The days of Purim ordained, and † Heb. 14 And the king commanded it so to be done: and the decree was given at Shushan; and they hanged 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 Shushan; "but on the prey they laid ver. 10. not their hand. 16 But the other Jews that were in the king's provinces Pgathered 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, 17 On the thirteenth day of the month Adar; and on the fourteenth day tof the same rested they, and made it a day of feast ing and gladness. ver.2.& ch. 8. 11. Pver.2.& 9 See ch. 8. 11. 509. † Heb. Ps. 7. 16. That is, lot. ch. 8. 17. 18.56. 3,6. Zec.2 il. † Heb. pass. † Heb. pass. 18 But the Jews that were at Shushan assembled together on r ver. 11, be ended. the thirteenth day thereof, and 15. on the fourteenth thereof; and on the fifteenth day of the same they rested, and made it a day of feasting and gladness. 19 Therefore the Jews of the villages, that dwelt in the unwalled towns, made the fourteenth day of the month Adar'a day of gladness and feasting, tand a good day, and of "sending portions one to another. 201 And Mordecai wrote these things, and sent 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 ofthe same, yearly, 22 Asthe days wherein the Jews rested from their enemies, and De. 16. 11, 14. tch. 8. 17. uver. 22. 12. the month which was turned Ps.30.11 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 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 is, the lot, to fconsume them, and to destroy them; 25 But when Esther came 472 † Heb. came. fch. 2. 15. bch. 1. 1. 28 And that these days should be remembered and kept throughoutevery generation, every family, every province, and every city; and that these days of Purim should not fail from among the Jews, nor the memorial of them perish from their seed. 29 Then Esther the queen, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew, wrote with fall authority, to confirm this second letter of Purim. 30 And he sent the letters unto all the Jews, to hthe 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 appointed, according as Mordecaithe Jew and Esther the queen had enjoined tHeb. them, and as they had decreed for their for themselves and for their souls. seed, the matters of ithe fastings ich.4.3,16 and their cry.. cir. 495. Ge.10.5. 1s. 24. 15. Ps. 72.10. beh. 8.15. & 9.4 ↑ Heb. made him great. Ge. 41. 40. 2 Ch. Heb. 32 And the decree of Esther confirmed these matters of Purim; and it was written in the book. CHAPTER X. Ahasuerus's greatness, L. 3 Mordecai's advancement. AND the king Ahasuerus laid A a tribute upon the land, and upon the isles of the sea. 2 And all the acts of his power ration of the greatness of Morand of his might, and the decladecai, bwhereunto the king tadvanged him, are they not written in the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia? 3 For Mordecai the Jew was next unto king Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and accepted of the multitude of his of his people, and speaking peace brethren, dseeking the wealth to all his seed. CHAPTER I. THE BOOK OF The holiness riches, and religious care thought Job, Before Christ cir. 1520. a Ge. 22. 3 His substance also was seven 20, 21. thousand sheep, and three thoub Ez. 14. sand camels, and five hundred 14Ja.5.11 yoke of oxen, and five hundred Ge. 6.9. she-asses, and a very great &17.1.ch household; so that this man 2. 3. was the greatest of all the tmen dPr.8.13. of the east. 4 And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them. & 16.6. Or, cattle. | Or, hus bandry. † Heb. sons of the east. Ge.8.20. ch. 42. 8. 10, 13. Heb.all the days. 5 And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt-f1 Ki. 21. offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons havesinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job fcontinually. 6 T Now there was a day hwhen the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also tamong them. 7 And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From igoing to and fro in the earth, and from 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, la 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? adver 12 And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy tpower; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD. 13 T And there was a day Ec.9.12. when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house: Or, † Heb. rushed. tHeb.the 14 And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were ploughing, and the asses feeding beside them: 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 to tell thee. 16 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep and the servants, 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 tfell 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. 18 While he was yet speaking, there came also another,and said, ch. 2. 1. Tver 4,13. Thy sons and thy daughters h 1Ki. 22. 19ch.38.7 were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house: 19 And behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. † Heb. 1 Ch.21.1. 10. Heb, in themidst of them. ich. 2. 2. 1Pe. 5. Mt. 12.43. 8. ↑ Heb. 1 k ch. 2. 3. Ge. 37. Or, robe 29. Ez.9.3 1Pe.5.6. "Ps 49.17 Ec. 5. 15. Ti. 6. 7. Ec.5.19. Ja. 1. 17. P8.34.7 Mat.20. 15. Is. 5. 2. "Ps128.1. 2Pr.10.22 2Ep.5.20. 10 Hast not thou made an Or, 1Th.5.18. hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? "thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. 11 But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, fand he will Pcurse thee to thy face. 1Or, 20 Then Job arose, and rent head, and fell down upon the his mantle, and shaved his ground, and worshipped, 21 And said, "Naked came 1 out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: The LORD *gave, and the LORD hath taken away; "blessed be the name of the LORD. 22 In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. CHAPTER II. cattle. ach. 2. 10. Satan appearing again before God, ob- thee not to thy face. P18.8.21. Mal.3.13, 14. ch. 1. 6. taineth further leave to tempt Job, 1. 7 He smiteth him with sore boils, 9. Job reproveth his wife, moving him to curse God. 11 His three friends condole with him in silence. AGAIN there was a day when sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also Job curseth the day of his 2 And the LORD said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And bSatan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. 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. feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he dholdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, teto destroy him without cause. dch. 27.5, 6. 10. & 20. 14. 4 Let that day be darkness; let not God regard it from above, neitherlet the lightshine upon it. beh 10.21. 5 Let darkness and the shadow 22&16.16 of death stain it; let a cloud &28.3Ps. dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it. 6 As for that night, let darkness seize upon it; let it not be joined unto the days of the year: let it not come into the number of the months. 23.4.&44. 19.& 107. 10, 14.Je. 5. 8. Or,challenge it. Or, let them terrify it. 4 And Satan answered the who fch. 1.11. bitter day, 5 ch. 19. 5fBut put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to 20. thy face. 6 And the LORD said unto Sa-h ch.1.12. tan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life. || Or, 7 T So went Satan forth from only. the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils ifromi Is. 1. the sole of his footunto his crown. 8 And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; kand he sat down among the ashes. 9 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 Psin with his lips. 21. Am.8.10. Or, let it not rejoice among the days. Je.9.17, 7 Lo, let that night be solitary; let no joyful voice come therein. 8 Let them curse it that curse the day, who are ready to raise up their mourning. 9 Let the stars of the twilight thereof be dark; let it look for it see the dawning of the day. light, but have none; neither let 10 Because it shut not up the doors of my mother's womb, nor hid sorrow from mine eyes. 11 dWhy died I not from the womb? why did I not give up the ghost when I came out of the belly? 12 Why did the knees prevent me? or why the breasts that I should suck? k2Sa. 13. 11 T Now when Job's three "friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place: Pr. 17. wearied Eliphaz the "Temanite, and Bil-17. dad the 'Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they hadr Ge. 36. made an appointment together 11.Je. 49. to come to mourn with him, 7. and to comfort him. 12 And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, 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. 13 So they sat down with him Ez.27.30. upon the ground seven days and seven nights,and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great. CHAPTER III. Job curseth the day and services of his birth, I. 13 The ease of death. 20 He complaineth of life, because of hus anguish. AFTER this opened Job his mouth, and cursed his day. 2 And Job tspake, and said, k1Sa.1.10 2 Ki.4.27. ch.42.11. Ro.12.15. u Ne. 9.1. La. 2. 10. Heb. wait. Re. 9. 6. Pr. 2.4. n ch.19.8. 16 Or as an hidden untimely birth I had not been; as infants which never saw light. 17 There the wicked cease from troubling; and there the weary be at rest. 18 There the prisoners rest together; they hear not the voice of the oppressor. 19 The small and great are there; and the servant is free from his master. 20 Wherefore is light given to unto the kbitter in soul; him that is in misery, and life 21 Which long for death, but it cometh not; and dig for it more than for hid treasures; 22 Which rejoice exceedingly, and are glad, when they can tind the grave? 23 Why is light given to a man whose way is hid, "and whom Heb.be God hath hedged in? fore my meat. 24 For my sighing cometh tbe1 Heb. Ifore I eat, and my roarings are poured out like the waters. feared a came up on me. 25 For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me. Eliphaz relateth his vision. CHAPTER IV, V. Happy end of God's correction. B. C. 26 I was not in safety, neither CHAPTER IV. Eliphaz reproveth Job for want of religion, 1. 7 He teacheth God's judg ments to be not for the righteous, but for the wicked. 12 His fearful vision, to humble the excellency of crea tures before God. Tanswered and said, Eliphaz the Temanite † Heb. a word. from words? 2 If we assay fto commune † Heb. with thee, wilt thou be grieved? who can but who can withhold himself refrain from speaking? 3 Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands. 4 Thy words have upholden t Heb. him that was falling, and thou bhast strengthened the feeble ing knees. 5 But now it is comeupon thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled. 6 Is not this thy fear, dthy confidence, thy hope, and the uprightness of thy ways? 7 Remember, I pray thee, ,"who ever perished, being innocent? or where were the righteous cut off? 8 Even as I have seen, they that plough iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same. 9 By the blast of God they perish, and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed. 10 The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions, are broken. 11 The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the stout lion's whelps are scattered abroad. 12 Now a thing was tsecretly brought to me, and mine ear received a little thereof. 13 In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men, 14 Fear tcame upon me, and ktrembling, which made fall my bones to shake. Is. 35.3. bls. 35. 3. Ps.39.11 21 Doth not their excellency & 49. 14. which is in them go away? "they Tch.36.12 die, even without wisdom. Or,look. bPs. 119. 5. c Ps. 109. CHAPTER V. The harm of inconsideration, 1. 3 The end of the wicked is misery. 6 God is to be regarded in affliction. 17 The happy end of God's correction. CALL now, if there be any that will answer thee; and to which of the saints wilt thou turn? 2 For wrath killeth the foolish Or, in-one. ch.18.9. man. aud envy slayeth the silly iquity. 3 I have seen the foolish taking Ge.3.17, root: but suddenly I cursed his 18, 19. 1 habitation. the bow-Co.10.13. knees, He 12.12. Heb.the by his ch. 9.10. ↑ Heb. there is Sch.28 26 4 His children are far from safety, and they are crushed in the gate, neither is there any to deliver them. 5 Whose harvest the hungry eateth up, and taketh it even out of the thorns, and the robstance. ber swalloweth up their sub 6 Although affliction cometh not forth of the dust, neither doth trouble spring out of the ground; 7 Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward. 81would seekunto God,and unto God would I commit my cause: 9 fWhich doeth great things tand unsearchable; marvellous things fwithout number: 33. See Ps65.9,10 15 Then a spirit passed before Is. 59. 10. 16 It stood still, but I could not 1 ch. 9. 2.1 Co.3.19. 17 Shall mortal man be more m ch. 15. 2 Pe. 2. 4. Or, nor Am. 8. 9. into. 10. 12 He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise. 13kHe taketh the wise in their own craftiness: and the counsel of the froward is carried headlong. 14 They meet with darkness in his 6. 19 "How much less in them 5. Ja.1.12. 475 Job wisheth for death, and 21 "Thou shalt be hid from the Scourge of the tongue: neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it cometh. 22 At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh: "neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth. 23 For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field: and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee. 15 hMy brethren have dealt demelteth.ceitfully as a brook, and as the 8 Pr. 17. stream of brooks they pass away; 16 Which are blackish by reason of the ice, and wherein the snow is hid: 17. h Ps. 38. eth. i Je. 15. 65.25. Ez. 18. 34. 25. + Heb. Ps. 91. they are Ho. 2. cut off. 18. Or, that peace is thy ta Heb, in the heat thereof. 24 And thou shalt know that thy tabernacle shall be in peace; and thou shalt visit thy habita-12. tion, and shalt not sin. 25 Thou shalt know also that Sthy seed shall be great, and thine offspring as the grass of the earth. 26 Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, like as a shock of corn tcometh in in his bernacle † Heb. Or, err. guished. 2. 15. 11 Ki. 10. 22, 23. 17 What time they wax warm, they vanish: twhen it is hot they are fconsumed out of their place. 18 The paths of their way are turned aside; they go to nothing, and perish. 19 The troops of Tema looked, the companies of Sheba waited for them. 20 They were "confounded because they had hoped; they came thither, and were ashamed. 21 For now "ye are nothing; ye see my casting down, and are afraid. 22 Did I say, Bring unto me? Je.14.3. or, Give a reward for me of your substance? 1Or, For are like b Ps. 111. 2. it. nch. 13.4 2 Oh that my grief weret Heb. thoroughly weighed, and my for thy-t Heb. calamity flaid in the balances self. not. together! Pr. 9. 12. Ps. 38. fall upon. 3 For now it would be heavier t Heb. 1. than the sand of the sea: there-liftedup.+Heb. ye fore mywords are swallowed up. Pr. 27.3. cause to 4 bFor the arrows of the Al-That is, mighty are within me,the poison I want whereof drinketh up my spirit: words to PPs.57.6. "the terrors of God do set them-express ↑ Heb. selves in array against me. mygrief. 5 Doth the wild ass bray twhen Ps. 77. 4. before he hath grass? or loweth the ox bPs.38.2. face. over his fodder? 6 Can that which is unsavoury be eaten without salt? or is there any taste in the white of an egg? 7 The things that my soul refused to touch are as my sorrowful meat. 23 Or, Deliver me from the enemy's hand? or, Redeem me from the hand of the mighty? 24 Teach me, and I will hold my tongue: and cause me to understand wherein I have erred. 25 How forcible are right words! but what doth your arguing reprove? 26 Do ye imagine to reprove words, and the speeches of one that is desperate, which are as wind? 27 Yea, tye overwhelm the fatherless, and ye Pdig a pit for your friend. 28 Now therefore be content, look upon me; for it is tevident unto you if I lie. 29 Return, I pray you, let it not be iniquity; yea, return again, my righteousness is in it. 30 Is there iniquity in my tongue? cannot my taste discern perverse things? CHAPTER VII. Or, a TS there not an appointed 39.4. 2 As a servant fearnestly desir† Heb. eth the shadow, and as an hire gapethling looketh for the reward of after. b See ch. 29. 2. his work: 3 So am I made to possess bmonths of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me. 4 When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? and I am full the even-of tossings to and fro unto the ing be dawning of the day. 12. ↑ Heb. measur ed. 5 My flesh is dclothed with dI8.14,11 worms and clods of dust; my |