Study Desk

If you keep quiet now, help and freedom for the Jews will come from another place. But you and your father's family will all die. And who knows, maybe you have been chosen to be the queen for such a time as this."

Then Esther sent this answer to Mordecai: "Mordecai, go and get all the Jews in Susa together, and fast for me. Don't eat or drink for three days and nights. I and my women servants will fast too. After we fast, I will go to the king. I know it is against the law to go to the king if he didn't call me, but I will do it anyway. If I die, I die."

Haman left the king's palace that day very happy and in a good mood. But when he saw Mordecai at the king's gate, he became very angry. Haman was very mad at him because Mordecai didn't show any respect when Haman walked by. Mordecai was not afraid of Haman, and this made Haman mad.

But Haman controlled his anger and went home. Then Haman called together his friends and his wife, Zeresh.

But all this means nothing to me. I cannot be happy as long as I see that Jew Mordecai sitting at the king's gate."

The servant read the book to the king. He read about the evil plan to kill King Xerxes. That was when Mordecai had learned about Bigthana and Teresh. These two men were the king's officers who guarded the doorway. They had planned to kill the king, but Mordecai learned about the plan and told someone about it.

After that Mordecai went back to the king's gate, but Haman hurried home with his head covered because he was embarrassed and ashamed.

The king was very angry. He got up, left his wine, and went out into the garden. But Haman stayed inside to beg Queen Esther to save his life. He begged for his life because he knew that the king had already decided to kill him.

On the 13th day of the twelfth month (Adar), the people were supposed to obey the king's command. This was the day the enemies of the Jews hoped to defeat them, but now things had changed. The Jews were stronger than their enemies who hated them.

These men were the ten sons of Haman. Haman son of Hammedatha was the enemy of the Jews. The Jews killed all the men, but they didn't take anything that belonged to them.

The Jews in Susa met together on the 14th day of the month of Adar. They killed 300 men in Susa, but they didn't take the things that belonged to them.

At the same time, the Jews living in the other provinces also met together. They met together so that they would be strong enough to protect themselves. And so they got rid of their enemies. They killed 75,000 of their enemies. But the Jews didn't take anything that belonged to them.

Haman did this, but Esther went to talk to the king. So he sent out new commands. These commands not only ruined Haman's plans, but these commands caused those bad things to happen to Haman and his family! So Haman and his sons were hanged on the posts.

Satan answered the Lord , "But Job has a good reason to respect you.

But if you were to destroy everything he has, I promise you that he would curse you to your face."

The Lord said to Satan, "All right, do whatever you want with anything that he has, but don't hurt Job himself." Then Satan left the meeting.

So the Lord said to Satan, "All right, Job is in your hands, but you are not allowed to kill him."

But his friends didn't even recognize him when they first saw him in the distance! They began to cry loudly. They tore their clothes and threw dirt in the air over their heads to show how sad they were.

Such people want to die, but death does not come. They search for death more than for hidden treasure.

But God keeps their future a secret and builds a wall around them to protect them.