Then King Ahasuerus asked Queen Esther, “Who is he, and where is he, who would presume to do thus?”

Esther said, “A foe and an enemy is this wicked Haman!” Then Haman became terrified before the king and queen.

Then Harbonah, one of the eunuchs who were before the king said, “Behold indeed, the gallows standing at Haman’s house fifty cubits high, which Haman made for Mordecai who spoke good on behalf of the king!” And the king said, “Hang him on it.”

The king took off his signet ring which he had taken away from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.

Then she said, “If it pleases the king and if I have found favor before him and the matter seems proper to the king and I am pleasing in his sight, let it be written to revoke the letters devised by Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews who are in all the king’s provinces.

For how can I endure to see the calamity which will befall my people, and how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?”

So King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, “Behold, I have given the house of Haman to Esther, and him they have hanged on the gallows because he had stretched out his hands against the Jews.

Now you write to the Jews as you see fit, in the king’s name, and seal it with the king’s signet ring; for a decree which is written in the name of the king and sealed with the king’s signet ring may not be revoked.”

In them the king granted the Jews who were in each and every city the right to assemble and to defend their lives, to destroy, to kill and to annihilate the entire army of any people or province which might attack them, including children and women, and to plunder their spoil,

A copy of the edict to be issued as law in each and every province was published to all the peoples, so that the Jews would be ready for this day to avenge themselves on their enemies.

Then Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal robes of blue and white, with a large crown of gold and a garment of fine linen and purple; and the city of Susa shouted and rejoiced.

In each and every province and in each and every city, wherever the king’s commandment and his decree arrived, there was gladness and joy for the Jews, a feast and a holiday. And many among the peoples of the land became Jews, for the dread of the Jews had fallen on them.

Now in the twelfth month (that is, the month Adar), on the thirteenth day when the king’s command and edict were about to be executed, on the day when the enemies of the Jews hoped to gain the mastery over them, it was turned to the contrary so that the Jews themselves gained the mastery over those who hated them.

The Jews assembled in their cities throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus to lay hands on those who sought their harm; and no one could stand before them, for the dread of them had fallen on all the peoples.

Even all the princes of the provinces, the satraps, the governors and those who were doing the king’s business assisted the Jews, because the dread of Mordecai had fallen on them.

Thus the Jews struck all their enemies with the sword, killing and destroying; and they did what they pleased to those who hated them.

On that day the number of those who were killed at the citadel in Susa was reported to the king.

The king said to Queen Esther, “The Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men and the ten sons of Haman at the citadel in Susa. What then have they done in the rest of the king’s provinces! Now what is your petition? It shall even be granted you. And what is your further request? It shall also be done.”

Then said Esther, “If it pleases the king, let tomorrow also be granted to the Jews who are in Susa to do according to the edict of today; and let Haman’s ten sons be hanged on the gallows.”

The Jews who were in Susa assembled also on the fourteenth day of the month Adar and killed three hundred men in Susa, but they did not lay their hands on the plunder.

Now the rest of the Jews who were in the king’s provinces assembled, to defend their lives and rid themselves of their enemies, and kill 75,000 of those who hated them; but they did not lay their hands on the plunder.

This was done on the thirteenth day of the month Adar, and on the fourteenth day they rested and made it a day of feasting and rejoicing.

But the Jews who were in Susa assembled on the thirteenth and the fourteenth of the same month, and they rested on the fifteenth day and made it a day of feasting and rejoicing.

Therefore the Jews of the rural areas, who live in the rural towns, make the fourteenth day of the month Adar a holiday for rejoicing and feasting and sending portions of food to one another.

Then Mordecai recorded these events, and he sent letters to all the Jews who were in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, both near and far,

because on those days the Jews rid themselves of their enemies, and it was a month which was turned for them from sorrow into gladness and from mourning into a holiday; that they should make them days of feasting and rejoicing and sending portions of food to one another and gifts to the poor.

the Jews established and made a custom for themselves and for their descendants and for all those who allied themselves with them, so that they would not fail to celebrate these two days according to their regulation and according to their appointed time annually.

Now King Ahasuerus laid a tribute on the land and on the coastlands of the sea.

For Mordecai the Jew was second only to King Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews and in favor with his many kinsmen, one who sought the good of his people and one who spoke for the welfare of his whole nation.

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

His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them.

Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them.

The Lord said to Satan, “From where do you come?” Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.”

The Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil.”

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

But put forth Your hand now and touch all that he has; he will surely curse You to Your face.”

a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them,

and the Sabeans attacked and took them. They also slew the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”

While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”

While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three bands and made a raid on the camels and took them and slew the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”

and behold, a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people and they died, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”

He said,
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
And naked I shall return there.
The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away.
Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the Lord.

The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.”

The Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man fearing God and turning away from evil. And he still holds fast his integrity, although you incited Me against him to ruin him without cause.”

Satan answered the Lord and said, “Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life.

However, put forth Your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh; he will curse You to Your face.”

And he took a potsherd to scrape himself while he was sitting among the ashes.

Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die!”

But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

When they lifted up their eyes at a distance and did not recognize him, they raised their voices and wept. And each of them tore his robe and they threw dust over their heads toward the sky.

Then they sat down on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights with no one speaking a word to him, for they saw that his pain was very great.

“Let the day perish on which I was to be born,
And the night which said, ‘A boy is conceived.’

“Let darkness and black gloom claim it;
Let a cloud settle on it;
Let the blackness of the day terrify it.

“Let those curse it who curse the day,
Who are prepared to rouse Leviathan.

“Why did I not die at birth,
Come forth from the womb and expire?

“Why did the knees receive me,
And why the breasts, that I should suck?

“For now I would have lain down and been quiet;
I would have slept then, I would have been at rest,

With kings and with counselors of the earth,
Who rebuilt ruins for themselves;

Or with princes who had gold,
Who were filling their houses with silver.

“Or like a miscarriage which is discarded, I would not be,
As infants that never saw light.

“Why is light given to him who suffers,
And life to the bitter of soul,

Who long for death, but there is none,
And dig for it more than for hidden treasures,

Who rejoice greatly,
And exult when they find the grave?

“Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden,
And whom God has hedged in?

“For what I fear comes upon me,
And what I dread befalls me.

“I am not at ease, nor am I quiet,
And I am not at rest, but turmoil comes.”

“If one ventures a word with you, will you become impatient?
But who can refrain from speaking?

“Behold you have admonished many,
And you have strengthened weak hands.

“Your words have helped the tottering to stand,
And you have strengthened feeble knees.

“But now it has come to you, and you are impatient;
It touches you, and you are dismayed.

“Remember now, who ever perished being innocent?
Or where were the upright destroyed?

“According to what I have seen, those who plow iniquity
And those who sow trouble harvest it.

“Now a word was brought to me stealthily,
And my ear received a whisper of it.

“Then a spirit passed by my face;
The hair of my flesh bristled up.

“It stood still, but I could not discern its appearance;
A form was before my eyes;
There was silence, then I heard a voice:

‘Can mankind be just before God?
Can a man be pure before his Maker?

‘How much more those who dwell in houses of clay,
Whose foundation is in the dust,
Who are crushed before the moth!

“Call now, is there anyone who will answer you?
And to which of the holy ones will you turn?

“I have seen the foolish taking root,
And I cursed his abode immediately.

“His harvest the hungry devour
And take it to a place of thorns,
And the schemer is eager for their wealth.

“But as for me, I would seek God,
And I would place my cause before God;

Who does great and unsearchable things,
Wonders without number.

So that He sets on high those who are lowly,
And those who mourn are lifted to safety.

“From six troubles He will deliver you,
Even in seven evil will not touch you.

“In famine He will redeem you from death,
And in war from the power of the sword.

“You will be hidden from the scourge of the tongue,
And you will not be afraid of violence when it comes.

“You will laugh at violence and famine,
And you will not be afraid of wild beasts.

“For you will be in league with the stones of the field,
And the beasts of the field will be at peace with you.

“You will know that your tent is secure,
For you will visit your abode and fear no loss.

“You will know also that your descendants will be many,
And your offspring as the grass of the earth.

“You will come to the grave in full vigor,
Like the stacking of grain in its season.

“Behold this; we have investigated it, and so it is.
Hear it, and know for yourself.”

“Oh that my grief were actually weighed
And laid in the balances together with my calamity!

“Oh that my request might come to pass,
And that God would grant my longing!

“But it is still my consolation,
And I rejoice in unsparing pain,
That I have not denied the words of the Holy One.

“What is my strength, that I should wait?
And what is my end, that I should endure?

“My brothers have acted deceitfully like a wadi,
Like the torrents of wadis which vanish,

“Indeed, you have now become such,
You see a terror and are afraid.

“Have I said, ‘Give me something,’
Or, ‘Offer a bribe for me from your wealth,’