For there were those that said, We, our sons, and our daughters, are many: therefore let us get grain for them, that we may eat, and live.

Some also there were that said, We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy grain, because of the famine.

There were also those that said, We have borrowed money for the king's tax, and that upon our lands and vineyards.

Then I consulted with myself, and I rebuked the nobles, and the rulers, and said unto them, you exact interest, every one from his brother. And I held a great assembly against them.

And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, who were sold unto the nations; and will you even sell your brethren? or shall they be sold unto us? Then held they their peace, and found nothing to answer.

Also I said, It is not good what you do: ought you not to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the nations our enemies?

Then said they, We will restore them, and will require nothing of them; so will we do as you say. Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they should do according to this promise.

Also I shook my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from his house, and from his labor, that performs not this promise, even thus be he shaken out, and emptied. And all the congregation said, Amen, and praised the LORD. And the people did according to this promise.

Afterward I came unto the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabel, who was shut up; and he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple: for they will come to slay you; yea, in the night will they come to slay you.

And I said, Should such a man as I flee? and who is there, that, being as I am, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.

And I said unto them, Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun is hot; and while they stand guard, let them shut the doors, and bar them: and appoint guards from the inhabitants of Jerusalem, every one at his station, and every one to be opposite his house.

And the governor said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till a priest could consult with Urim and Thummim.

And Nehemiah, who is the governor, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.

Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet wine, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be you grieved; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.

Then the Levites, Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, Stand up and bless the LORD your God forever and ever: and blessed be your glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise.

Yea, when they had made them a molten calf, and said, This is your God that brought you up out of Egypt, and had worked great provocations;

Then contended I with the rulers, and said, Why is the house of God forsaken? And I gathered them together, and set them in their place.

Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that you do, and profane the sabbath day?

Then I testified against them, and said unto them, Why lodge you before the wall? if you do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth came they no more on the sabbath.

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

For this deed of the queen shall become known to all women, so that they shall despise their husbands in their eyes, when it shall be said, King Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she came not.

Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, Let there be beautiful young virgins sought out for the king:

Then the king's servants, who were in the king's gate, said unto Mordecai, Why transgress you the king's commandment?

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

And the king said unto Haman, The silver is given to you, the people also, to do with them as it seems good to you.

Then said the king unto her, What do you wish, queen Esther? and what is your request? it shall be even given you to the half of the kingdom.

Then the king said, Cause Haman to make haste, that he may do as Esther has said. So the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared.

And the king said unto Esther at the banquet of wine, What is your petition? and it shall be granted you: and what is your request? even to the half of the kingdom it shall be performed.

Then answered Esther, and said, My petition and my request is;

If I have found favor 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 tomorrow as the king has said.

Haman said moreover, Yea, Esther the queen did let no man come in with the king unto the banquet that she had prepared but myself; and tomorrow I am invited unto her also with the king.

Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto him, Let a gallows be made of fifty cubits high, and tomorrow speak you unto the king that Mordecai may be hanged thereon: then go you in merrily with the king unto the banquet. And the thing pleased Haman; and he caused the gallows to be made.

And the king said, What honor and dignity has been bestowed upon Mordecai for this? Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, There is nothing done for him.

And the king said, Who is in the court? Now Haman had come into the outer court of the king's house, to ask the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him.

And the king's servants said unto him, Behold, Haman stands in the court. And the king said, Let him come in.

So Haman came in. And the king said unto him, What shall be done unto the man whom the king delights to honor? Now Haman thought in his heart, To whom would the king delight to do honor more than to myself?

Then the king said to Haman, Make haste, and take the robes and the horse, as you have said, and do even so to Mordecai the Jew, that sits at the king's gate: let nothing fail of all that you have spoken.

And Haman told Zeresh his wife and all his friends everything that had befallen him. Then said his wise men and Zeresh his wife unto him, If Mordecai be of the descendants of the Jews, before whom you have begun to fall, you shall not prevail against him, but shall surely fall before him.

And the king said again unto Esther on the second day at the banquet of wine, What is your petition, queen Esther? and it shall be granted you: and what is your request? and it shall be performed, even to the half of the kingdom.

Then Esther the queen answered and said, If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request:

Then the king Ahasuerus answered and said unto Esther the queen, Who is he, and where is he, that dares presume in his heart to do so?

And Esther said, The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman. Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen.

Then the king returned out of the palace garden into the place of the banquet of wine; and Haman was fallen upon the bed on which 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.

And Harbona, one of the eunuchs, said before the king, Behold also, the gallows fifty cubits high, which Haman had made for Mordecai, who had spoken good for the king, stands in the house of Haman. Then the king said, Hang him thereon.

And said, If it please the king, and if I have found favor in his sight, and the thing seems right before the king, and I am pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to reverse the letters devised by Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews who are in all the king's provinces:

Then king Ahasuerus said unto Esther the queen and to Mordecai the Jew, Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and him they have hanged upon the gallows, because he laid his hand upon the Jews.

And the king said unto Esther the queen, The Jews have slain and destroyed five hundred men in Shushan the citadel, and the ten sons of Haman; what have they done in the rest of the king's provinces? now what is your petition? and it shall be granted you: or what is your request further? and it shall be done.

Then said Esther, If it please the king, let it be granted to the Jews who are in Shushan to do tomorrow also according unto this day's decree, and let Haman's ten sons be hanged upon the gallows.

And it was so, when the days of their feasting were finished, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.

And the LORD said unto Satan, From where come you? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.

And the LORD said unto Satan, Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a blameless and an upright man, one that fears God, and turns away from evil?

Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Does Job fear God for nothing?

And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he has is in your power; only upon himself put not forth your hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.

And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the donkeys feeding beside them:

While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God has fallen from heaven, and has burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I alone am escaped to tell you.

While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone am escaped to tell you.

While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house:

And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return there: the LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.

And the LORD said unto Satan, From where come you? And Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.

And the LORD said unto Satan, Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a blameless and an upright man, one that fears God, and turns away from evil? and still he holds fast his integrity, although you moved me against him, to destroy him without cause.

And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man has will he give for his life.

And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in your hand; but spare his life.

Then said his wife unto him, Do you still retain your integrity? curse God, and die.

But he said unto her, You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.

And Job spoke, and said,

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

Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,

But Job answered and said,

Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,

Then Job answered and said,

This is one thing, therefore I said it, He destroys the blameless and the wicked.

Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,

For you have said, My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in your eyes.

And Job answered and said,

Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said,

Then Job answered and said,

I have said to corruption, You are my father: to the worm, You are my mother, and my sister.

Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,

Then Job answered and said,

Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,

But Job answered and said,

Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,

Who said unto God, Depart from us: and what can the Almighty do to us?

Then Job answered and said,

Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,

But Job answered and said,

Moreover Job continued his discourse, and said,

And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.

Moreover Job continued his discourse, and said,

Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand.

If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, You are my confidence;

And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said, I am young, and you are very old; therefore I was afraid, and dared not show you my opinion.

I said, Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom.

I said, I will answer also my part, I also will show my opinion.

Furthermore Elihu answered and said,

For Job has said, I am righteous: and God has taken away my justice.

For he has said, It profits a man nothing that he should delight himself with God.

Surely it is fitting to be said unto God, I have borne chastisement, I will not offend any more:

Elihu spoke moreover, and said,

Think you this to be right, that you said, My righteousness is more than God's?