Esther 4:2–7

¹²And in that day did the Lord God of hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth:

¹²And in that day did the LORD God of hostes call to weeping and to mourning, and to baldnesse, and to girding with sackecloth.

³¶ And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:

³¶ And I set my face vnto the LORD God to seeke by prayer, and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes.

¹²Then were the king’s scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the king’s lieutenants, and to the governors that were over every province, and to the rulers of every people of every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king’s ring.

¹²Then were the kings ^‖scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first moneth, and there was written, according to all that Haman had commanded, vnto the kings Lieutenants, and to the gouernours, that were ouer euery prouince, and to the rulers of euery people of euery prouince, according to the writing thereof, and to euery people, after their language, in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the kings ring.

¹⁶Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.

¹⁶Goe, gather together all the Iewes that are ^†present in Shushan, and fast yee for me, and neither eate nor drinke three dayes, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise, and so will I goe in vnto the king, which is not according to the Law, and if I perish, I perish.

⁴Therefore said I, Look away from me; I will weep bitterly, labour not to comfort me, because of the spoiling of the daughter of my people.

^4*†Therefore sayd I; Looke away from me, I will weepe bitterly, labour not to comfort me; because of the spoiling of the daughter of my people.

¹AND it came to pass, when king Hezekiah heard it, that he rent his clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the Lord.

²And he sent Eliakim, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests covered with sackcloth, unto Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz.

³And they said unto him, Thus saith Hezekiah, This day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and of blasphemy: for the children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth.

¹¶ ^*And it came to passe when King Hezekiah heard it, that hee rent his clothes, and couered himselfe with sackecloth, and went into the house of the LORD.

²And hee sent Eliakim, who was ouer the houshold, and Shebna the Scribe, and the Elders of the Priestes couered with sackecloth, vnto Isaiah the Prophet the sonne of Amoz.

^3‖And they sayd vnto him; Thus sayth Hezekiah, This day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and of blasphemie: for the children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring foorth.

⁵Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the Lord?

^5**‖Is it such a fast that I haue chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soule? Is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackecloth and ashes vnder him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD?

¹³And when he came, lo, Eli sat upon a seat by the wayside watching: for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city, and told it, all the city cried out.

¹⁴And when Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said, What meaneth the noise of this tumult? And the man came in hastily, and told Eli.

¹³And when hee came, loe, Eli sate vpon a seat by the way side, watching: for his heart trembled for the Arke of God. And when the man came into the citie, and told it, all the city cried out.

¹⁴And when Eli heard the noise of the crying, hee said; What meaneth the noise of this tumult? And the man came in hastily, and told Eli.

⁴²And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

⁴²And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wayling and gnashing of teeth.

¹³Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

¹³Then said the king to the seruants, Binde him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkenesse, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

³⁰And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

³⁰And cast yee the vnprofitable seruant into outer darkenesse, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

⁴¶ Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and told the tidings in the ears of the people: and all the people lifted up their voices, and wept.

⁴¶ Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and told the tidings in the eares of the people: and all the people lift vp their voyces, and wept.

¹NOW it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces:)

¹¶ Now it came to passe in the dayes of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus which reigned from India, euen vnto Ethiopia, ouer an hundred, and seuen and twentie prouinces.)

²In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted.

^2†In the day of my trouble, I sought the LORD; my sore ranne in the night, and ceased not: my soule refused to be comforted.

¹⁵And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.

¹⁵And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and giue to his ^†officers, and to his seruants.

³²And he lifted up his face to the window, and said, Who is on my side? who? And there looked out to him two or three eunuchs.

³²And he lift vp his face to the window, and said, Who is on my side, who? And there looked out to him two or three ^†Eunuches.

¹²But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s commandment by his chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him.

¹²But the Queene Uasthi refused to come at the Kings commandement ^†by his chamberlens: therefore was the King very wroth, and his anger burned in him.

³⁵And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning. Thus his father wept for him.

³⁵And all his sonnes, and all his daughters rose vp to comfort him: but he refused to be comforted: and he said, For I will goe downe into the graue vnto my sonne, mourning; thus his father wept for him.

³¶ Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the Lord, speak, saying, The Lord hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree.

³¶ Neither let the sonne of the stranger, that hath ioyned himselfe to the LORD, speake, saying, The LORD hath vtterly separated mee from his people: neither let the Eunuch say, Behold, I am a drie tree.

¹⁵¶ Thus saith the Lord; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not.

¹⁵¶ ^*Thus saith the LORD; A voyce was heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping: Rahel weeping for her children, refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not.

²⁷And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,

²⁷And hee arose, and went: and behold, a man of Ethiopia, an Eunuch of great authority vnder Candace queene of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Hierusalem for to worship,

²⁶And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.

²⁶And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it: or one member be honoured, all the members reioyce with it.

¹⁵Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.

¹⁵Reioyce with them that doe reioice, and weepe with them that weepe.

¹⁰¶ On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven chamberlains that served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king,

¹⁰¶ On the seuenth day, when the heart of the King was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seuen ^‖chamberlens that serued in the presence of Ahasuerus the king,

¹⁵For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

¹⁵For wee haue not an high Priest which cannot bee touched with the feeling of our infirmities: but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sinne.

⁴Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

⁴Looke not euery man on his owne things, but euery man also on the things of others.

¹²But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s commandment by his chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him.

¹²But the Queene Uasthi refused to come at the Kings commandement ^†by his chamberlens: therefore was the King very wroth, and his anger burned in him.

³And in every province, whithersoever the king’s commandment and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.

³And in euery prouince, whithersoeuer the kings commaundement, and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Iewes, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing, and ^†many lay in sackcloth and ashes.

²And the king said again unto Esther on the second day at the banquet of wine, What is thy petition, queen Esther? and it shall be granted thee: and what is thy request? and it shall be performed, even to the half of the kingdom.

²And the king said againe vnto Esther, on the second day at the banquet of wine, What is thy petition, Queene Esther, and it shalbe granted thee? and what is thy request? and it shall bee performed, euen to the halfe of the kingdome.

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 provinces? now what is thy petition? and it shall be granted thee: or what is thy request further? and it shall be done.

¹²¶ And the king said vnto Esther the Queene; The Iewes haue slaine and destroied fiue hundred men in Shushan the palace, & the ten sonnes of Haman; what haue they done in the rest of the kings prouinces? now what is thy petition? and it shalbe granted thee: or what is thy request further? and it shall be done.

²And all the king’s servants, that were in the king’s gate, bowed, and reverenced Haman: for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence.

³Then the king’s servants, which were in the king’s gate, said unto Mordecai, Why transgressest thou the king’s commandment?

⁴Now it came to pass, when they spake daily unto him, and he hearkened not unto them, that they told Haman, to see whether Mordecai’s matters would stand: for he had told them that he was a Jew.

⁵And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath.

⁶And he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they had shewed him the people of Mordecai: wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai.

⁷¶ In the first month, that is, the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of king Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that is, the lot, before Haman from day to day, and from month to month, to the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar.

⁸¶ And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from all people; neither keep they the king’s laws: therefore it is not for the king’s profit to suffer them.

⁹If it please the king, let it be written that they may be destroyed: and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver to the hands of those that have the charge of the business, to bring it into the king’s treasuries.

¹⁰And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews’ enemy.

¹¹And the king said unto Haman, The silver is given to thee, the people also, to do with them as it seemeth good to thee.

¹²Then were the king’s scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the king’s lieutenants, and to the governors that were over every province, and to the rulers of every people of every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king’s ring.

¹³And the letters were sent by posts into all the king’s provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, even upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to take the spoil of them for a prey.

¹⁴The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given in every province was published unto all people, that they should be ready against that day.

¹⁵The posts went out, being hastened by the king’s commandment, and the decree was given in Shushan the palace. And the king and Haman sat down to drink; but the city Shushan was perplexed.

²And all the kings seruants, that were in the kings gate, bowed, and reuerenced Haman, for the king had so commanded concerning him: but Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reuerence.

³Then the kings seruants, which were in the kings gate, sayd vnto Mordecai, Why transgressest thou the kings commandement?

⁴Now it came to passe, when they spake daily vnto him, and he hearkened not vnto them; that they told Haman, to see whether Mordecai his matters would stand, for he had told them that he was a Iewe.

⁵And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reuerence, then was Haman full of wrath.

⁶And hee thought scorne to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had shewed him the people of Mordecai: wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Iewes, that were throughout the whole kingdome of Ahasuerus, euen the people of Mordecai.

⁷¶ In the first moneth (that is, the moneth Nisan) in the twelfth yeere of king Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that is, the lot, before Haman, from day to day, and from moneth to moneth, to the twelfth moneth, that is the moneth Adar.

⁸¶ And Haman saide vnto king Ahasuerus: There is a certaine people scattered abroad, and dispersed among the people, in all the prouinces of thy kingdome, and their lawes are diuerse from all people, neither keepe they the kings lawes; therefore it is not ^†for the kings profit to suffer them.

⁹If it please the king, let it be written, ^†that they may be destroyed: and I will ^†pay ten thousand talents of siluer to the handes of those that haue the charge of the businesse, to bring it into the kings treasuries.

¹⁰And the king tooke his ring from his hand, and gaue it vnto Haman the sonne of Ammedatha the Agagite, the Iewes ^‖enemie.

¹¹And the king saide vnto Haman, The siluer is giuen to thee, the people also, to doe with them, as it seemeth good to thee.

¹²Then were the kings ^‖scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first moneth, and there was written, according to all that Haman had commanded, vnto the kings Lieutenants, and to the gouernours, that were ouer euery prouince, and to the rulers of euery people of euery prouince, according to the writing thereof, and to euery people, after their language, in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the kings ring.

¹³And the letters were sent by posts into all the kings prouinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish all Iewes, both yong and olde, litle children and women, in one day, euen vpon the thirteenth day of the twelfth moneth (which is the moneth Adar) and to take the spoile of them for a pray.

¹⁴The copie of the writing for a commandement to bee giuen in euery prouince, was published vnto all people, that they should bee ready against that day.

¹⁵The postes went out, being hastened by the kings commandement, and the decree was giuen in Shushan the palace: and the king and Haman sate downe to drinke, but the citie Shushan was perplexed.