ESTHER
THE BOOK OF
11
CHAPTER 1
1 In the tyme of Ahasuerus, which reigned from India vnto Ethiopia, ouer an hundreth and seuen and twentye londes,
2 what tyme as he sat on his seate roiall in the castell of Susan
3 in the thirde yeare of his reigne, he made a feast vnto all his prynces and seruauntes, namely vnto the mightie men of Persia and Media, to the Debities and rulers of his countrees,
4 that he mighte shewe the noble riches of his kingdome, and the glorious worshippe of his greatnesse, many dayes longe, euen an hundreth and foure score dayes.
5 And whan these dayes were expyred, the kynge made a feast vnto all the people that were in the castell of Susan, both vnto greate and small, seuen dayes longe in the courte of the garden by the kynges palace:
6 where there hanged whyte, reed & yalow clothes, fastened with coardes of lynnen and scarlet in siluer rynges, vpon pylers of Marble stone. The benches were of golde and siluer made vpon a pauement of grene, white, yalowe and black Marble.
7 And ye drinke was caried in vessels of golde, and there was euer chaunge of vessell. And the kinges wine was moch acordynge to the power of the kynge.
8 And no man was appoynted what he shulde drinke: for the kynge had commaunded all the officers of his house, that euery one shulde do as it lyked him.
9 And the quene Vasthi made a feast also for the wemen in the palace of Ahasuerus.
10 And on the seuenth daye whan the kynge was mery of the wine, he comaunded Mehuman, Bistha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Sethar and Charcas, the seuen chamberlaynes (that dyd seruyce in the presence of kynge Ahasuerus)
11 to fetch the quene Vasthi with the crowne regall, that he might shewe ye people and prynces hir fairnesse: for she was bewtifull.
12 But the quene Vasthi wolde not come at the kynges worde by his chamberlaynes. Then was the kynge very wroth, and his indignacio kyndled in him.
13 And the kynge spake to ye wyse men that had vnderstondinge in the ordinaunces of the londe (for the kinges matters must be hadled before all soch as haue knowlege of the lawe and iudgment:
14 And the nexte vnto him were, Charsena, Sethar, Admatha, Tharsis, Meres, Marsena and Memuchan, the seuen prynces of the Persias, and Meedes, which sawe the kynges face, and satt aboue in the kyngdome)
15 What lawe shulde be execute vpon the quene Vasthi, because she dyd not acordynge to the worde of the kynge by his chamberlaines.
16 The saide Memucha before the kynge & the prynces: The quene Vasthi hath not onely done euell agaynst the kinge but also agaynst all the prynces and all the people in all the londes of kynge Ahasuerus
17 for this dede of the quene shall come abrode vnto all wemen, so that they shall despyse their husbandes before their eyes, and shall saye: The kynge Ahasuers comaunded Vasthi ye quene to come before him, but she wolde not.
18 And so shall the pryncesses in Persia and Media saye lykewyse vnto all the kynges prynces, whan they heare of this dede of the quene, thus shall there aryse despytefulnes and wrath ynough.
19 Yf it please the kynge, let there go a kyngly commaundemet from him, and let it be wrytten acordynge to the lawe of the Persians and Medians (and not to be transgressed) that Vasthi come nomore before kynge Ahasuerus, and let the kynge geue the kyngdome vnto another that is better then she.
20 And yt this wrytinge of the kynge which shalbe made, be published thorow out all his empyre (which is greate) that all wyues maye holde their husbandes in honoure, both amonge greate and smal.
21 This pleased the kynge and the prynces, and the kynge dyd acordynge to the worde of Memuchan.
22 Then were there letters sent forth in to all the kynges londes, in to euery londe acordinge to the wrytinge ther of, and to euery people after their laguage, yt euery man shulde be lorde in his awne house. And this caused he be spoken after the language of his people.
CHAPTER 2
1 After these actes whan the displeasure of kynge Ahasuerus was layed, he thoughte vpon Vasthi, what she had done, and what was concluded concernynge her.
2 Then sayde the kynges seruauntes: Let there be fayre yonge virgins soughte for the kynge,
3 and let the kynge appoynte ouerseers in all ye londes of his empyre, that they maye brynge together all fayre yonge virgins vnto the castel of Susan to the Wemens buyldinge, vnder the hande of Hegai the kynges clamberlayne, that kepeth the wemen, and let him geue them their apparell.
4 And loke which damsell pleaseth the kynge, let her be quene in Vasthis steade. This pleased the kynge, and he dyd so.
5 In the castell of Susan there was a Iewe, whose name was Mardocheus, the sonne of Iair, the sonne of Simei, the sonne of Cis, the sonne of Iemini,
6 which was caried awaye from Ierusalem, whan Iechonias the kynge of Iuda was led awaye, (whom Nabuchodonosor the kynge of Babilon caried awaye)
7 and he norished Hadassa (that is Hester) his vncles danghter: for she had nether father ner mother, and she was a fayre and beutyfull damsell. And whan hir father and mother dyed, Mardocheus receaued her as his awne daughter.
8 Now whan ye kynges comaundemet and comyssion was published, & many dasels were broughte together vnto the castell of Susan vnder ye hande of Hegai, Hester, was take also vnto ye kynges house vnder ye hande of Hegai ye keper of ye weme,
9 & the damsell pleased him, & she founde grace in his sighte. And he put her wt hir maydes in ye best place of ye Womes buildige.
10 And Hester shewed it not vnto hir people & hir kynred: for Mardocheus had charged her, yt she shulde not tell it.
11 And Mardocheus walked euery daye before ye courte of ye Womes buyldinge, yt he might knowe how Hester dyd, and what shulde become of her.
12 And whan the appoynted tyme of euery damsell came that she shulde come to ye kynge Ahasuerus, after that she had bene twolue monethes in the deckynge of the wemen (for their deckynge must haue so moch tyme, namely sixe monethes with Balme & Myrre, & sixe monethes wt good spyces, so were the weme beutifyed)
13 then wente there one damsell vnto ye kynge, and what so euer she requyred, yt must be geue her to go wt her out of the Womens buyldinge vnto ye kynges palace.
14 And whan one came in the euenynge, ye same wete fro him on ye morow in to ye seconde house of wemen, vnder the hande of Saasgas the kynges chamberlayne, which kepte ye concubines. And she must come vnto the kynge nomore, excepte it pleased the kynge, and that he caused her to be called by name.
15 Now whan the tyme came of Hester the daughter of Abihail Mardocheus vncle (whom he had receaued as his awne daughter) yt she shulde come to the kynge, she desyred nothinge but what Hegai the kynges chamberlayne the keper of the wemen sayde. And Hester founde fauoure in the sighte of all them that loked vpon her.
16 And Hester was taken vnto kynge Ahasuerus in to the house royall, in the tenth moneth which is called Tebeth, in the seuenthe yeare of his reigne.
17 And the kynge loued Hester aboue all the wemen, and she founde grace and mercy in his sighte before all the virgins: and he set the quenes croune vpon hir heade, and made her quene in steade of Vasthi.
18 And the kynke made a greate feast vnto all his prynces and seruauntes (which feast was because of Hester) and let the londes be in quyetnes, & gaue royall giftes.
19 And whan the virgins were gathered together the seconde tyme, Mardocheus sat in the kynges gate.
20 And as yet had not Hester shewed hir kynred and hir people, acordinge as Mardocheus had bydden her: for Hester dyd after the worde of Mardocheus, like as whan he was hir tutoure.
21 At the same tyme whyle Mardocheus sat in the kynges gate, two of the kinges chamberlaynes, Bigthan and Theres which kepte the dore, were wroth, and sought to laye their handes on the kynge Ahasuerus:
22 Wherof Mardocheus gat knowlege, and tolde it vnto quene Hester, and Hester certified the kynge therof in Mardocheus name.
23 And whan inquisicion was made, it was founde so. And they were both hanged on tre: and it was wrytte in the Cronicles before the kynge.
CHAPTER 3
1 After these actes dyd the kynge promote Aman the sonne of Amadathi the Agagite, vnd set him hye, & set his seate aboue all ye prynces that were with him.
2 And all the kynges seruauntes that were in the gate, bowed their knees, and dyd reuerence vnto Aman: for the kinge had so comaunded. But Mardocheus bowed not the knee, and worshipped him not.
3 Then the kynges seruauntes which were in the kynges gate, sayde vnto Mardocheus: Why transgressest thou the kynges commaundement?
4 And whan they spake this daylie vnto him, and he folowed them not, they tolde Aman, that they mighte se whether Mardocheus matters wolde endure: for he had tolde them, yt he was a Iewe.
5 And wha Aman sawe, that Mardocheus bowed not the knee vnto him, ner worshipped him, he was full of indignacion & despyte,
6 that he shulde laye hondes onely on Mardocheus: for they had shewed him ye people of Mardocheus, but he sought to destroye the people of Mardocheus, and all the people that were in the whole empyre of Ahasuerus.
7 In the first moneth that is the moneth Nissan, in ye twolueth yeare of kinge Ahasuerus, was there occasion and oportunyte sought by Aman, from one daye to another, and from the same moneth vnto the twolueth moneth, that is the moneth Adar.
8 And Ama sayde vnto kinge Ahasuerus: There is a people scatered abrode and dispersed amonge all people in all the londes of thine empire, and their lawe is cotrary vnto all people, and they do not after the kynges lawes, nether is it the kinges profit to suffre the after this maner.
9 Yf it please the kynge, let him wryte, that they maye be destroyed, & so wil I weye downe ten thousande talentes of siluer, vnder the handes of the workmen, to be brought in to the kynges chamber.
10 Then toke the kynge his rynge from his hande, and gaue it vnto Aman the sonne of Amadathi the Agagite the Iewes enemie.
11 And the kinge sayde vnto Aman: Let the siluer be geuen the, and that people also, to do withall what pleaseth the.
12 Then were the kynges scrybes called on ye thirtenth daye of the first moneth, & there was wrytten (acordynge as Aman commauded) vnto the kynges prynces, and to the Debites euery where in the londes, and to the captaynes of euery people in the countrees on euery syde, acordynge to the wrytinge of euery nacion, and after their language in the name of kynge Ahasuerus, and sealed with the kynges rynge.
13 And the wrytynges were sent by postes in to all the kynges lodes, to rote out, to kyll, and to destroye all Iewes, both yonge and olde, childre and wemen in one daye (namely vpon the thirtenth daye of the twolueth moneth, which is the moneth Adar) and to spoyle their goodes.
14 This was the summe of the wrytinge, yt there shulde be a commaundement geuen in all londes, to be published vnto all people, yt they shulde be ready agaynst the same daye.
15 And the postes wente in all the haist acordynge to the kynges commaundement. And in the castell of Susan was the comaundement deuysed. And the kynge & Aman sat & dranke. But ye cite of Susan was disquieted.
CHAPTER 4
1 Whan Mardocheus perceaued all that was done, he rete his clothes, and put on a sack cloth, & asshes, & wente out in to the myddes of the cite, and cried loude and lamentably,
2 and came before the kynges gate: for there might no man entre within the kynges gate, that had a sack cloth on.
3 And in all lodes & places, as farre as the kynges worde and commaundement extended, there was greate lamentacion amonge the Iewes, and many fasted, wepte, mourned, & laye in sack clothes & in asshes.
4 So Hesters dasels, and hir chamberlaines, came and tolde it her. Then was the quene exceadingly astonnyed. And she sent rayment, that Mardocheus shulde put them on, and laye the sacklothe from him. But Mardocheus wolde not take them.
5 The called Hester Hathac one of the kinges chamberlaines (which stode before her) and gaue him a comaundement vnto Mardocheus, that he might knowe what it were, and wherfore he dyd so.
6 So Hathac wente forth to Mardocheus vnto the strete of the cite, which was before the kynges gate.
7 And Mardocheus tolde him of all yt had happened vnto him, and of the summe of siluer that Ama had promysed to weie downe in the kynges chamber because of ye Iewes for to destroye them,
8 and he gaue him the copye of the commaundement, that was deuysed at Susan to destroye them, that he mighte shewe it vnto Hester, and to speake to her and charge her, yt she shulde go into the kynge, and make her prayer and supplicacion vnto him for hir people.
9 And wha Hathat came in, and tolde Hester the wordes of Mardocheus,
10 Hester spake vnto Hathat, and comaunded him to saye vnto Mardocheus:
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