THE BOOK OF ESTHER
Project Gutenberg EPUB3 edition
10:12. And the Lord remembered his people, and had mercy on his inheritance.
10:13. And these days shall be observed in the month of Adar on the fourteenth, and fifteenth day of the same month, with all diligence, and joy of the people gathered into one assembly, throughout all the generations hereafter of the people of Israel.
Esther Chapter 11
The dream of Mardochai, which in the ancient Greek and Latin Bibles was into the beginning of the book, but was detached by St. Jerome, and put in this place.
11:1. In the fourth year of the reign of Ptolemy and Cleopatra, Dositheus, who said he was a priest, and of the Levitical race, and Ptolemy his son brought this epistle of Phurim, which they said Lysimachus the son of Ptolemy had interpreted in Jerusalem.
11:2. In the second year of the reign of Artaxerxes the great, in the first day of the month Nisan, Mardochai the son of Jair, the son of Semei, the son of Cis, of the tribe of Benjamin:
11:3. A Jew who dwelt in the city of Susan, a great man and among the first of the king's court, had a dream.
11:4. Now he was of the number of the captives, whom Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon had carried away from Jerusalem with Jechonias king of Juda:
11:5. And this was his dream: Behold there were voices, and tumults, and thunders, and earthquakes, and a disturbance upon the earth.
11:6. And behold two great dragons came forth ready to fight one against another.
11:7. And at their cry all nations were stirred up to fight against the nation of the just.
11:8. And that was a day of darkness and danger, of tribulation and distress, and great fear upon the earth.
11:9. And the nation of the just was troubled fearing their own evils, and was prepared for death.
11:10. And they cried to God: and as they were crying, a little fountain grew into a very great river, and abounded into many waters.
11:11. The light and the sun rose up, and the humble were exalted, and they devoured the glorious.
11:12. And when Mardochai had seen this, and arose out of his bed, he was thinking what God would do: and he kept it fixed in his mind, desirous to know what the dream should signify.
Esther Chapter 12
Mardochai detects the conspiracy of the two eunuchs.
12:1. And he abode at that time in the king's court with Bagatha and Thara the king's eunuchs, who were porters of the palace.
12:2. And when he understood their designs, and had diligently searched into their projects, he learned that they went about to lay violent hands on king Artaxerxes, and he told the king thereof.
12:3. Then the king had them both examined, and after they had confessed, commanded them to be put to death.
12:4. But the king made a record of what was done: and Mardochai also committed the memory of the thing to writing.
12:5. And the king commanded him, to abide in the court of the palace, and gave him presents for the information.
12:6. But Aman the son of Amadathi the Bugite was in great honour with the king, and sought to hurt Mardochai and his people, because of the two eunuchs of the king who were put to death.
Esther Chapter 13
A copy of a letter sent by Aman to destroy the Jews. Mardochai's prayer for the people.
13:1. And this was the copy of the letter: Artaxerxes the great king who reigneth from India to Ethiopia, to the princes and governors of the hundred and twenty-seven provinces, that are subject to his empire, greeting.
13:2. Whereas I reigned over many nations, and had brought all the world under my dominion, I was not willing to abuse the greatness of my power, but to govern my subjects with clemency and that they might live quietly without any terror, and might enjoy peace, which is desired by all men,
13:3. But when I asked my counsellors how this might be accomplished, one that excelled the rest in wisdom and fidelity, and was second after the king, Aman by name,
13:4. Told me that there was a people scattered through the whole world, which used new laws, and acted against the customs of all nations, despised the commandments of kings, and violated by their opposition the concord of all nations.
13:5. Wherefore having learned this, and seeing one nation in opposition to all mankind using perverse laws, and going against our commandments, and disturbing the peace and concord of the provinces subject to us,
13:6. We have commanded that all whom Aman shall mark out, who is chief over all the provinces, and second after the king, and whom we honour as a father, shall be utterly destroyed by their enemies, with their wives and children, and that none shall have pity on them, on the fourteenth day of the twelfth month Adar of this present year:
13:7. That these wicked men going down to hell in one day, may restore to our empire the peace which they had disturbed.
13:8. But Mardochai besought the Lord, remembering all his works,
13:9. And said: O Lord, Lord, almighty king, for all things are in thy power, and there is none that can resist thy will, if thou determine to save Israel.
13:10. Thou hast made heaven and earth and all things that are under the cope of heaven.
13:11. Thou art Lord of all, and there is none that can resist thy majesty.
13:12. Thou knowest all things, and thou knowest that it was not out of pride and or any desire of glory, that I refused to worship the proud Aman,
13:13. (For I would willingly and readily for the salvation of Israel have kissed even the steps of his feet,)
13:14. But I feared lest I should transfer the honour of my God to a man, and lest I should adore any one except my God.