\NormalFont\ShortTitle{Esther}

{\MT The Book of Esther



\par }\ChapOne{1}{\PP \VerseOne{1}Now it came to pass in the
days of
Ahasuerus, (this
{\ADD{is}}
Ahasuerus which
reigned, from
India even unto
Ethiopia,
{\ADD{over}} an
hundred and
seven and
twenty
provinces:)

\VS{2}{\ADD{That}} in those
days, when the
king
Ahasuerus
sat on the
throne of his
kingdom, which
{\ADD{was}} in
Shushan the
palace,

\VS{3}In the
third
year of his
reign, he
made a
feast unto all his
princes and his
servants; the
power of
Persia and
Media, the
nobles and
princes of the
provinces,
{\ADD{being}}
before him:

\VS{4}When he
shewed the
riches of his
glorious
kingdom and the
honour of his
excellent
majesty
many
days,
{\ADD{even}} an
hundred and
fourscore
days.

\VS{5}And when these
days were
expired, the
king
made a
feast unto all the
people that were
present in
Shushan the
palace, both unto
great and
small,
seven
days, in the
court of the
garden of the
king’s
palace;\FTNT{*}{{\FR 1.5 }{\FT{present: Heb. found}}}

\VS{6}{\ADD{Where were}}
white,
green, and
blue,
{\ADD{hangings}},
fastened with
cords of fine
linen and
purple to
silver
rings and
pillars of
marble: the
beds
{\ADD{were of}}
gold and
silver, upon a
pavement of
red, and
blue, and
white, and
black,
marble.\FTNT{†}{{\FR 1.6 }{\FT{blue, hangings: or, violet, etc}}}\FTNT{‡}{{\FR 1.6 }{\FT{of red…: or, of porphyre, and marble and alabaster, and stone of blue colour}}}

\VS{7}And they gave
{\ADD{them}}
drink in
vessels of
gold, (the
vessels being
diverse one from
another,) and
royal
wine in
abundance, according to the
state of the
king.\FTNT{§}{{\FR 1.7 }{\FT{royal…: Heb. wine of the kingdom}}}\FTNT{**}{{\FR 1.7 }{\FT{state: Heb. hand}}}

\VS{8}And the
drinking
{\ADD{was}} according to the
law; none did
compel: for so the
king had
appointed to all the
officers of his
house, that they should
do according to every
man’s
pleasure.

\VS{9}Also
Vashti the
queen
made a
feast for the
women
{\ADD{in}} the
royal
house which
{\ADD{belonged}} to
king
Ahasuerus.


\par }{\PP \VS{10}¶ On the
seventh
day, when the
heart of the
king was
merry with
wine, he
commanded
Mehuman,
Biztha,
Harbona,
Bigtha, and
Abagtha,
Zethar, and
Carcas, the
seven
chamberlains that
served in the
presence of
Ahasuerus the
king,\FTNT{††}{{\FR 1.10 }{\FT{chamberlains: or, eunuchs}}}

\VS{11}To
bring
Vashti the
queen
before the
king with the
crown
royal, to
shew the
people and the
princes her
beauty: for she
{\ADD{was}}
fair to look
on.\FTNT{‡‡}{{\FR 1.11 }{\FT{fair…: Heb. good of countenance}}}

\VS{12}But the
queen
Vashti
refused to
come at the
king’s
commandment
by
{\ADD{his}}
chamberlains: therefore was the
king
very
wroth, and his
anger
burned in him.\FTNT{§§}{{\FR 1.12 }{\FT{by his…: Heb. which was by the hand of his eunuchs}}}


\par }{\PP \VS{13}¶ Then the
king
said to the wise
men, which
knew the
times, (for so
{\ADD{was}} the
king’s
manner
toward all that
knew
law and
judgment:

\VS{14}And the
next unto him
{\ADD{was}}
Carshena,
Shethar,
Admatha,
Tarshish,
Meres,
Marsena,
{\ADD{and}}
Memucan, the
seven
princes of
Persia and
Media, which
saw the
king’s
face,
{\ADD{and}} which
sat the
first in the
kingdom;)

\VS{15}What shall we
do unto the
queen
Vashti according to
law, because she hath not
performed the
commandment of the
king
Ahasuerus
by the
chamberlains?\FTNT{***}{{\FR 1.15 }{\FT{What…: Heb. What to do}}}

\VS{16}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
{\ADD{are}} in all the
provinces of the
king
Ahasuerus.

\VS{17}For
{\ADD{this}}
deed of the
queen shall come
abroad unto all
women, so that they shall
despise their
husbands in their
eyes, when it shall be
reported, The
king
Ahasuerus
commanded
Vashti the
queen to be brought
in
before him, but she
came not.

\VS{18}{\ADD{Likewise}} shall the
ladies of
Persia and
Media
say this
day unto all the
king’s
princes, which have
heard of the
deed of the
queen. Thus
{\ADD{shall there arise}} too
much
contempt and
wrath.

\VS{19}If it
please the
king, let there
go a
royal
commandment from
him, and let it be
written among the
laws of the
Persians and the
Medes, that it be not
altered, That
Vashti
come no more
before
king
Ahasuerus; and let the
king
give her royal
estate unto
another that is
better than she.\FTNT{†††}{{\FR 1.19 }{\FT{If it…: Heb. If it be good with the king}}}\FTNT{‡‡‡}{{\FR 1.19 }{\FT{unto…: Heb. unto her companion}}}\FTNT{§§§}{{\FR 1.19 }{\FT{from him: Heb. from before him}}}\FTNT{*}{{\FR 1.19 }{\FT{be not…: Heb. pass not away}}}

\VS{20}And when the
king’s
decree which he shall
make shall be
published throughout all his
empire, (for it is
great,) all the
wives shall
give to their
husbands
honour, both to
great and
small.

\VS{21}And the
saying
pleased the
king and the
princes; and the
king
did according to the
word of
Memucan:\FTNT{†}{{\FR 1.21 }{\FT{pleased…: Heb. was good in the eyes of the king}}}

\VS{22}For he
sent
letters into all the
king’s
provinces, into every
province according to the
writing thereof, and to every
people after their
language, that every
man should bear
rule in his own
house, and that
{\ADD{it}} should be
published according to the
language of every
people.\FTNT{‡}{{\FR 1.22 }{\FT{that it…: Heb. that one should publish it according to the language of his people}}}




\par }\Chap{2}{\PP \VerseOne{1}After these
things, when the
wrath of
king
Ahasuerus was
appeased, he
remembered
Vashti, and what she had
done, and what was
decreed against her.

\VS{2}Then
said the
king’s
servants that
ministered unto him, Let there be
fair
young
virgins
sought for the
king:

\VS{3}And let the
king
appoint
officers in all the
provinces of his
kingdom, that they may gather
together all the
fair
young
virgins unto
Shushan the
palace, to the
house of the
women, unto the
custody of
Hege the
king’s
chamberlain,
keeper of the
women; and let their things for
purification be
given
{\ADD{them:}}\FTNT{*}{{\FR 2.3 }{\FT{unto the…: Heb. unto the hand}}}\FTNT{†}{{\FR 2.3 }{\FT{Hege: also called, Hegai}}}

\VS{4}And let the
maiden which
pleaseth the
king be
queen instead of
Vashti. And the
thing
pleased the
king; and he did
so.


\par }{\PP \VS{5}¶
{\ADD{Now}} in
Shushan the
palace there was a
certain
Jew, whose
name
{\ADD{was}}
Mordecai, the
son of
Jair, the
son of
Shimei, the
son of
Kish, a
Benjamite;

\VS{6}Who had been carried
away from
Jerusalem with the
captivity which had been carried
away with
Jeconiah
king of
Judah, whom
Nebuchadnezzar the
king of
Babylon had carried
away.\FTNT{‡}{{\FR 2.6 }{\FT{Jeconiah: also called, Jehoiachin}}}

\VS{7}And he brought
up
Hadassah, that
{\ADD{is}},
Esther, his
uncle’s
daughter: for she had neither
father nor
mother, and the
maid
{\ADD{was}}
fair and
beautiful; whom
Mordecai, when her
father and
mother were
dead,
took for his own
daughter.\FTNT{§}{{\FR 2.7 }{\FT{brought…: Heb. nourished}}}\FTNT{**}{{\FR 2.7 }{\FT{fair…: Heb. fair of form, and good of countenance}}}


\par }{\PP \VS{8}¶ So it came to pass, when the
king’s
commandment and his
decree was
heard, and when
many
maidens were gathered
together unto
Shushan the
palace, to the
custody of
Hegai, that
Esther was
brought also unto the
king’s
house, to the
custody of
Hegai,
keeper of the
women.

\VS{9}And the
maiden
pleased him, and she
obtained
kindness of
him; and he
speedily
gave her her things for
purification, with such things as
belonged to her, and
seven
maidens,
{\ADD{which were}}
meet to be
given her, out of the
king’s
house: and he
preferred her and her
maids unto the
best
{\ADD{place}} of the
house of the
women.\FTNT{††}{{\FR 2.9 }{\FT{such…: Heb. her portions}}}\FTNT{‡‡}{{\FR 2.9 }{\FT{preferred: Heb. changed}}}

\VS{10}Esther had not
shewed her
people nor her
kindred: for
Mordecai had
charged her that she should not
shew
{\ADD{it}}.

\VS{11}And
Mordecai
walked every
day
before the
court of the
women’s
house, to
know how
Esther
did, and what should
become of her.\FTNT{§§}{{\FR 2.11 }{\FT{to know…: Heb. to know the peace}}}


\par }{\PP \VS{12}¶ Now when every
maid’s
turn was
come to go
in to
king
Ahasuerus,
after that she had been
twelve
months, according to the
manner of the
women, (for so were the
days of their
purifications
accomplished,
{\ADD{to wit}},
six
months with
oil of
myrrh, and
six
months with sweet
odours, and with
{\ADD{other}} things for the
purifying of the
women;)

\VS{13}Then thus
came
{\ADD{every}}
maiden unto the
king; whatsoever she
desired was
given her to
go with her out of the
house of the
women unto the
king’s
house.

\VS{14}In the
evening she
went, and on the
morrow she
returned into the
second
house of the
women, to the
custody of
Shaashgaz, the
king’s
chamberlain, which
kept the
concubines: she came
in unto the
king no more, except the
king
delighted in her, and that she were
called by
name.


\par }{\PP \VS{15}¶ Now when the
turn of
Esther, the
daughter of
Abihail the
uncle of
Mordecai, who had
taken her for his
daughter, was
come to go
in unto the
king, she
required
nothing but what
Hegai the
king’s
chamberlain, the
keeper of the
women,
appointed. And
Esther
obtained
favour in the
sight of all them that
looked upon her.

\VS{16}So
Esther was
taken unto
king
Ahasuerus into his
house
royal in the
tenth
month, which
{\ADD{is}} the
month
Tebeth, in the
seventh
year of his
reign.

\VS{17}And the
king
loved
Esther above all the
women, and she
obtained
grace and
favour in his
sight more than all the
virgins; so that he
set the
royal
crown upon her
head, and made her
queen instead of
Vashti.\FTNT{***}{{\FR 2.17 }{\FT{favour: or, kindness}}}\FTNT{†††}{{\FR 2.17 }{\FT{in his…: Heb. before him}}}

\VS{18}Then the
king
made a
great
feast unto all his
princes and his
servants,
{\ADD{even}}
Esther’s
feast; and he
made a
release to the
provinces, and
gave
gifts, according to the
state of the
king.\FTNT{‡‡‡}{{\FR 2.18 }{\FT{release: Heb. rest}}}

\VS{19}And when the
virgins were gathered
together the second
time, then
Mordecai
sat in the
king’s
gate.

\VS{20}Esther had not
{\ADD{yet}}
shewed her
kindred nor her
people; as
Mordecai had
charged her: for
Esther
did the
commandment of
Mordecai, like as when she was brought
up with him.


\par }{\PP \VS{21}¶ In those
days, while
Mordecai
sat in the
king’s
gate,
two of the
king’s
chamberlains,
Bigthan and
Teresh, of those which
kept the
door, were
wroth, and
sought to
lay
hand on the
king
Ahasuerus.\FTNT{§§§}{{\FR 2.21 }{\FT{Bigthan: also called, Bigthana}}}\FTNT{*}{{\FR 2.21 }{\FT{the door: Heb. the threshold}}}

\VS{22}And the
thing was
known to
Mordecai, who
told
{\ADD{it}} unto
Esther the
queen; and
Esther
certified the
king
{\ADD{thereof}} in
Mordecai’s
name.

\VS{23}And when
inquisition 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
king.




\par }\Chap{3}{\PP \VerseOne{1}After these
things did
king
Ahasuerus
promote
Haman the
son of
Hammedatha the
Agagite, and
advanced him, and
set his
seat above all the
princes that
{\ADD{were}} with him.

\VS{2}And all the
king’s
servants, that
{\ADD{were}} in the
king’s
gate,
bowed, and
reverenced
Haman: for the
king had so
commanded concerning him. But
Mordecai
bowed not, nor did
{\ADD{him}}
reverence.

\VS{3}Then the
king’s
servants, which
{\ADD{were}} in the
king’s
gate,
said unto
Mordecai, Why
transgressest thou the
king’s
commandment?

\VS{4}Now it came to pass, when they
spake
daily unto him, and he
hearkened not unto them, that they
told
Haman, to
see whether
Mordecai’s
matters would
stand: for he had
told them that he
{\ADD{was}} a
Jew.

\VS{5}And when
Haman
saw that
Mordecai
bowed not, nor did him
reverence, then was
Haman
full of
wrath.

\VS{6}And he
thought
scorn to
lay
hands on
Mordecai alone; for they had
shewed him the
people of
Mordecai: wherefore
Haman
sought to
destroy all the
Jews that
{\ADD{were}} throughout the whole
kingdom of
Ahasuerus,
{\ADD{even}} the
people of
Mordecai.


\par }{\PP \VS{7}¶ In the
first
month, that
{\ADD{is}}, the
month
Nisan, in the
twelfth
year of
king
Ahasuerus, they
cast
Pur, that
{\ADD{is}}, the
lot,
before
Haman from
day to
day, and from
month to
month,
{\ADD{to}} the
twelfth
{\ADD{month}}, that
{\ADD{is}}, the
month
Adar.


\par }{\PP \VS{8}¶ And
Haman
said unto
king
Ahasuerus, There
is a
certain
people scattered
abroad and
dispersed among the
people in all the
provinces of thy
kingdom; and their
laws
{\ADD{are}}
diverse from all
people; neither
keep they the
king’s
laws: therefore it
{\ADD{is}} not for the
king’s
profit to
suffer them.\FTNT{*}{{\FR 3.8 }{\FT{for the…: Heb. meet or, equal, etc}}}

\VS{9}If it
please the
king, let it be
written that they may be
destroyed: and I will
pay
ten
thousand
talents of
silver to the
hands of those that have the
charge of the
business, to
bring
{\ADD{it}} into the
king’s
treasuries.\FTNT{†}{{\FR 3.9 }{\FT{that they…: Heb. to destroy them}}}\FTNT{‡}{{\FR 3.9 }{\FT{pay: Heb. weigh}}}

\VS{10}And the
king
took his
ring from his
hand, and
gave it unto
Haman the
son of
Hammedatha the
Agagite, the
Jews’
enemy.\FTNT{§}{{\FR 3.10 }{\FT{enemy: or, oppressor}}}

\VS{11}And the
king
said unto
Haman, The
silver
{\ADD{is}}
given to thee, the
people also, to
do with them as it
seemeth
good to thee.

\VS{12}Then were the
king’s
scribes
called on the
thirteenth
day of the
first
month, and there was
written according to all that
Haman had
commanded unto the
king’s
lieutenants, and to the
governors that
{\ADD{were}} over every
province, and to the
rulers of every
people of every
province according to the
writing thereof, and
{\ADD{to}} every
people after their
language; in the
name of
king
Ahasuerus was it
written, and
sealed with the
king’s
ring.\FTNT{**}{{\FR 3.12 }{\FT{scribes: or, secretaries}}}

\VS{13}And the
letters were
sent
by
posts into all the
king’s
provinces, to
destroy, to
kill, and to cause to
perish, all
Jews, both
young and
old, little
children and
women, in
one
day,
{\ADD{even}} upon the
thirteenth
{\ADD{day}} of the
twelfth
month, which is the
month
Adar, and
{\ADD{to take}} the
spoil of them for a
prey.

\VS{14}The
copy of the
writing for a
commandment to be
given in every
province was
published unto all
people, that they should be
ready against that
day.

\VS{15}The
posts went
out, being
hastened by the
king’s
commandment, and the
decree was
given in
Shushan the
palace. And the
king and
Haman sat
down to
drink; but the
city
Shushan was
perplexed.




\par }\Chap{4}{\PP \VerseOne{1}When
Mordecai
perceived all that was
done,
Mordecai
rent his
clothes, and put
on
sackcloth with
ashes, and went
out into the
midst of the
city, and
cried with a
loud and a
bitter
cry;

\VS{2}And
came even
before the
king’s
gate: for none
{\ADD{might}}
enter into the
king’s
gate
clothed with
sackcloth.

\VS{3}And in every
province,
whithersoever the
king’s
commandment and his
decree
came,
{\ADD{there was}}
great
mourning among the
Jews, and
fasting, and
weeping, and
wailing; and
many
lay in
sackcloth and
ashes.\FTNT{*}{{\FR 4.3 }{\FT{many…: Heb. sackcloth and ashes were laid under many}}}


\par }{\PP \VS{4}¶ So
Esther’s
maids and her
chamberlains
came and
told
{\ADD{it}} her. Then was the
queen
exceedingly
grieved; and she
sent
raiment to
clothe
Mordecai, and to take
away his
sackcloth from him: but he
received
{\ADD{it}} not.\FTNT{†}{{\FR 4.4 }{\FT{chamberlains: Heb. eunuchs}}}


\par }{\PP \VS{5}Then
called
Esther for
Hatach,
{\ADD{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
{\ADD{was}}, and why it
{\ADD{was}}.\FTNT{‡}{{\FR 4.5 }{\FT{appointed…: Heb. set before her}}}

\VS{6}So
Hatach went
forth to
Mordecai unto the
street of the
city, which
{\ADD{was}}
before the
king’s
gate.

\VS{7}And
Mordecai
told him of all that had
happened unto him, and of the
sum of the
money that
Haman had
promised to
pay to the
king’s
treasuries for the
Jews, to
destroy them.

\VS{8}Also he
gave him the
copy of the
writing of the
decree that was
given at
Shushan to
destroy them, to
shew
{\ADD{it}} unto
Esther, and to
declare
{\ADD{it}} unto her, and to
charge her that she should go
in unto the
king, to make
supplication unto him, and to make
request
before him for her
people.

\VS{9}And
Hatach
came and
told
Esther the
words of
Mordecai.


\par }{\PP \VS{10}¶ Again
Esther
spake unto
Hatach, and gave him
commandment unto
Mordecai;

\VS{11}All the
king’s
servants, and the
people of the
king’s
provinces, do
know, that whosoever, whether
man or
woman, shall
come unto the
king into the
inner
court, who is not
called,
{\ADD{there is}}
one
law of his to put
{\ADD{him}} to
death,
except such to whom the
king shall hold
out the
golden
sceptre, that he may
live: but I have not been
called to come
in unto the
king these
thirty
days.

\VS{12}And they
told to
Mordecai
Esther’s
words.

\VS{13}Then
Mordecai
commanded to
answer
Esther,
Think not with
thyself that thou shalt
escape in the
king’s
house, more than all the
Jews.

\VS{14}For if thou
altogether holdest thy
peace at this
time,
{\ADD{then}} shall there
enlargement and
deliverance
arise to the
Jews from
another
place; but thou and thy
father’s
house shall be
destroyed: and who
knoweth whether thou art
come to the
kingdom for
{\ADD{such}} a
time as this?\FTNT{§}{{\FR 4.14 }{\FT{enlargement: Heb. respiration}}}


\par }{\PP \VS{15}¶ Then
Esther
bade
{\ADD{them}}
return
Mordecai
{\ADD{this answer}},

\VS{16}Go, gather
together all the
Jews that are
present in
Shushan, and
fast ye for me, and neither
eat nor
drink
three
days,
night or
day: I also and my
maidens will
fast likewise; and
so will I
go in unto the
king, which
{\ADD{is}} not according to the
law: and if I
perish, I
perish.\FTNT{**}{{\FR 4.16 }{\FT{present: Heb. found}}}

\VS{17}So
Mordecai went his
way, and
did according to all that
Esther had
commanded him.\FTNT{††}{{\FR 4.17 }{\FT{went…: Heb. passed}}}




\par }\Chap{5}{\PP \VerseOne{1}Now it came to pass on the
third
day, that
Esther put
on
{\ADD{her}}
royal
{\ADD{apparel}}, and
stood in the
inner
court of the
king’s
house, over
against the
king’s
house: and the
king
sat upon his
royal
throne in the
royal
house, over
against the
gate of the
house.

\VS{2}And it was so, when the
king
saw
Esther the
queen
standing in the
court,
{\ADD{that}} she
obtained
favour in his
sight: and the
king held
out to
Esther the
golden
sceptre that
{\ADD{was}} in his
hand. So
Esther drew
near, and
touched the
top of the
sceptre.

\VS{3}Then
said the
king unto her, What wilt thou,
queen
Esther? and what
{\ADD{is}} thy
request? it shall be even
given thee to the
half of the
kingdom.

\VS{4}And
Esther
answered, If
{\ADD{it seem}}
good unto the
king, let the
king and
Haman
come this
day unto the
banquet that I have
prepared for him.

\VS{5}Then the
king
said, Cause
Haman to make
haste, that he may
do as
Esther hath
said. So the
king and
Haman
came to the
banquet that
Esther had
prepared.


\par }{\PP \VS{6}¶ And the
king
said unto
Esther at the
banquet of
wine, What
{\ADD{is}} thy
petition? and it shall be
granted thee: and what
{\ADD{is}} thy
request? even to the
half of the
kingdom it shall be
performed.

\VS{7}Then
answered
Esther, and
said, My
petition and my
request
{\ADD{is;}}

\VS{8}If I have
found
favour in the
sight of the
king, and if it
please the
king to
grant my
petition, and to
perform my
request, let the
king and
Haman
come to the
banquet that I shall
prepare for them, and I will
do to
morrow as the
king hath
said.\FTNT{*}{{\FR 5.8 }{\FT{perform: Heb. do}}}


\par }{\PP \VS{9}¶ Then
went
Haman
forth that
day
joyful and with a
glad
heart: but when
Haman
saw
Mordecai in the
king’s
gate, that he stood not
up, nor
moved for him,
he was
full of
indignation against
Mordecai.

\VS{10}Nevertheless
Haman
refrained himself: and when he
came
home, he
sent and
called for his
friends, and
Zeresh his
wife.\FTNT{†}{{\FR 5.10 }{\FT{called…: Heb. caused to come}}}

\VS{11}And
Haman
told them of the
glory of his
riches, and the
multitude of his
children, and all
{\ADD{the things}} wherein the
king had
promoted him, and how he had
advanced him above the
princes and
servants of the
king.

\VS{12}Haman
said moreover, Yea,
Esther the
queen did let no man come
in with the
king unto the
banquet that she had
prepared but myself; and to
morrow am I
invited unto her also with the
king.

\VS{13}Yet all this
availeth me nothing, so long
as I
see
Mordecai the
Jew
sitting at the
king’s
gate.


\par }{\PP \VS{14}¶ Then
said
Zeresh his
wife and all his
friends unto him, Let a
gallows be
made of
fifty
cubits
high, and to
morrow
speak thou unto the
king that
Mordecai may be
hanged thereon: then
go thou in
merrily with the
king unto the
banquet. And the
thing
pleased
Haman; and he
caused the
gallows to be
made.\FTNT{‡}{{\FR 5.14 }{\FT{gallows: Heb. tree}}}




\par }\Chap{6}{\PP \VerseOne{1}On that
night could
not the
king
sleep, and he
commanded to
bring the
book of
records of the
chronicles; and they were
read
before the
king.\FTNT{*}{{\FR 6.1 }{\FT{could…: Heb. the king’s sleep fled away}}}

\VS{2}And it was
found
written, that
Mordecai had
told of
Bigthana and
Teresh,
two of the
king’s
chamberlains, the
keepers of the
door, who
sought to
lay
hand on the
king
Ahasuerus.\FTNT{†}{{\FR 6.2 }{\FT{Bigthana: also called, Bigthan}}}\FTNT{‡}{{\FR 6.2 }{\FT{door: Heb. threshold}}}

\VS{3}And the
king
said, What
honour and
dignity hath been
done to
Mordecai for this? Then
said the
king’s
servants that
ministered unto him, There is
nothing
done for him.


\par }{\PP \VS{4}¶ And the
king
said, Who
{\ADD{is}} in the
court? Now
Haman was
come into the
outward
court of the
king’s
house, to
speak unto the
king to
hang
Mordecai on the
gallows that he had
prepared for him.

\VS{5}And the
king’s
servants
said unto him, Behold,
Haman
standeth in the
court. And the
king
said, Let him come
in.

\VS{6}So
Haman came
in. And the
king
said unto him, What shall be
done unto the
man whom the
king
delighteth to
honour? Now
Haman
thought in his
heart, To whom would the
king
delight to
do
honour
more than to myself?\FTNT{§}{{\FR 6.6 }{\FT{whom the king…: Heb. in whose honour the king delighteth}}}

\VS{7}And
Haman
answered the
king, For the
man whom the
king
delighteth to
honour,\FTNT{**}{{\FR 6.7 }{\FT{whom the king…: Heb. in whose honour the king delighteth}}}

\VS{8}Let the
royal
apparel be
brought which the
king
{\ADD{useth}} to
wear, and the
horse that the
king
rideth upon, and the
crown
royal which is
set upon his
head:\FTNT{††}{{\FR 6.8 }{\FT{Let…: Heb. Let them bring the royal apparel}}}\FTNT{‡‡}{{\FR 6.8 }{\FT{which the king…: Heb. wherewith the king clotheth himself}}}

\VS{9}And let this
apparel and
horse be
delivered to the
hand of
one of the
king’s most
noble
princes, that they may
array the
man
{\ADD{withal}} whom the
king
delighteth to
honour, and
bring him on
horseback through the
street of the
city, and
proclaim
before him, Thus shall it be
done to the
man whom the
king
delighteth to
honour.\FTNT{§§}{{\FR 6.9 }{\FT{bring…: Heb. cause him to ride}}}

\VS{10}Then the
king
said to
Haman, Make
haste,
{\ADD{and}}
take the
apparel and the
horse, as thou hast
said, and
do even so to
Mordecai the
Jew, that
sitteth at the
king’s
gate: let
nothing
fail of all that thou hast
spoken.\FTNT{***}{{\FR 6.10 }{\FT{let…: Heb. suffer not a whit to fall}}}

\VS{11}Then
took
Haman the
apparel and the
horse, and
arrayed
Mordecai, and brought him on
horseback through the
street of the
city, and
proclaimed
before him, Thus shall it be
done unto the
man whom the
king
delighteth to
honour.


\par }{\PP \VS{12}¶ And
Mordecai came
again to the
king’s
gate. But
Haman
hasted to his
house
mourning, and having his
head
covered.

\VS{13}And
Haman
told
Zeresh his
wife and all his
friends every
{\ADD{thing}} that had
befallen him. Then
said his wise
men and
Zeresh his
wife unto him, If
Mordecai
{\ADD{be}} of the
seed of the
Jews,
before whom thou hast
begun to
fall, thou shalt not
prevail against him, but shalt
surely
fall
before him.

\VS{14}And while they
{\ADD{were}} yet
talking with him,
came the
king’s
chamberlains, and
hasted to
bring
Haman unto the
banquet that
Esther had
prepared.




\par }\Chap{7}{\PP \VerseOne{1}So the
king and
Haman
came to
banquet with
Esther the
queen.\FTNT{*}{{\FR 7.1 }{\FT{to banquet: Heb. to drink}}}

\VS{2}And the
king
said again unto
Esther on the
second
day at the
banquet of
wine, What
{\ADD{is}} thy
petition,
queen
Esther? and it shall be
granted thee: and what
{\ADD{is}} thy
request? and it shall be
performed,
{\ADD{even}} to the
half of the
kingdom.

\VS{3}Then
Esther the
queen
answered and
said, If I have
found
favour in thy
sight, O
king, and if it
please the
king, let my
life be
given me at my
petition, and my
people at my
request:

\VS{4}For we are
sold, I and my
people, to be
destroyed, to be
slain, and to
perish. But
if we had been
sold for
bondmen and
bondwomen, I had held my
tongue, although the
enemy could not
countervail the
king’s
damage.\FTNT{†}{{\FR 7.4 }{\FT{to be destroyed…: Heb. that they should destroy, and kill, and cause to perish}}}


\par }{\PP \VS{5}¶ Then the
king
Ahasuerus
answered and
said unto
Esther the
queen, Who is he, and where is he, that durst
presume in his
heart to
do so?\FTNT{‡}{{\FR 7.5 }{\FT{that…: Heb. whose heart hath filled him}}}

\VS{6}And
Esther
said, The
adversary and
enemy
{\ADD{is}} this
wicked
Haman. Then
Haman was
afraid
before the
king and the
queen.\FTNT{§}{{\FR 7.6 }{\FT{The adversary: Heb. The man adversary}}}\FTNT{**}{{\FR 7.6 }{\FT{before: or, at the presence of}}}


\par }{\PP \VS{7}¶ And the
king
arising from the
banquet of
wine in his
wrath
{\ADD{went}} into the
palace
garden: and
Haman stood
up to make
request for his
life to
Esther the
queen; for he
saw that there was
evil
determined against him by the
king.

\VS{8}Then the
king
returned out of the
palace
garden into the
place of the
banquet of
wine; and
Haman was
fallen upon the
bed whereon
Esther
{\ADD{was}}. Then
said the
king, Will he
force the
queen also before me in the
house? As the
word went
out of the
king’s
mouth, they
covered
Haman’s
face.\FTNT{††}{{\FR 7.8 }{\FT{before me: Heb. with me}}}

\VS{9}And
Harbonah,
one of the
chamberlains,
said
before the
king, Behold also, the
gallows
fifty
cubits
high, which
Haman had
made for
Mordecai, who had
spoken
good for the
king,
standeth in the
house of
Haman. Then the
king
said,
Hang him thereon.\FTNT{‡‡}{{\FR 7.9 }{\FT{gallows: Heb. tree}}}

\VS{10}So they
hanged
Haman on the
gallows that he had
prepared for
Mordecai. Then was the
king’s
wrath
pacified.




\par }\Chap{8}{\PP \VerseOne{1}On that
day did the
king
Ahasuerus
give the
house of
Haman the
Jews’
enemy unto
Esther the
queen. And
Mordecai
came
before the
king; for
Esther had
told what he
{\ADD{was}} unto her.

\VS{2}And the
king took
off his
ring, which he had
taken from
Haman, and
gave it unto
Mordecai. And
Esther
set
Mordecai over the
house of
Haman.


\par }{\PP \VS{3}¶ And
Esther
spake yet
again
before the
king, and fell
down
at his
feet, and
besought him with
tears to put
away the
mischief of
Haman the
Agagite, and his
device that he had
devised against the
Jews.\FTNT{*}{{\FR 8.3 }{\FT{and besought…: Heb. and she wept, and besought him}}}

\VS{4}Then the
king held
out the
golden
sceptre toward
Esther. So
Esther
arose, and
stood
before the
king,

\VS{5}And
said, If it
please the
king, and if I have
found
favour in his
sight, and the
thing
{\ADD{seem}}
right
before the
king, and I
{\ADD{be}}
pleasing in his
eyes, let it be
written to
reverse the
letters
devised by
Haman the
son of
Hammedatha the
Agagite, which he
wrote to
destroy the
Jews which
{\ADD{are}} in all the
king’s
provinces:\FTNT{†}{{\FR 8.5 }{\FT{devised: Heb. the device}}}\FTNT{‡}{{\FR 8.5 }{\FT{which he…: or, who wrote}}}

\VS{6}For
how can I
endure to
see the
evil that shall
come unto my
people? or
how can I
endure to
see the
destruction of my
kindred?\FTNT{§}{{\FR 8.6 }{\FT{endure…: Heb. be able that I may see}}}


\par }{\PP \VS{7}¶ Then the
king
Ahasuerus
said unto
Esther the
queen and to
Mordecai the
Jew, Behold, I have
given
Esther the
house of
Haman, and him they have
hanged upon the
gallows, because he
laid his
hand upon the
Jews.

\VS{8}Write ye also for the
Jews, as it
liketh
you, in the
king’s
name, and
seal
{\ADD{it}} with the
king’s
ring: for the
writing which is
written in the
king’s
name, and
sealed with the
king’s
ring, may no man
reverse.

\VS{9}Then were the
king’s
scribes
called at that
time in the
third
month, that
{\ADD{is}}, the
month
Sivan, on the
three and
twentieth
{\ADD{day}} thereof; and it was
written according to all that
Mordecai
commanded unto the
Jews, and to the
lieutenants, and the
deputies and
rulers of the
provinces which
{\ADD{are}} from
India unto
Ethiopia, an
hundred
twenty and
seven
provinces, unto every
province according to the
writing thereof, and unto every
people after their
language, and to the
Jews according to their
writing, and according to their
language.

\VS{10}And he
wrote in the
king
Ahasuerus’
name, and
sealed
{\ADD{it}} with the
king’s
ring, and
sent
letters
by
posts on
horseback,
{\ADD{and}}
riders on
mules,
camels,
{\ADD{and}}
young
dromedaries:

\VS{11}Wherein the
king
granted the
Jews which
{\ADD{were}} in every
city to gather themselves
together, and to
stand for their
life, to
destroy, to
slay, and to cause to
perish, all the
power of the
people and
province that would
assault them,
{\ADD{both}} little
ones and
women, and
{\ADD{to take}} the
spoil of them for a
prey,

\VS{12}Upon
one
day in all the
provinces of
king
Ahasuerus,
{\ADD{namely}}, upon the
thirteenth
{\ADD{day}} of the
twelfth
month, which
{\ADD{is}} the
month
Adar.

\VS{13}The
copy of the
writing for a
commandment to be
given in every
province
{\ADD{was}}
published unto all
people, and that the
Jews should be
ready against that
day to
avenge themselves on their
enemies.\FTNT{**}{{\FR 8.13 }{\FT{published: Heb. revealed}}}

\VS{14}{\ADD{So}} the
posts that
rode upon
mules
{\ADD{and}}
camels went
out, being
hastened and pressed
on by the
king’s
commandment. And the
decree was
given at
Shushan the
palace.


\par }{\PP \VS{15}¶ And
Mordecai went
out from the
presence of the
king in
royal
apparel of
blue and
white, and with a
great
crown of
gold, and with a
garment of fine
linen and
purple: and the
city of
Shushan
rejoiced and was
glad.\FTNT{††}{{\FR 8.15 }{\FT{blue: or, violet}}}

\VS{16}The
Jews had
light, and
gladness, and
joy, and
honour.

\VS{17}And in every
province, and in every
city,
whithersoever the
king’s
commandment and his
decree
came, the
Jews had
joy and
gladness, a
feast and a
good
day. And
many of the
people of the
land became
Jews; for the
fear of the
Jews
fell upon them.




\par }\Chap{9}{\PP \VerseOne{1}Now in the
twelfth
month, that
{\ADD{is}}, the
month
Adar, on the
thirteenth
day of the same, when the
king’s
commandment and his
decree drew
near to be put in
execution, in the
day that the
enemies of the
Jews
hoped to have
power over them, (though it was
turned to the contrary, that the
Jews had
rule over them that
hated them;)

\VS{2}The
Jews gathered themselves
together in their
cities throughout all the
provinces of the
king
Ahasuerus, to
lay
hand on such as
sought their
hurt: and no
man could
withstand
them; for the
fear of them
fell upon all
people.

\VS{3}And all the
rulers of the
provinces, and the
lieutenants, and the
deputies, and
officers of the
king,
helped the
Jews; because the
fear of
Mordecai
fell upon them.\FTNT{*}{{\FR 9.3 }{\FT{officers…: Heb. those which did the business that belonged to the king}}}

\VS{4}For
Mordecai
{\ADD{was}}
great in the
king’s
house, and his
fame went
out throughout all the
provinces: for this
man
Mordecai
waxed greater and
greater.

\VS{5}Thus the
Jews
smote all their
enemies with the
stroke of the
sword, and
slaughter, and
destruction, and
did what they
would unto those that
hated them.\FTNT{†}{{\FR 9.5 }{\FT{what…: Heb. according to their will}}}

\VS{6}And in
Shushan the
palace the
Jews
slew and
destroyed
five
hundred
men.

\VS{7}And
Parshandatha, and
Dalphon, and
Aspatha,

\VS{8}And
Poratha, and
Adalia, and
Aridatha,

\VS{9}And
Parmashta, and
Arisai, and
Aridai, and
Vajezatha,

\VS{10}The
ten
sons of
Haman the
son of
Hammedatha, the
enemy of the
Jews,
slew they; but on the
spoil
laid they not their
hand.

\VS{11}On that
day the
number of those that were
slain in
Shushan the
palace was
brought
before the
king.\FTNT{‡}{{\FR 9.11 }{\FT{was…: Heb. came}}}


\par }{\PP \VS{12}¶ And the
king
said unto
Esther the
queen, The
Jews have
slain and
destroyed
five
hundred
men in
Shushan the
palace, and the
ten
sons of
Haman; what have they
done in the
rest of the
king’s
provinces? now what
{\ADD{is}} thy
petition? and it shall be
granted thee: or what
{\ADD{is}} thy
request
further? and it shall be
done.

\VS{13}Then
said
Esther, If it
please the
king, let it be
granted to the
Jews which
{\ADD{are}} in
Shushan to
do to
morrow also according unto this
day’s
decree, and let
Haman’s
ten
sons be
hanged upon the
gallows.\FTNT{§}{{\FR 9.13 }{\FT{let Haman’s…: Heb. let men hang, etc}}}

\VS{14}And the
king
commanded it so to be
done: and the
decree was
given at
Shushan; and they
hanged
Haman’s
ten
sons.

\VS{15}For the
Jews that
{\ADD{were}} in
Shushan gathered themselves
together on the
fourteenth
day also of the
month
Adar, and
slew
three
hundred
men at
Shushan; but on the
prey they
laid not their
hand.

\VS{16}But the
other
Jews that
{\ADD{were}} in the
king’s
provinces gathered themselves
together, and
stood for their
lives, and had
rest from their
enemies, and
slew of their
foes
seventy and
five
thousand, but they
laid not their
hands on the
prey,

\VS{17}On the
thirteenth
day of the
month
Adar; and on the
fourteenth day of the same
rested they, and
made it a
day of
feasting and
gladness.\FTNT{**}{{\FR 9.17 }{\FT{of the same: Heb. in it}}}

\VS{18}But the
Jews that
{\ADD{were}} at
Shushan assembled
together on the
thirteenth
{\ADD{day}} thereof, and on the
fourteenth thereof; and on the
fifteenth
{\ADD{day}} of the same they
rested, and
made it a
day of
feasting and
gladness.

\VS{19}Therefore the
Jews of the
villages, that
dwelt in the
unwalled
towns,
made the
fourteenth
day of the
month
Adar
{\ADD{a day of}}
gladness and
feasting, and a
good
day, and of
sending
portions
one to
another.


\par }{\PP \VS{20}¶ And
Mordecai
wrote these
things, and
sent
letters unto all the
Jews that
{\ADD{were}} in all the
provinces of the
king
Ahasuerus,
{\ADD{both}}
nigh and
far,

\VS{21}To
stablish
{\ADD{this}} among them, that they should
keep the
fourteenth
day of the
month
Adar, and the
fifteenth
day of the same,
yearly,

\VS{22}As the
days wherein the
Jews
rested from their
enemies, and the
month which was
turned unto them from
sorrow to
joy, and from
mourning into a
good
day: that they should
make them
days of
feasting and
joy, and of
sending
portions
one to
another, and
gifts to the
poor.

\VS{23}And the
Jews
undertook to
do as they had
begun, and as
Mordecai had
written unto them;

\VS{24}Because
Haman the
son of
Hammedatha, the
Agagite, the
enemy of all the
Jews, had
devised against the
Jews to
destroy them, and had
cast
Pur, that
{\ADD{is}}, the
lot, to
consume them, and to
destroy them;\FTNT{††}{{\FR 9.24 }{\FT{consume: Heb. crush}}}

\VS{25}But when
{\ADD{Esther}}
came
before the
king, he
commanded by
letters that his
wicked
device, which he
devised against the
Jews, should
return upon his own
head, and that he and his
sons should be
hanged on the
gallows.\FTNT{‡‡}{{\FR 9.25 }{\FT{when…: Heb. when she came}}}

\VS{26}Wherefore they
called these
days
Purim after the
name of
Pur. Therefore for all the
words of this
letter, and
{\ADD{of that}} which they had
seen concerning this
matter, and which had
come unto them,\FTNT{§§}{{\FR 9.26 }{\FT{Pur: that is, Lot}}}

\VS{27}The
Jews
ordained, and
took upon them, and upon their
seed, and upon all such as
joined themselves unto them, so as it should not
fail, that they would
keep these
two
days according to their
writing, and according to their
{\ADD{appointed}}
time every
year;\FTNT{***}{{\FR 9.27 }{\FT{fail: Heb. pass}}}

\VS{28}And
{\ADD{that}} these
days
{\ADD{should be}}
remembered and
kept
throughout every
generation, every
family, every
province, and every
city; and
{\ADD{that}} these
days of
Purim should not
fail from
among the
Jews, nor the
memorial of them
perish from their
seed.\FTNT{†††}{{\FR 9.28 }{\FT{fail: Heb. pass}}}\FTNT{‡‡‡}{{\FR 9.28 }{\FT{perish: Heb. be ended}}}

\VS{29}Then
Esther the
queen, the
daughter of
Abihail, and
Mordecai the
Jew,
wrote with all
authority, to
confirm this
second
letter of
Purim.\FTNT{§§§}{{\FR 9.29 }{\FT{authority: Heb. strength}}}

\VS{30}And he
sent the
letters unto all the
Jews, to the
hundred
twenty and
seven
provinces of the
kingdom of
Ahasuerus,
{\ADD{with}}
words of
peace and
truth,

\VS{31}To
confirm these
days of
Purim in their
times
{\ADD{appointed}}, according as
Mordecai the
Jew and
Esther the
queen had
enjoined them, and as they had
decreed for
themselves and for their
seed, the
matters of the
fastings and their
cry.\FTNT{*}{{\FR 9.31 }{\FT{themselves: Heb. their souls}}}

\VS{32}And the
decree of
Esther
confirmed these
matters of
Purim; and it was
written in the
book.




\par }\Chap{10}{\PP \VerseOne{1}And the
king
Ahasuerus
laid a
tribute upon the
land, and
{\ADD{upon}} the
isles of the
sea.

\VS{2}And all the
acts of his
power and of his
might, and the
declaration of the
greatness of
Mordecai, whereunto the
king
advanced him,
{\ADD{are}} they not
written in the
book of the
chronicles of the
kings of
Media and
Persia?\FTNT{*}{{\FR 10.2 }{\FT{advanced…: Heb. made him great}}}

\VS{3}For
Mordecai the
Jew
{\ADD{was}}
next unto
king
Ahasuerus, and
great among the
Jews, and
accepted of the
multitude of his
brethren,
seeking the
wealth of his
people, and
speaking
peace to all his
seed.


\par }