Study Desk

Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, Come, let us go together and encamp as a troop in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me harm.

But they sent to me four times in this manner, and I answered them after the same manner.

Now the city was large and wide; but there were few people in it, and their houses were not built.

These were those who came up from Tel-milkha to Tel-ava and Kerob, and they spoke, but they could not show their fathers genealogy nor their descent, whether they were of Israel.

These sought their register among those who were reckoned by genealogy, but it was not found; therefore they were barred from the priesthood.

But they and their fathers dealt wickedly and were stubborn and did not give ear to thy commandments,

And refused to obey, neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them; but turned their hearts to their evil works; yet thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and ready to hear petitions, and didst not forsake them.

But after they had rest, they did evil again before thee; therefore thou didst leave them in the hand of their enemies, so that they had dominion over them; yet when they returned and prayed before thee, thou didst hear them from heaven; and many times didst thou save them according to thy great mercies.

And thou didst testify against them, that thou mightest bring them again to thy law; yet they dealt wrongfully and did not obey thy commandments, but sinned against thy judgments (which if a man observe them, he shall live in them); and they conspired and became stubborn and would not listen.

Nevertheless thou art righteous in all that has come upon us; for thou hast done right, but we have done wickedly;

Because they did not meet the children of Israel with bread and water, but hired Baalam to curse them; but our God turned his curses into blessings.

But while these things took place I was not in Jerusalem; for in the thirty-second year of Artakhshist king of Babylon, I came to the king, and after certain days, I asked leave of the king;

And their children spoke half in the language of Ashdod and in the other half they could not intelligently speak in the Jewish language, but according to the language of each people.

But Queen Vashti refused to come at the kings command by the eunuchs; therefore the king was very wroth and his anger burned in him.

And Meaucan said before the king and the princes, Vashti the queen has not done wrong to the king only, but also to all the princes, and to all the people that are in all the provinces of King Akhshirash.

For this deed of the queen shall reach all women, so that their husbands shall be despised in their eyes, and they shall say, King Akhshirash commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she did not come.

Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, came to go in before the king, she asked for nothing but what Hegai the kings eunuch, the keeper of the women, appointed. And Esther obtained favor in the sight of all those who saw her.

But Esther had not yet made known her kindred nor her people, as Mordecai had charged her; for Esther obeyed the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was faith fully brought up with him.

And all the kings servants who were at the kings gate bowed down and did obeisance to Haman; for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai would not bow nor pay him reverence.

The couriers went out, being hastened by the kings command, and the decree was given in Shushan the palace. And the king and Haman sat down to drink; but the city of Shushan was in an uproar.