Esther made queen.

Before

518.

d Song 4, 7.

ESTHER.

CHRIST

↑ Heb.

Haman's advancement. unto him, Let there be fair young virgins sought for { women, and she obtained grace and favour † in his Before CHRIST the king: sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal 3 And let the king appoint officers in all the pro-† crown upon her head, and made her queen instead Eph. 5, 26. vinces 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 them:

e chap. 1,1.

| Or, ornament of given them,

ver. 13, 14.

Isa. 5, 18,
Eph. 5, 26.

23.

21.

50.

106, 46.

4 And let the maiden which pleaseth the king 'be queen instead of Vashti. And the thing pleased the king, and he did so.

51 Now in Shushan the palace there was a certain Jew, whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite,

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.

7 And he brought up Hadassah (that is Esther) his uncle's daughter; for she 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.

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.

of Vashti.

before his Frov.

18 Then the king made a great feast unto all his v. 5, 17 princes and his servants, even Esther's feast; and he 20 made a release to the provinces, and gave " gifts according to the state of the king.

Luke 1, 48.

↑ Heb. crown of the kingdom,

Sam. 2, 8.

19 And when the virgins were gathered together 1 the second time, then Mordecai sat in the king's Psal. 115,7

22.

cir. 514.

gate.
20 Esther had not yet shewed her kindred nor her Gen. 29,
people, as Mordecai had charged her: for Esther did chap. 1, 3.
the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she u P. 68, 18
was brought up with him.

Eph. 4, 8. x Ps. 131, 1.

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. 22 And the thing was known to Mordecai, who Ps. 144, 10. told it unto Esther the queen, and Esther certified the king thereof in Mordecai's name.

y 1 Sam. 24, 6. & 26, 9.

2 Pr. 8, 12

19.

23 And when inquisition was made of the matter, it was found out; therefore they were both hanged a Gen. 40, on a tree and it was written in the book of the Chronicles before the king.

CHAPTER III.

a

b ch. 6, 1,2

9 And the maiden pleased him, and she obtained AFTER these things did king Ahasuerus * promote cir. 510

Gen 39, kindness of him; and he speedily gave her her things Kings 8, for purification, with such things as belonged to her, Nl. 2, 8. and seven maidens, which were meet to be given her, Prov. 16, 7. out of the king's house: and he preferred her and her Daniel 1, 9. maids unto the best place of the house of the women. 10 Esther had not shewed her people nor her kindred: for Mordecai had "charged her that she should not shew it.

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,
to wit, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months
with sweet odours, and with other things for the puri-
fying of the women,)
13 Then thus came 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.
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.

P

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 p Ps. 131, 1. required nothing but what Hegai the king's cham-3" berlain, the keeper of the women, appointed: and Esther obtained favour in the sight of all them that P. 113,7, looked upon her.

प

e.

r ch. 3. 7.

16 So Esther was taken unto king Ahasuerus into his house royal in the tenth month, which is the Fr.21 month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign. 17 And the king loved Esther above all the?

a Ps. 12, &

Haman seeketh revenge upon all the Jews. Haman the son of Hammedatha the "Agagite, Mal. 3,15 and advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes that were with him.

b Num. 24,

7.

1 Sam. 15, 2.

2.

2 And all the king's servants, that were in the king's gate, bowed and reverenced Haman: for the king had 2 Prov. 29, so commanded concerning him: but Mordecaid Rev. 13, bowed not, nor did him reverence.

e

2.

3 Then the king's servants, which were in the king's e Ps. 15, 4. gate, said unto Mordecai, 'Why transgressest thou fEx. 1, 17. the king's commandment?

r

8

p ch. 9, 24.

q Ezek 21

21.

8 And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed r Ex. 19, 6. among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom; Deut. 3 and their laws are diverse from all people, neither keep they the king's laws, therefore it is not for the 36. king's profit to suffer them.

t

1 John 18,

u Jer. 29, 7.

y1 Chr. 22,

9 If it please the king, let it be written that they x Ex. 1, 10. 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 it into the king's treasuries.

z Gien. 41,

CHAPTER IV....V. gave it unto Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews' enemy.

NOW it came to pass on the third day that Esther Ach. 1,16

put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inThe great mourning of Mordecai and the Jews. ner court of the king's house, over against the king's THEN Mordecai perceived all that was done, house: and the king sat upon his royal throne in the Mordecairent his clothes, and put on sack-royal house, over against the gate of the house.

he had advanced him above the princes and servants & thou hast begun to fall, thou shalt not prevail against Before of the king. him, but shalt surely fall before him

7 Then the king Ahasuerus said unto Esther the chap. 7, 4 queen, and to Mordecai the Jew, Behold, I have Lake 2,35 given Esther the house of Haman, and him they have " Luke 2, 35. hanged upon the gallows, because he laid his hand the Jews.

Neh. 2, 3.

Amos 6, &
John 13, 39.

1 verse 1.

n ch. 1, 19.

10.

upon

8 Write ye also for the Jews, as it liketh you, in the king's name, and seal it with the king's ring: for the writing which is written in the king's name, and Josh. 24, sealed with the king's ring, may "no man reverse. 9 Then were the king's scribes called at that time Dan. 6, 12 in the third month, that is, the month Sivan, on the Palm 30, three and twentieth day thereof: and it was written, Jer. 17. according to all that Mordecai commanded, unto the 2 Cor. 7, 6. Jews, and to the lieutenants, and the deputies and rulers of the provinces which are from India unto { Ethiopia, a 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.

p. ch. 3, 12 Dan. 5, 19.

20, 52.

Job 2, 4.

10 And he wrote in the king Ahasuerus' name, and sealed it with the king's ring; and sent letters by posts on horseback, and riders on mules, camels, and young dromedaries:

11 Wherein the king granted the Jews which were qxings in every city to gather themselves together, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to Eccl.9, perish, all the power of the people and province that would assault them, both little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey,

16.

r ch. 9. 10.

$ Exod. 15, 9, 10.

7.

Judg. 1, 6,
Mat. 7, 2

& 92, 7.

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

t

13 The copy of the writing, for a commandment to be given in every province, was published unto all people, and that the Jews should be ready against 34,15 that day to avenge themselves on their enemies. 14 So the posts that rode upon mules and camels went out, being hastened and pressed on by the king's u eb. 3,15. commandment. And the decree was given at " Shushan the palace.

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.

4 For Mordecai was great in the king's house, sam. 15,
and his fame went out throughout all the provinces; Mark 11,18.
for this man Mordecai waxed greater and greater.
5 Thus the Jews *smote all their enemies with the Prov. 4, 18.
stroke of the sword, and slaughter, and destruction, & Deut. 32,
and did what they would unto those that hated them. 35
6 And in Shushan the palace the Jews slew and
destroyed five hundred men,

7 And Parshandatha, and Dalphon, and Aspatha,
8 And Poratha, and Adalia, and Aridatha,
9 And Parmashta, and Arisai, and Aridai, and
Vajezatha,

10 The ten sons of Haman, the son of Hamme-
datha, the enemy of the Jews, 'slew they; but on
the spoil laid they "not their hand.

11 On that day the number of those that were slain in Shushan the palace was brought before the king, 12 And the king said unto Esther the queen, Jews have slain and destroyed five hundred men in 23 Shushan the palace, and the ten sons of Haman; what 117 have they done in the rest of the king's provinces ! 1 Cor. 10, Now what is thy petition? and it shall be granted Philip. 4, 8. thee; or what is thy request further? and it shall be done.

Rom. 12,

32.

Col. 4, 5.
n ch. 5, 4, 8.

13 Then said Esther, " If it please the king, let it be granted to the Jews which 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. 02 Sam. 21 14 And the king commanded it so to be done; and chap. 5.11. the decree was given at Shushan; and they hanged vers. 46, s. Haman's ten sons.

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

16 But the other Jews that 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)

Deut.

16 The Jews had light, and gladness, and "joy, 18 But the Jews that were at Shushan assembled and honour. together on the thirteenth day thereof, and on the four17 And in every province,and in every city,whither-teenth thereof; and on the fifteenth day of the same they rested, and made it a day of feas.ing and gladness. Heh. 19 Therefore the Jews of the villages, that dwelt in 16,11, the unwalled towns, made the fourteenth day of the 1 month Adar a day of gladness and † feasting, and a îì. good day, and of sending portions one to another. $2 Chr. 26, 20 And Mordecai wrote these things, and sent P 124, 1,2 letters unto all the Jews that were in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, both nigh and far,

NOW

CHAPTER IX.

The Jews slay their enemies, and the sons of Haman.
OW in the tweltth month, that is the month
Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, when
the king's commandment and his decree drew near to
Job 11,20. be put in execution, in the day that the enemies of the
Jews hoped to have power over them, (though its
was turned to the contrary, that the Jews had rule
Ecl. 12 over them that hated them,)

11. & 126, 5. Ps. 7,16.

eth. c. 11.

2 The Jews gathered themselves together in their

21 To stablish this among them, that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day of the same yearly.

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

19.

23 And the Jews undertook to do as they had 12 Chr. 29, y begun, and as Mordecai had written unto them; 24 Because Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had devised 4 Persian against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast || Pur Tying lot, (that is, the lot) to consume them, and to destroy them :

word signich. 3, 7.

are made festival.

should not fail from among the Jews, nor the memo-
rial of them perish from their seed.

29 Then Esther the queen, the daughter of Abi-
hail and Mordecai the Jew, wrote with all authority,
to confirm this second letter of Purim.

Before CHRISI 509.

d Isa. 63, &.

Ezek. 18, 3.
Eph. 4, 15.

Rom. 15, 5.

2 Thess. 2,
10.
Heb. 12, 14.

1 6

30 And he sent the letters unto all the Jews, to the hundred twenty and seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, with words of peace and truth, 31 To confirm these days of Purim in their times James 3,17. appointed, according as Mordecaithe Jew and Esther 1 John 1, 25 But when Esther came before the king, he the queen had enjoined them, and as they had de- their soul, commanded by letters, that his wicked device which creed † for themselves, and for their seed, the 'mat- 2 Cor. 1, 23 7 ch. 7, 10. he devised against the Jews, should return upon histers of the fastings and their cry. own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.

26 Wherefore they called these days Purim, after Ezek 39,11. the name of Pur: therefore, for all the words of this

40.

letter, and of that which they had seen concerning

32 And the decree of Esther confirmed these matters of Purim; and it was written in the book. CHAPTER X.

1 Ahasuerus' greatness....3 Mordecai's advancement.

1 Ileb. upon

e ch. 10, 5.

fch 4, 16.

g Jon. 2, 9

a P's. 72, 10, Luke 2, 1.

AND the king Ahasuerus laid a tribute upon the this matter, and which had come unto them, 27 The Jews ordained, and took upon them, and 2 And all the acts of his power, and of his might, b ch. 8,17. upon their seed, and upon all such as joined them- and the declaration of the greatness of Mordecai, selves unto them, so as it should not fail, that they whereunto the king † advanced him, are they not Heb.mada would keep these two days according to their wri-written in the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Ex. 12, 17. ting, and according to their appointed time, every Media and Persia? Judg. 20, year;

15 And the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them 5 And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and "sanctified them, away; yea, they have slain the servants with the and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt-edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to i Pr. 12, 10 Rom. 12, offerings according to the number of them all: for tell thee. Job said, "It may be that my sons have sinned, 16 While he was yet speaking, there came also k pr. 8, 26. Lev. 1, 10, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Jobs another, and said, 'The fire of God is fallen from James 1,2 heaven, and hath burnt up the sheep, and the ser- ! Heb. 12, vants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

17 While he was yet speaking, there came also 7 And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried From going to and fro in the earth, and from walk-them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge ing up and down in it.

8 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered any servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that 21 Pet. 5,& feareth God, and escheweth evil?

8.

9 Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?