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and his brothers, chiefs of fathers' [houses], two hundred forty and two; and Amashsai the son of Azarel, the son of Ahzai, the son of Meshillemoth, the son of Immer,

and Mattaniah the son of Mica, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, who was the chief of praise, he led in prayer, and Bakbukiah, the second among his brothers; and Abda the son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun.

And the residue of Israel, of the Levitical priests, were in all the cities of Judah, every one in his inheritance.

Moreover the Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, [and] Mattaniah, who was over the thanksgiving, he and his brothers.

and his brothers, Shemaiah, and Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, and Judah, Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God; and Ezra the scribe was before them.

And they kept the charge of their God, and the charge of the purification, and [so did] the singers and the porters, according to the commandment of David, and of Solomon his son.

And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them; so that the Levites and the singers, that did the work, had fled every one to his field.

Didn't Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? yet among many nations there was no king like him, and he was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless foreign women caused even him to sin.

Thus cleansed I them from all foreigners, and appointed charges for the priests and for the Levites, every one in his work;

that in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace,

in the third year of his reign, he made a feast to all his princes and his slaves; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him;

when he showed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honor of his excellent majesty many days, even 180 days.

And the drinking was according to the law; none could compel: for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man's pleasure.

But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king's commandment by the chamberlains: therefore the king was very angry, and his anger burned in him.

And when the king's decree which he shall make shall be published throughout all his kingdom (for it is great), all the wives will give to their husbands honor, both to great and small.

for he sent letters into all the king's provinces, into every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language, that every man should bear rule in his own house, and should speak according to the language of his people.

and let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the fair young virgins to Shushan the palace, to the house of the women, to the custody of Hegai the king's chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their things for purification be given them;

And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maiden was fair and beautiful; and when her father and mother were dead, Mordecai took her for his own daughter.

So it came to pass, when the king's commandment and his decree was heard, and when many maidens were gathered together to Shushan the palace, to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was taken into the king's house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women.

And the maiden was good in his eyes, and she obtained kindness of him; and he speedily gave her her things for purification, with her portions, and the seven maidens who were meet to be given her out of the king's house: and he removed her and her maidens to the best place of the house of the women.