Esther 1

1 (A:1) In the second year of the reign of the great King Ahasuerus, on the first day of Nisan, Mordecai, son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin, had a dream. (A:2) He was a Jew residing in the city of Susa, a prominent man who served at the king's court, (A:3) and one of the captives whom Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, had taken from Jerusalem with Jeconiah, king of Judah. (A:4) This was his dream. There was noise and tumult, thunder and earthquake-confusion upon the earth. (A:5) Two great dragons came on, both poised for combat. They uttered a mighty cry, (A:6) and at their cry every nation prepared for war, to fight against the race of the just. (A:7) It was a dark and gloomy day. Tribulation and distress, evil and great confusion, lay upon the earth. (A:8) The whole race of the just were dismayed with fear of the evils to come upon them, and were at the point of destruction. (A:9) Then they cried out to God, and as they cried, there appeared to come forth a great river, a flood of water from a little spring. (A:10) The light of the sun broke forth; the lowly were exalted and they devoured the nobles. (A:11) Having seen this dream and what God intended to do, Mordecai awoke. He kept it in mind, and tried in every way, until night, to understand its meaning. (A:12) Mordecai lodged at the court with Bagathan and Thares, two eunuchs of the king who were court guards. (A:13) He overheard them plotting, investigated their plans, and discovered that they were preparing to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. So he informed the king about them, (A:14) and the king had the two eunuchs questioned and, upon their confession, put to death. (A:15) Then the king had these things recorded; Mordecai, too, put them into writing. (A:16) The king also appointed Mordecai to serve at the court, and rewarded him for his actions. (A:17) Haman, however, son of Hammedatha the Agagite, who was in high honor with the king, sought to harm Mordecai and his people because of the two eunuchs of the king. During the reign of Ahasuerus-this was the Ahasuerus who ruled over a hundred and twenty-seven provinces from India to Ethiopia-
2 while he was occupying the royal throne in the stronghold of Susa,
3 in the third year of his reign, he presided over a feast for all his officers and ministers: the Persian and Median aristocracy, the nobles, and the governors of the provinces.
4 For as many as a hundred and eighty days, he displayed the glorious riches of his kingdom and the resplendent wealth of his royal estate.
5 At the end of this time the king gave a feast of seven days in the garden court of the royal palace for all the people, great and small, who were in the stronghold of Susa.
6 There were white cotton draperies and violet hangings, held by cords of crimson byssus from silver rings on marble pillars. Gold and silver couches were on the pavement, which was of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and colored stones.
7 Liquor was served in a variety of golden cups, and the royal wine flowed freely, as befitted the king's munificence.
8 By ordinance of the king the drinking was unstinted, for he had instructed all the stewards of his household to comply with the good pleasure of everyone.
9 Queen Vashti also gave a feast for the women inside the royal palace of King Ahasuerus.
10 On the seventh day, when the king was merry with wine, he instructed Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carkas, the seven eunuchs who attended King Ahasuerus,
11 to bring Queen Vashti into his presence wearing the royal crown, that he might display her beauty to the populace and the officials, for she was lovely to behold.
12 But Queen Vashti refused to come at the royal order issued through the eunuchs. At this the king's wrath flared up, and he burned with fury.
13 He conferred with the wise men versed in the law, because the king's business was conducted in general consultation with lawyers and jurists.
14 He summoned Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena and Memucan, the seven Persian and Median officials who were in the king's personal service and held first rank in the realm,
15 and asked them, What is to be done by law with Queen Vashti for disobeying the order of King Ahasuerus issued through the eunuchs?
16 In the presence of the king and of the officials, Memucan answered: Queen Vashti has not wronged the king alone, but all the officials and the populace throughout the provinces of King Ahasuerus.
17 For the queen's conduct will become known to all the women, and they will look with disdain upon their husbands when it is reported, King Ahasuerus commanded that Queen Vashti be ushered into his presence, but she would not come.'
18 This very day the Persian and Median ladies who hear of the queen's conduct will rebel against all the royal officials, with corresponding disdain and rancor.
19 If it please the king, let an irrevocable royal decree be issued by him and inscribed among the laws of the Persians and Medes, forbidding Vashti to come into the presence of King Ahasuerus and authorizing the king to give her royal dignity to one more worthy than she.
20 Thus, when the decree which the king will issue is published throughout his realm, vast as it is, all wives will honor their husbands, from the greatest to the least.
21 This proposal found acceptance with the king and the officials, and the king acted on the advice of Memucan.
22 He sent letters to all the royal provinces, to each province in its own script and to each people in its own language, to the effect that every man should be lord in his own home.

Esther 2

1 After this, when King Ahasuerus' wrath had cooled, he thought over what Vashti had done and what had been decreed against her.
2 Then the king's personal attendants suggested: Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king.
3 Let the king appoint commissaries in all the provinces of his realm to bring together all beautiful young virgins to the harem in the stronghold of Susa. Under the care of the royal eunuch Hegai, custodian of the women, let cosmetics be given them.
4 Then the girl who pleases the king shall reign in place of Vashti. This suggestion pleased the king, and he acted accordingly.
5 There was in the stronghold of Susa a certain Jew named Mordecai, son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, a Benjaminite,
6 who had been exiled from Jerusalem with the captives taken with Jeconiah, king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, had deported.
7 He was foster father to Hadassah, that is, Esther, his cousin; for she had lost both father and mother. The girl was beautifully formed and lovely to behold. On the death of her father and mother, Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter.
8 When the king's order and decree had been obeyed and many maidens brought together to the stronghold of Susa under the care of Hegai, Esther also was brought in to the royal palace under the care of Hegai, custodian of the women.
9 The girl pleased him and won his favor. So he promptly furnished her with cosmetics and provisions. Then picking out seven maids for her from the royal palace, he transferred both her and her maids to the best place in the harem.
10 Esther did not reveal her nationality or family, for Mordecai had commanded her not to do so.
11 Day by day Mordecai would walk about in front of the court of the harem, to learn how Esther was faring and what was to become of her.
12 Each girl went in turn to visit King Ahasuerus after the twelve months' preparation decreed for the women. Of this period of beautifying treatment, six months were spent with oil of myrrh, and the other six months with perfumes and cosmetics.
13 Then, when the girl was to visit the king, she was allowed to take with her from the harem to the royal palace whatever she chose.
14 She would go in the evening and return in the morning to a second harem under the care of the royal eunuch Shaashgaz, custodian of the concubines. She could not return to the king unless he was pleased with her and had her summoned by name.
15 As for Esther, daughter of Abihail and adopted daughter of his nephew Mordecai, when her turn came to visit the king, she did not ask for anything but what the royal eunuch Hegai, custodian of the women, suggested. Yet she won the admiration of all who saw her.
16 Esther was led to King Ahasuerus in his palace in the tenth month, Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.
17 The king loved Esther more than all other women, and of all the virgins she won his favor and benevolence. So he placed the royal diadem on her head and made her queen in place of Vashti.
18 Then the king gave a great feast in honor of Esther to all his officials and ministers, granting a holiday to the provinces and bestowing gifts with royal bounty.
19 [To resume: From the time the virgins had been brought together, and while Mordecai was passing his time at the king's gate,
20 Esther had not revealed her family or nationality, because Mordecai had told her not to; and Esther continued to follow Mordecai's instructions, just as she had when she was being brought up by him.
21 And during the time that Mordecai spent at the king's gate, Bagathan and Thares, two of the royal eunuchs who guarded the entrance, had plotted in anger to lay hands on King Ahasuerus.
22 When the plot became known to Mordecai, he told Queen Esther, who in turn informed the king for Mordecai.
23 The matter was investigated and verified, and both of them were hanged on a gibbet. This was written in the annals for the king's use.]

Esther 3

1 After these events King Ahasuerus raised Haman, son of Hammedatha the Agagite, to high rank, seating him above all his fellow officials.
2 All the king's servants who were at the royal gate would kneel and bow down to Haman, for that is what the king had ordered in his regard. Mordecai, however, would not kneel and bow down.
3 The king's servants who were at the royal gate said to Mordecai, Why do you disobey the king's order?
4 When they had reminded him day after day and he would not listen to them, they informed Haman, to see whether Mordecai's explanation was acceptable, since he had told them that he was a Jew.
5 When Haman observed that Mordecai would not kneel and bow down to him, he was filled with anger.
6 Moreover, he thought it was not enough to lay hands on Mordecai alone. Since they had told Haman of Mordecai's nationality, he sought to destroy all the Jews, Mordecai's people, throughout the realm of King Ahasuerus.
7 In the first month, Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, the pur, or lot, was cast in Haman's presence to determine the day and the month for the destruction of Mordecai's people on a single day, and the lot fell on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, Adar.
8 Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus: Dispersed among the nations throughout the provinces of your kingdom, there is a certain people living apart, with laws differing from those of every other people. They do not obey the laws of the king, and so it is not proper for the king to tolerate them.
9 If it please the king, let a decree be issued to destroy them; and I will deliver to the procurators ten thousand silver talents for deposit in the royal treasury.
10 The king took the signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman, son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews.
11 The silver you may keep, the king said to Haman, but as for this people, do with them whatever you please.
12 So the royal scribes were summoned; and on the thirteenth day of the first month they wrote, at the dictation of Haman, an order to the royal satraps, the governors of every province, and the officials of every people, to each province in its own script and to each people in its own language. It was written in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with the royal signet ring.
13 Letters were sent by couriers to all the royal provinces, that all the Jews, young and old, including women and children, should be killed, destroyed, wiped out in one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, Adar, and that their goods should be seized as spoil. (B:1) This is a copy of the letter: The great King Ahasuerus writes to the satraps of the hundred and twenty-seven provinces from India to Ethiopia, and the governors subordinate to them, as follows: (B:2) When I came to rule many peoples and to hold sway over the whole world, I determined not to be carried away with the sense of power, but always to deal fairly and with clemency; to provide for my subjects a life of complete tranquillity; and by making my government humane and effective as far as the borders, to restore the peace desired by all men. (B:3) When I consulted my counselors as to how this might be accomplished, Haman, who excels among us in wisdom, who is outstanding for constant devotion and steadfast loyalty, and who has gained the second rank in the kingdom, (B:4) brought it to our attention that, mixed in with all the races throughout the world, there is one people of bad will, which by its laws is opposed to every other people and continually disregards the decrees of kings, so that the unity of empire blamelessly designed by us cannot be established. (B:5) Having noted, therefore, that this most singular people is continually at variance with all men, lives by divergent and alien laws, is inimical to our interests, and commits the worst crimes, so that stability of government cannot be obtained, (B:6) we hereby decree that all those who are indicated to you in the letters of Haman, who is in charge of the administration and is a second father to us, shall, together with their wives and children, be utterly destroyed by the swords of their enemies, without any pity or mercy, on the fourteenth day of the twelfth month, Adar, of the current year; (B:7) so that when these people, whose present ill will is of long standing, have gone down into the nether world by a violent death on a single day, they may at last leave our affairs stable and undisturbed for the future.
14 A copy of the decree to be promulgated as law in every province was published to all the peoples, that they might be prepared for that day.
15 The couriers set out in haste at the king's command; meanwhile, the decree was promulgated in the stronghold of Susa. The king and Haman then sat down to feast, but the city of Susa was thrown into confusion.