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lains; therefore was the king very wroth and anger burned in him.

his

Wroth.

knew.

6. And the king said to the wife men that knew the times, what shall we do unto queen Vafhti according to law, because she hath not performed the commandment of the performed. king Ahafuerus by the chamberlains?

7. And Memucan answered before the king and the princes, Vashti the queen hath not done wrong to the king only, but also to all the princes and to all the people that are in all the provinces of king Ahasuerus.

8. Therefore, if it please the king, let there go a royal commandment from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Perfians and the Medes, that Vashti come no more before king Ahafuerus and let the king give her royal estate unto another, that is better than fhe.

9. And the faying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did according to the word of Memucan. After these things, when the wrath of king Ahafuerus was appeased, he remembered Vafhti, and what the had done, and what was decreed against her.

wrong.

people.

written.

Perfians.

Medes.

wrath.

appeased?

decreed.

virgins ?

custody.

10. Then said the king's fervants that miniftered unto him, let there be fair virgins fought for the king, and let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, fought. that they may gather together all the fair young virgins unto Shufhan the palace, to the house of the women, unto the cuftody of Hagai, the king's chamberlain, keeper of She women, and let the maiden, that pleaseth the king be queen instead of Vashti. And the thing pleased the king and he did fo.

SECTION 2. Efther made queen.

11. Now in Shufhan the palace, there was a certain Jew, whofe Lame was Mordecai, who

B

had

maiden.

instead.

Mordecai

nezzar.

Nebuchad had been carried away from Jerufalem with the captivity which had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon had carried

carried.

uncle. neither.

daughter.

maidens.

avere.

brought.

Speedily.

away.

12. And he brought up Efther, his uncle's daughner, for fhe had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful, whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter.

13. So it came to pafs, when the king's commandment and his decree were heard, and when many maidens were gathered together unto Shufhan the palace, to the cuftody of Hagai, that Efther was brought alfo unto the kings house, to the cuftody of Hagai, keeper of the women.

14. And the maiden pleafed him and fhe obtained kindness of him,and he speedily gave preferred? her feven maidens, who were meet to be giv

maids.

Elher

keeper.

obtained.

reign.

queen.

inflead.

en unto her, and he preferred her and her maids unto the beft place of the house of the

women.

15. And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women's houfe,to know how Efther did, and what fhould become of her. Now when the turn of Ether was come to go in unto the king, the required nothing but what Hagai, the kings chamberlain, keeper of the women, appointed.

16. And Efther obtained favour in the fight of all them that looked upon her. So Either was taken unto king Ahafuerus, unto his house royal, in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the feventh year of his reiga.

17. And the king loved Efther above all the women,and fhe obtained grace and favour in his fight more than all the virgins; fo that he fat the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen inftead of Vafhti. 18 Then

18. Then the king made a great feaft unto Releafe. all his princes and his fervants, even Esther's

feaft; and he made a release to the provinces, provinces. and gave gifts according to the state of the

king.

known,

19. In those days, while Mordecai fat in wroth. the king's gate, two of the king's chamberlains, Bigthan and Terefh, were wroth and fought to lay hand on king Ahafuerus. And the thing was known to Mordecai, who told it unto Esther, the queen,and Efther certified the king thereof in Mordecai's name.

20. And when inquifition was made of the matter, it was found out; therefore they were both hanged on a tree; and it was written in the book of the chronicles before the

certified.

inquifition?

banged. chronicles.

king.

SECTION 3. Haman promoted.

21. After these things did king Ahafuerus promote ? promote Haman, the fon of Hamedatha, the agagite, and advanced him, and fet his feat above all the princes that were with him.

22. And all the king's fervants, that were in the king's gate, bowed and reverenced Haman; for the king had fo commanded concerning him. But Mordecai bowed not nor did him reverence. Then the king's fervants that were in the king's gate faid unto Mordecai, why tranfgrefleft thou the king's commandment?"

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advanced.

reverenced.

concerning..

tranfgreff

eft.

daily..

harkened.

23. Now it came to pafs when they fpake daily unto him, and he harkened not unto them, they told Haman,to fee whether Mordecai's matter would ftand; for he had told them that he was a jew. nd when Haman wrath.. faw that Mordecai bowed not nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath. S 24. And he thought fcorn to lay hands on thought. Mordecai alone; for they had thewed him

the

Whole.

people.

Scattered.

the people of Mordecai; wherefore, Haman fought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai.

25. And Haman faid unto king Ahafuerus, there is a certain people fcattered abroad difperfed? and difperfed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their lawsare diverfe from all people, neither keep they the king's laws; therefore, it is not for the king's profit to fuffer them.

deverfe?

deftroyed. business.

enemy.

thirteenth.

written.

perisk ?

twelfth.

prey.

baftened.

perplexed.

perceived. clothes.

Sackcloth.

26. If it please the king let it be written, that they be deftroyed, and I will pay ten thousand talents of filver to the hands of thofe, who have the charge of the bufinefs, to bring it into the king's treasures. And the king took his ring from his hand and gave it unto Haman, the enemy of the Jews.

27. And the king faid unto Haman, the filver is given unto thee, the people also, to do with them as it feemeth good unto thee. Then were the king's fcribes called, on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written according to all that Haman commanded.

28. And the letters were fent by pofts into all the king's provinces, to destroy,to kill,and to caufe to perifh, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, even upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar,and to take the spoil of them for a prey.

29. The pofts went out, being haftened by the king's commandment,and the decree was given in Shufhan the palace. And the king and Haman fat down to drink; but the city Shufhan was perplexed.

30. When Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on fackcloth with ashes, and went out into the

midst

midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry; and came even before the king's gate for none might enter into the king's gate clothed with fackcloth.

Cried

mournin.

31. And in every province, whitherfoever province. the king's commandment and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews,and fafting,and weeping, and waiting; and many lay in fackcloth and aff es. So Efther's maids and her chamberlains came and told it her.

weeping.

wailing.

32. Then was the queen exceedingly griev- exceedingly. ed; and fhe fent rainient to clothe Mordecai, and to take away his fackcloth from him: grieved. but he received it not. Then called Efther for Hatach, one of the king's chamberlains, whom he had appointed to attend upon her, and gave him a commandment to Mordecai, to know what it was, and why it was.

raiment.

received.

fireet.

happened.

money.

copy.

33. So Hatach went forth to Mordecai unto the fireet of the city, which was before the king's gate. And Mordecai told him of all that had happened unto him,and of the fum of money that Haman had promised to pay to the promised. king's treafuries for the Jews, to destroy them. 34. Alfo he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was given at Shufhan to destroy them, to fhew it unto Esther, and to declare it unto her, and to charge, her that The fhould go in unto the king, to make fupplication unto him, and to make requeft be- Sherw. fore him for her people. And Hatach came and told Efther the words of Mordecai.

writing.

35. Again Efther fpake unto Hatach, and inner, gave him commandment unto Mordecai: All the king's fervants,and the people of the king's provinces, do know, that whofoever, whether man or woman, fhall come unto the king into the inner court,who is not called, there is one law of his to put him to death, except fuch to whom the king fhall hold out the golden fcep

trea

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