in the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and servants. And the mighty men of Persia and Media, the captains also, and rulers of his countries, were before him;

And when these days were expired, the king made a feast unto all the people that were in the castle of Susa, both unto great and small, seven days long in the court of the garden by the king's palace:

where there hanged white, red and yellow cloths, fastened with cords of linen and scarlet in silver rings, upon pillars of Marble stone. The benches were of gold and silver made upon a pavement of green, white, yellow and black Marble.

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 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.

Now when the king's commandment and commission was published, and many damsels were brought together unto the castle of Susa under the hand of Hegei, Esther was taken also unto the king's house under the hand of Hegei the keeper of the women.

And when the appointed time of every damsel came that she should come to the king Ahasuerus, after that she had been twelve months in the decking of the women - for their decking must have so much time, namely six months with Balm and Myrrh, and six months with good spices; so were the women beautified -

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 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:

And when inquisition was made, it was found so. And they were both hanged on a tree: and it was written in the Chronicles before the king.

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.

And all the king's servants that were in the gate, bowed their knees, and did reverenced unto Haman: for the king had so commanded. But Mordecai bowed not the knee, and worshiped him not.

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

and thought it too little to lay hands only on Mordecai: for they had showed him the nation of Mordecai. Wherefore, he sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole empire of Ahasuerus and were of the nation of Mordecai.

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.

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 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.

"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."

'Go thou thy way then, and gather together all the Jews that are found at Susa, and fast ye for me, that ye eat not and drink not in three days, neither day nor night. I and my damsels will fast likewise, and so will I go in to the king contrary to the commandment: if I perish, I perish.'"

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 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.'"

While they were yet talking with him, came the king's chamberlains, and caused Haman to make haste to come unto the banquet that Esther had prepared.

for we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. And would God we were sold to be bondmen and bondwomen, then would I hold my tongue; although the enemy could not recompense the king's loss.

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?"

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.

Write ye now therefore for the Jews, as it liketh you in the king's name, and seal it with the king's ring." For the writings that were written in the king's name, and sealed with the king's ring, durst no man disannul.

Then were the king's scribes called at the same time in the third month, that is the month Sivan, on the three and twentieth day. And it was written, as Mordecai commanded, unto the Jews and to the princes, to the deputies and captains in the lands from India until Ethiopia, namely a hundred and seven and twenty lands, unto every one according to the writing thereof, unto every people after their speech, and to the Jews according to their writing and language.

wherein the king granted the Jews - in what cities soever they were - to gather themselves together, and to stand for their life, and for to root out, to slay and to destroy all the power of the people and land that would trouble them, with children and women, and to spoil their goods

Thus the Jews smote all their enemies with a sore slaughter, and slew and destroyed, and did after their will unto such as were their adversaries.

At the same time was the king certified of the number of those that were slain at the castle of Susa.

And the king charged to do so, and the commandment was devised at Susa, and Haman's ten sons were hanged.

But the Jews at Susa were come together both on the thirteenth day and on the fourteenth, and on the fifteenth day they rested, and the same day ordained they to be a day of feasting and gladness.

And Mordecai wrote these acts, and sent the writings unto all the Jews that were in all the lands of the king Ahasuerus, both nigh and far,

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.

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.