as well as the firstborn of our sons and our cattle, as recorded in the Law, along with the firstlings of our herds and our flocks, to present to the Temple of our God for the priests that minister in the Temple of our God.

These are the leaders of the provinces who lived in Jerusalem. Some lived in the towns of Judah each on their property in their respective towns that is, the Israelis, the priests, the descendants of Levi, the Temple Servants, and the descendants of Solomon's servants.

Some of the descendants of Judah and Benjamin lived in Jerusalem. From Judah's Descendants: Uzziah's son Athaiah, who was the son of Zechariah, the son of Amariah, the son of Shephatiah, the son of Mahalalel; From Perez's Descendants

along with his associates, the leaders of the families, numbered 242, along with Amashsai, the son of Azarel, the son of Ahzai, the son of Meshillemoth, the son of Immer,

The overseer of the descendants of Levi at Jerusalem was Uzzi son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Mica. Singers from the descendants of Asaph oversaw the work of the Temple of God.

of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi;

When Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua were serving, the descendants of Levi were recorded as heads of their ancestors' houses, as were the priests during the reign of Darius the Persian.

and from above the Ephraim Gate, above the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel and the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Sheep Gate. They stopped at the Guard Gate.

Then the two choirs assembled in the Temple of God, as did I, along with half of the officials who accompanied me,

Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer. And the singers made their presence known, with Jezrahiah to lead them.

I also learned that the allotments for the descendants of Levi had not been distributed. As a result, the descendants of Levi and singers who were responsible for the service had each left to go back to their fields.

So I confronted the officials and asked, "Why is the Temple of God neglected?" Then I gathered them together and put them back in their places.

Didn't your ancestors do the same? And didn't our God bring on us and on this city all of this trouble? Now you're adding to the wrath against Israel by profaning the Sabbath!"

As the Sabbath approached and it began to get dark at the gates of Jerusalem, I gave word to shut the gates, charging that they should not be opened until after the Sabbath. I stationed some of my men at the gates to ensure that no loads would be brought in on the Sabbath day.

As a result, the merchants and sellers of all sorts of goods remained outside Jerusalem a couple of times.

Then I commanded the descendants of Levi to purify themselves and to come as gate keepers to sanctify the Sabbath day. Remember me, my God, and show mercy to me according to the greatness of your gracious love.

This is a record of what happened during the reign of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who ruled over 127 provinces from India to Cush.

Then the king flew into a rage. The king spoke to the wise men who understood the times, for it was the king's custom to consult all those who understood law and justice.

Then Memucan replied in the presence of the king and his officials, "It is not the king alone whom Vashti has wronged, but rather all of the officials and all of the people who are in the provinces of King Ahasuerus.

If it seems good to the king, let a royal decree go out from him and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media, which cannot be repealed, that Vashti is never again to enter the presence of King Ahasuerus. Let the king give her royal position to another woman who is better than she.

When the edict of the king that he issues is heard throughout his kingdom for it's vast then all the women will give honor to their husbands, from the greatest to the least important."

Let the king appoint officials in all the provinces of his kingdom to bring all the beautiful young virgins into the harem in Susa the capital. Let them be placed under the care of Hegai, the king's eunuch, who is in charge of the women to give them their beauty treatments.

Mordecai had raised his cousin Hadassah, or Esther, because she had no father or mother. The young woman had a beautiful figure and was very attractive. After her mother and father died, Mordecai had taken her as his daughter.

Now Esther was the daughter of Abihail, who had been Mordecai's uncle. Mordecai had taken Esther in as his own daughter. When her turn came to go in to the king, she did not want anything except what Hegai, the king's eunuch in charge of the harem, advised. Esther found favor with everyone who saw her.

Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus to his royal palace in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.

Now Esther had not declared her heritage or her people, just as Mordecai had instructed her, for Esther did what Mordecai told her just as she had done when she was raised by him.

In the twelfth year of the reign of King Ahasuerus, in the first month (the month Nisan), the (that is, the lot) was cast in Haman's presence to determine the best day and month to carry out his plot. The lot indicated the twelfth month, the month Adar.

Then Haman told King Ahasuerus, "There is a certain people scattered and divided among the people throughout the provinces of your kingdom. Their laws are different than all the other people, they don't obey the king's laws, and it's not in the king's best interest to leave them alone.

The king told Haman, "The silver is given to you, along with the people, to do with them as you see fit."

A copy of the letter was to be issued as an edict in every province and published to all the people, telling them to be ready for that day.

He came as far as the front of the king's gate, because no one was allowed to enter the king's gate clothed in sackcloth.

"Every servant of the king and every person in the king's provinces knows that for any man or woman who goes to the king in the inner court without being summoned there is only one law that he be put to death unless the king holds out the golden scepter to him. Only then he will live. For these last 30 days I've not been summoned to come to the king."

The king asked her, "What do you want, Queen Esther? What is your request? Even if it's half of the kingdom, it will be given to you."

Esther answered, "This is my petition and my request:

The king said, "Who is in the courtyard?" Now Haman had just entered the outer courtyard of the palace to speak to the king about having Mordecai hanged on the pole he had set up.

The king's young men told him, "Look, Haman is standing in the courtyard." The king said, "Let him come in."

Then give the robes and the horse to one of the king's most noble officials. Let them put the robes on the man whom the king desires to honor, and let them put him on the horse in the main square of the city. Then let them announce in front of him, "This is what is done for the man whom the king desires to honor.'"

Then the king told Haman, "Quick! Take the clothes and the horse just as you have suggested and do this for Mordecai the Jew who sits in the king's gate. And don't let anything you've suggested fall through the cracks."

So Haman took the clothes and the horse, dressed Mordecai, and put him on the horse in the main square of the city. He cried out in front of him, "This is what is done for the man whom the king desires to honor."

Haman told his wife Zeresh and all his friends everything that had happened to him. His wise friends and his wife Zeresh told him, "If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is one of the Jewish people, you won't prevail against him. Instead, you will surely fall before him."

On the second day the king again told Esther as they drank wine, "What's your petition, Queen Esther? It will be given to you. What's your request? Up to half of the kingdom, and it will be done."

Queen Esther answered: "If I've found favor with you, your majesty, and if it seems good to the king, let my life be given to me as my petition and my people as my request.

Indeed, I and my people have been sold to be annihilated, killed, and destroyed. If we had just been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet, because the trouble wouldn't have been sufficient to bother the king."

Then King Ahasuerus asked Queen Esther, "Who is this, and where is the person who would dare do this?"

Then Harbonah, one of the eunuchs attending the king, observed, "Look there! A pole is standing 50 cubits high at Haman's house that he prepared for Mordecai, whose report benefitted the king!"

She said, "If it pleases the king, and if I've found favor with him, and if the matter is proper in the king's opinion, and if I'm pleasing to the king, let an order be issued revoking the letters devised by Hammedatha the Agagite's son Haman, which ordered the destruction of the Jewish people throughout the king's provinces.

The king's scribes were summoned at that time, on the twenty-third day of the third month, which is the month Sivan, and everything that Mordecai commanded the Jewish people, the regional authorities, the governors, and the provincial officials of the 127 provinces from India to Cush was written down for each province according to its script, for each people according to their language, and for the Jewish people according to their script and language.

Throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, the one day for the Jewish people to do this was the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar.

A copy of the document was to be issued as law in each and every province and published for all people, indicating that the Jewish people were to be ready to take vengeance on their enemies on that day.

On the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, when the king's order and edict was about to be carried out, on the day when the enemies of the Jewish people expected to prevail over them, things were turned around so that the Jewish people themselves prevailed over those who hated them.

The Jewish people struck down all their enemies with the sword, killing and destroying them, and they did with their enemies as they pleased.

as the days on which the Jewish people enjoyed relief from their enemies. It was a month when things turned around for them, from sorrow to joy and from mourning to a holiday. They were to celebrate these days as days of feasting and joy, and they were to send presents to one another and gifts to the poor.

since Hammedatha's son Haman, the enemy of the Jewish people, had plotted against the Jewish people to destroy them, and he had cast the (that is, the lot) to determine when to confuse and destroy them.

establishing these days of Purim at the prescribed time, just as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had established, and just as the Jewish people had established for themselves and for their descendants. The letter included instructions for their fasting and lamentations.

Now as to all the powerful and great deeds of Ahasuerus, along with an exact statement about the high position of Mordecai to which the king promoted him, these things are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Media and Persia, are they not?

There once was a man in the land of Uz named Job. The man was blameless as well as upright. He feared God and kept away from evil.

Then the LORD asked Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on earth. The man is blameless as well as upright. He fears God and keeps away from evil."

Then the LORD told Satan, "Very well then, everything he owns is under your control, only you may not extend your hand against him." So Satan left the LORD's presence.

The LORD asked Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on earth. The man is blameless as well as upright. He fears God and keeps away from evil. He remains firm in his integrity, even though you have been urging me to overwhelm him without cause."

Then the LORD told Satan, "Very well then, he is under your control. Just preserve his life."

But he replied to her, "You're talking like foolish women do. Are we to accept what is good from God but not tragedy?" Throughout all of this, Job did not sin by what he said.

This is what Job said:

In that place, the wicked stop causing trouble, and there, those whose strength is exhausted are at rest.

The unimportant and the important are both there, and the servant is free from his master.

"As far as I'm concerned, my food comes to me in the form of sighs, and my cries of anguish pour out like water.

"But now it's your turn, and you're the one who is worn out! Now it's striking you, and you're dismayed!

They perish by the breath of God; they are consumed by the storm that is his anger.

"Cry out, won't you! Is there anyone who will answer you? To whom will you turn among the holy ones?

But mankind is born headed for trouble, just as sparks soar skyward."

"Now as for me, I would seek God if I were you; I would commit my case to God.

He is always doing great things that cannot be explained, countless awesome deeds.

He captures the wise in their own craftiness, bringing a quick end to their cunning advice.

They meet with darkness in broad daylight; at noonday they grope around as if it were night.

Therefore there is hope for those who are poor, and iniquity shuts its mouth.

"Indeed, how blessed is the person whom God reproves! So never disrespect the discipline of the Almighty,

You'll know that your home is secure; when you search your possessions, and nothing will be missing.

"Look! We have thought all this through, and what we've said is true; So please listen and learn for your own good!"

"Will the wild donkey bray from hunger if fresh grass is beside him? Will the ox low from distress if it is near its feed?

Tasteless food isn't eaten without salt, is it? Is there any taste in an egg white?

Am I as strong as a rock? Am I some kind of iron man?

There is no help within me, is there? My resources have been driven away from me, haven't they?

Filled with waters made cold by ice, they are where the snow goes to hide.

Did you intend your words to reprove, even though the speech of a desperate person is just wind?

Repent! Let there be no injustice; Change your ways! My vindication is at stake.

I'm like a servant who longs for the shade, like a hired laborer who is looking for his wages.

My skin is covered with worms and clods of dirt; my skin becomes rough and then breaks out afresh.

My days pass as swiftly as a hand-loom; they come to their conclusion without hope.

Remember that my life is a breath; my eyes won't go back to seeing good things.

As a cloud fades away and vanishes, the one who descends to the afterlife doesn't return.

"What is a human being, that you make so much of him; that you set your affections on him,

Because we are of yesterday and we know nothing, for our time on earth is only a shadow.

his confidence is shattered; his trust is in a spider's web.

He is a fresh sapling planted in the sunlight, spreading out its branches over its garden.

If he is uprooted from his place, then it will deny him: "I never saw you.'

"Indeed, this is the benefit of God's way: from the soil other plants will sprout.

"Indeed, I'm fully aware that this is so, but how can a person become right with God?

He is wise in heart and strong in will who can be stubborn against him and succeed?

"Is this a contest of strength? He is obviously stronger! Is this a matter of justice? Who can sue him?

Though I'm in the right, my own mouth will condemn me; though I'm blameless, he'll pronounce me as guilty.

A land is given into the hands of a wicked person; he covers the faces of its judges. If it is not God, then who is it?"