"What law," sayeth the king, "should be executed upon the queen Vashti, because she did not according to the word of the king by his chamberlains?"

Then said Memucan before the king and the princes, "The queen Vashti hath not only done evil against the king but also against all the princes and all the people in all the lands of king Ahasuerus:

for this deed of the queen shall come abroad unto all women, so that they shall despise their husbands before their eyes, and shall say, 'The king Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to come before him, but she would not.'

And so shall the princesses in Persia and Media say likewise unto all the king's princes, when they hear of this deed of the queen, thus shall there arise dispitefulness and wrath enough.

And look which damsel pleaseth the king, let her be queen in Vashti's stead." This pleased the king, and he did so.

And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she found grace and mercy in his sight before all the virgins: and he set the queens crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.

whereof Mordecai gat knowledge, and told it unto queen Esther, and Esther certified the king thereof in Mordecai's name.

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.

And when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, she found grace in his sight. And the king held out the golden scepter in his hand toward Esther. So Esther stepped forth, and touched the top of the scepter.

Then said the king unto her, "What wilt thou, queen Esther? And what requirest thou? Ask even the half of the empire, and it shall be given thee."

Haman said moreover, "Yea and Esther the queen let no man come with the king unto the banquet that she had prepared, except me, and tomorrow am I bidden unto her also with the king.

And the king said, "Who is in the court?" For Haman was gone into the court without before the king's house, that he might speak unto the king to hang Mordecai on the tree, that he had prepared for him.

And when the king and Haman came to banquet that queen Esther had prepared,

the king said unto Esther on the second day, when he had drunken wine, "What is thy petition queen Esther, that it may be given thee? And what requirest thou? Yea, ask even half of the empire, and it shall be done."

Esther the queen answered and said: If I have found grace in thy sight, O king, and if it please the king, then grant me my life at my desire and my people for my petition's sake:

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?"

Esther said, "The enemy and adversary is this wicked Haman." As for Haman, he was exceedingly afraid before the king and the queen.

And the king arose from the banquet and from the wine in his displeasure and went in to the palace garden. And Haman stood up, and besought queen Esther for his life: for he saw that there was a mischeif prepared for him of the king already.

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.

The same day did king Ahasuerus give the house of Haman, the Jews' enemy, unto queen Esther. And Mordecai came before the king: for Esther told how that he belonged unto her.

For how can I see the evil that shall happen unto my people? And how can I look upon the destruction of my kindred?"

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

And the king said unto queen Esther, "The Jews have slain and destroyed five hundred men at the castle of Susa, and the ten sons of Haman: What shall they do in the other lands of the king? What is thy petition, that it may be given thee? And what requirest thou more to be done?"

And queen Esther the daughter of Abihail and Mordecai the Jew wrote with all authority, to confirm this second writing of Purim,

to confirm these days of Purim, in their time appointed, according as Mordecai the Jew and Esther the queen had ordained concerning them: like as they upon their soul and upon their seed had confirmed the acts of the fasting and of her complaint.

And the LORD said unto Satan, "From whence comest thou?" Satan answered the LORD, and said, "I have gone about the land and walked through it."

And the LORD said unto Satan, "From whence comest thou?" Satan answered and said, "I have gone about the land, and walked through it."

"If we begin to commune with thee, peradventure thou wilt be discontent; but who can withhold himself from speaking?

Name me one else, if thou can find any: yea, look about thee upon any of the holy men.

He delivereth thee out of six troubles, so that in the seventh there can no harm touch thee.

Am I able to help my self? Is not my strength gone from me,

How steadfast are the words of truth! And which of you can rebuke or reprove them?

I can see no remedy. I shall live no more. O spare me then, for my days are but vain.

Why dost thou not forgive my sin? Wherefore takest thou not away my wickedness? Behold, now must I sleep in the dust: And if thou seekest me tomorrow in the morning, I shall be gone."

As for the world, he giveth it over into the power of the wicked; and he shall cover the faces of the judges thereof. Is it not so? Where is he - or who is he - that can show the contrary?

"My days are more swift than a runner: they are gone, and have seen no good thing.

and then shall I answer him without any fear. For as long as I am in such fearfulness, I can make no answer: And why?

If he break down a thing, who can set it up again? If he shut a thing, who will open it?

Who can make it clean, that cometh from an unclean thing? Nobody.

Thou reprovest with words, that are worth nothing; and speakest the things which can do no good!

What knowest thou, that we know not? What understandest thou, but we can the same?

Yea the children despised me, and when I was gone from them, they spake evil upon me.

He vanisheth as a dream, so that he can no more be found, and passeth away as a vision in the night.

Inasmuch then as God hath the highest power of all, who can teach him any knowledge?

Then shall he be fain to be buried among the stones by the brookside. All men must follow him, and there are innumerable gone before him.

"Well, thou wilt keep the old way, that all wicked men have gone:

"For though I go before, I find him not; If I come behind, I can get no knowledge of him;

If I go on the left side to ponder his works, I can not attain unto them. Again, if I go on the rightside, he hideth himself, that I cannot see him.

Thus can I not get out of darkness, the cloud hath so covered my face.

They are exalted for a little, but shortly are they gone, brought to extreme poverty, and taken out of the way: yea, and utterly plucked off, as the ears of corn.

But how may a man compared unto God be justified? Or, how can he be clean, that is born of a woman?

He holdeth back his stool, that it can not be seen, and spreadeth his clouds before it.

This is now a short sum of his doings. But who is able sufficiently to rehearse his works? Who can perceive and understand the thunder of his power?"

When the rich man dieth, he carrieth nothing with him: he is gone in the twinkling of an eye.

The darkness shall once come to an end: he can seek out the ground of all things; the stones, the dark, and the shadow of death.

Verily, no man can tell how worthy a thing she is, neither is she found in the land of the living.

For if I had feared any great multitude of people, or if I had been despised of the simple; Oh then should I have been afraid. Thus have I quietly spent my life, and not gone out at the door.

There is no darkness, nor thick shadow, that can hide the wicked doers from him.

If I have gone amiss, inform me: if I have done wrong, I will leave off.

He can spread out the clouds - a covering of his tabernacle -

when God sendeth out his voice: great things doth he, which we can not comprehend.

It is not we that can find out the Almighty: for in power, equity, and righteousness, he is higher than can be expressed.

He abideth in the stony rocks, and upon the high tops of hard mountains, where no man can come.

"Can he that striveth with the Almighty be at rest? Should not he which disputeth with God, give him an answer?"

Behold, he drinketh up whole rivers and feareth not: he thinketh that he can draw up Jordan into his mouth.

One is so joined to another, that no air can come in:

For who can keep his own counsel so secret, but it shall be known? Therefore have I spoken unwisely, seeing these things are so high, and pass mine understanding.

My beauty is gone for very trouble, and worn away because of all mine enemies.

But they are all gone out of the way, they are all together become abominable: there is none that doeth good, no not one.

For in thee I can discomfit a host of men, and with the help of my God I shall leap over the wall. {TYNDALE: With thy help I will run through a host of men, and by the aid of my God will spring over a wall.}

Their sound is gone out into all lands, and their words in to the ends of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,

Who can tell how oft he offendeth? O cleanse thou me from my secret faults.

{A Psalm of David} The LORD is my shepherd; I can want nothing.

There is no king that can be saved by the multitude of a host; neither is any mighty man delivered by much strength.

Suffer yet a little while, and the ungodly shall be clean gone; thou shalt look after his place, and he shall be away.

But when I went by, lo, he was gone; I sought him, but his place could nowhere be found.

For my wickednesses are gone over my head, and are like a sore burden, too heavy for me to bear.

My heart panteth, my strength hath failed me, and the light of mine eyes is gone from me.

My lovers and friends stand looking upon my trouble, and my kinsmen are gone afar off.

I am become as a man that heareth not: and that can make no resistance with his mouth.

One deep calleth another with the voice of thy water-pipes, all thy waves and water floods are gone over me.

Our heart is not turned back, neither our steps gone out of thy way,

Kings' daughters go in thy goodly array, and upon thy righthand standeth the queen in a vesture of the most fine gold.

God is gone up with a merry noise, and the LORD with the sound of the trumpet.

For lo, the kings of the earth were gathered, and gone by together.

{To the chanter, a Psalm of David, when the Prophet Nathan came unto him, after he was gone in to Bathsheba} Have mercy upon me, O God, after thy great goodness; according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences.

But they are all gone out of the way, they are altogether become abominable. There is none that doeth good, no not one.

How can they have understanding, that are the workers of wickedness, eating up my people as it were bread, and calling not upon God?

I will comfort myself in God's word; yea, I will hope in God, and not fear. What can flesh then do unto me?

Yea, in God have I put my trust; I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.

Thou art gone up on high; thou hast led captivity captive, and received gifts for men, yea, even for thine enemies, that the LORD God might dwell among them.

Nevertheless, my feet were almost gone; my treadings had well nigh slipped.

Is his mercy clean gone? Is his promise come utterly to an end for evermore?

At the last, I came to this point, that I thought, "O why art thou so foolish? the righthand of the most highest can change all!"

Lo, he smote the stony rock, that the watery streams gushed out, and the streams flowed withal: but how can he give bread and provide flesh for his people?"

Therefore their days were consumed in vanity, and suddenly their years were gone.

Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O LORD, there is not one that can do as thou doest.

Dost thou show wonders among the dead? Can the Physicians raise them up again, that they may praise thee? Selah.

Blessed is the people, O LORD, that can rejoice in thee; they shall walk in the light of thy countenance.

My covenant will I not break, nor disannull the thing that is gone out of my lips.