ESTHER.

CHAPTER I. VERSES 1-5.

+

And

1. IN the second year of the reign | guarded the palace. And he heard of Artaxerxes the great king, on the their reasonings and searched out their first day of Nisan, Mardochæus the plans, and learnt that they were preson of Jairus, the son of Semeias, the paring to lay hands on king Artason of Cisæus, of the tribe of Benja- xerxes: and he informed the king min, a Jew dwelling in the city Susa, concerning them. And the king exa great man, serving in the king's amined the two chamberlains, and they palace, saw a vision. Now he was of confessed, and were ex-Lit.led away, the captivity which Nabuchodonosor ecuted. And the king wrote see Acts 12. 19. king of Babylon had carried captive these things for a memorial; also Marfrom Jerusalem, with Jechonias the dochæus wrote concerning these matking of Judea. And this was his ters. And the king commanded Mardream: Behold, voices and a noise, dochæus to attend in the palace, and thunders and earthquake, tumult upon gave him gifts for this service. the earth. And, behold, two great Aman the son of Amadathes the serpents came forth, both ready for Bugaan was honourable in the sight conflict, and there came from them a of the king, and he endeavoured to great voice, and by their voice every hurt Mardochæus and his people, benation was prepared for battle, even to cause of the two chamberlains of the fight against the nation of the just. king. And, behold, a day of darkness and And it came to pass after these blackness, tribulation and anguish, things in the days of Araffliction and great tumult upon the taxerxes, (this Artaxerxes earth. And all the righteous nation ruled over a hundred and was troubled, fearing their own afflic- twenty-seven provinces from Gr. words. tions; and they prepared to die, and India.)-2 In those days, when king cried to God: and from their cry there Artaxerxes was on the throne in the came as it were a great river from a city of Susa, in the third year of his little fountain, even much water. And reign, he made a feast to his friends, light and the sun arose, and the lowly and the other nations, and to the nobles were exalted, and devoured the honour of the Persians and Medes, and the able. And Mardochæus who had seen chief of the satraps. 4 And after this vision and what God designed to this, after he had shown to them. + Or, (less do, having awoke, kept it the wealth of his kingdom, and the prob.) arisen. in his heart, and desired by abundant glory of his wealth during a all means to interpret it, even till night. hundred and eighty days, 5 when, I And Mardochæus rested quiet in the say, the days of the marriage feast were palace with Gabatha and Tharrha the completed, the king made a banquet king's two chamberlains, eunuchs who to the nations who were present in the

Note.-In the copies of LXX. Esther begins

Heb. and some

here.

+ parent.

+ Or, made of

+

+

|

9

+ Gr. con

tion probably

city six days, in the court of the king's but also all the king's rulers and house, which was adorned with hang- princes: 17 for he has told them the ings of fine linen and flax on cords words of the queen, and how she 'disof fine linen and purple, fastened to obeyed the king. As then golden and silver studs, on pillars of said he she refused to obey tradicted. Parian marble and stone: there were king Artaxerxes, 18 so this day shall golden and silver couches on a pave- the other ladies of the chiefs of the ment of emerald stone, and of pearl, Persians and Medes, having heard and of Parian stone, and open-worked what she said to the king, dare in the Lit. trans- coverings variously flower- same way to dishonour their husbands. ed, having roses worked 19 If then it seem good to the king, let the shell called round about. Gold and him make a royal decree, and let it be Tua or Turva. silver cups, and a small cup written according to the laws of the of carbuncle set out of the value of Medes and Persians, and let him not thirty thousand talents, abundant and alter it: and let not the queen come sweet wine, which the king himself in to him any more; and let the king drank. And this banquet was not give her royalty to a woman better according to the appointed law; but than she. 20 And let the law of the so the king would have it: and he king which he shall have made, be charged the stewards to perform his widely proclaimed, in his The punctuawill and that of the company. Also kingdom: and so shall all wrong. Astin the queen made a banquet for the women give honour to their husthe women in the palace where king bands, from the poor even to the rich. Artaxerxes dwelt. 10 Now on the 21 And the saying pleased the king and seventh day the king, being merry, the princes; and the king did as Mutold Aman, and Bazan, and Tharrha, chæus had said, 22 and sent into all and Barazi, and Zatholtha, and Aba- his kingdom through the Grthatthere taza, and Tharaba, the seven chamber- several provinces, accord- to them, &c. lains, servants of king Artaxerxes, "to ing to their language, in order that bring in the queen to him, to enthrone men might be feared in their own Gr. to make her, and crown her with the houses. her queen. diadem, and to show her to the princes, and her beauty to the nations: for she was beautiful. 12 But queen Astin hearkened not to him to come with the chamberlains: so the king was grieved and angered. 13 And he said to his friends, Thus has Astin spoken: pronounce therefore upon this case law and judgment. 14 So Arkesæus, and Sarsathæus, and Malisear, the princes of the Persians and Medes, who were near the king, who sat chief in rank by the king, drew near to him, 15 and reported to him according to the laws how it was proper to do to queen Astin, because she had not done the things commanded of the king by the chamberlains. 16 And Muchæus said to the king and to the princes, Queen Astin has not wronged the king only,

3

2

might be fear

2. And after this the king's anger was pacified, and he no more mentioned Astin, bearing in mind what she had said, and how he had condemned her. Then the servants of the king said, Let there be sought for the king chaste and beautiful young virgins. And let the king appoint local governors in all the provinces of his kingdom, and let them select fair and chaste young damsels and bring them to the city Susa, into the women's apartment, and let them be consigned to the king's chamberlain, the keeper of the women; and let things for purification and other at- + Gr. σμñyμa tendance be given to them. a washball. And let the woman who shall please the king be queen instead of Astin.

4

5

v. supra.

6

+

in

And the thing pleased the king; and | 15 And when the time was fulfilled for he did so. Now there was a Jew in Esther the daughter of Aminadab the the city Susa, and his name was Mar- brother of Mardochæus' father to go dochæus, the son of Jairus, the son of to the king, she neglected nothing Semeias, the son of Cisaus, of the tribe which the chamberlain, the women's of Benjamin; who had been brought keeper, commanded; for Esther found a prisoner from Jerusalem, which Na- grace in the sight of all that looked buchodonosor king of Babylon had upon her. 16 So Esther went in to carried into captivity. And he had king Artaxerxes in the twelfth month, a foster-child, daughter of Aminadab which is Adar, in the seventh year of his father's brother, and her name was his reign. 17 And the king loved Esther; and when her parents were Esther, and she found favour beyond dead, he brought her up for a wife for all the other virgins: and he put on himself: and the damsel was beautiful. her the queen's crown. +Gr. Women's. 8 And because the king's ordinance was 18 And the king made a banquet for all published, many damsels were gathered his friends and great men for seven to the city Susa under the hand of Gai; days, and he highly celebrated the and Esther was brought to Gai the marriage of Esther; and he made a keeper of the women. 9 And the release to those who were under his damsel pleased him, and she found dominion. 19 But Mardochæus served favour in his sight; and he hasted to in the palace. 20 Now Esther had not + Gr. σunyua give her the things for discovered her kindred; for Gr.country. purification, and her por- so Mardochæus commanded her, to tion, and the seven maidens appointed fear God, and perform his commandher out of the palace: and he treated ments, as when she was with him: and her and her maidens well in the wo-Esther changed not her manner of life. men's apartment. 10 But Esther dis-21 And two chamberlains of the king, covered not her family nor her kindred: the chiefs of the body-guard, were for Mardochæus had charged her not grieved, because Mardochæus was proto tell. 11 But Mardochæus used to moted; and they sought to kill king walk every day by the women's Artaxerxes. 22 And the matter was court, to see what would become of Esther. 12 Now this was the time for a virgin to go in to the king, when she should have fulfilled twelve months; for so are the days of purification fulfilled, six months while they are anointing themselves with oil of myrrh, and six months with spices and women's +Gr.opnya. purifications. 13 And then the damsel goes in to the king; and the officer to whomsoever he shall give the command, will bring her to come 3. And after this king Artaxerxes in with him from the women's apart-highly honoured Aman son of Amament to the king's chambers. 14 She dathes, the Bugæan, and exalted him, enters in the evening, and in the morn- and set his seat above all his friends. ing she departs to the second women's 2And all in the palace did him obeiapartment, where Gai the king's cham-sance, for so the king had given orders berlain is keeper of the women: and to do: but Mardochæus did not do she goes not in to the king again, un-him obeisance. 3 And they in the less she should be called by name. king's palace said to Mardochæus, Mar

discovered to Mardochæus, and he made it known to Esther, and she declared to the king the matter of the conspiracy. 23 And the king examined the two chamberlains, and hanged them: and the king gave orders to make a note for a memorial in the kings' records of the good + Gr. library. offices of Mardochæus, as a commendation.

6

cree conse

one.

8

CHAP. III. v. 13. dochæus, why dost thou transgress the great king Artaxerxes writes thus to commands of the king? 4 Thus they the rulers and inferior governors of a spoke daily to him, but he hearkened hundred and twenty-seven provinces, not unto them; so they represented to from India even to Ethiopia, who hold Aman that Mardochæus resisted the authority under him. Ruler over many commands of the king: and Mar- nations, and having obtained dominion dochæus had shown to them that he over the whole world, I was minded, was a Jew. And when Aman under- (not elated by the confidence of power, stood that Mardochæus did not obei- but ever conducting myself with great sance to him, he was greatly enraged, moderation and with gentleness,) to and took counsel to destroy utterly all make the lives of my subjects continuthe Jews who were under the rule of ally tranquil, desiring both to maintain Artaxerxes. And he made a decree the kingdom quiet and orderly to its + Gr. vote by in the twelfth year of the utmost limits, and to restore the peace ballot, or, de- reign of Artaxerxes, and desired by all men. But when I had quent upon cast lots daily and monthly, inquired of my counsellors how this to slay in one day the race should be brought to pass, Aman, who of Mardochæus: and the lot fell on the excels in soundness of judgment among fourteenth day of the month which is us, and has been manifestly well inAdar. And he spoke to king Arta- clined without wavering and with unxerxes, saying, There is a nation scat- shaken fidelity, and has obtained the tered among the nations in all thy second post in the kingdom, informed kingdom, and their laws differ from us that a certain ill-disposed people is those of all the other nations; and they mixed up with all the tribes throughout disobey the laws of the king; and it is the world, opposed in their laws to not expedient for the king to let them every other nation, and continually alone. If it seem good to the king, neglecting the commands of the kings, let him make a decree to destroy them: so that the united government blameand I will remit into the king's trea-lessly administered by us is not quietly sury ten thousand talents of silver. established. Having then conceived 10 And the king took off his ring, and that this nation alone of all others is gave it into the hands of Aman, to continually set in opposition to every seal the decrees against the Jews. "And man, introducing as a change a foreign the king said to Aman, Keep the silver, code of laws, and injuriously plotting and treat the nation as thou wilt. 12 So to accomplish the worst of evils against the king's recorders were called in the our interests, and against the happy first month, on the thirteenth day, and establishment of the monarchy; we they wrote as Aman commanded to the have accordingly appointed those who captains and governors in every pro- are signified to you in the letters vince, from India even to Ethiopia, to written by Aman, who is set over the a hundred and twenty-seven provinces; public affairs and is our second goand to the rulers of the nations accord-vernor, to destroy them all utterly with ing to their several languages, in the their wives and children by the swords name of king Artaxerxes. 13 And the of the enemies, without pitying or message was sent by posts throughout sparing any, on the fourteenth day of the kingdom of Artaxerxes, to destroy the twelfth month Adar, of the present utterly the race of the Jews on the first day of the twelfth month, which is Note.-The Adar, and to plunder their ets, not in Heb. goods. [And the following is the copy of the letter; The

part in brack

year; that the people aforetime, and now ill-disposed to us having been violently consigned to death in one day, may hereafter secure to us continually a well constituted and quiet

state of affairs.] 14And the copies of us from death. So Achrathæus went the letters were published in every pro-in and told her all these words. 10 And vince; and an order was given to all Esther said to Achrathæus, Go to Marthe nations to be ready against that day. 15 And the business was hastened and that at Susa: and the king and Aman began to drink; but the city was troubled.