11 And the king said unto Haman, The silver is given to thee, the people also, to do with them as P. 43. It seemeth good to thee. ? Pr. 75, 7. ler. 18, 23. his to put him to death, except such to whom the Before 510 y chap. 5, 2 z 1 Cor. 7,1, 5. 12 And they told to Mordecai Esther's words. 13 Then Mordecai commanded to answer Est- a Prov. 29, her, Think not with thyself that thou shalt a b 25. & 30, 24 b Isa. 48,23 12 Then were the king's scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there was Ton 1, written according to all that Haman had command- in the king's house, more than all the Jews. ed unto the king's lieutenants, and to the governors that were over every province, and to the rulers of this time, then shall there † enlargement and deli-sing 14 For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at Heb. every people of every province, according to the verance arise to the Jews from another place; but Zech. 2,5,8 writing thereof, and to every people after their lan-thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and guage; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it who knoweth, whether thou art come to the king- Titus 1, 2. 3 Chron. Written, and sealed with the king's ring. dom for such a time as this? 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, even upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to take the spoil of them for a prey. 14 The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given in every province was published unto Gen. 37, all people, that they should be ready against that day. 15 The posts went out, being hastened by the Rev. 11, 10. king's commandment, and the decree was given in b. 4, 14. Sushan the palace. And the king and Haman sat down to drink; but the city Shushan was perplexed. 25. John 16, 20. £ 8, 15. HEN Mordecai perceived all that was done, house; and the king sat upon his royal throne in the ech. 4, 11 ner court of the king's house, over against the king's 3, 5. Mordecairent his clothes, and put on sack-royal house, over against the gate of the house. e Joel 2, 13. cloth with "ashes, and went out into the midst of Jonal 3,4. the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry; 2 And came even before the king's gate: for none # might enter into the king's gate clothed with sackcloth. 3 And in every province whithersoever the king's P12, 5. commandment and his decree came, there was mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, great and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes. 4 I So Esther's maids and her chamberlains came and told 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 it not. d Psal. 116, 1 2 And it was so, when the king saw Esther the vour in his sight: and the king held out to Esther ech. 4,11 queen standing in the court, that she obtained fa- d Pr. 21, 1 the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther col. 3, 19 drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre. f queen Esther? and what is thy request? it shall be John 16,24 3 Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, Zech. 1, even given thee to the half of the kingdom. 61 And the king said unto Esther at the banquet 6 So Hatach went forth to Mordecai, unto theed thee: and what is thy request? even to the half of wine, What is thy petition? and' it shall be grant- 11 Chr. 17 street of the city, which was before the king's gate. of the kingdom it shall be performed. 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 Is. 1,21. the Jews, to destroy them. and my request is: 8 If I have found favour in the sight of the king, 25. Luke 6, 28 9 Then went Haman forth that day "joyful and n Amos t with a glad heart: but when Haman saw Mordecai 13. in the king's gate, that he stood not up, nor moved o Ps. 15, 4. for him, he was full of indignation against Mor- Mat. 10, 2 decai. p ch. 3. 2 22. 10 Nevertheless, Haman refrained himself: and q26am. :3 when he came home, he sent and called for his friends, and Zeresh his wife. S r ch. 6, 15 11 And Haman told them of the glory of his Dan. 4, 30 riches, and the multitude of his children, and all the tch. 8, 10. "things wherein the king had "promoted him, and how u chap. 3,1. Before he had advanced him above the princes and servants of the king. 510. thou hast begun to fall, thou shalt not prevail Before against him, but shalt surely fall before him. 14 And while they were yet talking with him, • Zech. 12 3. 12 Haman said moreover, Yea, Esther the queen did let no man come in with the king unto the ban-came the king's chamberlains, and hasted to bring * Pr. 27 1. quet that she had prepared but myself; and to-mor- Haman unto the banquet that Esther had prepared. p1 Sam. row am I invited unto her also with the king. CHAPTER VII. y 1 Kings 21, 4. Ps. 52, 1, 2. z Mark 6, 24. X a 13 Yet all this availeth me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate. 141 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 John 12, 20. king that Mordecai may be hanged thereon: then Rom. 3,15. go thou in merrily with the king unto the banquet. d Pr. 7,14 And the thing pleased Haman; and he caused the gallows to be made. a 2 Sam. 18, 2, 3. b ch. 7, 9. e Mat. 27, 22. a Gen. 22, 14 1:Sam. 23, 26. b Ps. 83, 18. CHAPTER VI. Ahasuerus rewardeth Mordecai. d 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. 2 And it was found written, that Mordecai had 16a. 58, 7, 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. dcb. 2, 21. eMal. 3, 16. Gal. 6, 9. 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. 4 And the king said, Who is in the court? (Now Haman was come into the outward court of the eh 7,9 king's house, to speak unto the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him.) 5 And the king's servants said unto him, Behold, Haman standeth in the court. And the king said, Let him come in. 10 Then the king said to Haman, Make haste, 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. I Then took Haman the apparel and the horse, * P. 30, 5. and arrayed Mordecai, and brought him on horse53. 12, 19. back through the street of the city, and proclaimed 71. 20, 21. before him, Thus shall it be done unto the man 22, 11. whom the king delighteth to honour. 2 And the king said again unto Esther on the second day at the banquet of wine, What is a ch.5,6. thy petition, queen Esther? and it shall be granted thee: and what is thy request? and it shall be performed, even to the half of the kingdom. 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 pe- bJ∞24 tition, and my people at my request: 2 And the king took off his ring which he had Pris taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman. e 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 Pr. §.12 his device that he had devised against the Jews. 4 Then the king held out the golden sceptre to- g 5 ward Esther. So Esther arose, and stood before the king, 5 And said, If it please the king, and if I have found favour in his sight, and the thingseem right before the king, and I be pleasing in his eyes, let it be written Pr. 15 to reverse the letters devised by Haman the son of h 71 Then the king Ahasuerus said unto Esther chap. 7,4 the queen and to Mordecai the Jew, Behold, I have Luke 2,3 given Esther the house of Haman, and him they Luke 2,35 have hanged upon the gallows, because he laid Neh. 2,3. his hand upon the Jews. Amos 6, 6. John 19,39. verse 1. m Josh. 24, 9. ch. 1, 19. an. 6, 12. Ps. 30, 5, Jer. 30, 17. $ Cor. 6. peb. 3, 12. Eccl. 8, 4. n 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 sealed with the king's ring, may no man reverse. 9 Then were the king's scribes called at that time in the third month, that is, the month Sivan, on the three and twentieth 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 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. 10 And he wrote in the king Ahasuerus' P name, Dan. 5, 19. and sealed it with the king's ring, and sent letters by posts on horseback, and riders on mules, camels, and young dromedaries: Kings 20, 32. Job 2, 4. Ps 94, 16. 11 Wherein the king granted the Jews which were in every city to gather themselves together, and P 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, both little ones and 7 ch. 9, 10. Women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey, 12 Upon one day in all the provinces of king Judg. 1, 6, Ahasuerus, namely, upon the thirteenth day of the Mat 7,2 twelfth month, which is the month Adar. Eccl. 9, 5. s Exod. 15, 9, 10. 7. & 72 7 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 Ps. 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 commandment. And the decree was given acb. 3, 15. at Shushan the palace. X 1 Sam. 2, 50. y Pr. 29, 2. u X 151 And Mordecai went out from the presence 2 Chr. 4, 17. 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: z Job 12, 5. y 16 The Jews had light, and gladness, and joy, Ps. 97, 11. and honour. Isa. 43, 4. 4 For Mordecai was great in the king's house, 2 and his fame went out throughout all the provinces: Mark 11,18 for this man Mordecai waxed 'greater and greater. 12 8am.3, 1. 5 Thus the Jews smote all their enemies with Pr. 4, 18. the stroke of the sword, and slaughter, and destruction, 35 and did what they would unto those that hated them. 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 Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews, 'slew they; but on the spoil laid they " not their hand. 17 And in every province, and in every city, whither-teenth thereof; and on the fifteenth day of the same soever the king's commandment and his decree came, P. 68, 10. the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a good d Ps. 18, 43. day. And many of the people of the land became Gen 35,5. Jews; for the fear of the Jews fell upon them. CHAPTER IX. r Neh. 8,0 20 1 And Mordecai wrote these things, and sent 11 letters unto, all the Jews that were in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, both nigh and far, 21 To establish this among them, that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day of the same, yearly, $ 2 Chr 26, Ps. 124. 1,2. & 126, 1. Col. 1, 10. t Ex. 13, 3. u Ps. 9 1,2 0.2 4 14. & 103, 2, 2011 22 As the days wherein the Jews "rested from their enemies, and the month which was turned 16, 1 unto them from sorrow to joy, and from mourning x Ps. 196 X 15. The two days of Purim Before CHRIST 509. 18. JOB into a good day: that they should make them days of 23 And the Jews undertook to do as they had 2 Chr. 29, begun, and as Mordecai had written unto them; 24 Because Haman the son of Hammedatha,the Aggagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had devised 14 Persian against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast | Pur, fying a lot, that is, the lot, to consume them, and to destroy them; word signi ah. 3, 7. 25 But when Esther came before the king, he commanded by letters that his wicked device, which 1 ch. 7, 10. he devised against the Jews, should return upon his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows. a Num. 16, 40. are made festival of Purim should not fail from among the Jews, nor d Before CHRIST 509. d 9 30 And he sent the letters unto all the Jews, to the hundred twenty and seven provinces of the king- Isa. 63, dom of Ahasuerus, with words of peace and truth, Rom. 15.5. 31 To confirm these days of Purim in their times 2 Thes 2 appointed, according as Mordecai the Jew and Esther Heb. 12, 14 the queen had enjoined them, and as they had de- James 17 creed † for themselves and for their seed, the mat- Heb. upok ters of the fastings and their cry. e 1 John 1,6 their soul, f 32 And the decree of Esther confirmed these ech. 10, 8. matters of Purim; and it was written in the book. CHAPTER X. 1 Ahasuerus' greatness.... Mordecai's advancement. AND the king Ahasuerus laid a tribute upon the a Ps. 72, Luke 2, 1. 26 Wherefore they called these days a Purim after Ezek 39,11. the name of Pur. Therefore for all the words of this letter, and of that which they had seen concerning 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. med 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; 4 And his sons went and feasted in their houses, Gen. 40, every one his day; and sent and called for their 20. three sisters' to eat and to drink with them. 11 Cor. 10, 5 And it was so, when the days of their feasting m Ex. 19, were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and " rose up early in the morning, and offered Rom. 12, burnt-offerings according to the number of them o Lev. 1, 10. all for Job said, "It may be that my sons have sinp2 Cor. 11, ned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did q Jer. 3, 1. Job continually. u) Kings 7 And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence Rev. 20,7. comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and 7 Heb. 4,13. said, From 'going to and fro in the earth, and from 1: Pet. 5, 8. walking up and down in it. 8 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? 9 Then Satan answered the LORD and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? d Isaiah 5, 10 Hast not thou made a hedge about him, and ■ PL. 94, ? about his house, and about all that he hath on every b P1:27 1 side? Thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. 11 But put forth thy hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face. e d f P.1251 Pr. 10, 22. d Isa. 8, 21 1 12 And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all Mal. 3, 14. that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself, put not forth thy hand. So Satan went forth from fisa. 27,8 the presence of the LORD. 1 Cor. 10, 13. 131 And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their f eldest brother's house: 12. Luke 21,84 14 And there came a messenger unto Job, and Pr. 17,11 said, The oxen were ploughing, and the asses feeding beside them: k 15 And the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone i Pr. 12, 10 to tell thee. 16 While he was yet speaking, there came also * Pr 8, 26 k another, and said, 'The fire of God is fallen from 1, heaven, and hath burned up the sheep and the ser- 29. vants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. 17 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. 35. 22 In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. CHAPTER II. Satan obtaizeth further leave to tempt Job. a AGAIN there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD. 2 And the LORD said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from Luke 10, b walking up and down in it. e d c 3 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that Heb 11, feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he hold4.3. eth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me e Jonn 9, 2. against him, to destroy him without cause. 4 And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for Esth. 7,3. skin: yea, 'all that a man hath will he give for his life. 5 But put forth thy hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face. 6 And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is Mat. 8, 31 in thy hand; but "save his life. 4. Ps. 6, 2. Isa. 40, 6. CL. 19, 20. Ps. 142, 4. n James 5. 11. a Mat. 11, 21. Gen. 3, 6 p ch. 21, 15 al3, q Mat. 18, 9 1 Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? Curse God, and die. 10 But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What! shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive 'evil? In all this did not Job sin with his "lips. 11 1 Now when Job's three friends heard of all Het 12, this evil that was come upon him, they came every Ps. 99, 1 one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, * Pr. 17, 17 and Bildad the "Shuhite, and Zophar the 'Naamathite for they had made an appointment together to 23. Mat. 16, ch. 1, 11. X z Gen. 36, come to mourn with him, and to comfort him. 12 And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, Josh. 18, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven. 41. e Rom. 12, 15. d Lam. 4, 7. 13 So they sat down with him upon the ground e P. 77, 4 seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great. (Ex. 6, 9. CHAPTER III. Job curseth the day and services of his birth. 3 Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said, There is a man-child conE110,23 ceived. eRom. 14,6. (Acts 27, 4 Let that day be darkness; let not God regard it from above, neither let the light shine upon it. |