Ahasuerus granteth to the BEFORE CHRIST cir. 510. ach. 2.7. b ch. 3. 10. ESTHER, IX. And Mordecai came before queen. the king; for Esther had told a what he was unto her. 2 And the king took off his ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman. 3 ¶ And Esther spake yet again before the king, and fell down at his Heb, and feet, 2 and besought him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his device that he had devised against the Jews. she wept, and besought him. c ch. 4. 11. & 5. 2. 8 Feb. the device. 4 Or, who wrote. 5 Heb. be able that I may see. d Neh. 2. 3. ch. 7. 4. . ver. 1. Prov. 13. 22. f See ch. 1. 19. Dan. 6. 8, 12, 15. 8 ch. 3. 12. 4 Then the king held out the golden sceptre toward Esther. So Esther arose, and stood before the king, 5 And said, If it please the king, and if I have found favour in his sight, and the thing seem right before the king, and I be pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to reverse 3 the letters devised by Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews which are in all the king's provinces: 6 For how can I endure to see the evil that shall come unto my people? or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred? Jews which were in every city to gather themselves together, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish, all the of the people and province that would assault them, both little ones and women, and to take the spoil See ch. 9. of them for a prey, 12 m Upon one day in all the provinces of king Ahasuerus, namely, upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar. n 10, 15, 16. m ch. 3. 13, &c. & 9. 1. revealed. 13 The copy of the writing for anch.3.14,15. commandment to be given in every province was 2 published unto all Heb. people, and that the Jews should be ready against that day to avenge themselves on their enemies. 14 So the posts that rode upon mules and camels went out, being hastened and pressed on by the king's commandment. And the decree was given at Shushan the palace. 15 ¶ And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with 3 Or, violet. a great crown of gold, and with a garment of fine linen and purple: and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad. • See ch. 3. 15. Prov. 29. 2. 7 ¶ Then the king Ahasuerus said 16 The Jews had Plight, and glad- PP3.97.11. unto Esther the queen and to Mor-ness, and joy, and honour. decai the Jew, Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and him they have hanged upon the gallows, because he laid his hand upon the Jews. 8 Write ye also for the Jews, as it liketh you, in the king's name, and seal it with the king's ring: for the writing which is written in the king's name, and sealed with the king's ring, fmay no man reverse. 9 Then were the king's scribes called at that time in the third month, that is, the month Sivan, on the three and twentieth day thereof; and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded unto the Jews, and to the lieutenants, and the deputies and rulers of the provinces which are from India unto Ethiopia, an hundred twenty and seven provinces, Ich. 1. 22. & unto every province according to the writing thereof, and unto every people after their language, and to the Jews according to their writing, and according to their language. h ch. 1.1. The Jews slay their enemies. BEFORE CHRIST cir. 509. 2 Heb. those which did ESTHER, IX. deputies, and 2 officers of the king, helped the Jews; because the fear of Mordecai fell upon them. 4 For Mordecai was great in the the business king's house, and his fame went out throughout all the provinces: for this man Mordecai & waxed greater and longed to the king. g2 Sam.3.1. 1 Chr. 11. 9. Prov. 4. 18. greater. 3 Heb. according to their will. b ch.5.11, Job 18. 19. & 27. 13, 14, 15. Ps. 21.10. 5 Thus the Jews smote all their enemies with the stroke of the sword, and slaughter, and destruction, and did what they would unto those that hated them. 6 And in Shushan the palace the Jews slew and destroyed five hundred men. 7 And Parshandatha, and Dalphon, and Aspatha, 8 And Poratha, and Adalia, and Aridatha, 9 And Parmashta, and Arisai, and Aridai, and Vajezatha, i 10 The ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews, slew they; but on the 1 See ch. 8. spoil laid they not their hand. 11 On that day the number of those that were slain in Shushan the palace was brought before the king. 11. 4Heb.came. 4 12 ¶ And the king said unto Esther the queen, The Jews have slain and destroyed five hundred men in Shushan the palace, and the ten sons of Haman; what have they done in the rest of the king's prokch. 5. 6. & vinces? now what is thy petition? and it shall be granted thee: or what is thy request further? and it shall 7.2. 1 ch. 8. 11. 5 Heb. let men hang. m 2 Sam. 21. 6,9. n ver. 2. & ch. 8. 11. o ver. 10. r ver. 2. & ch. 8. 11. q See ch. 8. 11. 509. be done. 15 For the Jews that were in Shushan gathered themselves together on the fourteenth day also of the month Adar, and slew three hundred men at Shushan; but on the prey they laid not their hand. 16 But the other Jews that were in the king's provinces P gathered themselves together, and stood for their lives, and had rest from their enemies, and slew of their foes seventy and five thousand, but they laid not their hands on the prey, 17 On the thirteenth day of the month Adar; and on the fourteenth The two days of Purim. day 2 of the same rested they, and made it a day of feasting and gladness. 18 But the Jews that were at Shushan assembled together on the thirteenth day thereof, and on the fourteenth thereof; and on the fifteenth day of the same they rested, and made it a day of feasting and gladness. 19 Therefore the Jews of the villages, that dwelt in the unwalled towns, made the fourteenth day of the month Adara day of gladness and feasting, and a good day, and of "sending portions one to another. 20 ¶ And Mordecai wrote these things, and sent letters unto all the Jews that were in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, both nigh and far, 21 To stablish this among them, that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Aðar, and the fifteenth day of the same, yearly, 24 Because Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, a had devised a ch. 3. 6,7. against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast Pur, that is, the lot, to con- Heb. sume them, and to destroy them; 25 But when Esther came before the king, he commanded by letters that his wicked device, which he devised against the Jews, should return upon his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows. 26 Wherefore they called these days Purim after the name of Pur. That is, Therefore for all the words of a this letter, and of that which they had seen concerning this matter, and which had come unto them, 27 The Jews ordained, and took upon them, and upon their seed, and upon all such as joined themselves unto them, so as it should not fail, that they would keep these two days according to their writing, and according to their appointed time every year; 28 And that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every ch.8.17. Zech. 2. 11. Heb.pass. Is. 56.3, 6. province, and every city; and that these days of Purim should not 2 fail from among the Jews, nor the memo3 Heb. pass.rial of them 3 perish from their seed. 29 Then Esther the queen, the 8 Heb. be ended. fch. 2. 15. 4 Heb. all strength. 8 See ch. 8. 10. & ver.20. h ch.1.1. 6 Heb. for their souls. ich. 4. 3, 16. f to tempt Job. firmed these matters of Purim; and 1 Ahasuerus's greatness. 3 Mordecai's ad vancement. ND the king Ahasuerus laid a daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai A tribute upon the land, and upon the Jew, wrote with all authority, to 31 To confirm these days of Pu- 32 And the decree of Esther con the isles of the sea. b BEFORE CHRIST cir. 509. cir. 495. a Gen. 10. 5. Ps. 72. 10. Is. 24.15. & 9.4. 2 And all the acts of his power and of his might, and the declaration of the greatness of Mordecai, where-bch. 8.15, unto the king 2 advanced him, are Heb. made they not written in the book of the him great. chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia? • Gen. 41.40. 3 For Mordecai the Jew was next 2 Chr. 23.7. unto king Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and accepted of the multitude of his brethren, seeking Ps. 122.8, 9. the wealth of his people, and speaking peace to all his seed. d d Neh. 2. 10. 5 And it was so, when the days of f h 14 And there came a messenger Ps.128.1.2. Prov. 10. 22. or, cattle. 19. 21. 7 ch. 2. 5. & Heb. if he curse thee not to thy face. Mal.3.13,14. 8 Heb. Gen.16.6. p Is. 8. 21. hand. Eccles. 9. 12. Satan obtaineth leave BEFORE CHRIST cir. 1520. 1 Or, 4 great fire. 3 Heb. rushed. r ver. 4, 13. aside, &c. JOB, II. again to tempt Job. unto Job, and said, The oxen were evil? and still he dholdeth fast his plowing, and the asses feeding beside | integrity, although thou movedst me them: against him, 2° to destroy him without cause. 15 And the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. 16 While he was yet speaking, heaven, and hath burned up the 17 While he was yet speaking, 19 And, behold, there came a great Heb. from wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped Gen. 37.29. alone to tell thee. Ezra 9. 8. 5 Or, robe. 1 Pet. 5. 6. u Ps. 49. 17. Eccles.5.15. 1 Tim. 6.7. x Eccles. 5. 19. Jam. 1.17. y Matt. 20. 15. b ch.1.7. 5 8 20 Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, 21 And said, "Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD'gave, and the LORD hath y taken_away; z blessed be the name of the LORD. 22 & In all this Job sinned not, nor 6 charged God foolishly. CHAPTER II. 1 Satan appearing again before God obtaineth further leave to tempt Job. 7 He smiteth GAIN there was a day when 7 ¶ So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and Smote Job with sore boils i from the sole of his 1Ls. 1.6. foot unto his crown. 8 And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes. 9 T Then said his wife unto him, 10 But he said unto her, Thou A the sons of God came to present Job curses the day and services of his birth. themselves before the LORD, and 13 The ease of death. 20 He complaineth of 2 And the LORD said unto Satan, AFTER this opened Job his From whence comest thou? And b Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. 3 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servantJob, that there is none like him in the ech. 1. 1,8. earth, a perfect and an upright man, 5 Let darkness and the shadow one that feareth God, and escheweth | of death stain it; let a cloud dwell 5 b 8 Let them curse it that curse the Jer. 9. 17, day, who are ready to raise up 'their mourning. 4 Or, a leviathan. 5 Heb. the eyelids of the morning, ch. 41. 18. d ch. 10. 18. e Gen. 30. 3. Is. 66. 12. f ch. 15. 28. 8 Ps. 58.8. 6 Heb. wearied in strength. b ch.39.7. 1 Jer. 20. 18. 9 Let the stars of the twilight thereof be dark; let it look for light, but have none; neither let it see 5 the dawning of the day: 10 Because it shut not up the doors of my mother's womb, nor hid sorrow from mine eyes. 11 d Why died I not from the womb? why did I not give up the ghost when I came out of the belly? | 12. Why did the knees prevent me? or why the breasts that I should suck? 13 For now should I have lain still and been quiet, I should have slept: then had I been at rest, 14 With kings and counsellors of the earth, which built desolate places for themselves; 15 Or with princes that had gold, who filled their houses with silver: 16 Or as an hidden untimely birth I had not been; as infants which never saw light. 17 There the wicked cease from troubling; and there the weary be at rest. h 6 18 There the prisoners rest together; they hear not the voice of the oppressor. 19 The small and great are there; and the servant is free from his master. 20 Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto 1Sam.1.10. the bitter in soul; 2King84.27. Prov. 31. 6. k 7 21 Which long for death, but it 7Heb.wait. cometh not; and dig for it more than m for hid treasures; 1 Rev. 9. 6. m Prov. 2.4. n ch. 19. 8. Lam. 3.7. 8 Heb. before my meat. 9 Heb. I feared a came upon me. 22 Which rejoice exceedingly, and are glad, when they can find the grave? 23 Why is light given to a man whose way is hid, "and whom God hath hedged in? 24 For my sighing cometh before I eat, and my roarings are poured out like the waters. 25 For the thing which I greatly fear, and it feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me. 26 I was not in safety, neither had I rest, neither was I quiet; yet trouble came. |