {to the man} by the officials of the king's nobles; let them cloth the man whom the king wishes to honor, and let him ride on his horse through the public square of the city, and let them proclaim before him, 'Thus, it will be done for the man whom the king wishes to honor.'"

Then the king said to Haman, Make haste, and take the apparel and the horse, as thou hast said, and do even so to Mordecai the Jew, that sitteth at the king's gate: let nothing fail of all that thou hast spoken.

And Haman will take the clothing and the horse, and he will clothe Mordecai, and cause him to ride in the broad place of the city, and he will call before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delighted in his honor.

Then Mordecai returned to the king's gate, while Haman hurried to his house, mourning and hiding his face.

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.

And while they were yet talking with him, came the king's chamberlains, and hasted to bring Haman unto the banquet that Esther had prepared.

And the king will go in and Haman to drink with Esther the queen.

And the king again said to Esther, on the second day {while they were drinking}, "What [is] your petition, Queen Esther? It will be given to you. What [is] your request? It will be given [to you]--even half the kingdom."

And Esther the queen will answer and say, If I found grace in thine eyes, O king, and if good to the king, my soul shall be given to me in my asking, and my people in my seeking

for we have been sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, killed and wiped out of existence. Now if we had only been sold as slaves, men and women, I would have remained silent, for our hardship would not be sufficient to burden the king [by even mentioning it].”

And the king Ahasuerus will say, and he will say to Esther the queen, Who is he, and where is he, whom his heart filled him to do thus?

And Esther will say, The man, the adversary and enemy, this evil Haman., And Haman was terrified from before the king and the queen.

The king got up from the banquet in anger and went out to the palace garden, while Haman stood there begging Queen Esther to spare his life, because he realized that the king intended to harm him.

Then the king returned out of the palace garden into the place of the banquet of wine; and Haman was fallen upon the bed whereon Esther was. Then said the king, Will he force the queen also before me in the house? As the word went out of the king's mouth, they covered Haman's face.

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.