And he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they had made known to him the people of Mordecai: therefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai.

In the first month, that is, the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of king Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that is, the lot, before Haman from day to day, and from month to month, to the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar.

If it please the king, let it be written that they may be destroyed: and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver to the hands of those that have the charge of the business, to bring it into the king's treasuries.

Then were the king's scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the king's satraps, and to the governors that were over every province, and to the rulers of every people of every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people according to their language; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king's ring.

The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given in every province was published unto all people, that they should be ready against that day.

When Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai tore his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry;

And Mordecai told him of all that had happened unto him, and of the 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 at 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 of his to put him to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden scepter, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days.

Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not to yourself that you shall escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews.

Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast 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.

So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.

Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king's house, opposite the king's house: and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, opposite the entrance of the house.

And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favor in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the scepter.

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

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.

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.

Then went Haman forth that day joyful and with a glad heart: but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate, that he stood not up, nor trembled before him, he was full of indignation against Mordecai.

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.

On that night the king could not sleep, and he commanded to be brought the book of records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king.

And it was found written, that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's eunuchs, the keepers of the door, who sought to lay hand on king Ahasuerus.

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.

Let the royal robes be brought which the king has worn, and the horse that the king rides upon, and the royal crown which is set upon his head:

And let the robes and horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king's most noble princes, that they may array the man with whom the king delights to honor, and bring him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaim before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor.

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 while they were yet talking with him, the king's eunuchs came, and hastened to bring Haman unto the banquet that Esther had prepared.

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 the king arising from the banquet of wine in his wrath 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.

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

On that day did 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.

And Esther spoke yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet, and besought him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his plot that he had devised against the Jews.

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?

Then were the king's scribes called at that time in the third month, that is, the month Sivan, on the three and twentieth day thereof; and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded unto the Jews, and to the satraps, and the governors and princes of the provinces which are from India unto Ethiopia, a hundred twenty and seven provinces, unto every province according to its own writing, and unto every people according to their language, and to the Jews according to their writing, and according to their language.

By these the king granted the Jews who were in every city to gather themselves together, and to defend their lives, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish, all the forces of the people and province that would assault them, their little ones and women, and to take their possessions for a spoil,

The copy of the writing for a command to be given in every province was published unto all people, so that the Jews should be ready against that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.

So the couriers that rode upon royal horses went out, being hastened and pressed on by the king's command. And the decree was given at Shushan the palace.

Now in the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, when the king's command and his decree drew near to be executed, in the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to have power over them, (though it was turned to the contrary, that the Jews had rule over them that hated them;)

Thus the Jews defeated all their enemies with the stroke of the sword, and slaughter, and destruction, and did what they would unto those that hated them.

On that day the number of those that were slain in Shushan the citadel was brought before the king.

For the Jews that were in Shushan gathered themselves together on the fourteenth day also of the month Adar, and killed three hundred men at Shushan; but on the spoil they laid not their hand.

But the other Jews that were in the king's provinces gathered themselves together, and defended their lives, and had rest from their enemies, and killed of their foes seventy and five thousand, but they laid not their hands on the spoil,

But the Jews that were at Shushan assembled together on the thirteenth day thereof, and on the fourteenth thereof; and on the fifteenth day of the same they rested, and made it a day of feasting and gladness.

Therefore the Jews of the villages, that dwelt in the unwalled towns, made the fourteenth day of the month Adar a day of gladness and feasting, and a good day, and of sending presents one to another.

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

To establish this among them, that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day of the same, yearly,

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

Because Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast Pur, that is, the lot, to consume them, and to destroy them;

But when Esther came before the king, he commanded by letters that his wicked plot, which he devised against the Jews, should return upon his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.

Therefore they called these days Purim after the name of Pur. Therefore for all the words of this letter, and of that which they had seen concerning this matter, and which had come unto them,

The Jews ordained, and took upon themselves, and upon their descendants, and upon all such as joined themselves unto them, so that it should not fail, that they would keep these two days according to what was written, and according to their appointed time every year;

And that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city; and that these days of Purim should not fall into disuse among the Jews, nor the memory of them perish from their descendants.

There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one that feared God, and turned away from evil.

His possessions also were seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred female donkeys, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.

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, 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?

Have not you made a hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he has on every side? you have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions are increased in the land.

But put forth your hand now, and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.

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 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.

Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him.

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

Let that day be darkness; let not God regard it from above, neither let the light shine upon it.

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

Lo, let that night be solitary, let no joyful voice come into it.

Let them curse it that curse the day, who are ready to arouse leviathan.

Why did the knees receive me? or why the breasts that I should nurse?

Or with princes that had gold, who filled their houses with silver:

Therefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul;

For the thing which I greatly feared has come upon me, and that which I was afraid of has come unto me.

Your words have upheld him that was falling, and you have strengthened the feeble knees.

Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same.

How much less in them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed before the moth?

Call now, if there be any that will answer you; and to which of the holy ones will you turn?

To set up on high those that are low; that those who mourn may be lifted to safety.

He frustrates the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot perform their plans.

And you shall know that your tabernacle shall be in peace; and you shall visit your habitation, and shall find nothing amiss.

You shall know also that your descendants shall be many, and your offspring as the grass of the earth.

Oh that my grief were thoroughly weighed, and my calamity laid in the balances together!

Can that which is tasteless be eaten without salt? or is there any taste in the white of an egg?

The things that my soul refused to touch are as loathsome food to me.

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

Even that it would please God to destroy me; that he would let loose his hand, and cut me off!

What is my strength, that I should hope? and what is my end, that I should prolong my life?

To him that is afflicted pity should be shown from his friend; even though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty.

My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, and as the stream of brooks that pass away;

Do you intend to reprove words, and the speeches of one that is desperate, which are as wind?

O remember that my life is a breath: my eye shall no more see good.

The eye of him that has seen me shall see me no more: your eyes are upon me, and I am not.

As the cloud is consumed and vanishes away: so he that goes down to the grave shall come up no more.

Am I a sea, or a sea monster, that you set a watch over me?

So that my soul chooses strangling, and death rather than my life.

What is man, that you should magnify him? and that you should set your heart upon him?

And that you should visit him every morning, and test him every moment?

I have sinned; what shall I do unto you, O you preserver of men? why have you set me as a mark against you, so that I am a burden to myself?

So are the paths of all that forget God; and the hypocrite's hope shall perish:

They that hate you shall be clothed with shame; and the dwelling place of the wicked will come to nothing.