thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the moon Adar, and to spoil their substance.

So the content of the scripture was, that a commandment should be given in all countries, to open unto all nations, that they should be sent unto the same day.

And the runners went out in haste, according to the king’s commandment. And there was a commandment posted in Shushan the palace. And the king and Haman did eat and drink: but the city of Shushan went astray.
(Ester)
Chapter 4
Mourning and fasting of Mardachai and the Jews.

And when Mordecai heard all that was done, he rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city. And he cried with a loud cry.

And he came unto the king’s gate. For no man had to enter into the king’s gate with sackcloth on.

And in every land, whither the king’s word and commandment came, there was great mourning among the Jews; and many fasted, and wept, and mourned, and lay in sackcloth and ashes.

And Esther’s damsels and her chamberlains came and told her. And the queen was sore afraid.
And she sent garments, that Mordecai might put them on, and put off the sackcloth from him: but he took them not.

Then Esther called Hathach of the king’s chamberlains, which stood before her, and commanded him to Mordecai, that she might know what these things were, and why he did so.

Then Hathach went out to Mordecai unto the street of the city, which was before the king’s gate.

And Mordecai told him all that he had met with, and the sum of the silver that Haman had spoken, to weigh it in the king’s chamber for the Jews’ sakes, to destroy them.

And he gave him the copy of the commandment that was written in Shushan to destroy her, to shew it unto Esther, and to declare it unto her, and to command her to go in unto the king, and to make supplication unto him for her people.

And when Hathach was come in, and saw Esther the words of Mordecai, 10. And Esther spake unto Hathach, and commanded him to Mardachai: 11. All the king’s servants, and the people of the king’s provinces, know that whosoever goeth in unto the king within the court, whether he be man or woman, and is not called, he shall surely die, except the king give him the golden sceptre, that he may live. But I have not been called to go in to the king for thirty days.

And the words of Esther were spoken unto Mordecai;

And Mordecai said unto Esther again, Remember not that thou savest thy life, because thou
art in the king’s house, before all the Jews;

For if thou shalt keep silence at this time, then shall help and salvation come unto the Jews out of another place, and thou shalt perish, thou and thy father’s house. And who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for this time?

Esther called Mordecai to answer:

Go therefore, gather together all the Jews that are in Shushan, and fast for me, that ye eat not, nor drink, day nor night, three days: so will I and my damsels fast. So I will go in to the king against the commandment, and if I perish, I perish.

And Mordecai went and did all that Esther commanded him.
(Ester)
Chapter 5
Esther goes to the king. Haman asks Mordecai for his life.

And it came to pass on the third day, that Esther arrayed herself royally, and stood in the court of the king’s house within the king’s house. And the king sat in his royal seat in the king’s house, toward the door of the house.

And when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, she found grace in his sight.
And the king stretched forth the golden scepter in his hand toward Esther. And Esther came near, and touched the point of the sceptre.

And the king said unto her, What is the matter with thee, Esther the queen? and what demandest thou? half the kingdom also shall be given thee.

And Esther said, If it please the king, let the king and Haman come this day to the feast which I have prepared.

And the king said, Make haste that Haman do what Esther hath said. And it came to pass, when the king and Haman were come to the banquet that Esther had prepared, 6. And the king said unto Esther, when he had drunk wine, What askest thou, Esther? It shall be given thee. And what askest thou? Even the half of the kingdom, it shall be done.

And Esther answered and said, My petition and my desire is this: 8. If I have found favour in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to give me my petition, and to do my desire, let the king and Haman come to the banquet which I will prepare for them; and I will do to morrow as the king hath said.

And Haman went out that day cheerful and of good cheer. And when he saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, that he arose not, nor moved himself before him, he was filled with wrath against him. Mordecai.

But he abstained. And when he was come home, he sent and fetched his friends, and Seresh his wife.

And he told them the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his children, and all how the king had made him so great, and that he was exalted above the princes and servants of the king.

And Haman said, Esther the queen hath sent no man to come with the king to the feast which she hath prepared, save me: and to morrow I am summoned unto her with the king.

But in all this I have no sufficiency, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.

And Seresh his wife and all his friends said unto him, Make a tree fifty cubits high, and tell the king to morrow to hang Mordecai thereon; and thou shalt come to supper with the king rejoicing. And it pleased Haman well, and he made a tree.
(Ester)
Chapter 6
Mardachai is raised to high honors.

That night the king could not sleep, and commanded the chronicles and the histories to be brought. Then they were read before the king,

And it came to pass, when it was written, as Mordecai had said, that the king’s two chamberlains, Bigthan and Theres, which kept the threshold, had sought to lay hands on Ahasuerus the king.

And the king said, What honour and good have we done unto Mordecai? Then said the king’s
boys that ministered unto him: Nothing hath happened unto him.

And the king said, Who is in the court? (For Haman was gone into the court, without the king’s house, to tell the king to hang Mordecai upon the tree which he had prepared for him).

And the king’s sons said unto him, Behold, Haman standeth in the court. And the king said, Let him come in.

And when Haman was come in, the king said unto him, What shall be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honour? And Haman said in his heart, To whom else would the king delight to do honour, but to me?

And Haman said unto the king: The man the king was pleased to honor, 8. Bring the king’s royal robes, which the king is accustomed to wear, and the horse on which the king rides, and put the royal crown upon his head.

And they shall give such a garment and such a horse into the hand of one of the king’s princes, that he may put on the man whom the king delighteth to honour; and they shall bring him on the horse into the streets of the city, and shall call before him, saying, Thus shall it be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour.

And the king said unto Haman, Make haste, and take the garment and the horse, as thou hast said, and do so unto Mordecai the Jew, which sitteth at the king’s gate; and let nothing fail of all that thou hast spoken.

And Haman took the robe and the horse, and dressed Mordecai, and led him into the streets of the city, and cried before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honour.

And Mordecai came again to the king’s gate. And Haman hasted home, bearing sorrow with his head covered.

And he told his wife Zeresh, and his friends, all that he had met with. And his wise men and Zeresh his wife said unto him, If Mordecai be of the seed of the Jews, before whom thou art lifted up to fall, thou canst not do any thing by him, but thou shalt fall before him.

And while they yet talked with him, the king’s chamberlains came, and bade Haman come to the supper which Esther had prepared.
(Ester)
Chapter 7
Haman is hanged from a tree.

And when the king was come with Haman to the banquet which Esther the queen had prepared,

And the king said unto Esther the next day, when he had drunk wine, What askest thou, O
Esther the queen, to be given thee? And what askest thou? Even half the kingdom, let it be done.

And Esther the queen answered and said, If I have found grace in thy sight, O king, and if it please the king, give me my life for my petition, and my people for my desire.

For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, and to be slain, and to be slain: and if God would that we