Selection of Esther as queen Mordecai's service ing the life of the king 15 Now when the turn of Esther the daughter of Abihail, the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken, her for his daughter, came to go to the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king's eunuch, the keeper of the women, directed. And Esther obtained favor in the sight of all who saw her. 16So Esther was taken unto King Ahasuerus into his royal palace in the tenth month, that is, the month Tebeth in the seventh year of his reign. 17 And the king loved Esther more than all the women, and she received favor and kindness from him more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti. 18Then the king made a great feast for all his princes and his servants, even a feast in honor of Esther; and he remitted the taxes of the provinces and gave gifts, according to the liberality of the king. 19 And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, Mordecai was sitting in the king's gate. 20Esther had not yet made known her in sav kindred nor her people, as Mordecai had charged her, for Esther obeyed the command of Mordecai, just as when she was being brought up with him. 21 In those days, while Mordecai was sitting in the king's gate, two of the king's eunuchs, Bigthan and Teresh, of those who guarded the threshold became enraged and sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. 22And the plan became known to Mordecai, who showed it to Esther the queen; and Esther told the king in Mordecai's name. 23 And when the matter was investigated and it was found to be so, they were both hanged on a tree; and it was recorded in the book of the chronicles for the king. cai's refusal homage man, the royal favorite § 208. Haman's Purpose and the King's Permission to Put to Death all the Jews in the Empire, Esth. 3 Morde- Esth. 3 1After these things King Ahasuerus promoted Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him and gave him a place above to pay all the princes who were with him. 2And all the king's servants who were to Ha in the king's gatem bowed down and prostrated themselves before Haman; for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai did not bow down nor prostrate himself. 3Then the king's servants, who were in the king's gate, said to Mordecai, Why do you transgress the king's command? 4Now when they thus spoke daily to him and he paid no heed to them, they told Haman, to see whether Mordecai's acts would stand, for he had told them that he was a Jew. 5And when Haman saw that Mordecai did not bow down nor prostrate himself before him, Haman was full of wrath. But he thought it beneath his dignity to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they had made known to him Mordecai's race. Therefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the race of Mordecai. 1218 Or, release from military service. So Gk. and Targ. Lat., holiday. m32 Cf. the title of the Sultan of Turkey, Sublime Porte, or the older Egyptian title, Pharaoh. king's Haman the 7In the first month, which is the month Nisan," in the twelfth year of The King Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that is, the lot before Haman from day to consent day and from month to month, to the twelfth month, which is the month to have Adar. And Haman said to King Ahasuerus, There is a certain people slay all scattered abroad and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of Jews your kingdom; and their laws are different from those of every people; neither do they keep the king's laws; therefore there is no advantage to the king in leaving them alone. 9If it please the king, let an order be given that they be destroyed; and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver into the hands of those who have the charge of the finances, that they may bring it into the king's treasuries. 10And the king took his ring from his hand and gave it to Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews' enemy. 11 And the king said to Haman, The silver is given to you, the people also, to do with them as you please. ulga al de 12Then the king's scribes were called in on the thirteenth day of the first Prommonth, and it was recorded just as Haman commanded for the kings' sa- of traps and the local governors who were over every province, and the princes the royof every people, to every province according to its system of writing, and to cree every people according to their language. In the name of King Ahasuerus was it written, and with the king's ring was it sealed. 13And letters were sent by runners into all the king's provinces, to destroy, to slay, 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 as plunder. 14A copy of the writing, that the decree should be given out in every province, was published to all the peoples, that they should be ready for that day. 15The runners went forth impelled by the king's command, and the decree was given out in the royal palace at Shushan. And the king and Haman sat down to drink; but the city of Shushan was perplexed. § 209. Esther's Successful Efforts to Avert the Calamity and the Ignominious Death of Haman, Esth. 4–7 tation and the Esth. 4 1Now when Mordecai knew all that was done, Mordecai tore his Lamenclothes and put on sackcloth and strewed ashes on his head, and went out of Morinto the midst of the city and cried with a loud and bitter cry of lamentation. decai 2And he came even before the king's gate; for none might enter the king's Jews gate clothed with sackcloth. And in every province wherever the king's command and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.a 37 The month Nisan was the month in which the Hebrews came forth from Egypt. For the different months cf. Appendix XIII. 37 The casting of the lot was to determine the fortunate day in which to destroy the Jews. The lot was thus used by the Babylonians in determining the date of the great New Year's feast. Cf. Introd., p. 40. P 41 Heb., simply, with ashes. a 43 Heb., sackcloth and ashes were spread out under many Com munication of the sad Esther 4And Esther's maidens and her eunuchs came and told her about it; and the queen was exceedingly pained. And she sent garments to clothe Mordecai that he might take his sackcloth from off him; but he received them news to not. Then Esther called for Hathach, one of the king's eunuchs, whom he had appointed to attend upon her, and charged him to go to Mordecai, to know what this was and why it was. 6So Hathach went out to Mordecai to the broad place of the city which was before the king's gate. 7And Mordecai told him all that had happened to him and the exact sum of the money that Haman had promised to pay to the king's treasuries for the Jews to destroy them. Also he gave him a copy of the writing of the decree that was given out in Shushan to destroy them, that he might show it to Esther and inform her regarding it and charge her to go in to the king to petition him and to make request before him for her people. Esther's reply to cai's 9And Hathach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai. 10Then Esther spoke to Hathach, and gave him a message to Mordecai, saying, 11All Morde the king's servants and the people of the king's provinces know that whoever, whether man or woman, comes to the king into the inner court without being commanded, there is one law for him, that he be put to death, except those to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live; but I have not been called to come to the king for thirty days. 12And they message Es ther's deci appeal to the king told Mordecai Esther's words. 13Then Mordecai bade them answer to Esther, Think not that you alone of all the Jews will escape because you belong to the king's household. sion to 14Rather, if you remain silent at this time, then relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another quarter, but you and your father's house will perish; and who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this? 15Then Esther bade them answer Mordecai, 16Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan and fast for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day. I also and my maidens will likewise fast and so will I go in to the king, which is contrary to the law; and if I perish, I perish. 17So Mordecai went away and did just as Esther had commanded him. Her in terview with the king Her banquet 5 1Now it came to pass on the third day that Esther put on her royal garments and stood in the inner court of the king's palace directly opposite the king's palace. And the king was sitting upon his royal throne in the royal palace opposite the entrance of the palace. 2And when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, she obtained favor in his sight, and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near and touched the top of the sceptre. 3Then the king said to her, What do you wish, Queen Esther, and what is your request? It shall be given you even to the half of the kingdom. 4And Esther said, If it seem good to the king, let the king and Haman come this day to the banquet that I have prepared for him. "Then the king said, Bring Haman quickly, that Esther's wish may be fulfilled. So the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had for the prepared. And the king said to Esther at the banquet of wine, What is your petition? It shall be granted you; and what is your request? Even king and Haman to the half of the kingdom shall it be performed. 7Then Esther answered and said, My petition and my request is: 8 If I have found favor 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 has said.' man's tred of cai Then Haman went forth that day joyful and glad of heart. But when HaHaman saw Mordecai in the king's gate, and he neither stood up nor moved pride for him, he was filled with wrath against Mordecai. 10Nevertheless Haman and harestrained himself and went home, and sent and brought his friends and MordeZeresh his wife. 11And Haman recounted to them the glory of his riches and the multitude of his children and all the ways in which the king had promoted him and how he had advanced him above the princes and servants of the king. 12 Haman also said, Yea, Esther the queen let no man come in with the king to the banquet which she had prepared but me, and to-morrow also I am invited by her together with the king. 13Yet all this does not satisfy me as long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate. wife's 14Then Zeresh his wife and all his friends said to him, Let a gallows fifty His cubits high be erected and in the morning speak to the king that Mordecai advice may be hanged. Then go in merrily with the king to the banquet. And the thing pleased Haman; and he caused the gallows to be erected. plan to cai for the 6 1On that night sleep fled from the king, and he gave orders to bring The the book of records of the chronicles, and they were read before the king. reward 2And it was found recorded that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, Mordetwo of the king's eunuchs, of those who guarded the threshold, who had sought his serto lay hands on King Ahasuerus. And the king said, What honor and vice to dignity have been bestowed on Mordecai for this? Then the king's servants king who ministered to him said, There has been nothing done for him. And the king said, Who is in the court? Now Haman was come into the outer court of the king's house to speak to the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him. 5And the king's servants said to him, Behold, Haman is standing in the court. And the king said, Let him come in. 6So Haman came in. And the king said to him, What shall be done to the man whom the king delights to honor? Now Haman said to himself, To whom would the king delight to do honor more than to myself? 7So Haman said to the king, For the man whom the king delights to honor let royal garments be brought, which the king is accustomed to wear, and the horse on which the king rides, and on the head of which a crown royal is set. And let the garments and the horse be delivered to one of the king's most noble princes, and let them therewith clothe the man whom the king delights to honor and cause him to ride on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaim before him, 'Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor.' cai's 10 Then the king said to Haman, Make haste, and take the garments and Mordethe horse, as you have said, and do even so to Mordecai the Jew, who sits honor in the king's gate. Let nothing fail of all that you have said. 11Then Haman and took the garments and the horse and clothed Mordecai, and caused him to man's 514 Heb., wood. Ha humili ation ride through the street of the city, and proclaimed before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor. 12And Mordecai came again to the king's gate. But Haman hasted to his house, mourning and with his head covered. 13And Haman recounted to Zeresh his wife and all his friends all that had befallen him. Then his wise men and Zeresh his wife said to him, If Mordecai before whom you have begun to fall, be of the Jewish race, you will accomplish nothing against him but will surely fall before him. 14While they were still talking with him, the king's eunuchs came and quickly brought Haman to the banquet that Esther had prepared. 71So the king and Haman came to drink with Esther the queen. 2And the king said again to Esther on the second day of the banquet of wine, What is your petition, Queen Esther? and it shall be granted to you. And what is your request? Even to half of the kingdom shall it be performed. Then people Esther the queen answered and said, If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition and my people at my request; for we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold as male and female slaves, I would have remained silent, since for such an affliction it would not have been worth the while to trouble the king.s Esther's peti tion for the life of her Haman's fate Trans fer of Ha 5Then the King Ahasuerus spoke to Esther the queen, saying, Who is he and where is he who dares presume in his heart to do so? 6And Esther said, An adversary and an enemy, this wicked Haman. Then Haman shrank before the king and the queen. And the king arose in his wrath from the banquet of wine and went into the palace garden. And Haman stood up to beg for his life of Esther the queen; for he saw that evil was determined against him by the king. When the king returned from the palace garden to the place of the banquet of wine, Haman had fallen upon the couch on which Esther was. Then said the king, Will he even force the queen before me in the house? As soon as the word went from the king's mouth, Haman's face was covered with shame.t 9Then Harbonah, one of the eunuchs who were before the king said, There are the gallows fifty cubits high, which Haman has made for Mordecai, who cared for the king's welfare, standing in the house of Haman. And the king said, Hang him on them. 10So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king's wrath pacified. § 210. The Royal Decrees for the Protection of the Jews, Esth. 8 Esth. 8 1At that time the King Ahasuerus gave the house of Haman the Jews' enemy to Esther the queen. And Mordecai came before the king, for Esther had told what he was to her. 2And the king took off his ring, to Mor- which he had taken from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman. man's honors decai 74 The text is corrupt. A slight correction gives the above. Another possible reconstruction is, for deliverance is not worth troubling the king, i.e., the importance of deliverance does not justify troubling the king with this request. t 78 So Gk. Present Heb., they covered the face of Haman, as a sign that he was condemned to death. |