princes: for she was fair.

But Vasthi the queen would not come after the king’s word by his chamberlains. And the
king was very wroth, and his wrath was kindled in him.

And the king spake unto the wise men that had knowledge of the customs of the land, (for the king’s things must be done in the sight of all that have understanding of right and wrong; 14. And the next unto him were Charsena, and Sethar, and Admatha, and Tharsis, and Meres, and Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of the Persians and Medes, which saw the king’s face, and sat on high in the kingdom),

What right should be done to Vasthi the queen, because she had not done according to the king’s word by his chamberlains?

And Memucan said before the king and princes, Vashti the queen hath not wrought evil against the king only, but also against all the princes, and against all the people of all the provinces of king Ahasuerus.

For such a deed shall come forth from the queen unto all the women, that they shall despise their husbands in their sight, and shall say, Ahasuerus the king called Vashti the queen to come before him; but she would not.

Now therefore the princesses of Persia and Media shall say so also unto all the king’s princes, when they hear such a deed of the queen; and there shall be enough contempt and wrath.

If it please the king, let a royal decree go forth from him, and let it be written according to the law of the Persians and Medes, which shall not be transgressed, that Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus; and let the king give her kingdom to her neighbour that is better than she;

And that this letter of the king’s, which is made, may go forth into all his kingdom (which is great), that all the women may keep their husbands in honour, both great and small.

And it pleased the king and the princes: and the king did according to the word of Memucan.

And letters were sent into all the king’s provinces, into every land according to the writing thereof, and unto every people according to their language, that every man should be ruler in his house, and speak according to the language of his people.
(Ester)
Chapter 2
Esther is raised to royal honors.

After these things, when the wrath of king Ahasuerus was abated, he remembered Vasthi, what she had done, and what was decreed concerning her.

Then said the king’s lads that ministered unto him: Let young virgins be sought for the king; 3. And the king shall appoint showers throughout all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all manner of fair young virgins unto Shushan the palace, into the women’s chamber, under the hand of Hegai the king’s chamberlain, who waiteth upon the women, and give them their jewels;

And whichever damsel pleaseth the king, let her be queen in Vashti’s stead. And this pleased the king, and he did so.

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

Who was carried away with him from Jerusalem, when Jechaniah king of Judah was carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon carried away.

And he was a guardian to Hadassah, which is Esther his cousin’s daughter: for she had neither father nor mother. And she was a fair and fine damsel. And when her father and her mother were dead, Mordecai took her for a daughter.

And it came to pass, when the king’s commandment and the king’s law were heard, and many damsels were brought home to Shushan the palace, under the hand of Hegai, that Esther also was taken into the king’s house, under the hand of Hegai the keeper of the damsels.

And the damsel pleased him, and she found mercy in his sight. And he hasted with her jewels, that he might give her her portion, and seven fair damsels of the king’s house with her. He put her and her maids in the best place in the women’s room.

And Esther told him not of her people, nor of her friendship: for Mordecai had commanded her that she should not tell.

And Mordecai walked every day before the court in the chamber of the women, to know whether it was well with Esther, and what might befall her.

And it came to pass, when the time was come for every damsel to come to king Ahasuerus, after she had been twelve months in adorning herself, (for her adorning must have been so much time, six months with balm and myrrh, and six months with good spices, that the damsels were adorned,)

Then went a damsel unto the king, and whomsoever she would, they gave her, that should go with her from the chamber of women unto the king’s house.

And it came to pass, when one was come in at even, that she went out of him in the morning into the other chamber, under the hand of Saashgah the king’s chamberlain, the keeper of the concubines. And she came not again to the king, except the king lusted, and called her by name.

And it came to pass, when the time was come for Esther the daughter of Abihail the cousin of Mordecai, whom he had taken for a daughter, to come to the king, that she desired nothing, save what Hegai the king’s chamberlain, the keeper of the women, spake. And Esther found grace in the sight of all them that looked on her.

And Esther was taken unto king Ahasuerus into the king’s house in the tenth month, which is called Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.

And the king loved Esther above all women, and she found grace and mercy in his sight.
above< all virgins. And he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen in Vashti’s stead.

And the king made a great feast unto all his princes and his servants. Servants (which was a feast for Esther’s sake) and let the countries rest, and gave out royal gifts.

And when virgins were gathered together the second time, Mordecai sat in the king’s gate.

And Esther had not yet declared her friendship, nor her people, as Mordecai had commanded her. For Esther did according to the word of Mordecai, as though he were her guardian.

At the same time that Mordecai sat in the king’s gate, two of the king’s chamberlains, Bigthan and Theres, which kept the door, were wroth, and sought to lay their hands on king Ahasuerus.

And it was known unto Mordecai, and he spake it unto Esther the queen; and Esther spake it unto the king in Mordecai’s name.

And when they searched for them, they found them. And they were both hanged upon trees, and were written in the book of the chronicles before the king.
(Ester)
Chapter 3
Haman’s ambition and bloodlust.

According to these acts king Ahasuerus magnified Haman the son of Medatha the Agagite, and exalted him, and set over his throne all the princes that were with him.

And all the king’s servants that were in the king’s gate bowed the knee, and worshipped Haman: for the king had so commanded. But Mordecai bowed not his knees, nor worshipped.

And the king’s servants that were in the king’s gate said unto Mordecai, Why transgressest thou the king’s commandment?

And when they had said these things unto him daily, and he obeyed them not, they told Haman, that they might see whether the doings of Mordecai would stand: for he had told them that he was a Jew.

And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not his knees to him, nor worshipped him, he was filled with wrath.

And he despised to lay hands on Mordecai alone, because they had told him the people of Mordecai: but he sought to destroy the people of Mordecai, all the Jews that were in all the kingdom of Ahasuerus.

In the first month, which is the moon Nisan, in the twelfth year of king Ahasuerus, was the lot cast before Haman from day to day, and from the month to the twelfth month, which is the moon Adar.

And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a people scattered, and divided among all nations, throughout all the coasts of thy kingdom; and their law is diverse from all nations, and they do not the king’s statutes: and it is not meet for the king to suffer them to do so.

If it please the king, let him write that it be put to death: and I will weigh ten thousand talents of silver in the hand of the officers, and bring it into the king’s chamber.

And the king took off his ring from off his hand, and gave it unto Haman the son of Medatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews.

And the king said unto Haman, Let the silver be given thee, and the people with thee, that thou mayest do therewith as it pleaseth thee.

Then the king’s scribes were called on the thirteenth day of the first month: and it was written, as Haman commanded, unto the king’s princes, and to the governors to and fro in the countries, and to the captains of every people in the countries to and fro, according to the writing of every people, and according to their language, in the name of king Ahasuerus, and sealed with the king’s rings.

And the letters were sent by the runners into all the king’s provinces, to destroy, to slay, and to kill all the Jews, both young and old, children and women, in one day, even in the