For it was the king's commandment concerning them, that a certain portion should be for the singers, due for every day.

At the same time were there men appointed over the treasure chests - wherein were the Heave offerings, the firstlings and the tithes - that they should gather them out of the fields about the cities, to distribute them unto the priests and Levites according to the law: for Judah was glad of the priests, and Levites,

On that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience of the people; and therein was found written, that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God for ever;

Because they met not the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them, that he should curse them: howbeit our God turned the curse into a blessing.

Then I gave instructions that the storerooms should be purified, and I brought back the equipment of the temple of God, along with the grain offering and the incense.

And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and some of my servants set I at the gates, that there should no burden be brought in on the sabbath day.

And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy.

And should we hearken to you to do all this great evil, to act unfaithfully to our God by marrying foreign wives?

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.

The king asked, “According to the law, what should be done with Queen Vashti, since she refused to obey King Ahasuerus’s command that was delivered by the eunuchs?”

“If it meets the king’s approval, he should personally issue a royal decree. Let it be recorded in the laws of Persia and Media, so that it cannot be revoked: Vashti is not to enter King Ahasuerus’s presence, and her royal position is to be given to another woman who is more worthy than she.

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.

Esther had not shewed her people nor her kindred: for Mordecai had charged her that she should not shew it.

And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women's house, to know how Esther did, and what should become of her.

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 -

Now when the time came of Esther the daughter of Abihail, the uncle of Mordecai, which had received her as his own daughter, that she should come to the king, she desired nothing but what Hegei the king's chamberlain the keeper of the women, said. And Esther found favour in the sight of all them that looked upon her.

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.

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.

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.

So Esther's damsels and her chamberlains came and told it her. Then was the queen exceedingly astonished. And she sent raiment, that Mordecai should put them on and lay the sackcloth from him. But Mordecai would not take them.

Also he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was given at Shushan to destroy them, to shew it unto Esther, and to declare it unto her, and to charge her that she should go in unto the king, to make supplication unto him, and to make request before him for her people.

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 shalt altogether hold thy peace at this time, then will there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house will be destroyed: and who knoweth, whether thou hast come to the kingdom for such a time as this?

Haman's wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, "Have a gallows seventy-five feet high built, and in the morning tell the king that Mordecai should be hanged on it. Then go with the king to the banquet contented." It seemed like a good idea to Haman, so he had the gallows built.

Haman entered, and the king asked him, “What should be done for the man the king wants to honor?”

Haman thought to himself, “Who is it the king would want to honor more than me?”

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.

That the king had granted unto the Jews who were in every city, to gather themselves together, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to slay and to cause to perish - all the force of the people and province who should distress them, their little ones and women, - and to take the spoil of them as a prey:

The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given in every province was published unto all people, and that the Jews should be ready against that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.

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 the king commanded that it should be done so; and an edict was issued in Susa, and Haman’s ten sons were hanged.

To stablish this among them, that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day of the same, yearly,

As the days wherein the Jews rested from their enemies, and the month which was turned unto them from sorrow to joy, and from mourning into a good day: that they should make them days of feasting and joy, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor.

But when Esther came before the king, he commanded by letters that his wicked device, which he devised against the Jews, should return upon his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.

The Jews ordained, and took upon them, and upon their seed, and upon all such as joined themselves unto them, so as it should not fail, that they would keep these two days according to their writing, and according to their appointed time every year;

And that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city; and that these days of Purim should not fail from among the Jews, nor the memorial of them perish from their seed.

to establish these days of Purim [to be observed] at their appointed times, just as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had established for them, and as they had established for themselves and for their descendants with instructions regarding their times of fasting and their lamentations (expressions of needing help).

And Jehovah will say to the adversary, Behold, all that is to him in thy hand: only upon him thou shalt not send. forth thy hand. And the adversary will go forth from the face of Jehovah.

But he said to her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. We have also received good from God, and should we not receive evil? In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said, There is a man child conceived.

because it shut not up the womb that bare me. For then should these sorrows have been hid from mine eyes.

Why did the knees prevent me? or why the breasts that I should suck?

For now should I have lain still and been quiet, I should have slept: then had I been at rest,

Or why was I not hidden like a miscarried child,
like infants who never see daylight?

That should be joy to the man whose way is hid, which God keepeth back from him.

Should anyone try to speak with you
when you are exhausted?
Yet who can keep from speaking?

Behold, happy the man God shall rebuke him: and thou shalt not reject the correction of the Almighty:

Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue: neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it cometh.

At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh: neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth.

For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field: and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee.

And thou shalt know that thy tabernacle shall be in peace; and thou shalt visit thy habitation, and shalt not sin.

Thou shalt know also that thy seed shall be great, and thine offspring as the grass of the earth.

Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, like as a shock of corn cometh in in his season.

For then should it be heavier than the sand of the sea.

That which is unsavory, shalt it be eaten without salt, or is there any taste in the white of an egg?

Then should I yet have comfort; yea, I would harden myself in sorrow: let him not spare; for I have not concealed the words of the Holy One.

What is my strength, that I should hope? and what is mine end, that I should prolong my life?

To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend; but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty.

No doubt you would cast lots for a fatherless child
and negotiate a price to sell your friend.

“What is man that You [should] magnify him [and think him important]?
And that You are concerned about him?

“And that You examine him every morning
And try and test him every moment?

And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? for now shall I sleep in the dust; and thou shalt seek me in the morning, but I shall not be.

Should, GOD, pervert justice? Or, the Almighty, pervert righteousness?

If thou shalt seek to God, if thou shalt make supplication to him;

If thou wouldest live a pure and godly life; should he not wake up unto thee immediately, and give thee the beauty of righteousness again?

Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase.

If he should swallow him down from his place, and it lied upon it: I saw thee not

I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God?

“If one should want to contend or dispute with Him,
He could not answer Him once in a thousand times.

"{If} he passes by me, {I would not see him}; and [if] he should move on, {I would not recognize him}.

How much less that, I, should answer him, should choose my words with him?

If I summon [him], and he should answer me, I do not believe that he will listen to my voice--

If I should justify myself, mine own mouth, would condemn me, - I blameless? then had it shewn me perverse.

I blameless? I should not know my own soul, I should despise my own life!

“I am accounted wicked and held guilty;
Why then should I labor in vain [to appear innocent]?

“If I should wash myself with snow
And cleanse my hands with lye,

Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me.

For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment.

There is not an umpire between us, who should lay his hand upon us both.

I will say to God, 'You should not condemn me; let me know why you contend [against] me.

‘Does it indeed seem right to You to oppress,
To despise and reject the work of Your hands,
And to look with favor on the schemes of the wicked?

That You should seek for my guilt
And search after my sin?

O remember, I beseech thee, how that thou madest me of the mould of the earth, and shalt bring me into dust again.

"If I did sin, thou haddest an eye unto me, and shalt not declare me innocent because of mine offense.

‘Should my head be lifted up, You would hunt me like a lion;
And again You would show Your power against me.

So why did you bring me forth from the womb? I should have passed away, {and no eye should have seen me}.

I should have been as though I had not been; I should have been carried from the womb to the grave.

Should not the multitude of words be answered? and should a man full of talk be justified?

Should thy lies make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed?

Searching shalt thou and God? Shalt thou find the Almighty even to completeness?

For it is he that knoweth the vanity of men. He seeth their wickedness also; should he not then consider it?

For then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; yea, thou shalt be stedfast, and shalt not fear:

Because thou shalt forget thy misery, and remember it as waters that pass away:

And thine age shall be clearer than the noonday; thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning.

And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yea, thou shalt dig about thee, and thou shalt take thy rest in safety.

Also thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid; yea, many shall make suit unto thee.

O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom.

Is it good that he should search you out? or as one man mocketh another, do ye so mock him?

“Will not His majesty terrify you,
And will not the dread of Him fall upon you?

Wherefore should I take my flesh in my teeth, And put my life in my hand?

Who is he that contendeth with me? For if I were silent now, I should expire.