Esther 1-5; Psalms 53 - Prayer Tents

The King’s Banquet

1These events happened in the days of King Xerxes

, who reigned over 127 provinces stretching from India to Ethiopia.H3117H325H325H4427H1912H3568H3967H7651H6242H4082 2At that time Xerxes ruled his empire from his royal throne at the fortress of Susa.H3117H4428H325H3427H3678H4438H7800H1002 3In the third year of his reign, he gave a banquet for all his nobles and officials. He invited all the military officers of Persia and Media as well as the princes and nobles of the provinces.H7969H8141H4427H6213H4960H8269H5650H2428H6539H4074H6579H8269H4082H6440 4The celebration lasted 180 days—a tremendous display of the opulent wealth of his empire and the pomp and splendor of his majesty.H7200H6239H3519H4438H3366H8597H1420H7227H3117H3967H8084H3117 5When it was all over, the king gave a banquet for all the people, from the greatest to the least, who were in the fortress of Susa. It lasted for seven days and was held in the courtyard of the palace garden.H3117H4390H4428H6213H4960H5971H4672H7800H1002H1419H6996H7651H3117H2691H1594H4428H1055 6The courtyard was beautifully decorated with white cotton curtains and blue hangings, which were fastened with white linen cords and purple ribbons to silver rings embedded in marble pillars. Gold and silver couches stood on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and other costly stones.H2353H3768H8504H270H2256H948H713H3701H1550H5982H8336H4296H2091H3701H7531H923H8504H1858H5508H8336 7Drinks were served in gold goblets of many designs, and there was an abundance of royal wine, reflecting the king's generosity.H8248H3627H2091H3627H8138H3627H4438H3196H7227H3027H4428 8By edict of the king, no limits were placed on the drinking, for the king had instructed all his palace officials to serve each man as much as he wanted.H8360H1881H597H4428H3245H7227H1004H6213H376H7522 9At the same time, Queen Vashti gave a banquet for the women in the royal palace of King Xerxes.H2060H4436H6213H4960H802H4438H1004H4428H325

Queen Vashti Deposed

10On the seventh day of the feast, when King Xerxes was in high spirits because of the wine, he told the seven eunuchs who attended him—Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas—H7637H3117H3820H4428H2896H3196H559H4104H968H2726H903H5H2242H3752H7651H5631H8334H6440H325H4428 11to bring Queen Vashti to him with the royal crown on her head. He wanted the nobles and all the other men to gaze on her beauty, for she was a very beautiful woman.H935H2060H4436H6440H4428H3804H4438H7200H5971H8269H3308H2896H4758 12But when they conveyed the king's order to Queen Vashti, she refused to come. This made the king furious, and he burned with anger.H4436H2060H3985H935H4428H1697H3027H5631H4428H3966H7107H2534H1197 13He immediately consulted with his wise advisers, who knew all the Persian laws and customs, for he always asked their advice.H4428H559H2450H3045H6256H4428H1697H6440H3045H1881H1779 14The names of these men were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan—seven nobles of Persia and Media. They met with the king regularly and held the highest positions in the empire.H7138H3771H8369H133H8659H4825H4826H4462H7651H8269H6539H4074H7200H4428H6440H3427H7223H4438 15"What must be done to Queen Vashti?" the king demanded. "What penalty does the law provide for a queen who refuses to obey the king's orders, properly sent through his eunuchs?"H6213H4436H2060H1881H6213H3982H4428H325H3027H5631 16Memucan answered the king and his nobles, "Queen Vashti has wronged not only the king but also every noble and citizen throughout your empire.H4462H559H6440H4428H8269H2060H4436H5753H4428H8269H5971H4082H4428H325 17Women everywhere will begin to despise their husbands when they learn that Queen Vashti has refused to appear before the king.H1697H4436H3318H802H959H1167H5869H559H4428H325H559H2060H4436H935H6440H935 18Before this day is out, the wives of all the king's nobles throughout Persia and Media will hear what the queen did and will start treating their husbands the same way. There will be no end to their contempt and anger.H8282H6539H4074H559H3117H4428H8269H8085H1697H4436H1767H963H7110 19"So if it please the king, we suggest that you issue a written decree, a law of the Persians and Medes that cannot be revoked. It should order that Queen Vashti be forever banished from the presence of King Xerxes, and that the king should choose another queen more worthy than she.H2895H4428H3318H4438H1697H6440H3789H1881H6539H4074H5674H2060H935H6440H4428H325H4428H5414H4438H7468H2896 20When this decree is published throughout the king's vast empire, husbands everywhere, whatever their rank, will receive proper respect from their wives!"H4428H6599H6213H8085H4438H7227H802H5414H1167H3366H1419H6996 21The king and his nobles thought this made good sense, so he followed Memucan's counsel.H1697H3190H5869H4428H8269H4428H6213H1697H4462 22He sent letters to all parts of the empire, to each province in its own script and language, proclaiming that every man should be the ruler of his own home and should say whatever he pleases

.H7971H5612H4428H4082H4082H3791H5971H3956H376H8323H1004H1696H3956H5971

Esther Becomes Queen

2But after Xerxes' anger had subsided, he began thinking about Vashti and what she had done and the decree he had made.H310H1697H2534H4428H325H7918H2142H2060H6213H1504

2So his personal attendants suggested, "Let us search the empire to find beautiful young virgins for the king.H559H4428H5288H8334H2896H4758H5291H1330H1245H4428

3Let the king appoint agents in each province to bring these beautiful young women into the royal harem at the fortress of Susa. Hegai, the king's eunuch in charge of the harem, will see that they are all given beauty treatments.H4428H6485H6496H4082H4438H6908H2896H4758H5291H1330H7800H1002H1004H802H3027H1896H4428H5631H8104H802H8562H5414

4After that, the young woman who most pleases the king will be made queen instead of Vashti." This advice was very appealing to the king, so he put the plan into effect.H5291H3190H5869H4428H4427H2060H1697H3190H5869H4428H6213

5At that time there was a Jewish man in the fortress of Susa whose name was Mordecai son of Jair. He was from the tribe of Benjamin and was a descendant of Kish and Shimei.H7800H1002H376H3064H8034H4782H1121H2971H1121H8096H1121H7027H1145

6His family

had been among those who, with King Jehoiachin of Judah, had been exiled from Jerusalem to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar.H1540H3389H1473H1540H3204H4428H3063H5019H4428H894H1540

7This man had a very beautiful and lovely young cousin, Hadassah, who was also called Esther. When her father and mother died, Mordecai adopted her into his family and raised her as his own daughter.H539H1919H635H1730H1323H1H517H5291H3303H8389H2896H4758H4782H1H517H4194H3947H1323

8As a result of the king's decree, Esther, along with many other young women, was brought to the king's harem at the fortress of Susa and placed in Hegai's care.H4428H1697H1881H8085H7227H5291H6908H7800H1002H3027H1896H635H3947H4428H1004H3027H1896H8104H802

9Hegai was very impressed with Esther and treated her kindly. He quickly ordered a special menu for her and provided her with beauty treatments. He also assigned her seven maids specially chosen from the king's palace, and he moved her and her maids into the best place in the harem.H5291H3190H5869H5375H2617H6440H926H5414H8562H4490H7651H5291H7200H5414H4428H1004H8138H5291H2896H1004H802

10Esther had not told anyone of her nationality and family background, because Mordecai had directed her not to do so.H635H5046H5971H4138H4782H6680H5046

11Every day Mordecai would take a walk near the courtyard of the harem to find out about Esther and what was happening to her.H4782H1980H3117H6440H2691H802H1004H3045H635H7965H6213

12Before each young woman was taken to the king's bed, she was given the prescribed twelve months of beauty treatments—six months with oil of myrrh, followed by six months with special perfumes and ointments.H5291H8447H5060H935H4428H325H7093H8147H6240H2320H1881H802H3117H4795H4390H8337H2320H8081H4753H8337H2320H1314H8562H802

13When it was time for her to go to the king's palace, she was given her choice of whatever clothing or jewelry she wanted to take from the harem.H935H5291H4428H559H5414H935H1004H802H4428H1004

14That evening she was taken to the king's private rooms, and the next morning she was brought to the second harem

, where the king's wives lived. There she would be under the care of Shaashgaz, the king's eunuch in charge of the concubines. She would never go to the king again unless he had especially enjoyed her and requested her by name.H6153H935H1242H7725H8145H1004H802H3027H8190H4428H5631H8104H6370H935H4428H4428H2654H7121H8034

15Esther was the daughter of Abihail, who was Mordecai's uncle. (Mordecai had adopted his younger cousin Esther.) When it was Esther's turn to go to the king, she accepted the advice of Hegai, the eunuch in charge of the harem. She asked for nothing except what he suggested, and she was admired by everyone who saw her.H8447H635H1323H32H1730H4782H3947H1323H5060H935H4428H1245H1697H1896H4428H5631H8104H802H559H635H5375H2580H5869H7200

16Esther was taken to King Xerxes at the royal palace in early winter

of the seventh year of his reign.H635H3947H4428H325H1004H4438H6224H2320H2320H2887H7651H8141H4438

17And the king loved Esther more than any of the other young women. He was so delighted with her that he set the royal crown on her head and declared her queen instead of Vashti.H4428H157H635H802H5375H2580H2617H6440H1330H7760H4438H3804H7218H4427H2060

18To celebrate the occasion, he gave a great banquet in Esther's honor for all his nobles and officials, declaring a public holiday for the provinces and giving generous gifts to everyone.H4428H6213H1419H4960H8269H5650H635H4960H6213H2010H4082H5414H4864H3027H4428

19Even after all the young women had been transferred to the second harem

and Mordecai had become a palace official,H1330H6908H8145H4782H3427H4428H8179

20Esther continued to keep her family background and nationality a secret. She was still following Mordecai's directions, just as she did when she lived in his home.H635H5046H4138H5971H4782H6680H635H6213H3982H4782H545

Mordecai’s Loyalty to the King

21One day as Mordecai was on duty at the king's gate, two of the king's eunuchs, Bigthana

and Teresh—who were guards at the door of the king's private quarters—became angry at King Xerxes and plotted to assassinate him.H3117H4782H3427H4428H8179H8147H4428H5631H904H8657H8104H5592H7107H1245H7971H3027H4428H325

22But Mordecai heard about the plot and gave the information to Queen Esther. She then told the king about it and gave Mordecai credit for the report.H1697H3045H4782H5046H635H4436H635H559H4428H4782H8034

23When an investigation was made and Mordecai's story was found to be true, the two men were impaled on a sharpened pole. This was all recorded in The Book of the History of King Xerxes' Reign.H1245H1697H4672H8147H8518H6086H3789H5612H1697H3117H6440H4428

Haman’s Plot against the Jews

3Some time later King Xerxes promoted Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite over all the other nobles, making him the most powerful official in the empire.H310H1697H4428H325H1431H2001H1121H4099H91H5375H7760H3678H8269

2All the king's officials would bow down before Haman to show him respect whenever he passed by, for so the king had commanded. But Mordecai refused to bow down or show him respect.H4428H5650H4428H8179H3766H7812H2001H4428H6680H4782H3766H7812

3Then the palace officials at the king's gate asked Mordecai, "Why are you disobeying the king's command?"H4428H5650H4428H8179H559H4782H5674H4428H4687

4They spoke to him day after day, but still he refused to comply with the order. So they spoke to Haman about this to see if he would tolerate Mordecai's conduct, since Mordecai had told them he was a Jew.H559H3117H3117H8085H5046H2001H7200H4782H1697H5975H5046H3064

5When Haman saw that Mordecai would not bow down or show him respect, he was filled with rage.H2001H7200H4782H3766H7812H2001H4390H2534

6He had learned of Mordecai's nationality, so he decided it was not enough to lay hands on Mordecai alone. Instead, he looked for a way to destroy all the Jews throughout the entire empire of Xerxes.H5869H959H7971H3027H4782H5046H5971H4782H2001H1245H8045H3064H4438H325H5971H4782

7So in the month of April

, during the twelfth year of King Xerxes' reign, lots were cast in Haman's presence (the lots were called purim) to determine the best day and month to take action. And the day selected was March 7, nearly a year later.H7223H2320H2320H5212H8147H6240H8141H4428H325H5307H6332H1486H6440H2001H3117H3117H2320H2320H8147H6240H2320H143

8Then Haman approached King Xerxes and said, "There is a certain race of people scattered through all the provinces of your empire who keep themselves separate from everyone else. Their laws are different from those of any other people, and they refuse to obey the laws of the king. So it is not in the king's interest to let them live.H2001H559H4428H325H3426H259H5971H6340H6504H5971H4082H4438H1881H8138H5971H6213H4428H1881H4428H7737H3240

9If it please the king, issue a decree that they be destroyed, and I will give 10,000 large sacks

of silver to the government administrators to be deposited in the royal treasury."H2895H4428H3789H6H8254H6235H505H3603H3701H3027H6213H4399H935H4428H1595

10The king agreed, confirming his decision by removing his signet ring from his finger and giving it to Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews.H4428H5493H2885H3027H5414H2001H1121H4099H91H3064H6887

11The king said, "The money and the people are both yours to do with as you see fit."H4428H559H2001H3701H5414H5971H6213H5869H2896

12So on April 17

the king's secretaries were summoned, and a decree was written exactly as Haman dictated. It was sent to the king's highest officers, the governors of the respective provinces, and the nobles of each province in their own scripts and languages. The decree was written in the name of King Xerxes and sealed with the king's signet ring.H4428H5608H7121H7969H6240H3117H7223H2320H3789H2001H6680H4428H323H6346H4082H8269H5971H4082H3791H5971H3956H8034H4428H325H3789H2856H4428H2885

13Dispatches were sent by swift messengers into all the provinces of the empire, giving the order that all Jews—young and old, including women and children—must be killed, slaughtered, and annihilated on a single day. This was scheduled to happen on March 7 of the next year

. The property of the Jews would be given to those who killed them.H5612H7971H3027H7323H4428H4082H8045H2026H6H3064H5288H2205H2945H802H259H3117H7969H6240H8147H6240H2320H2320H143H7998H962

14A copy of this decree was to be issued as law in every province and proclaimed to all peoples, so that they would be ready to do their duty on the appointed day.H6572H3791H1881H5414H4082H1540H5971H6264H3117

15At the king's command, the decree went out by swift messengers, and it was also proclaimed in the fortress of Susa. Then the king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Susa fell into confusion.H7323H3318H1765H4428H1697H1881H5414H7800H1002H4428H2001H3427H8354H5892H7800H943

Mordecai Requests Esther’s Help

4When Mordecai learned about all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on burlap and ashes, and went out into the city, crying with a loud and bitter wail.H4782H3045H6213H4782H7167H899H3847H8242H665H3318H8432H5892H2199H1419H4751H2201 2He went as far as the gate of the palace, for no one was allowed to enter the palace gate while wearing clothes of mourning.H935H6440H4428H8179H935H4428H8179H3830H8242 3And as news of the king's decree reached all the provinces, there was great mourning among the Jews. They fasted, wept, and wailed, and many people lay in burlap and ashes.H4082H4725H4428H1697H1881H5060H1419H60H3064H6685H1065H4553H7227H3331H8242H665 4When Queen Esther's maids and eunuchs came and told her about Mordecai, she was deeply distressed. She sent clothing to him to replace the burlap, but he refused it.H635H5291H5631H935H5046H4436H3966H2342H7971H899H3847H4782H5493H8242H6901 5Then Esther sent for Hathach, one of the king's eunuchs who had been appointed as her attendant. She ordered him to go to Mordecai and find out what was troubling him and why he was in mourning.H7121H635H2047H4428H5631H5975H6440H6680H4782H3045 6So Hathach went out to Mordecai in the square in front of the palace gate.H2047H3318H4782H7339H5892H6440H4428H8179 7Mordecai told him the whole story, including the exact amount of money Haman had promised to pay into the royal treasury for the destruction of the Jews.H4782H5046H7136H6575H3701H2001H559H8254H4428H1595H3064H6 8Mordecai gave Hathach a copy of the decree issued in Susa that called for the death of all Jews. He asked Hathach to show it to Esther and explain the situation to her. He also asked Hathach to direct her to go to the king to beg for mercy and plead for her people.H5414H6572H3791H1881H5414H7800H8045H7200H635H5046H6680H935H4428H2603H1245H6440H5971 9So Hathach returned to Esther with Mordecai's message.H2047H935H5046H635H1697H4782 10Then Esther told Hathach to go back and relay this message to Mordecai.H635H559H2047H6680H4782 11"All the king's officials and even the people in the provinces know that anyone who appears before the king in his inner court without being invited is doomed to die unless the king holds out his gold scepter. And the king has not called for me to come to him for thirty days."H4428H5650H5971H4428H4082H3045H376H802H935H4428H6442H2691H7121H259H1881H4191H905H4428H3447H2091H8275H2421H7121H935H4428H7970H3117 12So Hathach

gave Esther's message to Mordecai.H5046H4782H635H1697 13Mordecai sent this reply to Esther: "Don't think for a moment that because you're in the palace you will escape when all other Jews are killed.H4782H559H7725H635H1819H5315H4422H4428H1004H3064 14If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?"H2790H2790H6256H7305H2020H5975H3064H312H4725H1H1004H6H3045H5060H4438H6256 15Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai.H635H559H7725H4782 16"Go and gather together all the Jews of Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will do the same. And then, though it is against the law, I will go in to see the king. If I must die, I must die."H3212H3664H3064H4672H7800H6684H398H8354H7969H3117H3915H3117H5291H6684H3651H935H4428H1881H6H6 17So Mordecai went away and did everything as Esther had ordered him.H4782H5674H6213H635H6680

Esther’s Request to the King

5On the third day of the fast, Esther put on her royal robes and entered the inner court of the palace, just across from the king's hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne, facing the entrance.H7992H3117H635H3847H4438H5975H6442H2691H4428H1004H5227H4428H1004H4428H3427H4438H3678H4438H1004H5227H6607H1004 2When he saw Queen Esther standing there in the inner court, he welcomed her and held out the gold scepter to her. So Esther approached and touched the end of the scepter.H4428H7200H635H4436H5975H2691H5375H2580H5869H4428H3447H635H2091H8275H3027H635H7126H5060H7218H8275 3Then the king asked her, "What do you want, Queen Esther? What is your request? I will give it to you, even if it is half the kingdom!"H559H4428H4436H635H1246H5414H2677H4438 4And Esther replied, "If it please the king, let the king and Haman come today to a banquet I have prepared for the king."H635H559H2895H4428H4428H2001H935H3117H4960H6213 5The king turned to his attendants and said, "Tell Haman to come quickly to a banquet, as Esther has requested." So the king and Haman went to Esther's banquet.H4428H559H2001H4116H6213H635H1697H4428H2001H935H4960H635H6213 6And while they were drinking wine, the king said to Esther, "Now tell me what you really want. What is your request? I will give it to you, even if it is half the kingdom!"H4428H559H635H4960H3196H7596H5414H1246H2677H4438H6213 7Esther replied, "This is my request and deepest wish.H6030H635H559H7596H1246 8If I have found favor with the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my request and do what I ask, please come with Haman tomorrow to the banquet I will prepare for you. Then I will explain what this is all about."H4672H2580H5869H4428H2895H4428H5414H7596H6213H1246H4428H2001H935H4960H6213H6213H4279H4428H1697

Haman’s Plan to Kill Mordecai

9Haman was a happy man as he left the banquet! But when he saw Mordecai sitting at the palace gate, not standing up or trembling nervously before him, Haman became furious.H3318H2001H3318H3117H8056H2896H3820H2001H7200H4782H4428H8179H6965H2111H2001H4390H2534H4782 10However, he restrained himself and went on home. Then Haman gathered together his friends and Zeresh, his wife,H2001H662H935H1004H7971H935H157H2238H802 11and boasted to them about his great wealth and his many children. He bragged about the honors the king had given him and how he had been promoted over all the other nobles and officials.H2001H5608H3519H6239H7230H1121H4428H1431H5375H8269H5650H4428 12Then Haman added, "And that's not all! Queen Esther invited only me and the king himself to the banquet she prepared for us. And she has invited me to dine with her and the king again tomorrow!"H2001H559H635H4436H935H4428H4960H6213H4279H7121H4428 13Then he added, "But this is all worth nothing as long as I see Mordecai the Jew just sitting there at the palace gate."H7737H6256H7200H4782H3064H3427H4428H8179 14So Haman's wife, Zeresh, and all his friends suggested, "Set up a sharpened pole that stands seventy-five feet

tall, and in the morning ask the king to impale Mordecai on it. When this is done, you can go on your merry way to the banquet with the king." This pleased Haman, and he ordered the pole set up.H559H2238H802H157H6086H6213H2572H520H1364H1242H559H4428H4782H8518H935H8056H4428H4960H1697H3190H6440H2001H6213H6086H6213