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Then Zeresh his wife and all his friends said to him, "Have a tower made ready for hanging him. Let it be thirteen times taller than a man. And in the morning ask the king to have Mordecai hanged on it. Then go with joy to the special supper with the king." These words pleased Haman, so he had the tower built.

Then Mordecai returned to the king's gate. But Haman went home in a hurry with his head covered and very sad.

Haman told Zeresh his wife and all his friends everything that had happened to him. Then his wise men and Zeresh his wife said to him, "If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of the Jewish people, you cannot stand against him. For sure you will fall before him."

The king got up from drinking the wine very angry, and went into his garden, but Haman stayed to beg for his life from Queen Esther. He knew that the king planned to punish him.

When the king returned from his garden to the place where they were drinking wine, Haman was falling on the bed-like seat where Esther was lying. Then the king said, "Will he even trouble the queen while I am in the house?" As the king spoke the words, they covered Haman's face.

The king took off the ring he used for marking his name, which he had taken away from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai. And Esther put Mordecai over everything Haman had owned.

Then Esther spoke again to the king. She fell at his feet and cried and begged him to stop the sinful plan of Haman the Agagite, the plan he had made against the Jews.

Then she said, "If it pleases the king and if I have his favor, if the king thinks it is right and if I am pleasing in his eyes, let letters be written to keep Haman's letters from being carried out. The letters Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, wrote would destroy the Jews in all the king's nation.

For Mordecai was great in the king's house. His name spread through all the nation, for the man Mordecai became greater and greater.

But when the king heard about it, he made it known by letter that his plan against the Jews should bring trouble upon himself. And he had Haman and his sons hanged on the tower.

All the acts of his power and strength, and the whole story of the high honor given to Mordecai by the king, are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia.

For Mordecai the Jew was second in power only to King Ahasuerus and great among the Jews. He found favor in the eyes of his people. He worked for the good of his people and spoke for the well-being of all the Jews.

His sons used to go and make a special supper in each one's house on a special day. And they would send for their three sisters to eat and drink with them.

Have You not made a wall around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have brought good to the work of his hands, and he has received more and more in the land.

Then Job stood up and tore his clothing and cut the hair from his head. And he fell to the ground and worshiped.

The Lord said to Satan, "Have you thought about My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth. He is without blame, a man who is right and good. He fears God and turns away from sin. He still holds to his good ways, even when I allowed you to go against him, and to destroy him for no reason."

Satan answered the Lord and said, "Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life.

Put out Your hand now and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse You to Your face."

Then Satan went out from the Lord. And he made very bad sores come on Job from the bottom of his foot to the top of his head.

Then his wife said to him, "Do you still hold on to your faith? Curse God and die!"