in the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and servants. And the mighty men of Persia and Media, the captains also, and rulers of his countries, were before him;

And no man was appointed what he should drink: for the king had commanded all the officers of his house, that everyone should do as it liked him.

But the queen Vashti would not come at the king's word by his chamberlains. Then was the king very wroth, and his indignation kindled in him.

and the next unto him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of the Persians and Medes, which saw the king's face, and sat above in the kingdom.

for this deed of the queen shall come abroad unto all women, so that they shall despise their husbands before their eyes, and shall say, 'The king Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to come before him, but she would not.'

If it please the king, let there go a commandment from him, and let it be written according to the law of the Persians and Medians - and not to be transgressed - that Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus, and let the king give the kingdom unto another that is better than she.

and let the king appoint overseers in all the lands of his empire, that they may bring together all fair young virgins unto Susa the head city, to the women's building, under the hand of Hegei the king's chamberlain that keepeth the women; and let him give them their apparel.

And the damsel pleased him, and she found grace in his sight. And he caused her ointment to be given her, and her gifts, and gave her seven comely damsels out of the king's house, and favored both her and her gentle women singularly in the house of the women.

And when one came in the evening, the same went from him on the morrow into the second house of women, under the hand of Shaashgaz, the king's chamberlain which kept the concubines. And she must come in unto the king no more, except it pleased the king, and that he caused her to be called by name.

After these acts did the king promote Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and set him high, and set his seat above all the princes that were with him.

And all the king's servants that were in the gate, bowed their knees, and did reverenced unto Haman: for the king had so commanded. But Mordecai bowed not the knee, and worshiped him not.

And when they spake this daily unto him and he followed them not, they told Haman, that they might see whether Mordecai's matters would endure: for he had told them that he was a Jew.

And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not the knee unto him, nor worshipped him, he was full of indignation

and thought it too little to lay hands only on Mordecai: for they had showed him the nation of Mordecai. Wherefore, he sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole empire of Ahasuerus and were of the nation of Mordecai.

If it please the king, let him write that they may be destroyed, and so will I weigh down ten thousand talents of silver, under the hands of the workmen, to be brought into the king's chamber."

So Esther's damsels and her chamberlains came and told it her. Then was the queen exceedingly astonished. And she sent raiment, that Mordecai should put them on and lay the sackcloth from him. But Mordecai would not take them.

Then Esther called Hathach, one of the king's chamberlains which stood before her, and gave him a commandment to Mordecai, that he might know what it were, and wherefore he did so.

And Mordecai told him of all that had happened unto him, and of the sum of silver that Haman had promised to weigh down in the king's chamber because of the Jews, for to destroy them.

And he gave him the copy of the commandment, that was devised at Susa to destroy them, that he might show it unto Esther, and to speak to her and charge her; that she should go into the king, and make her prayer and supplication unto him for her people.

Esther spake unto Hathach, and commanded him to say unto Mordecai,

"All the king's servants, and the people in the lands of the king know that whosoever cometh within the court unto the king, whether it be man or woman, which is not called, the commandment is that the same shall die immediately, except the king hold out the golden scepter unto him, that he may live. As for me, I have not been called to come in to the king now this thirty days."

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

Then went Haman forth the same day joyful and merry in his mind. And when he saw Mordecai in the king's gate, that he stood not up and kneeled before him, he was full of indignation at Mordecai.

and told them of the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his children all together how the king had promoted him so greatly, and how that he was taken above the princes and servants of the king.

Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto him, "Let them make a gallows of fifty cubits high, and tomorrow speak thou unto the king, that Mordecai may be hanged thereon, if thou comest merrily with the king unto the banquet." Haman was well content withal, and caused a gallows to be prepared.

And the king said, "What worship and good have we done to Mordecai therefore?" 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?" For Haman was gone into the court without before the king's house, that he might speak unto the king to hang Mordecai on the tree, that he had prepared for him.

And the king's servants said unto him, "Behold, Haman standeth in the court." The king said, "Let him come in."

And when Haman came in, the king said unto him, "What shall be done unto the man, whom the king would fain bring unto worship?" But Haman thought in his heart, "Whom desireth the king to bring unto worship, more than me?"

And let this raiment and horse be delivered under the hand of one of the king's princes, that he may array the man withal, whom the king would fain honour: and carry him upon the horse through the streets of the city, and cause it to be proclaimed before him, 'Thus shall it be done to every man, whom the king would fain honour.'"

Then took Haman the raiment and the horse, and arrayed him, and brought him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaimed before him, "Even thus shall it be done unto every man whom the king is disposed to honour!"

And Mordecai came again to the king's gate, but Haman gat him home in all the haste, mourning bare-headed,

and told Zeresh his wife and all his friends, everything that had happened him. Then said his wise men and Zeresh his wife unto him, "If it be Mordecai of the seed of the Jews, before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou canst do nothing unto him, but shalt fall before him."

While they were yet talking with him, came the king's chamberlains, and caused Haman to make haste to come unto the banquet that Esther had prepared.

And the king arose from the banquet and from the wine in his displeasure and went in to the palace garden. And Haman stood up, and besought queen Esther for his life: for he saw that there was a mischeif prepared for him of the king already.

And when the king came again out of the palace garden into the parlor where they had eaten, Haman had laid him upon the bed that Esther sat upon. Then said the king, "Will he force the queen also? Beside me, in the house?" As soon as that word went out of the king's mouth, they covered Haman's face.

And Harbona, one of the chamberlains that stood before the king, said, "Behold, there standeth a gallows in Haman's house fifty cubits high, which he had made for Mordecai, that spake good for the king." The king said, "Hang him thereon."

And Esther spake yet more before the king, and fell down at his feet, and besought him, that he would put away the wickedness of Haman the Agagite, and his device that he had imagined against the Jews.

Then said the king Ahasuerus unto queen Esther, and to Mordecai the Jew, "Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and him have they hanged upon a tree, because he laid hand upon the Jews.

For Mordecai was great in the king's house, and the report of him was noised in all lands, how he increased and grew.

Esther said, "If it please the king, let him suffer the Jews tomorrow also to do according unto this day's commandment, that they may hang Haman's ten sons upon the tree."

As for all the work of his power and authority, and the great worship of Mordecai, which the king gave him, behold, it is written in the Chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia.