And Hathirsatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy, till there rose up a priest with the light and perfectness.

And certain of the chief fathers, when they came to the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, they offered willingly unto the house of God, that it should be set in his place;

If it please the king now, let there be search made in the king's treasure house, which is at Babylon, whether it have been king Cyrus' commandment, that the house of God at Jerusalem should be builded: and send us the king's mind concerning the same."

Then commanded king Darius, that search should be made in the library of the king's treasure house which lay at Babylon.

And to those gave I commandment unto Iddo, the chiefest at Casiphia; and I told them what they should say unto Iddo and his brethren the Nethinims at Casiphia: that they should cause the ministers of the house of our God to come unto us.

For we are bondmen, and our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, and hath inclined mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, that he should give us life, and promote the house of our God, and to set up the desolation thereof, and to give us a hedge in Judah and in Jerusalem.

Then rose Ezra, and took an oath of the rulers, priests, and Levites, and all of Israel, that they should do according to this word: and they sware.

And they caused a proclamation be made throughout Judah and Jerusalem, unto all the children which had been in captivity, that they should gather themselves together unto Jerusalem:

And that whosoever came not within three days, according to the device of the rulers and Elders, all his substance should be forfeited, and be put out from the congregation of the captive.

Nevertheless I was sore afraid and said unto the king, "God save the king's life forever, should I not look sadly? The city of my fathers' burial lieth waste and the gates thereof are consumed with fire."

Now are our brethrens' bodies as our own bodies and their children as our children: else should we subdue our sons and daughters into bondage, and some of our daughters are subdued already, and no strength is there in our hands, and other men shall have our lands and vineyards."

Then said they, "We will restore them again and will require nothing of them and will do as thou hast spoken." And I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they should do so.

Notwithstanding, I sent messengers unto them, saying, "I have a great business to do, I cannot come down. The work should stand still, if I were negligent, and came down to you."

But I said, "Should any such man as I flee? Who is that, being as I am, that will go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in."

Therefore took he the money, that through fear I should do so, and sin: that they might have an evil report of me, to blaspheme me.

And Hathirsatha said unto them that they should not eat of the most holy, till there came up a Priest with light and perfectness.

Now when the seventh month drew nigh, and the children of Israel were in their cities, all the people gathered themselves together as one man upon the street before the Watergate, and said unto Ezra the scribe that he should fetch the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD commanded to Israel.

And on the next day were gathered together the chief fathers among all the people and the priests and Levites, unto Ezra the scribe, that he should teach them the words of the law.

And they found written in the law, how that the LORD had commanded by Moses that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month.

and gavest them bread from heaven when they were hungry, and broughtest forth water for them out of the rock when they were thirsty: and promised them, that they should go in, and take possession of the land, over which thou hadst lift up thine hand for to give them.

And their children multipliedest thou as the stars of heaven, and broughtest them into the land whereof thou hadst spoken unto their fathers, that they should go in to it, and have it in possession.

Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their backs, and slew thy prophets, which exhorted them so earnestly, that they should convert unto thee, and did great blasphemies.

and testified unto them, that they should turn again unto thy law. Notwithstanding, they were proud, and hearkened not unto thy commandments, but sinned in thy laws, which a man should do and live in them, and turned the shoulder away, and were stiff-necked, and would not hear.

and the firstlings of our sons, and of our cattle, as it is written in the law: and the firstlings of our oxen and of our sheep, that we should bring all this to the house of our God unto the priests that minister in the house of our God:

and that we should bring the firstlings of our dough, and our heave offerings, and the fruits of all manner of trees, of wine also and of oil, unto the priests to the chests the house of our God. And the tithes of our land unto the Levites, that the Levites might have the tithes in all the cities of our ministration.

For it was the king's commandment concerning them, that the singers should deal faithfully every day as according was.

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,

And what time as the book of Moses was read in the ears of the people there was found written therein, that the Ammonites and Moabites should never come into the congregation of God,

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

And it fortuned, that when the ports of Jerusalem began to be dark in the evening before the Sabbath, I commanded to shut the gates, 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 said unto the Levites which were clean, that they should come and keep the gates, to hallow the Sabbath day. Think upon me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to thy great mercy!

And no man was appointed what he should drink: for the king had commanded all the officers of his house, that everyone should do as it liked him.

"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 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.

But Esther showed not her people nor her kindred: for Mordecai had charged her, that she should not tell it.

And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women's building, that he might 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.

This was the sum of the writing, that there should be a commandment given in all lands, to be published unto all people, that they should be ready against the same 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.

And he gave him the copy of the commandment, that was devised at Susa to destroy them, that he might show it unto Esther, and to speak to her and charge her; that she should go into the king, and make her prayer and supplication unto him for her people.

The sum of the writing was, how there was a commandment given in all lands to be published unto all the people, that the Jews should be ready against that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.

In the twelfth month, that is the month Adar, upon the thirteenth day, which the king's word and commandment had appointed, that it should be done, even upon the same day that the enemies should have destroyed the Jews to have oppressed them, it turned contrary wise, even that the Jews should subdue their enemies.

that they should yearly receive and hold the fourteenth and fifteenth day of the month Adar,

as the days wherein the Jews came to rest from their enemies, and as a month wherein their pain was turned to joy, and their sorrow to prosperity: that they should observe the same days of wealth and gladness, and one to send gifts to another, and to distribute unto the poor.

But Job said unto her, "Thou speakest like a foolish woman. Seeing we have received prosperity at the hand of God, wherefore should we not be content with adversity also?" In all these things, did not Job sin with his lips.

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

Then should I now have lain still; I should have slept, and been at rest,

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

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

Then should I have some comfort: yea, I would desire him in my pain, that he should not spare, for I will not be against the words of the holy one.

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?

If he came by me, I might not look upon him: if he went his way, I should not perceive it.

How should I then answer him? Or what words should I find out against him?

yet shouldest thou dip me in the mire, and mine own clothes should defile me.

If they had carried me to my grave as soon as I was born, then should I be now, as though I had never been.

"Should not he that maketh many words, be answered? Should he that babbleth much, be commended therein?

Should men give ear unto thee only? Thou wilt laugh other men to scorn; and shall nobody mock thee again?

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

Then should the residue of thy life be as clear as the noon day, and spring forth as the morning.

Then shouldest thou take thy rest, and no man to make thee afraid, yea many one should set much by thee.

If thou wouldest but call me, I should obey thee: only despise not the work of thine own hands.

"Should a wise man's answer be as the science of the wind, and fill his belly with the wind of the east?

What is man, that he should be clean? What hath he, which is born of a woman, whereby he might be known to be righteous?

unto whom only the land was given, that no stranger should come among them.

I could speak as ye do also. But would God, that your soul were in my soul's stead: then should I heap up words against you, and shake my head at you.

I should comfort you with my mouth, and release your pain with the talking of my lips.

Is it with a man, that I make this disputation? Which if it were so, should not my spirit be then in sore trouble?

What manner of fellow is the Almighty, that we should serve him? What profit should we have, to submit ourselves unto him?'

Should such one then as useth violence, wrong and oppression, doing all things of partiality, and having respect of persons, dwell in the land?

Shouldest thou then see no darkness? Should not the water flood run over thee?

wilt thou therefore say, 'Tush, how should God know? Doth his dominion reach beyond the clouds?

God forbid, that I should grant your cause to be right! As for me, until mine end come will I never go from my innocence.

He that should have been lost, gave me a good word, and the widow's heart praised me.

"Therefore, I thought verily that I should have died in my nest: and that my days should have been as many as the sands of the sea.

yea, a fire that utterly should consume, and root out all my substance.

That were a wickedness worth to be punished, for then should I have denied the God that is above.

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.

lest ye should praise yourselves, to have found out wisdom: because it is God that hath cast him out, and no man.

"Behold, unto these unreasonable words of thine will I make answer. Should God be reproved of man?

For when God doth once command a thing, there should no man be curious to search whether it be right.

"Therefore hearken unto me, ye that have understanding. Far be it from God, that he should meddle with wickedness: and far be it from the Almighty, that he should meddle with unrighteous dealing:

"When thou speakest, then, should not he pardon thee, if thou open thyself before him, and put thy trust in him?

Hath God ordained then, that the glorious life of thee, and all such mighty men should not be put down?

Shall it be told him what I say? Should a man speak, or should he keep it back?

Seeing then that everybody feareth him, why should not all wise men also stand in fear of him?"

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

that the mountains should give him grass, where all the beasts of the field take their pastime.

Wherefore should the wicked blaspheme God, while he doth say in his heart, "Tush, thou God careth not for it?"

{To the Chanter, a Psalm of David} In the LORD put I my trust: how say ye then to my soul, that she should flee as a bird unto the hill?

Thou shalt make room enough under me for to go, that my footsteps shall not slide. {TYNDALE: And thou madest me space to walk in, that my feet should not stumble.}

{A Psalm of David} The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom then should I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom then shall I be afraid?

I should utterly have fainted, but that I believe verily to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.

O LORD my God, great are the wondrous works which thou hast done, like as be also thy thoughts, which are to us-ward; and yet there is no man that ordereth them unto thee. If I should declare them, and speak of them, they should be more than I am able to express.

that I should fulfill thy will, O my God. I am content to do it; yea, thy law is within my heart."

should not God find it out? For he knoweth the very secrets of the heart.

Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, and when wickedness at my heels compasseth me round about?

O that the salvation were given unto Israel out of Zion! O that the LORD would deliver his people out of captivity! Then should Jacob rejoice, and Israel should be right glad.

that she should not hear the voice of the charmer, charm he never so wisely.