,this e,book was produced by ,david     
,widger  from etext #aeha prepared by   
,dennis ,mc,carthy1 ,atlanta1 ,georgia  
and ,tad ,book1 student1 ,pontifical    
,north ,american ,college1 ,rome4       
,,the ,,holy ,,bible                    
,translated from the ,latin ,vulgate    
,diligently ,compared with the ,hebrew1 
,greek1  and ,other ,editions in ,divers
 ,languages      ,,the ,,old ,,testament
  ,first ,published by the ,english     
,college at ,douay  ,a4,d4 #afji  #afaj 
and    ,,the ,,new ,,testament  ,first  
,published by the ,english ,college at  
,rheims  ,a4,d4 #aehb      ,with        
,annotations      ,the ,whole ,revised  
and ,diligently ,compared with  the     
,latin ,vulgate by ,bishop ,richard     
,challoner  ,a4,d4 #agdi-ageb           
,,the ,,book ,,of ,,esther    ,this     
,book takes its name from queen ,esther1
 whose history is here  recorded4 ,the  
general opinion of almost all           
commentators on the ,holy  ,scriptures  
makes ,mardochai the writer of it3 which

 also may be collected  below from chap4
 #i ver4 #bj4      ,esther ,chapter #a  
,king ,assuerus maketh a great feast4   
,queen ,vasthi being sent for refuseth  
to come3 for which disobedience she is  
deposed4    #a3a4 ,in the days of       
,assuerus1 who reigned from ,india to   
,ethiopia over a  hundred and twenty    
seven provinces3    #a3b4 ,when he sat  
on the throne of his kingdom1 the city  
,susan was the  capital of his kingdom4 
#a3c4 ,now in the third year of his     
reign he made a great feast for all  the
 princes1 and for his servants1 for the 
most mighty of the ,persians1  and the  
nobles of the ,medes1 and the governors 
of the provinces in his  sight1    #a3d4
 ,that he might shew the riches of the  
glory of his kingdom1 and the           
greatness1 and boasting of his power1   
for a long time1 to wit1 for a  hundred 
and fourscore days4    #a3e4 ,and when  
the days of the feast were expired1 he  
invited all the  people that were found 
in ,susan1 from the greatest to the     

least3 and  commanded a feast to be made
 seven days in the court of the garden1 
and  of the wood1 which was planted by  
the care and the hand of the king4      
#a3f4 ,and there were hung up on every  
side sky coloured1 and green1 and       
violet hangings1 fastened with cords of 
silk1 and of purple1 which were  put    
into rings of ivory1 and were held up   
with marble pillars4 ,the beds  also    
were of gold and silver1 placed in order
 upon a floor paved with  porphyry and  
white marble3 which was embellished with
 painting of  wonderful variety4        
#a3g4 ,and they that were invited1 drank
 in golden cups1 and the meats  were    
brought in divers vessels one after     
another4 ,wine also in abundance  and of
 the best was presented1 as was worthy  
of a king's magnificence4    #a3h4      
,neither was there any one to compel    
them to drink that were not  willing1   
but as the king had appointed1 who set  
over every table one of  his nobles1    
that every man might take what he would4

    #a3i4 ,also ,vasthi the queen made a
 feast for the women in the palace1     
where king ,assuerus was used to dwell4 
#a3aj4 ,now on the seventh day1 when the
 king was merry1 and after very  much   
drinking was well warmed with wine1 he  
commanded ,mauman1 and  ,bazatha1 and   
,harbona1 and ,bagatha1 and ,abgatha1   
and ,zethar1 and ,charcas1  the seven   
eunuchs that served in his presence1    
#a3aa4 ,to bring in queen ,vasthi before
 the king1 with the crown set upon  her 
head1 to shew her beauty to all the     
people and the princes3 for she  was    
exceeding beautiful4    #a3ab4 ,but she 
refused1 and would not come at the      
king's commandment1  which he had       
signified to her by the eunuchs4        
,whereupon the king1 being  angry1 and  
inflamed with a very great fury1        
#a3ac4 ,asked the wise men1 who         
according to the custom of the kings1   
were  always near his person1 and all he
 did was by their counsel1 who knew  the
 laws1 and judgments of their           

forefathers3    #a3ad4 7,now the chief  
and nearest him were1 ,charsena1 and    
,sethar1 and  ,admatha1 and ,tharsis1   
and ,mares1 and ,marsana1 and ,mamuchan1
 seven  princes of the ,persians and of 
the ,medes1 who saw the face of the     
king1  and were used to sit first after 
him37    #a3ae4 ,what sentence ought to 
pass upon ,vasthi the queen1 who had    
refused  to obey the commandment of king
 ,assuerus1 which he had sent to her by 
the eunuchs8    #a3af4 ,and ,mamuchan   
answered1 in the hearing of the king and
 the princes3  ,queen ,vasthi hath not  
only injured the king1 but also all the 
people and  princes that are in all the 
provinces of king ,assuerus4    #a3ag4  
,for this deed of the queen will go     
abroad to all women1 so that  they will 
despise their husbands1 and will say3   
,king ,assuerus commanded  that queen   
,vasthi should come in to him1 and she  
would not4    #a3ah4 ,and by this       
example all the wives of the princes of 
the ,persians  and the ,medes will      

slight the commandments of their        
husbands3 wherefore  the king's         
indignation is just4    #a3ai4 ,if it   
please thee1 let an edict go out from   
thy presence1 and let  it be written    
according to the law of the ,persians   
and of the ,medes1  which must not be   
altered1 that ,vasthi come in no more to
 the king1 but  another1 that is better 
than her1 be made queen in her place4   
#a3bj4 ,and let this be published       
through all the provinces of thy empire1
  7which is very wide17 and let all     
wives1 as well of the greater as of  the
 lesser1 give honour to their husbands4 
#a3ba4 ,his counsel pleased the king1   
and the princes3 and the king did       
according to the counsel of ,mamuchan4  
#a3bb4 ,and he sent letters to all the  
provinces of his kingdom1 as every      
nation could hear and read1 in divers   
languages and characters1 that the      
husbands should be rulers and masters in
 their houses3 and that this  should be 
published to every people4    ,esther   

,chapter #b    ,esther is advanced to be
 queen4 ,mardochai detecteth a plot     
against the  king4    #b3a4 ,after this1
 when the wrath of king ,assuerus was   
appeased1 he  remembered ,vasthi1 and   
what she had done and what she had      
suffered3    #b3b4 ,and the king's      
servants and his officers said3 ,let    
young women be  sought for the king1    
virgins and beautiful1    #b3c4 ,and let
 some persons be sent through all the   
provinces to look for  beautiful maidens
 and virgins3 and let them bring them to
 the city of  ,susan1 and put them into 
the house of the women under the hand of
 ,egeus  the eunuch1 who is the overseer
 and keeper of the king's women3 and let
  them receive women's ornaments1 and   
other things necessary for their  use4  
#b3d4 ,and whosoever among them all     
shall please the king's eyes1 let her   
be queen instead of ,vasthi4 ,the word  
pleased the king3 and he commanded  it  
should be done as they had suggested4   
#b3e4 ,there was a man in the city of   

,susan1 a ,jew1 named ,mardochai1 the   
son of ,jair1 the son of ,semei1 the son
 of ,cis1 of the race of ,jemini1       
#b3f4 ,who had been carried away from   
,jerusalem at the time that             
,nabuchodonosor king of ,babylon carried
 away ,jechonias king of ,juda1    #b3g4
 ,and he had brought up his brother's   
daughter ,edissa1 who by another  name  
was called ,esther3 now she had lost    
both her parents3 and was  exceeding    
fair and beautiful4 ,and her father and 
mother being dead1  ,mardochai adopted  
her for his daughter4    #b3h4 ,and when
 the king's ordinance was noised abroad1
 and according to  his commandment many 
beautiful virgins were brought to       
,susan1 and were  delivered to ,egeus   
the eunuch3 ,esther also among the rest 
of the maidens  was delivered to him to 
be kept in the number of the women4     
#b3i4 ,and she pleased him1 and found   
favour in his sight4 ,and he  commanded 
the eunuch to hasten the women's        
ornaments1 and to deliver to  her her   

part1 and seven of the most beautiful   
maidens of the king's  house1 and to    
adorn and deck out both her and her     
waiting maids4    #b3aj4 ,and she would 
not tell him her people nor her country4
 ,for  ,mardochai had charged her to say
 nothing at all of that3    #b3aa4 ,and 
he walked every day before the court of 
the house1 in which  the chosen virgins 
were kept1 having a care for ,esther's  
welfare1 and  desiring to know what     
would befall her4    #b3ab4 ,now when   
every virgin's turn came to go in to the
 king1 after all  had been done for     
setting them off to advantage1 it was   
the twelfth  month3 so that for six     
months they were anointed with oil of   
myrrh1 and  for other six months they   
used certain perfumes and sweet spices4 
#b3ac4 ,and when they were going in to  
the king1 whatsoever they asked to      
adorn themselves they received3 and     
being decked out1 as it pleased  them1  
they passed from the chamber of the     
women to the king's chamber4    #b3ad4  

,and she that went in at evening1 came  
out in the morning1 and from  thence she
 was conducted to the second house1 that
 was under the hand of  ,susagaz the    
eunuch1 who had the charge over the     
king's concubines3  neither could she   
return any more to the king1 unless the 
king desired  it1 and had ordered her by
 name to come4    #b3ae4 ,and as the    
time came orderly about1 the day was at 
hand1 when  ,esther1 the daughter of    
,abihail the brother of ,mardochai1 whom
 he had  adopted for his daughter1 was  
to go in to the king4 ,but she sought   
not  women's ornaments1 but whatsoever  
,egeus the eunuch the keeper of the     
virgins had a mind1 he gave her to adorn
 her4 ,for she was exceeding  fair1 and 
her incredible beauty made her appear   
agreeable and amiable in  the eyes of   
all4    #b3af4 ,so she was brought to   
the chamber of king ,assuerus the tenth 
month1 which is called ,tebeth1 in the  
seventh year of his reign4    #b3ag4    
,and the king loved her more than all   

the women1 and she had favour  and      
kindness before him above all the women1
 and he set the royal crown  on her     
head1 and made her queen instead of     
,vasthi4    #b3ah4 ,and he commanded a  
magnificent feast to be prepared for all
 the  princes1 and for his servants1 for
 the marriage and wedding of ,esther1   
,and he gave rest to all the provinces1 
and bestowed gifts according to         
princely magnificence4    #b3ai4 ,and   
when the virgins were sought the second 
time1 and gathered  together1 ,mardochai
 stayed at the king's gate1    #b3bj4   
,neither had ,esther as yet declared her
 country and people1  according to his  
commandment4 ,for whatsoever he         
commanded1 ,esther  observed3 and she   
did all things in the same manner as she
 was wont at  that time when he brought 
her up a little one4    #b3ba4 ,at that 
time1 therefore1 when ,mardochai abode  
at the king's gate1  ,bagathan and      
,thares1 two of the king's eunuchs1 who 
were porters1 and  presided in the first

 entry of the palace1 were angry3 and   
they designed  to rise up against the   
king1 and to kill him4    #b3bb4 ,and   
,mardochai had notice of it1 and        
immediately he told it to  queen        
,esther3 and she to the king in         
,mardochai's name1 who had reported  the
 thing unto her4    #b3bc4 ,it was      
inquired into1 and found out3 and they  
were both hanged on  a gibbet4 ,and it  
was put in the histories1 and recorded  
in the  chronicles before the king4     
,esther ,chapter #c    ,aman1 advanced  
by the king1 is offended at ,mardochai1 
and therefore  procureth the king's     
decree to destroy the whole nation of   
the ,jews4    #c3a4 ,after these things1
 king ,assuerus advanced ,aman1 the son 
of  ,amadathi1 who was of the race of   
,agag3 and he set his throne above all  
the princes that were with him4    #c3b4
 ,and all the king's servants1 that were
 at the doors of the palace1  bent their
 knees1 and worshipped ,aman3 for so the
 emperor had commanded  them1 only      

,mardochai did not bend his knee1 nor   
worship him4    #c3c4 ,and the king's   
servants that were chief at the doors of
 the palace1  said to him3 ,why dost    
thou alone not observe the king's       
commandment8    #c3d4 ,and when they    
were saying this often1 and he would not
 hearken to  them1 they told ,aman1     
desirous to know whether he would       
continue in his  resolution3 for he had 
told them that he was a ,jew4    #c3e4  
,now when ,aman had heard this1 and had 
proved by experience that  ,mardochai   
did not bend his knee to him1 nor       
worship him1 he was  exceeding angry4   
#c3f4 ,and he counted it nothing to lay 
his hands upon ,mardochai alone3  for he
 had heard that he was of the nation of 
the ,jews1 and he chose  rather to      
destroy all the nation of the ,jews that
 were in the kingdom of  ,assuerus4     
#c3g4 ,in the first month 7which is     
called ,nisan7 in the twelfth year of   
the reign of ,assuerus1 the lot was cast
 into an urn1 which in ,hebrew is       

called ,phur1 before ,aman1 on what day 
and what month the nation of the  ,jews 
should be destroyed3 and there came out 
the twelfth month1 which is  called     
,adar4    #c3h4 ,and ,aman said to king 
,assuerus3 ,there is a people scattered 
through  all the provinces of thy       
kingdom1 and separated one from another1
 that  use new laws and ceremonies1 and 
moreover despise the king's ordinances3 
and thou knowest very well that it is   
not expedient for thy kingdom that  they
 should grow insolent by impunity4      
#c3i4 ,if it please thee1 decree that   
they may be destroyed1 and ,i will  pay 
ten thousand talents to thy treasurers4 
#c3aj4 ,and the king took the ring that 
he used1 from his own hand1 and  gave it
 to ,aman1 the son of ,amadathi of the  
race of ,agag1 the enemy of  the ,jews1 
#c3aa4 ,and he said to him3 ,as to the  
money which thou promisest1 keep it  for
 thyself3 and as to the people1 do with 
them as seemeth good to thee4    #c3ab4 
,and the king's scribes were called in  

the first month ,nisan1 on  the         
thirteenth day of the same mouth3 and   
they wrote1 as ,aman had  commanded1 to 
all the king's lieutenants1 and to the  
judges of the  provinces1 and of divers 
nations1 as every nation could read1 and
 hear  according to their different     
languages1 in the name of king          
,assuerus3  and the letters1 sealed with
 his ring1    #c3ac4 ,were sent by the  
king's messengers to all provinces1 to  
kill and  destroy all the ,jews1 both   
young and old1 little children1 and     
women1 in  one day1 that is1 on the     
thirteenth of the twelfth month1 which  
is  called ,adar1 and to make a spoil of
 their goods4    #c3ad4 ,and the        
contents of the letters were to this    
effect1 that all  provinces might know  
and be ready against that day4    #c3ae4
 ,the couriers that were sent made haste
 to fulfil the king's  commandment4 ,and
 immediately the edict was hung up in   
,susan1 the king  and ,aman feasting    
together1 and all the ,jews that were in

 the city  weeping4    ,esther ,chapter 
#d    ,mardochai desireth ,esther to    
petition the king for the ,jews4 ,they  
join  in fasting and prayer4    #d3a4   
,now when ,mardochai had heard these    
things1 he rent his garments1  and put  
on sackcloth1 strewing ashes on his head
 and he cried with a  loud voice in the 
street in the midst of the city1 shewing
 the anguish  of his mind4    #d3b4 ,and
 he came lamenting in this manner even  
to the gate of the  palace3 for no one  
clothed with sackcloth might enter the  
king's court4    #d3c4 ,and in all      
provinces1 towns1 and places1 to which  
the king's cruel  edict was come1 there 
was great mourning among the ,jews1 with
 fasting1  wailing1 and weeping1 many   
using sackcloth and ashes for their bed4
    #d3d4 ,then ,esther's maids and her 
eunuchs went in1 and told her4 ,and when
  she heard it she was in a             
consternation and she sent a garment1 to
  clothe him1 and to take away the      
sackcloth3 but he would not receive it4 

#d3e4 ,and she called for ,athach the   
eunuch1 whom the king had appointed  to 
attend upon her1 and she commanded him  
to go to ,mardochai1 and learn  of him  
why he did this4    #d3f4 ,and ,athach  
going out went to ,mardochai1 who was   
standing in the  street of the city1    
before the palace gate3    #d3g4 ,and   
,mardochai told him all that had        
happened1 how ,aman had promised  to pay
 money into the king's treasures1 to    
have the ,jews destroyed4    #d3h4 ,he  
gave him also a copy of the edict which 
was hanging up in ,susan1  that he      
should shew it to the queen1 and        
admonish her to go in to the  king1 and 
to entreat him for her people4    #d3i4 
,and ,athach went back and told ,esther 
all that ,mardochai had said4    #d3aj4 
,she answered him1 and bade him say to  
,mardochai3    #d3aa4 ,all the king's   
servants1 and all the provinces that are
 under his  dominion1 know1 that        
whosoever1 whether man or woman1 cometh 
into the  king's inner court1 who is not

 called for1 is immediately to be put to
  death without any delay3 except the   
king shall hold out the golden  sceptre 
to him1 in token of clemency1 that so he
 may live4 ,how then can  ,i go in to   
the king1 who for these thirty days now 
have not been called  unto him8         
#d3ab4 ,and when ,mardochai had heard   
this1    #d3ac4 ,he sent word to ,esther
 again1 saying3 ,think not that thou    
mayst  save thy life only1 because thou 
art in the king's house1 more than all  
the ,jews3    #d3ad4 ,for if thou wilt  
now hold thy peace1 the ,jews shall be  
delivered  by some other occasion3 and  
thou1 and thy father's house shall      
perish4  ,and who knoweth whether thou  
art not therefore come to the kingdom1  
that  thou mightest be ready in such a  
time as this8    #d3ae4 ,and again      
,esther sent to ,mardochai in these     
words3    #d3af4 ,go1 and gather        
together all the ,jews whom thou shalt  
find in  ,susan1 and pray ye for me4    
,neither eat nor drink for three days   

and  three nights3 and ,i with my       
handmaids will fast in like manner1 and 
then  ,i will go in to the king1 against
 the law1 not being called1 and expose  
myself to death and to danger4    #d3ag4
 ,so ,mardochai went1 and did all that  
,esther had commanded him4    ,esther   
,chapter #e    ,esther is graciously    
received3 she inviteth the king and     
,aman to dinner1  ,aman prepareth a     
gibbet for ,mardochai4    #e3a4 ,and on 
the third day ,esther put on her royal  
apparel1 and stood in  the inner court  
of the king's house1 over against the   
king's hall3 now  he sat upon his throne
 in the hall of the palace1 over against
 the door  of the house4    #e3b4 ,and  
when he saw ,esther the queen standing1 
she pleased his eyes1  and he held out  
toward her the golden sceptre1 which he 
held in his hand  and she drew near1 and
 kissed the top of his sceptre4    #e3c4
 ,and the king said to her3 ,what wilt  
thou1 queen ,esther8  what is  thy      
request8 if thou shouldst even ask one  

half of the kingdom1 it shall  be given 
to thee4    #e3d4 ,but she answered3 ,if
 it please the king1 ,i beseech thee to 
come to  me this day1 and ,aman with    
thee to the banquet which ,i have       
prepared4    #e3e4 ,and the king said   
forthwith3 ,call ye ,aman quickly1 that 
he may obey  ,esther's will4 ,so the    
king and ,aman came to the banquet which
 the queen  had prepared for them4      
#e3f4 ,and the king said to her1 after  
he had drunk wine plentifully3 ,what    
dost thou desire should be given thee8  
and for what thing askest thou8         
although thou shouldst ask the half of  
my kingdom1 thou shalt have it4    #e3g4
 ,and ,esther answered3 ,my petition and
 request is this3    #e3h4 ,if ,i have  
found favour in the king's sight1 and if
 it please the  king to give me what ,i 
ask1 and to fulfil my petition3 let the 
king and  ,aman come to the banquet     
which ,i have prepared them1 and to     
morrow ,i  will open my mind to the     
king4    #e3i4 ,so ,aman went out that  

day joyful and merry4 ,and when he saw  
,mardochai sitting before the gate of   
the palace1 and that he not only  did   
not rise up to honour him1 but did not  
so much as move from the  place where he
 sat1 he was exceedingly angry3         
#e3aj4 ,but dissembling his anger1 and  
returning into his house1 he called     
together to him his friends1 and ,zares 
his wife3    #e3aa4 ,and he declared to 
them the greatness of his riches1 and   
the  multitude of his children1 and with
 how great glory the king had  advanced 
him above all his princes and servants4 
#e3ab4 ,and after this he said3 ,queen  
,esther also hath invited no other to   
the banquet with the king1 but me3 and  
with her ,i am also to dine to  morrow  
with the king3    #e3ac4 ,and whereas ,i
 have all these things1 ,i think ,i have
 nothing1 so  long as ,i see ,mardochai 
the ,jew sitting before the king's gate4
    #e3ad4 ,then ,zares his wife1 and   
the rest of his friends answered him3   
,order a great beam to be prepared1     

fifty cubits high1 and in the morning   
speak to the king1 that ,mardochai may  
be hanged upon it1 and so thou  shalt go
 full of joy with the king to the       
banquet4 ,the counsel pleased  him1 and 
he commanded a high gibbet to be        
prepared4    ,esther ,chapter #f    ,the
 king hearing of the good service done  
him by ,mardochai1 commandeth  ,aman to 
honour him next to the king1 which he   
performeth4    #f3a4 ,that night the    
king passed without sleep1 and he       
commanded the  histories and chronicles 
of former times to be brought him4 ,and 
when  they were reading them before him1
    #f3b4 ,they came to that place where
 it was written1 how ,mardochai had     
discovered the treason of ,bagathan and 
,thares the eunuchs1 who sought to  kill
 king ,assuerus4    #f3c4 ,and when the 
king heard this1 he said3 ,what honour  
and reward hath  ,mardochai received for
 this fidelity8 ,his servants and       
ministers said to  him3 ,he hath        
received no reward at all4    ,no reward

 at all444 ,he received some presents   
from the king1 chap4 #ab4e2  but these  
were so inconsiderable in the opinion of
 the courtiers1 that  they esteemed them
 as nothing at all4    #f3d4 ,and the   
king said immediately3 ,who is in the   
court8 for ,aman was  coming in to the  
inner court of the king's house1 to     
speak to the king1  that he might order 
,mardochai to be hanged upon the gibbet1
 which was  prepared for him4    #f3e4  
,the servants answered3 ,aman standeth  
in the court1 and the king  said3 ,let  
him come in4    #f3f4 ,and when he was  
come in1 he said to him3 ,what ought to 
be done to  the man whom the king is    
desirous to honour8 ,but ,aman thinking 
in his  heart1 and supposing that the   
king would honour no other but himself1 
#f3g4 ,answered3 ,the man whom the king 
desireth to honour1    #f3h4 ,ought to  
be clothed with the king's apparel1 and 
to be set upon the  horse that the king 
rideth upon1 and to have the royal crown
 upon his  head1    #f3i4 ,and let the  

first of the king's princes and nobles  
hold his horse1  and going through the  
street of the city1 proclaim before him 
and say3  ,thus shall he be honoured1   
whom the king hath a mind to honour4    
#f3aj4 ,and the king said to him3 ,make 
haste and take the robe and the  horse1 
and do as thou hast spoken to ,mardochai
 the ,jew1 who sitteth  before the gates
 of the palace4 ,beware thou pass over  
any of those  things which thou hast    
spoken4    #f3aa4 ,so ,aman took the    
robe and the horse1 and arraying        
,mardochai in the  street of the city1  
and setting him on the horse1 went      
before him1 and  proclaimed3 ,this      
honour is he worthy of1 whom the king   
hath a mind to  honour4    #f3ab4 ,but  
,mardochai returned to the palace gate3 
and ,aman made haste to  go to his      
house1 mourning and having his head     
covered3    #f3ac4 ,and he told ,zares  
his wife1 and his friends1 all that had 
befallen  him4 ,and the wise men whom he
 had in counsel1 and his wife answered  

him3  ,if ,mardochai be of the seed of  
the ,jews1 before whom thou hast begun  
to  fall1 thou canst not resist him1 but
 thou shalt fall in his sight4    #f3ad4
 ,as they were yet speaking1 the king's 
eunuchs came1 and compelled  him to go  
quickly to the banquet which the queen  
had prepared4    ,esther ,chapter #g    
,esther's petition for herself and her  
people3 ,aman is hanged upon the  gibbet
 he had prepared for ,mardochai4        
#g3a4 ,so the king and ,aman went in1 to
 drink with the queen4    #g3b4 ,and the
 king said to her again the second day1 
after he was warm  with wine3 ,what is  
thy petition1 ,esther1 that it may be   
granted thee8  and what wilt thou have  
done3 although thou ask the half of my  
kingdom1  thou shalt have it4    #g3c4  
,then she answered3 ,if ,i have found   
favour in thy sight1 ,o king1 and  if it
 please thee1 give me my life for which 
,i ask1 and my people for  which ,i     
request4    #g3d4 ,for we are given up1 
,i and my people1 to be destroyed1 to be

 slain1  and to perish4 ,and would ,god 
we were sold for bondmen and bondwomen3 
the  evil might be borne with1 and ,i   
would have mourned in silence3 but now  
we have an enemy1 whose cruelty         
redoundeth upon the king4    #g3e4 ,and 
king ,assuerus answered and said3 ,who  
is this1 and of what  power1 that he    
should do these things8    #g3f4 ,and   
,esther said3 ,it is this ,aman that is 
our adversary and most  wicked enemy4   
,aman hearing this was forthwith        
astonished1 not being able  to bear the 
countenance of the king and of the      
queen4    #g3g4 ,but the king being     
angry rose up1 and went from the place  
of the  banquet into the garden set with
 trees4 ,aman also rose up to entreat   
,esther the queen for his life1 for he  
understood that evil was prepared  for  
him by the king4    #g3h4 ,and when the 
king came back out of the garden set    
with trees1 and  entered into the place 
of the banquet1 he found ,aman was      
fallen upon the  bed on which ,esther   

lay1 and he said3 ,he will force the    
queen also in my  presence1 in my own   
house4 ,the word was not yet gone out of
 the king's  mouth1 and immediately they
 covered his face4    #g3i4 ,and        
,harbona1 one of the eunuchs that stood 
waiting on the king1  said3 ,behold the 
gibbet which he hath prepared for       
,mardochai1 who spoke  for the king1    
standeth in ,aman's house1 being fifty  
cubits high4 ,and the  king said to him3
 ,hang him upon it4    #g3aj4 ,so ,aman 
was hanged on the gibbet1 which he had  
prepared for  ,mardochai3 and the king's
 wrath ceased4    ,esther ,chapter #h   
,mardochai is advanced3 ,aman's letters 
are reversed4    #h3a4 ,on that day king
 ,assuerus gave the house of ,aman1 the 
,jews' enemy1  to queen ,esther1 and    
,mardochai came in before the king4 ,for
 ,esther had  confessed to him that he  
was her uncle4    #h3b4 ,and the king   
took the ring which he had commanded to 
be taken again  from ,aman1 and gave it 
to ,mardochai4 ,and ,esther set         

,mardochai over her  house4    #h3c4    
,and not content with these things1 she 
fell down at the king's feet  and wept1 
and speaking to him besought him1 that  
he would give orders  that the malice of
 ,aman the ,agagite1 and his most wicked
 devices which  he had invented against 
the ,jews1 should be of no effect4      
#h3d4 ,but he1 as the manner was1 held  
out the golden sceptre with his  hand1  
which was the sign of clemency3 and she 
arose up and stood before  him1    #h3e4
 ,and said3 ,if it please the king1 and 
if ,i have found favour in his  sight1  
and my request be not disagreeable to   
him1 ,i beseech thee1 that  the former  
letters of ,aman the traitor and enemy  
of the ,jews1 by which  he commanded    
that they should be destroyed in all the
 king's provinces1  may be reversed by  
new letters4    #h3f4 ,for how can ,i   
endure the murdering and slaughter of my
 people8    #h3g4 ,and king ,assuerus   
answered ,esther the queen1 and         
,mardochai the ,jew3  ,i have given     

,aman's house to ,esther1 and ,i have   
commanded him to be  hanged on a gibbet1
 because he durst lay hands on the      
,jews4    #h3h4 ,write ye therefore to  
the ,jews1 as it pleaseth you in the    
king's  name1 and seal the letters with 
my ring4 ,for this was the custom1 that 
no man durst gainsay the letters which  
were sent in the king's name1 and  were 
sealed with his ring4    #h3i4 ,then the
 king's scribes and secretaries were    
called for 7now it was  the time of the 
third month which is called ,siban7 the 
three and  twentieth day of the month1  
and letters were written1 as ,mardochai 
had a  mind1 to the ,jews1 and to the   
governors1 and to the deputies1 and to  
the  judges1 who were rulers over the   
hundred and twenty-seven provinces1     
from ,india even to ,ethiopia3 to       
province and province1 to people and    
people1 according to their languages and
 characters1 and to the ,jews1          
according as they could read and hear4  
#h3aj4 ,and these letters which were    

sent in the king's name1 were sealed    
with his ring1 and sent by posts3 who   
were to run through all the  provinces1 
to prevent the former letters with new  
messages4    #h3aa4 ,and the king gave  
orders to them1 to speak to the ,jews in
 every  city1 and to command them to    
gather themselves together1 and to stand
  for their lives1 and to kill and      
destroy all their enemies with their    
wives and children and all their houses1
 and to take their spoil4    #h3ab4 ,and
 one day of revenge was appointed       
through all the provinces1 to  wit1 the 
thirteenth of the twelfth month ,adar4  
#h3ac4 ,and this was the content of the 
letter1 that it should be notified  in  
all lands and peoples that were subject 
to the empire of king  ,assuerus1 that  
the ,jews were ready to be revenged of  
their enemies4    #h3ad4 ,so the swift  
posts went out carrying the messages1   
and the king's  edict was hung up in    
,susan4    #h3ae4 ,and ,mardochai going 
forth out of the palace1 and from the   

king's  presence1 shone in royal        
apparel1 to wit1 of violet and sky      
colour1  wearing a golden crown on his  
head1 and clothed with a cloak of silk  
and  purple4 ,and all the city rejoiced1
 and was glad4    #h3af4 ,but to the    
,jews1 a new light seemed to rise1 joy1 
honour1 and  dancing4    #h3ag4 ,and in 
all peoples1 cities1 and provinces1     
whithersoever the  king's commandments  
came1 there was wonderful rejoicing1    
feasts and  banquets1 and keeping holy  
day3 ,insomuch that many of other       
nations and  religion1 joined themselves
 to their worship and ceremonies4 ,for a
 great  dread of the name of the ,jews  
had fallen upon all4    ,esther ,chapter
 #i    ,the ,jews kill their enemies    
that would have killed them4 ,the days  
of  ,phurim are appointed to be kept    
holy4    #i3a4 ,so on the thirteenth day
 of the twelfth month1 which as we have 
said above is called ,adar1 when all the
 ,jews were designed to be  massacred1  
and their enemies were greedy after     

their blood1 the case  being altered1   
the ,jews began to have the upper hand1 
and to revenge  themselves of their     
adversaries4    ,to revenge1 etc444 ,the
 ,jews on this occasion1 by authority   
from the  king1 were made executioners  
of the public justice1 for punishing by 
death a crime worthy of death1 viz41 a  
malicious conspiracy for  extirpating   
their whole nation4    #i3b4 ,and they  
gathered themselves together in every   
city1 and town1 and  place1 to lay their
 hands on their enemies1 and their      
persecutors4 ,and  no one durst         
withstand them1 for the fear of their   
power had gone  through every people4   
#i3c4 ,and the judges of the provinces1 
and the governors1 and  lieutenants1 and
 every one in dignity1 that presided    
over every place  and work1 extolled the
 ,jews for fear of ,mardochai3    #i3d4 
,for they knew him to be prince of the  
palace1 and to have great  power3 and   
the fame of his name increased daily1   
and was spread abroad  through all men's

 mouths4    #i3e4 ,so the ,jews made a  
great slaughter of their enemies1 and   
killed  them1 repaying according to what
 they had prepared to do to them3       
#i3f4 ,insomuch that even in ,susan they
 killed five hundred men1 besides  the  
ten sons of ,aman the ,agagite1 the     
enemy of the ,jews3 whose names are     
these3    #i3g4 ,pharsandatha1 and      
,delphon1 and ,esphatha    #i3h4 ,and   
,phoratha1 and ,adalia1 and ,aridatha1  
#i3i4 ,and ,phermesta1 and ,arisai1 and 
,aridai1 and ,jezatha4    #i3aj4 ,and   
when they had slain them1 they would not
 touch the spoils of  their goods4      
#i3aa4 ,and presently the number of them
 that were killed in ,susan was  brought
 to the king4    #i3ab4 ,and he said to 
the queen3 ,the ,jews have killed five  
hundred men in  the city of ,susan1     
besides the ten sons of ,aman3 how many 
dost thou  think they have slain in all 
the provinces8 ,what askest thou more1  
and  what wilt thou have me to command  
to be done8    #i3ac4 ,and she answered3

 ,if it please the king1 let it be      
granted to the  ,jews1 to do to morrow  
in ,susan as they have done to day1 and 
that the  ten sons of ,aman may be      
hanged upon gibbets4    #i3ad4 ,and the 
king commanded that it should be so     
done4 ,and forthwith  the edict was hung
 up in ,susan1 and the ten sons of ,aman
 were hanged4    #i3ae4 ,and on the     
fourteenth day of the month ,adar the   
,jews gathered  themselves together1 and
 they killed in ,susan three hundred    
men3 but  they took not their substance4
    #i3af4 ,moreover through all the    
provinces which were subject to the     
king's dominion the ,jews stood for     
their lives1 and slew their enemies  and
 persecutors3 insomuch that the number  
of them that were killed  amounted to   
seventy-five thousand1 and no man took  
any of their goods4    #i3ag4 ,now the  
thirteenth day of the month ,adar was   
the first day with  them all of the     
slaughter1 and on the fourteenth day    
they left off4  ,which they ordained to 

be kept holy day1 so that all times     
hereafter  they should celebrate it with
 feasting1 joy1 and banquets4    #i3ah4 
,but they that were killing in the city 
of ,susan1 were employed in  the        
slaughter on the thirteenth and         
fourteenth day of the same month3  and  
on the fifteenth day they rested4 ,and  
therefore they appointed that  day to be
 a holy day of feasting and gladness4   
#i3ai4 ,but those ,jews that dwelt in   
towns not walled and in villages1       
appointed the fourteenth day of the     
month ,adar for banquets and  gladness1 
so as to rejoice on that day1 and send  
one another portions of  their banquets 
and meats4    #i3bj4 ,and ,mardochai    
wrote all these things1 and sent them   
comprised in  letters to the ,jews that 
abode in all the king's provinces1 both 
those  that lay near and those afar off1
    #i3ba4 ,that they should receive the
 fourteenth and fifteenth day of the    
month ,adar for holy days1 and always at
 the return of the year should          

celebrate them with solemn honour3      
#i3bb4 ,because on those days the ,jews 
revenged themselves of their  enemies1  
and their mourning and sorrow were      
turned into mirth and joy1  and that    
these should be days of feasting and    
gladness1 in which they  should send one
 to another portions of meats1 and      
should give gifts to  the poor4         
#i3bc4 ,and the ,jews undertook to      
observe with solemnity all they had     
begun to do at that time1 which         
,mardochai by letters had commanded to  
be  done4    #i3bd4 ,for ,aman1 the son 
of ,amadathi of the race of ,agag1 the  
enemy and  adversary of the ,jews1 had  
devised evil against them1 to kill them 
and  destroy them2 and had cast ,phur1  
that is1 the lot4    #i3be4 ,and        
afterwards ,esther went in to the king1 
beseeching him that his  endeavours     
might be made void by the king's        
letters3 and the evil that  he had      
intended against the ,jews1 might return
 upon his own head4 ,and so  both he and

 his sons were hanged upon gibbets4     
#i3bf4 ,and since that time these days  
are called ,phurim1 that is1 of  lots3  
because ,phur1 that is1 the lot1 was    
cast into the urn4 ,and all  things that
 were done1 are contained in the volume 
of this epistle1 that  is1 of this book3
    #i3bg4 ,and the things that they    
suffered1 and that were afterwards      
changed1 the ,jews took upon themselves 
and their seed1 and upon all that  had a
 mind to be joined to their religion1 so
 that it should be lawful  for none to  
pass these days without solemnity3 which
 the writing  testifieth1 and certain   
times require1 as the years continually 
succeed  one another4    #i3bh4 ,these  
are the days which shall never be       
forgot3 and which all  provinces in the 
whole world shall celebrate throughout  
all generations3  neither is there any  
city wherein the days of ,phurim1 that  
is1 of lots1  must not be observed by   
the ,jews1 and by their posterity1 which
 is bound  to these ceremonies4         

#i3bi4 ,and ,esther the queen1 the      
daughter of ,abihail1 and ,mardochai the
  ,jew1 wrote also a second epistle1    
that with all diligence this day  should
 be established a festival for the time 
to come4    #i3cj4 ,and they sent to all
 the ,jews that were in the hundred and 
twenty-  seven provinces of king        
,assuerus1 that they should have peace1 
and  receive truth1    #i3ca4 ,and      
observe the days of lots1 and celebrate 
them with joy in their  proper time3 as 
,mardochai and ,esther had appointed1   
and they undertook  them to be observed 
by themselves and by their seed1 fasts1 
and cries1  and the days of lots1       
#i3cb4 ,and all things which are        
contained in the history of this book1  
which is called ,esther4    ,esther     
,chapter #aj    ,assuerus's greatness4  
,mardochai's dignity4    #aj3a4 ,and    
king ,assuerus made all the land1 and   
all the islands of the  sea tributary4  
#aj3b4 ,and his strength and his empire1
 and the dignity and greatness          

wherewith he exalted ,mardochai1 are    
written in the books of the ,medes1  and
 of the ,persians3    #aj3c4 ,and how   
,mardochai of the race of the ,jews1 was
 next after king  ,assuerus3 and great  
among the ,jews1 and acceptable to the  
people of his  brethren1 seeking the    
good of his people1 and speaking those  
things  which were for the welfare of   
his seed4    #aj3d4 ,then ,mardochai    
said3 ,god hath done these things4      
,then ,mardochai1 etc444 ,here ,st4     
,jerome advertiseth the reader1 that    
what  follows is not in the ,hebrew1 but
 is found in the septuagint ,greek      
edition1 which the seventy-two          
interpreters translated out of the      
,hebrew1 or added by the inspiration of 
the ,holy ,ghost4    #aj3e4 ,i remember 
a dream that ,i saw1 which signified    
these same things3  and nothing thereof 
hath failed4    ,a dream444 ,this dream 
was prophetical and extraordinary3      
otherwise the  general rule is not to   
observe dreams4    #aj3f4 ,the little   

fountain which grew into a river1 and   
was turned into a  light1 and into the  
sun1 and abounded into many waters1 is  
,esther1 whom  the king married1 and    
made queen4    #aj3g4 ,but the two      
dragons are ,i and ,aman4    #aj3h4 ,the
 nations that were assembled are they   
that endeavoured to  destroy the name of
 the ,jews4    #aj3i4 ,and my nation is 
,israel1 who cried to the ,lord1 and the
 ,lord saved  his people3 and he        
delivered us from all evils1 and hath   
wrought great  signs and wonders among  
the nations3    #aj3aj4 ,and he         
commanded that there should be two lots1
 one of the people  of ,god1 and the    
other of all the nations4    #aj3aa4    
,and both lots came to the day appointed
 already from that time  before ,god to 
all nations3    #aj3ab4 ,and the ,lord  
remembered his people1 and had mercy on 
his  inheritance4    #aj3ac4 ,and these 
days shall be observed in the month of  
,adar on the  fourteenth1 and fifteenth 
day of the same month1 with all         

diligence1 and  joy of the people       
gathered into one assembly1 throughout  
all the  generations hereafter of the   
people of ,israel4    ,esther ,chapter  
#aa    ,the dream of ,mardochai1 which  
in the ancient ,greek and ,latin ,bibles
 was  into the beginning of the book1   
but was detached by ,st4 ,jerome1 and   
put  in this place4    #aa3a4 ,in the   
fourth year of the reign of ,ptolemy and
 ,cleopatra1  ,dositheus1 who said he   
was a priest1 and of the ,levitical     
race1 and  ,ptolemy his son brought this
 epistle of ,phurim1 which they said    
,lysimachus the son of ,ptolemy had     
interpreted in ,jerusalem4    #aa3b4 ,in
 the second year of the reign of        
,artaxerxes the great1 in the  first day
 of the month ,nisan1 ,mardochai the son
 of ,jair1 the son of  ,semei1 the son  
of ,cis1 of the tribe of ,benjamin3     
#aa3c4 ,a ,jew who dwelt in the city of 
,susan1 a great man and among the  first
 of the king's court1 had a dream4      
#aa3d4 ,now he was of the number of the 

captives1 whom ,nabuchodonosor king  of 
,babylon had carried away from          
,jerusalem with ,jechonias king of      
,juda3    #aa3e4 ,and this was his      
dream3 ,behold there were voices1 and   
tumults1 and  thunders1 and earthquakes1
 and a disturbance upon the earth4      
#aa3f4 ,and behold two great dragons    
came forth ready to fight one against   
another4    #aa3g4 ,and at their cry all
 nations were stirred up to fight       
against the  nation of the just4        
#aa3h4 ,and that was a day of darkness  
and danger1 of tribulation and          
distress1 and great fear upon the earth4
    #aa3i4 ,and the nation of the just  
was troubled fearing their own evils1   
and was prepared for death4    #aa3aj4  
,and they cried to ,god3 and as they    
were crying1 a little fountain  grew    
into a very great river1 and abounded   
into many waters4    #aa3aa4 ,the light 
and the sun rose up1 and the humble were
 exalted1 and  they devoured the        
glorious4    #aa3ab4 ,and when          

,mardochai had seen this1 and arose out 
of his bed1 he  was thinking what ,god  
would do3 and he kept it fixed in his   
mind1  desirous to know what the dream  
should signify4    ,esther ,chapter #ab 
,mardochai detects the conspiracy of the
 two eunuchs4    #ab3a4 ,and he abode at
 that time in the king's court with     
,bagatha and  ,thara the king's eunuchs1
 who were porters of the palace4        
#ab3b4 ,and when he understood their    
designs1 and had diligently searched    
into their projects1 he learned that    
they went about to lay violent  hands on
 king ,artaxerxes1 and he told the king 
thereof4    #ab3c4 ,then the king had   
them both examined1 and after they had  
confessed1 commanded them to be put to  
death4    #ab3d4 ,but the king made a   
record of what was done3 and ,mardochai 
also  committed the memory of the thing 
to writing4    #ab3e4 ,and the king     
commanded him1 to abide in the court of 
the palace1  and gave him presents for  
the information4    #ab3f4 ,but ,aman   

the son of ,amadathi the ,bugite was in 
great honour with  the king1 and sought 
to hurt ,mardochai and his people1      
because of the  two eunuchs of the king 
who were put to death4    ,esther       
,chapter #ac    ,a copy of a letter sent
 by ,aman to destroy the ,jews4         
,mardochai's prayer  for the people4    
#ac3a4 ,and this was the copy of the    
letter3 ,artaxerxes the great king who  
reigneth from ,india to ,ethiopia1 to   
the princes and governors of the        
hundred and twenty-seven provinces1 that
 are subject to his empire1  greeting4  
#ac3b4 ,whereas ,i reigned over many    
nations1 and had brought all the world  
under my dominion1 ,i was not willing to
 abuse the greatness of my power1  but  
to govern my subjects with clemency and 
that they might live quietly  without   
any terror1 and might enjoy peace1 which
 is desired by all men1    #ac3c4 ,but  
when ,i asked my counsellors how this   
might be accomplished1  one that        
excelled the rest in wisdom and         

fidelity1 and was second after  the     
king1 ,aman by name1    #ac3d4 ,told me 
that there was a people scattered       
through the whole world1  which used new
 laws1 and acted against the customs of 
all nations1  despised the commandments 
of kings1 and violated by their         
opposition the  concord of all nations4 
#ac3e4 ,wherefore having learned this1  
and seeing one nation in opposition  to 
all mankind using perverse laws1 and    
going against our commandments1  and    
disturbing the peace and concord of the 
provinces subject to us1    #ac3f4 ,we  
have commanded that all whom ,aman shall
 mark out1 who is chief  over all the   
provinces1 and second after the king1   
and whom we honour as  a father1 shall  
be utterly destroyed by their enemies1  
with their wives  and children1 and that
 none shall have pity on them1 on the   
fourteenth  day of the twelfth month    
,adar of this present year3    #ac3g4   
,that these wicked men going down to    
hell in one day1 may restore  to our    

empire the peace which they had         
disturbed4    #ac3h4 ,but ,mardochai    
besought the ,lord1 remembering all his 
works1    #ac3i4 ,and said3 ,o ,lord1   
,lord1 almighty king1 for all things are
 in thy  power1 and there is none that  
can resist thy will1 if thou determine  
to  save ,israel4    #ac3aj4 ,thou hast 
made heaven and earth and all things    
that are under the  cope of heaven4     
#ac3aa4 ,thou art ,lord of all1 and     
there is none that can resist thy       
majesty4    #ac3ab4 ,thou knowest all   
things1 and thou knowest that it was not
 out of  pride and or any desire of     
glory1 that ,i refused to worship the   
proud  ,aman1    #ac3ac4 7,for ,i would 
willingly and readily for the salvation 
of ,israel  have kissed even the steps  
of his feet17    #ac3ad4 ,but ,i feared 
lest ,i should transfer the honour of my
 ,god to a  man1 and lest ,i should     
adore any one except my ,god4    #ac3ae4
 ,and now1 ,o ,lord1 ,o king1 ,o ,god of
 ,abraham1 have mercy on thy  people1   

because our enemies resolve to destroy  
us1 and extinguish thy  inheritance4    
#ac3af4 ,despise not thy portion1 which 
thou hast redeemed for thyself out  of  
,egypt4    #ac3ag4 ,hear my             
supplication1 and be merciful to thy lot
 and inheritance1  and turn our mourning
 into joy1 that we may live and praise  
thy name1 ,o  ,lord1 and shut not the   
mouths of them that sing to thee4       
#ac3ah4 ,and all ,israel with like mind 
and supplication cried to the ,lord1    
because they saw certain death hanging  
over their heads4    ,esther ,chapter   
#ad    ,the prayer of ,esther for       
herself and her people4    #ad3a4 ,queen
 ,esther also1 fearing the danger that  
was at hand1 had  recourse to the ,lord4
    #ad3b4 ,and when she had laid away  
her royal apparel1 she put on garments  
suitable for weeping and mourning3      
instead of divers precious ointments1   
she covered her head with ashes and     
dung1 and she humbled her body with     
fasts3 and all the places in which      

before she was accustomed to rejoice1   
she filled with her torn hair4    #ad3c4
 ,and she prayed to the ,lord the ,god  
of ,israel1 saying3 ,o my ,lord1  who   
alone art our king1 help me a desolate  
woman1 and who have no other  helper but
 thee4    #ad3d4 ,my danger is in my    
hands4    #ad3e4 ,i have heard of my    
father that thou1 ,o ,lord1 didst take  
,israel  from among all nations1 and our
 fathers from all their predecessors1 to
  possess them as an everlasting        
inheritance1 and thou hast done to them 
as thou hast promised4    #ad3f4 ,we    
have sinned in thy sight1 and therefore 
thou hast delivered us  into the hands  
of our enemies3    #ad3g4 ,for we have  
worshipped their gods4 ,thou art just1  
,o ,lord4    #ad3h4 ,and now they are   
not content to oppress us with most hard
 bondage1  but attributing the strength 
of their hands to the power of their    
idols4    #ad3i4 ,they design to change 
thy promises1 and destroy thy           
inheritance1  and shut the mouths of    

them that praise thee1 and extinguish   
the glory  of thy temple and altar1     
#ad3aj4 ,that they may open the mouths  
of ,gentiles1 and praise the  strength  
of idols1 and magnify for ever a carnal 
king4    #ad3aa4 ,give not1 ,o ,lord1   
thy sceptre to them that are not1 lest  
they  laugh at our ruin3 but turn their 
counsel upon themselves1 and destroy    
him that hath begun to rage against us4 
#ad3ab4 ,remember1 ,o ,lord1 and shew   
thyself to us in the time of our        
tribulation1 and give me boldness1 ,o   
,lord1 king of gods1 and of all  power3 
#ad3ac4 ,give me a well ordered speech  
in my mouth in the presence of the      
lion1 and turn his heart to the hatred  
of our enemy1 that both he  himself may 
perish1 and the rest that consent to    
him4    #ad3ad4 ,but deliver us by thy  
hand1 and help me1 who have no other    
helper1 but thee1 ,o ,lord1 who hast the
 knowledge of all things4    #ad3ae4    
,and thou knowest that ,i hate the glory
 of the wicked1 and abhor  the bed of   

the uncircumcised1 and of every         
stranger4    #ad3af4 ,thou knowest my   
necessity1 that ,i abominate the sign of
 my pride  and glory1 which is upon my  
head in the days of my public           
appearance1  and detest it as a         
menstruous rag1 and wear it not in the  
days of my  silence1    #ad3ag4 ,and    
that ,i have not eaten at ,aman's table1
 nor hath the king's  banquet pleased   
me1 and that ,i have not drunk the wine 
of the drink  offerings3    #ad3ah4 ,and
 that thy handmaid hath never rejoiced1 
since ,i was brought  hither unto this  
day but in thee1 ,o ,lord1 the ,god of  
,abraham4    #ad3ai4 ,o ,god1 who art   
mighty above all1 hear the voice of     
them1 that  have no other hope1 and     
deliver us from the hand of the wicked1 
and  deliver me from my fear4    ,esther
 ,chapter #ae    ,esther comes into the 
king's presence3 she is terrified1 but  
,god turns  his heart4    #ae3a4 ,and he
 commanded her 7no doubt but he was     
,mardochai7 to go to the  king1 and     

petition for her people1 and for her    
country4    #ae3b4 ,remember1 7said he17
 the days of thy low estate1 how thou   
wast  brought up by my hand1 because    
,aman the second after the king hath    
spoken against us unto death4    #ae3c4 
,and do thou call upon the ,lord1 and   
speak to the king for us1 and  deliver  
us from death4    #ae3d4 ,and on the    
third day she laid away the garments she
 wore1 and put  on her glorious apparel4
    #ae3e4 ,and glittering in royal     
robes1 after she had called upon ,god   
the  ruler and ,saviour of all1 she took
 two maids with her1    #ae3f4 ,and upon
 one of them she leaned1 as if for      
delicateness and  overmuch tenderness   
she were not able to bear up her own    
body4    #ae3g4 ,and the other maid     
followed her lady1 bearing up her train 
flowing  on the ground4    #ae3h4 ,but  
she with a rosy colour in her face1 and 
with gracious and  bright eyes hid a    
mind full of anguish1 and exceeding     
great fear4    #ae3i4 ,so going in she  

passed through all doors in order1 and  
stood  before the king1 where he sat    
upon his royal throne1 clothed with his 
royal robes1 and glittering with gold1  
and precious stones1 and he was         
terrible to behold4    #ae3aj4 ,and when
 he had lifted up his countenance1 and  
with burning eyes  had shewn the wrath  
of his heart1 the queen sunk down1 and  
her colour  turned pale1 and she rested 
her weary head upon her handmaid4       
#ae3aa4 ,and ,god changed the king's    
spirit into mildness1 and all in haste  
and in fear he leaped from his throne1  
and holding her up in his arms1  till   
she came to herself1 caressed her with  
these words3    #ae3ab4 ,what is the    
matter1 ,esther8 ,i am thy brother1 fear
 not4    #ae3ac4 ,thou shalt not die3   
for this law is not made for thee1 but  
for  all others4    #ae3ad4 ,come near  
then1 and touch the sceptre4    #ae3ae4 
,and as she held her peace1 he took the 
golden sceptre1 and laid  it upon her   
neck1 and kissed her1 and said3 ,why    

dost thou not speak to  me8    #ae3af4  
,she answered3 ,i saw thee1 my lord1 as 
an angel of ,god1 and my  heart was     
troubled for fear of thy majesty4       
#ae3ag4 ,for thou1 my lord1 art very    
admirable1 and thy face is full of      
graces4    #ae3ah4 ,and while she was   
speaking1 she fell down again1 and was  
almost  in a swoon4    #ae3ai4 ,but the 
king was troubled1 and all his servants 
comforted her4    ,esther ,chapter #af  
,a copy of the king's letter in favour  
of the ,jews4    #af3a4 ,the great king 
,artaxerxes1 from ,india to ,ethiopia1  
to the  governors and princes of a      
hundred and twenty-seven provinces1     
which  obey our command1 sendeth        
greeting4    ,from ,india to            
,ethiopia444 ,that is1 who reigneth from
 ,india to ,ethiopia4    #af3b4 ,many   
have abused unto pride the goodness of  
princes1 and the  honour that hath been 
bestowed upon them3    #af3c4 ,and not  
only endeavour to oppress the king's    
subjects1 but not  bearing the glory    

that is given them1 take in hand1 to    
practise also  against them that gave   
it4    #af3d4 ,neither are they content 
not to return thanks for benefits       
received1 and to violate in themselves  
the laws of humanity1 but they  think   
they can also escape the justice of ,god
 who seeth all things4    #af3e4 ,and   
they break out into so great madness1 as
 to endeavour to  undermine by lies such
 as observe diligently the offices      
committed to  them1 and do all things in
 such manner as to be worthy of all     
men's  praise1    #af3f4 ,while with    
crafty fraud they deceive the ears of   
princes that are  well meaning1 and     
judge of others by their own nature4    
#af3g4 ,now this is proved both from    
ancient histories1 and by the things    
which are done daily1 how the good      
designs of kings are depraved by the    
evil suggestions of certain men4        
#af3h4 ,wherefore we must provide for   
the peace of all provinces4    #af3i4   
,neither must you think1 if we command  

different things1 that it  cometh of the
 levity of our mind1 but that we give   
sentence according to  the quality and  
necessity of times1 as the profit of the
 commonwealth  requireth4    #af3aj4    
,now that you may more plainly          
understand what we say1 ,aman the  son  
of ,amadathi1 a ,macedonian both in mind
 and country1 and having  nothing of the
 ,persian blood1 but with his cruelty   
staining our  goodness1 was received    
being a stranger by us3    #af3aa4 ,and 
found our humanity so great towards him1
 that he was called  our father1 and was
 worshipped by all as the next man after
 the king3    #af3ab4 ,but he was so far
 puffed up with arrogancy1 as to go     
about to  deprive us of our kingdom and 
life4    #af3ac4 ,for with certain new  
and unheard of devices he hath sought   
the  destruction of ,mardochai1 by whose
 fidelity and good services our life    
was saved1 and of ,esther the partner of
 our kingdom with all their  nation3    
#af3ad4 ,thinking that after they were  

slain1 he might work treason  against us
 left alone without friends1 and might  
transfer the kingdom of  the ,persians  
to the ,macedonians4    #af3ae4 ,but we 
have found that the ,jews1 who were by  
that most wicked man  appointed to be   
slain1 are in no fault at all1 but      
contrariwise1 use  just laws1    #af3af4
 ,and are the children of the highest   
and the greatest1 and the  ever living  
,god1 by whose benefit the kingdom was  
given both to our  fathers and to us1   
and is kept unto this day4    #af3ag4   
,wherefore know ye that those letters   
which he sent in our name1  are void and
 of no effect4    #af3ah4 ,for which    
crime both he himself that devised it1  
and all his  kindred hang on gibbets1   
before the gates of this city ,susan3   
not we1  but ,god repaying him as he    
deserved4    #af3ai4 ,but this edict1   
which we now send1 shall be published in
 all  cities1 that the ,jews may freely 
follow their own laws4    #af3bj4 ,and  
you shall aid them that they may kill   

those who had prepared  themselves to   
kill them1 on the thirteenth day of the 
twelfth month1  which is called ,adar4  
#af3ba4 ,for the almighty ,god hath     
turned this day of sadness and mourning 
into joy to them4    #af3bb4 ,wherefore 
you shall also count this day among     
other festival  days1 and celebrate it  
with all joy1 that it may be known also 
in times  to come1    #af3bc4 ,that all 
they who faithfully obey the ,persians1 
receive a worthy  reward for their      
fidelity3 but they that are traitors to 
their kingdom1  are destroyed for their 
wickedness4    #af3bd4 ,and let every   
province and city1 that will not be     
partaker of  this solemnity1 perish by  
the sword and by fire1 and be destroyed 
in  such manner as to be made           
unpassable1 both to men and beasts1 for 
an  example of contempt1 and            
disobedience4