Study Desk

They spoke to him each day, but he would not listen to them. So they told Haman to see if Mordecai's reason was good enough. For he had told them that he was a Jew.

But he did not want to only hurt Mordecai. They had told him who the people of Mordecai were and Haman wanted to destroy all the Jews. He wanted to destroy all the people of Mordecai in the whole nation of Ahasuerus.

Then Esther's women and men servants came and told her, and the queen was very troubled. She sent clothes for Mordecai to wear, that he might take off his clothes made from hair. But he would not take them.

For if you keep quiet at this time, help will come to the Jews from another place. But you and your father's house will be destroyed. Who knows if you have not become queen for such a time as this?"

Then Haman went out that day glad and with joy in his heart. But when he saw Mordecai at the king's gate, and when he did not stand up or show any fear in front of him, Haman was filled with anger against Mordecai.

But Haman kept himself from doing anything at that time, and went home. There he sent for his friends and his wife Zeresh.

Haman said, "Even Queen Esther let no one but me come with the king to the special supper that she had made ready. She has asked me to come with the king tomorrow also.

Then Mordecai returned to the king's gate. But Haman went home in a hurry with his head covered and very sad.

The king got up from drinking the wine very angry, and went into his garden, but Haman stayed to beg for his life from Queen Esther. He knew that the king planned to punish him.

Now came the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, when the king's law was about to be carried out. It was the day when those who hated the Jews hoped to get the rule over them. But their plan was turned around, and the Jews ruled over those who hated them.

These were the ten sons of Haman, the son of Hammedatha, who hated the Jews. But they did not touch anything that belonged to them.

The Jews in Susa gathered also on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar and killed 300 men in Susa. But they did not touch anything that belonged to them.

Now the rest of the Jews who were in the king's nation gathered to fight for their lives and get rid of those who hated them. They killed 75,000 of those who hated them. But they did not touch anything that belonged to them.

But the Jews in Susa gathered on the thirteenth and fourteenth days of the same month. And they rested on the fifteenth day and made it a day of eating and joy.

But when the king heard about it, he made it known by letter that his plan against the Jews should bring trouble upon himself. And he had Haman and his sons hanged on the tower.

But put out Your hand now and touch all that he has. And for sure he will curse You to Your face."

But he said to her, "You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Should we receive good from God and not receive trouble?" In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

Let the early morning stars be made dark. Let it wait for light but have none. Do not let it see the light of day.

They wait for death, but there is none. They dig for it more than for hidden riches.

I am not at rest, and I am not quiet. I have no rest, but only trouble."