Study Desk

Goe, gather together all the Iewes that are present in Shushan, and fast yee for me, and neither eate nor drinke three dayes, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise, and so will I goe in vnto the king, which is not according to the Law, and if I perish, I perish.

And Esther answered, If it seeme good vnto the King, let the King and Haman come this day vnto the banquet that I haue prepared for him.

If I haue found fauour in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to grant my petition, and to performe my request, let the king, and Haman, come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them, and I wil do to morow, as the king hath said.

Then went Haman foorth that day, ioyfull, and with a glad heart: but when Haman saw Mordecai in the kings gate, that hee stood not vp, nor mooued for him, hee was full of indignation against Mordecai.

Neuerthelesse Haman refrained himselfe, and when he came home, hee sent and called for his friends, and Zeresh his wife.

And the king said, What honour and dignitie hath bene done to Mordecai for this? Then said the kings seruants that ministred vnto him, There is nothing done for him.

And the king said, Who is in the court? (now Haman was come into the outward court of the kings house, to speake vnto the king, to hang Mordecai on the gallons that hee had prepared for him.)

And Haman answered the king, For the man whom the king delighteth to honour,

For we are sold, I, and my people, to be destroyed, to be slaine, and to perish: but if we had bene sold for bondmen, and bondwomen, I had held my tongue, although the enemy could not counteruaile the kings dammage.

And the king arising from the banquet of wine in his wrath, went into the palace garden: and Haman stood vp to make request for his life to Esther the Queene: for he saw that there was euill determined against him by the King.

And Harbonah one of the chamberlaines, said before the king; Behold also the gallowes, fiftie cubites high, which Haman had made for Mordecai, who had spoken good for the king, standeth in the house of Haman. Then the king said, Hang him thereon.

So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the Kings wrath pacified.

On that day did the King Ahasuerus giue the house of Haman, the Iewes enemy, vnto Esther the Queene; and Mordecai came before the King; for Esther hade told what he was vnto her.

For how can I endure to see the euill that shall come vnto my people? Or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kinred?

Write ye also for the Iewes, as it liketh you, in the Kings name, and seale it with the Kings ring: for the writing which is written in the Kings name, and sealed with the Kings ring, may no man reuerse.

Wherein the King granted the Iewes, which were in euery citie, to gather themselues together, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish all the power of the people and prouince that would assault them, both little ones, and women, and to take the spoile of them for a pray:

The copy of the writing, for a commandement to bee giuen in euery prouince, was published vnto all people, and that the Iewes should be readie against that day, to auenge themselues on their enemies.

And in euery prouince, and in euery city, whithersoeuer the kings commandement, and his decree came, the Iewes had ioy and gladnes, a feast and a good day: And many of the people of the land became Iewes; for the feare of the Iewes fell vpon them.

The Iewes gathered themselues together in their cities, throughout all the prouinces of the king Ahasuerus, to lay hand on such as sought their hurt, and no man could withstand them: for the feare of them fell vpon all people.

For Mordecai was great in the kings house, and his fame went out, throughout all the prouinces: for this man Mordecai waxed greater and greater.