Then Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and he also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh, to come to the house of Yahweh in Jerusalem to make a Passover feast to Yahweh the God of Israel.

Now the king and his princes, and all the assembly in Jerusalem had taken counsel to make the Passover feast in the second month--

So they let the decree stand, {to make a proclamation} throughout all Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, to come to make a Passover feast to Yahweh the God of Israel.

And there assembled at Jerusalem much people to keep the feast of unleavened bread in the second month, a very great congregation.

And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness: and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by day, singing with loud instruments unto the LORD.

And Hezekiah spake comfortably unto all the Levites that taught the good knowledge of the LORD: and they did eat throughout the feast seven days, offering peace offerings, and making confession to the LORD God of their fathers.

Then the whole assembly decided to celebrate [the feast] for another seven days; and they celebrated it another seven days with joy.

So when the envoys arrived from the Babylonian officials to visit him and inquire about the sign that occurred in the land, God left him alone to test him, in order to know his true motives.

So Hilkiah and the others who had received orders from the king went to visit Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Tokhath's son Shallum, grandson of Hasrah. She was the king's wardrobe supervisor, and she lived in Jerusalem's Second Quarter. They asked her about what had happened.

"This is what the LORD God of Israel says: "Tell the man who sent you to me, "This is what the LORD says: "Pay attention! I'm bringing evil to visit this place and its inhabitants every single curse written in the book that they've been reading to the King of Judah.

And Josiah held the feast of Passover unto the LORD in Jerusalem, and they slew Passover in the fourteenth day of the first month.

And the children of Israel that were present kept the passover at that time, and the feast of unleavened bread seven days.

And there was no Passover like to that kept in Israel, from the time of Samuel the prophet: neither did any of the kings of Israel hold such a Passover feast as did Josiah and the priests and Levites and all Judah, and as much of Israel as could be had, and the inhabiters of Jerusalem.

They kept also the feast of tabernacles, as it is written, and offered the daily burnt offerings by number, according to the custom, as the duty of every day required;

Afterward, the daily burnt offering also, and of the new moons and of all the feast days of the LORD that were hallowed, and all manner of freewill offerings, which they did of their own freewill unto the LORD.

Be it known unto the king, that we went into the province of Judea, to the house of the great God, which is builded with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls, and this work goeth fast on, and prospereth in their hands.

And the children of Israel, the priests and the Levites, and the rest of those who had come back, kept the feast of the opening of this house of God with joy.

On the fourteenth day of the first month the returned exiles observed the Passover feast.

And kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy: for the LORD had made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.

and therefore art thou sent of the king and of the seven lords of the counsel, to visit Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of God, which is in thy hand;

Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance.

And we fast, and seek from our God for this, and He is entreated of us.

Ezra arose in front of the Temple of God to visit the apartment of Eliashib's son Jehohanan. While there, he neither ate nor drank because he was in mourning over the sins of those who had returned from exile.

And at their hand held fast Meremoth, son of Urijah, son of Koz. And upon their hand Meshullam son of Berechiah, son of Meshezabeel. And upon their hand held fast Zadok son of Baana.

And upon their hand held fast the Tekoites; and their nobles brought not their neck into the work of their Lord.

And the old gate held fast Jehoida son of Paseah, and Meshullam son of Besodeiah; they framed and set up its doors, its bolts and its bars.

And upon their band held fast Melatiah the Gibeonite, and Jadon the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon, and Mizpeh to the throne of the prefect beyond the river.

Upon his hand held fast Uzziel son of Harhaiah of the goldsmiths. And upon his hand held fast Hananiah son of the perfumers; and they will leave Jerusalem even to the broad wall.

And upon their hand held fast Raphia, son of Hur, chief of half the circuit of Jerusalem.

And upon their hand held fast Jedaiah son of Harumaph, and before his house, and upon his hand, held fast Hattush son of Hashabniah.

The second measure held fast Malchiah, son of Harim, and Hashub, son of Pahath-Moab, and the tower of the furnaces.

And upon his hand held fast Shallum son of Halohesh, chief of half the circuit of Jerusalem, he and his daughters.

And the gate of the valley held fast Hanun and the inhabitants of Zanoah; they built it, and they will set up its doors its bolts and its bars, and a thousand cubits in the wall even to the gate of the dung-hill.

And the gate of the dung-hill held fast Malchiah the son of Rechab, chief of the circuit of the house of the vineyard; he will build it, and set up its doors, its bolts and its bars.

And the gate of the fountain Shallum son of Colhozeh, ruler of the circuit of Mizpeh, held fast; he will build it and cover it, and set, it up, its doors, its bolts, and its bars, and the walls of the pool of Shiloh by the king's garden, and even to the steps going down from the city of David.

After him held fast Nehemiah son of Azbuk, chief of half the circuit of the house of the rock, even to the front of the sepulchres of David, and even to the pool being made, and even to the house of the strong ones.

After him held fast the Levites, Rehum, son of Bani. Upon his hand held fast Hashabiah chief of half the circuit of Keilah to his circuit

After him held fast their brethren, Bavai son of Henadad, chief of half the circuit of Keilah.

And upon his hand held fast Ezer son of Joshua, chief of Mizpeh, the second measure from before the going up of the weapons of the corner.

And after him Barach son of Zabbai, being ardent, held fast the second measure from the corner even to the entrance of the house of Eliashib the great priest

After him held fast Meremoth son of Urijah son of Koz the second measure from the entrance of the house of Eliashib to the end of the house of Eliashib.

And after him held fast the priests, the men of the circuit

After him held fast Benjamin and Hashub, before their house. After him held fast Azariah son of Maaseiah son of Ananiah, near his house.

After him held fast Binnui, son of Henadad the second measure, from the house of Azariah even to the corner, even to the turning.

After him held fast the Tekoites the second measure, from before the great tower coming forth and even to the walls of Ophel.

From above the gate of horses held fast the priests, a man to the front of his house.

After him held fast Zadok son of Immer, before his house. And after him held fast Shemaiah son of Shecaniah, watching the gate of the sunrising.

After him held fast Hananiah son of Shelemiah, and Hanun, sixth son of Zalaph, the second measure. After him held fast Meshullam son of Berechiah before his cell.

After him held fast Malchiah son of the goldsmith, even to the house of the Nethinims, and the merchants before the gate of the review, and even to the going up of the turning.

And between the going up of the turning to the sheep gate, held fast the goldsmiths and the merchants.

And it will be from that day the half of my young men doing in the work, and half of them holding fast and the spears, the shields, and the bows, and the coats of mail; and the chiefs behind every house of Judah.

They building upon the wall, and they bearing in the burden, they loading with one of his hands doing in the work, and one holding fast the weapon.

And we doing in the work: and half of them holding fast upon the spears from the ascending of the dawn even till the coming forth of the stars.

I also applied myself to the work on this wall; we did not buy any land, and all my servants were gathered together there for the work.

And I said unto them, Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until, hot, be the sun, and, while they are standing by, let them close the doors, and make them fast, - setting watches, of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, every one in his watch, and every one over against his own house.

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

Also day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according unto the manner.

were holding fast unto their distinguished brethren, and were entering into a curse and into an oath, to walk in the law of God, which was given through Moses the servant of God, - and to observe and do, all the commandments of Yahweh our Lord, and his regulations, and his statutes;

namely to the shewbread, to the daily meat offering, to the daily burnt offering of the Sabbaths, of the new moons and feast days, and to the things that were sanctified, and to the sin offerings, to reconcile Israel withal, and to all the business in the house of our God.

And when the time came for the wall of Jerusalem to be made holy, they sent for the Levites out of all their places to come to Jerusalem, to keep the feast with joy, and with praise and melody, with brass and corded instruments of music.

In the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him:

And when these days were expired, the king made a feast unto all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both unto great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king's palace;

white stuff, cotton and blue, being held fast with cords of fine linen and purple, upon rods of silver, and pillars of white marble, - the couches being of gold and silver, upon a pavement of alabaster and white marble, and pearl and black marble.

Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus.

And let the king's decree that he will make be proclaimed in all his kingdom, because it [is] vast and all the women will honor their husbands, great and small."

Then the king made a great feast unto all his princes and his servants, even Esther's feast; and he made a release to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the state of the king.

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 likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.

On the third day [of the fast] Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king’s palace opposite his [throne] room. The king was sitting on his royal throne, facing the [main] entrance of the palace.

And Esther in answer said, If it seems good to the king, let the king and Haman come today to the feast which I have made ready for him.

Then the king said, Let Haman come quickly, so that what Esther has said may be done. So the king and Haman came to the feast which Esther had made ready.

If I have the king's approval, and if it is the king's pleasure to give me my prayer and do my request, let the king and Haman come to the feast which I will make ready for them, and tomorrow I will do as the king has said.

And Haman saith, 'Yea, Esther the queen brought none in with the king, unto the feast that she made, except myself, and also for to-morrow I am called to her, with the king,

Then his wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, Let a pillar, fifty cubits high, be made ready for hanging him, and in the morning get the king to give orders for the hanging of Mordecai: then you will be able to go to the feast with the king with a glad heart. And Haman was pleased with the suggestion, and he had the pillar made.

While they were still talking, the king's servants came to take Haman to the feast which Esther had made ready.

The king and Haman came to feast with Esther the queen.

Then in his fury, the king stood up from drinking wine and went into the palace garden [to decide what he should do]; but Haman stayed to plead for his life from Queen Esther, for he saw that harm had been determined against him by the king.

Mordecai wrote in King Ahasuerus’s name and sealed the edicts with the royal signet ring. He sent the documents by mounted couriers, who rode fast horses bred from the royal racing mares.

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

As the days on which 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 feast

to establish these days of Purim at their appointed times, just as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had imposed, and just as they had imposed on themselves and their offspring regulations of the fast and their lament.

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.

{Then when} the days of the feast had run their course, {Job would send}, and he would sanctify them. Thus he would arise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings [according to] the number of all of them, because Job thought, "Perhaps my children have sinned and {cursed} God in their heart." This is what Job used to do {all the time}.

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

Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still hold fast thine integrity? renounce God, and die.

When Job's three friends heard all these tragedies that happened to him, they each traveled from their home towns to visit him. Eliphaz came from Teman, Bildad came from Shuah, and Zophar came from Naamath. They met together and went to console and comfort him.

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

And that thou shouldest visit him every morning, and try him every moment?

He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand: he shall hold it fast, but it shall not endure.

Who made [the constellations] the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades,
And the [vast starry] spaces of the south;

"For he has raised his fist against God, defying the Almighty.

And thou hast laid fast hold on me, which is a witness against me : And my leanness riseth up against me, It testifieth to my face.

There catcheth him - by the heel - a gin, there holdeth him fast - a noose:

if he retains it for himself and does not let it go, and holds it fast in his mouth,

For if thou wilt turn to the Almighty, thou shalt stand fast, and all unrighteousness shall be far from thy dwelling:

If only I knew where to find him, I would visit him where he has taken his seat.

My foot hath held fast to his steps; His way have I kept, and turned not aside.

Holding fast the face of the throne, he spread his cloud upon it

My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.

And now my soul shall be poured out upon me; and the days of affliction will hold me fast

If my step has turned out of the way, or my heart has walked after my eyes, and if any blot has held fast to my hands;