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

And letters were sent by posts into all the king's provinces, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, even upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to take the spoil of them for a prey.

and he came even before the king's gate: for none might enter within the king's gate clothed with sackcloth.

Then called Esther for Hathach, one of the king's chamberlains, whom he had appointed to attend upon her, and charged him to go to Mordecai, to know what this was, and why it was.

And Mordecai told him of all that had happened unto him, and the exact sum of the money that Haman had promised to pay to the king's treasuries for the Jews, to destroy them.

Also he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was given out in Shushan to destroy them, to show 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.

All the king's servants, and the people of the king's provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law for him, that he be put to death, except those to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days.

For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then will relief and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place, but thou and thy father's house will perish: and who knoweth whether thou art not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?

Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast in like manner; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.

And Esther said, If it seem good unto the king, let the king and Haman come this day unto the banquet that I have prepared for him.

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 to-morrow as the king hath said.

Then went Haman forth that day joyful and glad of heart: but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate, that he stood not up nor moved for him, he was filled with wrath against Mordecai.

And the king said, What honor and dignity hath been bestowed on 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 was come into the outward court of the king's house, to speak unto the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him.

And Haman said unto the king, For the man whom the king delighteth to honor,

for we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my peace, although the adversary could not have compensated for the king's damage.

And the king arose in his wrath from the banquet of wine and went into the palace garden: and Haman stood up to make request for his life to Esther the queen; for he saw that there was evil determined against him by the king.

Then said Harbonah, one of the chamberlains that were before the king, Behold also, the gallows fifty cubits high, which Haman hath made for Mordecai, who spake good for the king, standeth in the house of Haman. And the king said, Hang him thereon.

So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king's wrath pacified.

On that day did the king Ahasuerus give the house of Haman the Jews enemy unto Esther the queen. And Mordecai came before the king; for Esther had told what he was unto her.

for how can I endure to see the evil that shall come unto my people? or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?

Write ye also to the Jews, as it pleaseth you, in the king's name, and seal it with the king's ring; for the writing which is written in the king's name, and sealed with the king's ring, may no man reverse.

wherein the king granted the Jews that 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 power of the people and province that would assault them, their little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey,

And in every province, and in every city, whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came, the Jews had gladness and joy, a feast and a good day. And many from among the peoples of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews was fallen upon them.

the Jews gathered themselves together in their cities throughout all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, to lay hand on such as sought their hurt: and no man could withstand them; for the fear of them was fallen upon all the peoples.

And all the princes of the provinces, and the satraps, and the governors, and they that did the king's business, helped the Jews; because the fear of Mordecai was fallen upon them.

For Mordecai was great in the king's house, and his fame went forth throughout all the provinces; for the man Mordecai waxed greater and greater.

And the other Jews that were in the king's provinces gathered themselves together, and stood for their lives, and had rest from their enemies, and slew of them that hated them seventy and five thousand; but on the spoil they laid not their hand.

And Mordecai wrote these things, and sent letters unto all the Jews that were in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, both nigh and far,

to confirm these days of Purim in their appointed times, according as Mordecai the Jew and Esther the queen had enjoined them, and as they had ordained for themselves and for their seed, in the matter of the fastings and their cry.

For Mordecai the Jew was next unto king Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and accepted of the multitude of his brethren, seeking the good of his people, and speaking peace to all his seed.

And his sons went and held a feast in the house of each one upon his day; and they sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.

And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, 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 renounced God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.

And Jehovah said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered Jehovah, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

And Jehovah said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job? for there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and turneth away from evil.

Then Satan answered Jehovah, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?

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

and, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

And Jehovah said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered Jehovah, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

And Jehovah said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job? for there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and turneth away from evil: and he still holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.

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

So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.

Let that day be darkness; Let not God from above seek for it, Neither let the light shine upon it.

Let darkness and the shadow of death claim it for their own; Let a cloud dwell upon it; Let all that maketh black the day terrify it.

As for that night, let thick darkness seize upon it: Let it not rejoice among the days of the year; Let it not come into the number of the months.

Let the stars of the twilight thereof be dark: Let it look for light, but have none; Neither let it behold the eyelids of the morning:

For now should I have lain down and been quiet; I should have slept; then had I been at rest,

With kings and counsellors of the earth, Who built up waste places for themselves;

The small and the great are there: And the servant is free from his master.

Who long for death, but it cometh not, And dig for it more than for hid treasures;

For my sighing cometh before I eat, And my groanings are poured out like water.

For the thing which I fear cometh upon me, And that which I am afraid of cometh unto me.

Is not thy fear of God thy confidence, And the integrity of thy ways thy hope?

The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, And the whelps of the lioness are scattered abroad.

Fear came upon me, and trembling, Which made all my bones to shake.

Betwixt morning and evening they are destroyed: They perish for ever without any regarding it.

For vexation killeth the foolish man, And jealousy slayeth the silly one.

His children are far from safety, And they are crushed in the gate, Neither is there any to deliver them:

Whose harvest the hungry eateth up, And taketh it even out of the thorns; And the snare gapeth for their substance.

For affliction cometh not forth from the dust, Neither doth trouble spring out of the ground;

But as for me, I would seek unto God, And unto God would I commit my cause;

For he maketh sore, and bindeth up; He woundeth, and his hands make whole.

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

Lo this, we have searched it, so it is; Hear it, and know thou it for thy good.

For now it would be heavier than the sand of the seas: Therefore have my words been rash.

For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, The poison whereof my spirit drinketh up: The terrors of God do set themselves in array against me.

Oh that I might have my request; And that God would grant me the thing that I long for!

To him that is ready to faint kindness'should be showed from his friend; Even to him that forsaketh the fear of the Almighty.

The caravans of Tema looked, The companies of Sheba waited for them.

For now ye are nothing; Ye see a terror, and are afraid.

Did I say, Give unto me? Or, Offer a present for me of your substance?

Now therefore be pleased to look upon me; For surely I shall not lie to your face.

As a servant that earnestly desireth the shadow, And as a hireling that looketh for his wages:

When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? And I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day.

I loathe my life ; I would not live alway: Let me alone; for my days are vanity.

If I have sinned, what do I unto thee, O thou watcher of men? Why hast thou set me as a mark for thee, So that I am a burden to myself?

And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? For now shall I lie down in the dust; And thou wilt seek me diligently, but I shall not be.

If thou wert pure and upright: Surely now he would awake for thee, And make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.

For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age, And apply thyself to that which their fathers have searched out:

(For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, Because our days upon earth are a shadow);

For he breaketh me with a tempest, And multiplieth my wounds without cause.

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

Then would I speak, and not fear him; For I am not so in myself.

My soul is weary of my life; I will give free course to my complaint; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.

For thou sayest, My doctrine is pure, And I am clean in thine eyes.

And that he would show thee the secrets of wisdom! For he is manifold in understanding. Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth.

For he knoweth false men: He seeth iniquity also, even though he consider it not.

If iniquity be in thy hand, put it far away, And let not unrighteousness dwell in thy tents.

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

For thou shalt forget thy misery; Thou shalt remember it as waters that are passed away,

In the thought of him that is at ease there is contempt for misfortune; It is ready for them whose foot slippeth.

Will ye speak unrighteously for God, And talk deceitfully for him?

Will ye show partiality to him? Will ye contend for God?

Who is he that will contend with me? For then would I hold my peace and give up the ghost.

Withdraw thy hand far from me; And let not thy terror make me afraid.

Wherefore hidest thou thy face, And holdest me for thine enemy?

For thou writest bitter things against me, And makest me to inherit the iniquities of my youth:

For there is hope of a tree, If it be cut down, that it will sprout again, And that the tender branch thereof will not cease.

Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passeth; Thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away.

Yea, thou doest away with fear, And hinderest devotion before God.