Study Desk

Wherein the King graunted the Iewes (in what cities so euer they were) to gather theselues together, and to stand for their life, & to roote out, to slay & to destroy al the power of the people & of the prouince that vexed them, both children and women, and to spoyle their goods:

Also in all and euery prouince, and in al & euery citie & place, where the Kings commandement and his decree came, there was ioy and gladnes to the Iewes, a feast and good day, and many of the people of the land became Iewes: for the feare of the Iewes fell vpon them.

So in the twelft moneth, which is the moneth Adar, vpon the thirteenth daye of the same, when the Kings commandement and his decree drew neere to be put in execution, in the day that the enemies of the Iewes hoped to haue power ouer them (but it turned contrary: for the Iewes had rule ouer them that hated them)

The Iewes gathered themselues together into their cities throughout all the prouinces of the King Ahashuerosh, to lay hande on such as sought their hurt, and no man coulde withstande them: for the feare of them fel vpon al people.

And all the rulers of the prouinces, and the princes and the captaines, and the officers of the King exalted the Iewes: for the feare of Mordecai fell vpon them.

For Mordecai was great in the kings house, and the report of him went through all the prouinces: for this man Mordecai waxed greater and greater.

And the rest of the Iewes that were in the Kings prouinces assembled themselues, and stood for their liues, and had rest from their enemies, and slewe of them that hated them, seuentie and fiue thousand: but they layd not their hand on the spoyle.

The Iewes also ordeined, and promised for them and for their seede, and for all that ioyned vnto them, that they would not faile to obserue those two dayes euery yeere, according to their writing, and according to their season,

To confirme these dayes of Purim, according to their seasons, as Mordecai the Iewe and Ester the Queene had appointed them, & as they had promised for them selues and for their seede with fasting and prayer.

For Mordecai the Iewe was the second vnto King Ahashuerosh, & great among the Iewes, and accepted among the multitude of his brethren, who procured the wealth of his people, and spake peaceably to all his seede.

And when the dayes of their banketting were gone about, Iob sent, and sanctified them, and rose vp early in the morning, and offred burnt offrings according to the nomber of them all. For Iob thought, It may be that my sonnes haue sinned, & blasphemed God in their hearts: thus did Iob euery day.

Then Satan answered the Lord, and sayde, Doeth Iob feare God for nought?

And the Lord sayd vnto Satan, Hast thou not considered my seruant Iob, how none is like him in the earth? an vpright and iust man, one that feareth God, and escheweth euill? for yet he continueth in his vprightnesse, although thou mouedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.

And Satan answered the Lorde, and sayde, Skin for skin, and all that euer a man hath, will he giue for his life.

Nowe when Iobs three friends heard of all this euill that was come vpon him, they came euery one from his owne place, to wit, Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they were agreed together to come to lament with him, and to comfort him.

So they sate by him vpon the ground seuen dayes, and seuen nights, and none spake a worde vnto him: for they sawe, that the griefe was very great.

Let the starres of that twilight be dimme through darkenesse of it: let it looke for light, but haue none: neither let it see the dawning of the day,

For so shoulde I now haue lyen and bene quiet, I should haue slept then, and bene at rest,

Which long for death, and if it come not, they would euen search it more then treasures:

Which ioy for gladnes, and reioyce, when they can finde the graue.