To Abiah, Zichri; to Miniamin, to Moadiah, Piltai;

To Bilgah, Shammua; to Shemaiah, Jehonathan;

And to Joiarib, Mattenai; to Jedaiah, Uzzi;

To Sallai, Kallai; to Amok, Eber;

To Hilkiah, Hashabiah; to Jedaiah, Nathaneel.

And the sons of Levi, the chiefs of the fathers, being written upon the book of the words of the days, and even to the days of Johanan son of Eliashib.

And the heads of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Joshua son of Kadmiel, and their brethren over against them, to praise, to confess in the command of David the man of God watching over against watching.

And in the consecration of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites out of all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to do the consecration and gladness, and with praises and with song of cymbals, lyres, and with harps.

And I shall bring up the chiefs of Judah from above the wall, and I shall cause to stand two great choirs, and to go about to the right hand above to the wall to the gate of the dung-hill:

And at the gate of the fountain, and before them, they went up upon the steps of the city of David in the going up to the wall from above to the house: of David, and even to the gate of waters of the sunrising.

And the second praised going about to the front, and I after it, and, half the people above to the wall, above to the tower of the furnaces and even to the broad wall;

And from above to the gate of Ephraim, and over the old gate, and over the gate of fishes, and the tower of Hananeel, and the tower of Meah, and even to the sheep gate: and, they stood in the gate of the prison.

And the two choirs will stand in the house of God, and I, and half of the prefects with me:

And Maaseiah and Eleazar and Uzzi and Jehonathan and Malchijah and Elam and Ezer and those singing will cause to hear, and Jezrahiah, reviewing.

And they will sacrifice in that day great sacrifices, and they will rejoice, for God caused them to rejoice with great gladness: and also the women and the children, rejoiced, and the gladness of Jerusalem will be heard even to far off.

And in that day they will appoint men over the cells to the treasures for the oblations for the first-fruits and for the tenths to collect into them to the fields of the cities the portions of the law to the priests and to the Levites: for the gladness of Judah over the priests and over the Levites standing.

And they will watch the watches of their God, and the watches of the purification, and those singing, and the gate-keepers, according to the command of David, and of Solomon his son.

For in the days of, David and Asaph from of old the head of those singing, and the song of praise and confessions to God.

And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel, and in the days of Nehemiah giving, portions, of the singers and the gate-keepers, the word of a day in its day: and consecrating to the Levites; and the Levites consecrating to the sons of Aaron.

In that day was read in the book of Moses in the ears of the people; and it was found written in it that there shall not come in an Ammonite and a Moabite to the convocation of God, even to forever;

For they anticipated not the sons of Israel with bread and with water, and he will hire Balaam against him to curse him: and God will turn the curse to blessing.

And before this, Eliashib the priest being given over the cells of the house of our God, being near to Tobiah:

And in all this I was not in Jerusalem: for in the thirty and second year to Arthasatha king of Babel, I came to the king, and at the end of days I asked for myself from the king:

And I shall come to Jerusalem, and I shall understand upon the evil which Eliashib did for Tobiah to prepare for him a cell in the enclosures of the house of God.

And it will be greatly evil to me: and I shall cast forth all the vessels of the house of Tobiah without from the cell.

And I shall know that the portions of the Levites were not given: and they will flee a man to his field, the Levites and those singing, doing the work

And I shall contend with the prefects, and say, Wherefore was the house of God forsaken? And I shall gather them together, and cause them to stand upon their standing.

And all Judah brought the tenth of the grain and the new wine and the new oil to the treasuries.

And I made treasurers over the treasuries, Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah from the Levites: and upon their hand Hanan son of Zaccur, son of Mattaniah: for they were reckoned faithful: and upon them to divide out to their brethren.

Remember to me, O my God, concerning this, and thou wilt not wipe out my kindness which I did in the house of my God, and in its watches.

In those days I saw in Judah those treading the wine-presses in the Sabbath, and bringing in the sheaves, and loading upon the asses; and also wine, grapes, and figs, and every burden, and bringing into Jerusalem in the day of the Sabbath: and I shall testify in the day of their selling provision.

And the Tyrians sat in it, bringing in fish and every selling, and selling in the Sabbath to the sons of Judah, and in Jerusalem.

And I shall contend with the nobles of Judah, and say to them, What this evil word that ye are doing, and profaning the day of the Sabbath?

Did not your fathers thus, and our God will bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? and ye are adding burning upon Israel to profane the Sabbath.

And it will be as the gates of Jerusalem were darkened before the Sabbath, and saying, and the doors shall be shut, and saying that they shall not open them till after the Sabbath: and from my young men I caused to stand at the gates; a burden shall not be brought in in the day of the Sabbath.

And the merchants and those selling every selling will lodge from without to Jerusalem once and twice.

And I shall testify against them, and say to them, Wherefore are ye lodging before the wall? if ye shall do it a second time I will stretch forth the hand against you From that time they came not upon the Sabbath.

And saying to the Levites that they shall be purifying, and coming, watching the gates to consecrate the day of the Sabbath. Also this remember for me, O my God, and spare upon me according to the multitude of thy mercy.

Also in those days I saw Jews who caused to dwell women, Ashdodites, Ammonites, Moabites:

And their sons half speaking the Ashdod dialect, and they not knowing to speak the Judean dialect, and according to the tongue of people and people.

And I shall contend with them, and I shall curse them and I shall strike of them men, and I shall make them bald, and cause them to swear by God, If ye shall give your daughters to their sons, and if ye shall lift up from their daughters to your sons and to yourselves.

Did not Solomon king of Israel sin concerning these? and in many nations was there not a king like him, and he was loved by his God, and God will give him king over all Israel: also him did women strangers cause to sin.

And to you shall we hear to do all this great evil to transgress against our God to cause strange women to dwell.

And from the sons of Joiada, son of Eliashib the great priest, was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite: and I shall cause him to flee from me.

Remember to them, O my God, for the pollutions of the priesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levites.

And I cleansed them from every stranger, and I shall set up watches to the priests and to the Levites, a man in his work.

And for the bringing near the woods in the times appointed, and for the first-fruits. Remember to me, O my God for good.

And it will be in the days of Ahasuerus, (this Ahasuerus reigned from India and even to Cush; seven and twenty and one hundred provinces:)

In the third year to his reign he made a drinking to all his chiefs and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and chiefs of the provinces before him:

In his causing to see the riches of the glory of his kingdom, and the honor of his great splendor many days, eighty and one hundred days.

And in these days being completed the king made to all the people being found in Shushan the fortress, a drinking to the great and even to the small, seven days, in the enclosure of the garden of the king's house;

And giving drink in vessels of gold and vessels different from vessels, and wine of the kingdom, an abundance, according to the hand of the king.

Giving to drink according to the edict; none compelling, for thus the king appointed to all the multitude of his house to do according to the desire of man and man.

Also Vashti the queen made a drinking to the women of the house of the kingdom which was to king Ahasuerus.

In the seventh day, as the heart of the king being good with wine, he said to Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven eunuchs serving the face of king Ahasuerus,

To bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown of the kingdom, to cause the people and the chiefs to see her beauty: for she was good of appearance.

And the queen Vashti will refuse to come in at the word of the king which was by the hand of the eunuchs: and the king will be angry greatly, and his wrath burnt in him.

And the king will say to the wise knowing the times, (for thus spake the king before all knowing the edict and judgment:

And there drew near to him Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, Memucan, seven chiefs of Persia and Media, seeing the face of the king, sitting the first in the kingdom;)

According to the edict what to do against the queen Vashti, for that she did not the word of the king Ahasuerus by the hand of the eunuchs?

And Memucan will say before the king, Not against the king alone did Vashti the queen do evil, but against all the chiefs and against all the peoples that are in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus.

For the word of the queen will go forth ball the women to cause their husbands to be despised in their eyes, in their saying, The king Ahasuerus said to bring in Vashti the queen before him, and she came not

And this day shall the chief ladies of Persia and Media say, which heard the word of the queen to all the chiefs of the king, and according to contempt and reproach.

If good to the king, the word of the kingdom shall go forth from before him, and it shall be written in the edict of the Persians and Medea, and it shall not pass away, that Vashti shall not come before the king Ahasuerus; and the king shall give her kingdom to her companion good above her.

And the decree of the king which he shall make being heard in all his kingdom, (for it is great,) and all the women shall give honor to their husbands, to the great and even to the small.

And the word will be good in the eyes of the king and the chiefs; and the king will do according to the word of Memucan.

And he will send letters to all the provinces of the king, to provinces and provinces, according to its writing, and to people and people, according to their tongue, for every man to be ruling in his house; and being spoken according to the tongue of his people.

And the king shall appoint overseers in all the provinces of his kingdom, and they shall gather together all the maidens, virgins, good of appearance, to Shushan the fortress, to the house of the women, to the hand of Hegai, the king's eunuch, watching the women; giving their purifications:

And the maiden who shall be good in the eyes of the king shall reign instead of Vashti. And the word will be good in the eyes of the king; and he will do so.

And he will be nourishing Hadassah (this is Esther) his uncle's daughter: for not to her, father and mother, and the maiden beautiful of form and good of aspect; and in the death of her father and her mother; Mordecai took her to him for a daughter.

And it will be in hearing the word of the king and his edict, and in the gathering together of the many maidens to Shushan the fortress, to the hand of Hegai, and Esther will be taken to the house of the king to the hand of Hegai watching the women.

And the maiden will be good in his eyes, and she will receive mercy before him; and he will hasten her purifications, and to give her portion to her, and to give to her seven chosen maidens from the house of the king: and he will change her and her maidens for good to the house of the women.

Esther announced not her people and her birth: for Mordecai commanded to her that she shall not announce.

And in every day and day, Mordecai going about before the enclosure of the house of the women, to know the peace of Esther, and what will be done with her.

And in the coming of the order of maiden and maiden to come in to the king Ahasuerus, from the end of there being to her, according to edict; of women twelve months (for so shall be completed the days of their purifications, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with spices, and with the purifications of the women;)

And thus came the maiden to the king; all which she shall say shall be given to her, to come with her from the house of the women even to the, house of the king.

In the evening she came, and in the morning she turned back to the second house of the women, to the hand of Shaashgaz, the king's eunuch watching the concubines: she will no more come to the king except the king delighted in her, and she was called by name.

And in the coming of the turn of Esther the daughter of Abihail, uncle of Mordecai, which he took to him for a daughter, to go in to the king, she sought not a word except what Hegai the king's eunuch watching the women shall say. And Esther will be taking up favor in the eyes of all seeing her.

And Esther will be taken to the king Ahasuerus, to the house of his kingdom, in the tenth month, this the month Tebeth, in the seventh year to his kingdom.

And the king will love Esther above all the women, and she will receive favor and mercy before him above all the virgins; and he will set the crown of the kingdom upon her head, and he will cause her to reign instead of Vashti.

And the king will make a great drinking to all his chiefs and his servants; Esther's drinking; and he made rest to the provinces, and he will give a lifting up according to the hand of the king.

And Esther not announcing her kindred and her people, as Mordecai commanded to her: and Esther did the saying of Mordecai as when she was in bringing up with him.

In those days, and Mordecai sat in the gate of the king, Bigthan was angry, and Teresh, two eunuchs of the king watching the threshold; and they will seek to stretch forth the hand against the king Ahasuerus.

And the word will be known to Mordecai, and he will announce to Esther the queen; and Esther will tell to the king in the name of Mordecai.

And the word will be sought out and found, and they two will be hung upon a tree: and it will be written in the book of the words of the days before the king.

And all the king's servants which were in the king's gate were bowing and worshiping to Haman; for thus the king commanded for him. And Mordecai will not bow, and he will not worship.

And the king's servants that were in the king's gate will say to Mordecai, Wherefore dost thou pass by the king's Command?

And it will be in their saying to him day and day, and he will not hear to them, and they will announce to Haman to see whether the words of Mordecai will stand: for he announced to them that he was a Jew.

And Haman will see that Mordecai bowed not, and not worshiping to him, and Haman will be filled with wrath.

And it will be despised in his eyes to stretch forth the hand against Mordecai alone; for they announced to him the people of Mordecai: and Haman will seek to destroy all the Jews which are in all the kingdom of Ahasuerus, the people of Mordecai.

In the first month (this the month Nisan,) in the twelfth year to the king Ahasuerus, he cast Pur (this is the lot) before Haman from day to day, and from month to month, this the twelfth the month Adar.

And Haman will say to king Ahasuerus, There is one people scattered and dispersed between the peoples in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws different from all people; they not doing the laws of the king: and it not being suitable to the king to suffer them.

If good to the king, it shall be written to destroy them: and I will weigh ten thousand talents of silver to the hands of those doing the work, to bring to the king's treasures.

And the king will remove the signet ring from his hand, and will give it to Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, to press the Jews.

And the king will say to Haman, The silver is given to thee, and the people, to do with them as is good in thine eyes.

And the king's scribes will be called in the first month, in the thirteenth day in it, and it will be written according to all that Haman commanded to the king's satraps and to the prefects, which were over province and province, and to the chiefs of people and people of province and province, according to its writing, and people and people according to their tongue; in the name of king Ahasuerus it was written, and sealed with the king's signet ring.

{ And the letters were sent by the hand of the runners to all the king's provinces, to cut off, to kill and to destroy, all the Jews, from the youth and even to the old man, the little ones and women, in one day, in the thirteenth to the twelfth month, (this the month Adar) and their spoil for plunder.}

A copy of the writing to be given an edict in every province and province, being manifested to all peoples to be ready for that day.

And they running went forth, being impelled by the word of the king, and the edict was given in Shushan the fortress. And the king and Haman sat down to drink; and the city Shushan was disquieted.

And he will come even before the king's gate: for none to come into the king's gate in putting on sackcloth.