They captured fortified cities and fertile land. They took possession of houses full of all sorts of good things -- wells previously dug, vineyards, olive trees, and fruit trees in abundance. They ate until they were full and grew fat. They enjoyed to the full your great goodness.

"Then, when they were at rest again, they went back to doing evil before you. Then you abandoned them to their enemies, and they gained dominion over them. When they again cried out to you, in your compassion you heard from heaven and rescued them time and again.

Even when they were in their kingdom and benefiting from your incredible goodness that you had lavished on them in the spacious and fertile land you had set before them, they did not serve you, nor did they turn from their evil practices.

On the sealed documents were the following names: Nehemiah the governor, son of Hacaliah, along with Zedekiah,

Maaziah, Bilgai, and Shemaiah. These were the priests.

The Levites were as follows: Jeshua son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel.

Their colleagues were as follows: Shebaniah, Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan,

The leaders of the people were as follows: Parosh, Pahath-Moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani,

The sum total of the descendants of Perez who were settling in Jerusalem was 468 exceptional men.

and their colleagues who were carrying out work for the temple -- 822; and Adaiah son of Jeroham, the son of Pelaliah, the son of Amzi, the son of Zechariah, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malkijah,

and his colleagues who were heads of families -- 242; and Amashsai son of Azarel, the son of Ahzai, the son of Meshillemoth, the son of Immer,

and his colleagues who were exceptional men -- 128. The officer over them was Zabdiel the son of Haggedolim.

Shabbethai and Jozabad, leaders of the Levites, were in charge of the external work for the temple of God;

And the gatekeepers: Akkub, Talmon and their colleagues who were guarding the gates -- 172.

And the rest of the Israelites, with the priests and the Levites, were in all the cities of Judah, each on his own property.

The temple attendants were living on Ophel, and Ziha and Gishpa were over them.

The overseer of the Levites in Jerusalem was Uzzi son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Mica. He was one of Asaph's descendants who were the singers responsible for the service of the temple of God.

For they were under royal orders which determined their activity day by day.

Zanoah, Adullam and their settlements, in Lachish and its fields, and in Azekah and its villages. So they were encamped from Beer Sheba to the Valley of Hinnom.

Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, and Jedaiah. These were the leaders of the priests and their colleagues in the days of Jeshua.

In the days of Joiakim, these were the priests who were leaders of the families: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah;

As for the Levites, in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan and Jaddua the heads of families were recorded, as were the priests during the reign of Darius the Persian.

The descendants of Levi were recorded in the Book of the Chronicles as heads of families up to the days of Johanan son of Eliashib.

And the leaders of the Levites were Hashabiah, Sherebiah, Jeshua son of Kadmiel, and their colleagues, who stood opposite them to offer praise and thanks, one contingent corresponding to the other, as specified by David the man of God.

Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were gatekeepers who were guarding the storerooms at the gates.

The singers were also assembled from the district around Jerusalem and from the settlements of the Netophathites

Going after them were Hoshaiah, half the leaders of Judah,

On that day men were appointed over the storerooms for the contributions, first fruits, and tithes, to gather into them from the fields of the cities the portions prescribed by the law for the priests and the Levites, for the people of Judah took delight in the priests and Levites who were ministering.

When they heard the law, they removed from Israel all who were of mixed ancestry.

I gave instructions that Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and a certain Levite named Pedaiah be put in charge of the storerooms, and that Hanan son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah, be their assistant, for they were regarded as trustworthy. It was then their responsibility to oversee the distribution to their colleagues.

The people from Tyre who lived there were bringing fish and all kinds of merchandise and were selling it on the Sabbath to the people of Judah -- and in Jerusalem, of all places!

When the evening shadows began to fall on the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I ordered the doors to be closed. I further directed that they were not to be opened until after the Sabbath. I positioned some of my young men at the gates so that no load could enter on the Sabbath day.

Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod (or the language of one of the other peoples mentioned) and were unable to speak the language of Judah.

When those days were completed, the king then provided a seven-day banquet for all the people who were present in Susa the citadel, for those of highest standing to the most lowly. It was held in the court located in the garden of the royal palace.

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

There were no restrictions on the drinking, for the king had instructed all of his supervisors that they should do as everyone so desired.

The king then inquired of the wise men who were discerners of the times -- for it was the royal custom to confer with all those who were proficient in laws and legalities.

Those who were closest to him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan. These men were the seven officials of Persia and Media who saw the king on a regular basis and had the most prominent offices in the kingdom.

Now he was acting as the guardian of Hadassah (that is, Esther), the daughter of his uncle, for neither her father nor her mother was alive. This young woman was very attractive and had a beautiful figure. When her father and mother died, Mordecai had raised her as if she were his own daughter.

It so happened that when the king's edict and his law became known many young women were taken to Susa the citadel to be placed under the authority of Hegai. Esther also was taken to the royal palace to be under the authority of Hegai, who was overseeing the women.

This young woman pleased him, and she found favor with him. He quickly provided her with her cosmetics and her rations; he also provided her with the seven specially chosen young women who were from the palace. He then transferred her and her young women to the best quarters in the harem.

At the end of the twelve months that were required for the women, when the turn of each young woman arrived to go to King Ahasuerus -- for in this way they had to fulfill their time of cosmetic treatment: six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with perfume and various ointments used by women --

When it became the turn of Esther daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai (who had raised her as if she were his own daughter) to go to the king, she did not request anything except what Hegai the king's eunuch, who was overseer of the women, had recommended. Yet Esther met with the approval of all who saw her.

Now when the young women were being gathered again, Mordecai was sitting at the king's gate.

Some time later King Ahasuerus promoted Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, exalting him and setting his position above that of all the officials who were with him.

As a result, all the king's servants who were at the king's gate were bowing and paying homage to Haman, for the king had so commanded. However, Mordecai did not bow, nor did he pay him homage.

Then the servants of the king who were at the king's gate asked Mordecai, "Why are you violating the king's commandment?"

But the thought of striking out against Mordecai alone was repugnant to him, for he had been informed of the identity of Mordecai's people. So Haman sought to destroy all the Jews (that is, the people of Mordecai) who were in all the kingdom of Ahasuerus.

So the royal scribes were summoned in the first month, on the thirteenth day of the month. Everything Haman commanded was written to the king's satraps and governors who were in every province and to the officials of every people, province by province according to its script and people by people according to its language. In the name of King Ahasuerus it was written and sealed with the king's signet ring.

Letters were sent by the runners to all the king's provinces stating that they should destroy, kill, and annihilate all the Jews, from youth to elderly, both women and children, on a particular day, namely the thirteenth day of the twelfth month (that is, the month of Adar), and to loot and plunder their possessions.

Throughout each and every province where the king's edict and law were announced there was considerable mourning among the Jews, along with fasting, weeping, and sorrow. Sackcloth and ashes were characteristic of many.

Throughout that night the king was unable to sleep, so he asked for the book containing the historical records to be brought. As the records were being read in the king's presence,

While they were still speaking with him, the king's eunuchs arrived. They quickly brought Haman to the banquet that Esther had prepared.

The king's scribes were quickly summoned -- in the third month (that is, the month of Sivan), on the twenty-third day. They wrote out everything that Mordecai instructed to the Jews and to the satraps and the governors and the officials of the provinces all the way from India to Ethiopia -- a hundred and twenty-seven provinces in all -- to each province in its own script and to each people in their own language, and to the Jews according to their own script and their own language.

Mordecai wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed it with the king's signet ring. He then sent letters by couriers on horses, who rode royal horses that were very swift.

The king thereby allowed the Jews who were in every city to assemble and to stand up for themselves -- to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate any army of whatever people or province that should become their adversaries, including their women and children, and to confiscate their property.

The couriers who were riding the royal horses went forth with the king's edict without delay. And the law was presented in Susa the citadel as well.

In the twelfth month (that is, the month of Adar), on its thirteenth day, the edict of the king and his law were to be executed. It was on this day that the enemies of the Jews had supposed that they would gain power over them. But contrary to expectations, the Jews gained power over their enemies.

The Jews assembled themselves in their cities throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus to strike out against those who were seeking their harm. No one was able to stand before them, for dread of them fell on all the peoples.

All the officials of the provinces, the satraps, the governors and those who performed the king's business were assisting the Jews, for the dread of Mordecai had fallen on them.

So the king issued orders for this to be done. A law was passed in Susa, and the ten sons of Haman were hanged.

The Jews who were in Susa then assembled on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar, and they killed three hundred men in Susa. But they did not confiscate their property.

The rest of the Jews who were throughout the provinces of the king assembled in order to stand up for themselves and to have rest from their enemies. They killed seventy-five thousand of their adversaries, but they did not confiscate their property.

But the Jews who were in Susa assembled on the thirteenth and fourteenth days, and rested on the fifteenth, making it a day for banqueting and happiness.

Mordecai wrote these matters down and sent letters to all the Jews who were throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, both near and far,

as the time when the Jews gave themselves rest from their enemies -- the month when their trouble was turned to happiness and their mourning to a holiday. These were to be days of banqueting, happiness, sending gifts to one another, and providing for the poor.

But when the matter came to the king's attention, the king gave written orders that Haman's evil intentions that he had devised against the Jews should fall on his own head. He and his sons were hanged on the gallows.

These days were to be remembered and to be celebrated in every generation and in every family, every province, and every city. The Jews were not to fail to observe these days of Purim; the remembrance of them was not to cease among their descendants.

Letters were sent to all the Jews in the hundred and twenty-seven provinces of the empire of Ahasuerus -- words of true peace --

Seven sons and three daughters were born to him.

When the days of their feasting were finished, Job would send for them and sanctify them; he would get up early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job thought, "Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts." This was Job's customary practice.

Now the day came when Job's sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house,

and a messenger came to Job, saying, "The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing beside them,

While this one was still speaking another messenger arrived and said, "Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house,

Why did the knees welcome me, and why were there two breasts that I might nurse at them?

Call to mind now: Who, being innocent, ever perished? And where were upright people ever destroyed?

They meet with darkness in the daytime, and grope about in the noontime as if it were night.

They were distressed, because each one had been so confident; they arrived there, but were disappointed.

For we were born yesterday and do not have knowledge, since our days on earth are but a shadow.

"Were you the first man ever born? Were you brought forth before the hills?

I also could speak like you, if you were in my place; I could pile up words against you and I could shake my head at you.

But even if it were true that I have erred, my error remains solely my concern!

"O that my words were written down, O that they were written on a scroll,

that with an iron chisel and with lead they were engraved in a rock forever!

His bones were full of his youthful vigor, but that vigor will lie down with him in the dust.

Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him? What would we gain if we were to pray to him?'

Although you were a powerful man, owning land, an honored man living on it,

men who were carried off before their time, when the flood was poured out on their foundations?

They were saying to God, 'Turn away from us,' and 'What can the Almighty do to us?'

when the Almighty was still with me and my children were around me;

when my steps were bathed with butter and the rock poured out for me streams of olive oil!

They were banished from the community -- people shouted at them like they would shout at thieves --

They brayed like animals among the bushes and were huddled together under the nettles.

Sons of senseless and nameless people, they were driven out of the land with whips.

if the members of my household have never said, 'If only there were someone who has not been satisfied from Job's meat!' --

Now Elihu had waited before speaking to Job, because the others were older than he was.

Look, I waited for you to speak; I listened closely to your wise thoughts,while you were searching for words.

His flesh wastes away from sight, and his bones, which were not seen, are easily visible.

If God were to set his heart on it, and gather in his spirit and his breath,

then he reveals to them what they have done, and their transgressions, that they were behaving proudly.