Study Desk

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

And both the singers and the gatekeepers kept the watch of their God, and the watch of the cleansing, according to the command of David, of his son Solomon.

And I was aware that the portions of the Levites had not been given, for the Levites and the singers who did the work had each one fled to his field.

Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? Yet among many nations there was no king like him, who was beloved by his God; and God made him king over Israel. But women from other lands caused even him to sin.

And I cleansed them from all aliens, and appointed watches to the priests and the Levites, each one in his work,

in those days when King Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom in Shushan the palace,

in the third year of his reign, he made a banquet for all his rulers and his servants. The power of Persia and Media, the nobles and the rulers of the provinces, were before him,

when he made known the riches of his glorious kingdom, and the honor of his excellent greatness many days, even a hundred and eighty days.

And the drinking was according to the law, no one compelling; for so the king had ordered every first one of his house that they should do according to every man's pleasure.

But Vashti the queen refused to come at the king's command by his eunuchs. And the king was very angry, and his fury burned within him.

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

And he sent letters into all the king's provinces, into every province according to its writing, and to people and people, according to their language, so that every man should be ruling in his house; and speaking according to the language of hispeople.

And let the king choose officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, so that they may gather together every beautiful young virgin to Shushan the palace, to the house of the women, to the hand of Hegai the king's eunuch, keeper of the women, to give their purifications.

In Shushan the palace there was a certain Jew, and his name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite,

And he was rearing Hadassah (she is Esther) his uncle's daughter, for she had no father nor mother. And the young woman was fair of appearance and beautiful of form. And at the death of herfather and mother, Mordecai took her for hisdaughter.

And it happened, when the king's command and his order was heard, and when many young women had been gathered to Shushan the palace, into the hand of Hegai, Esther was taken into the king's house, into the hand of Hegai, keeper of the women.

And the young woman was good in his eyes, and she rose in favor before him. And he hastened her purifiers, and her portions, to give them to her. And seven young women were seen to be given to her out of the king's house. And he moved her andher maids to the best place in the house of the women.

And when the turn of Esther had come (she being the daughter of Abihail, Mordecai's uncle, whom he had taken to himself for his daughter) to go in to the king, she did not seek a thing except what Hegai the king's eunuch, the keeper of thewomen, said. And Esther had favor in the sight of all who looked on her.

And Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus into his royal house in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.

And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she rose in grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins. And he set the royal crown on her head, and made her to rule instead of Vashti.