Study Desk

And all the officials of the provinces, the satraps, the governors, and the king's administrators helped the Jews. All the leaders helped them because they were afraid of Mordecai.

They were to celebrate those days because on those days the Jews got rid of their enemies. And they were also to celebrate that month as the month when their sadness was turned into joy. It was a month when their crying was changed into a day of celebration. Mordecai wrote letters to all the Jews and told them to celebrate those days as a happy day of feasting. They should have parties, give gifts to each other, and give presents to the poor.

Mordecai the Jew was second in importance to King Xerxes. He was the most important man among the Jews. His fellow Jews respected him very much, because he worked hard for the good of his people and brought peace to all the Jews.

Then they sat on the ground with Job for seven days and seven nights. They didn't say a word, because they saw he was in so much pain.

You will live in peace because your tent is safe. You will count your property and find nothing missing.

I don't have the power to help myself, because all hope of success has been taken away from me.

You need to start over and stop being so unfair! Think again, because I am innocent.

If I sin, I am guilty and should be cursed. But even when I am innocent, I cannot lift up my head. I am so ashamed because of all the troubles I have.

You will feel safe because there is hope. God will protect you and give you rest.

Are you trying to defend God against me? You are not being fair. You are choosing God's side simply because he is God.

You know that God would criticize you if you chose someone's side simply because they were important.

And if he lets me live, it will be because I had the confidence to speak. No guilty person would dare meet God face to face.

That is because that evil man shook his fist at God, refusing to obey. He dared to attack God All-Powerful,

That evil man should not fool himself by trusting in worthless things, because he will keep nothing.

That is because people without God have nothing. Those who take bribes will have their homes destroyed by fire.

"Pity me, my friends, pity me, because God is against me.

because he hurt the poor and left them with nothing. He took houses he did not build.

Why does God blame and punish you? Is it because you worship him?

No, it is because you sin so much. You never stop sinning.

Even those who are guilty will be forgiven. They will be saved because you did what was right."