Bible Reading
August 13
The World English Bible
Aug.
13
Esther
1-3
Est
1:1 Now it happened in the days of Ahasuerus (this is Ahasuerus who
reigned from India even to Ethiopia, over one hundred twenty-seven
provinces),
Est
1:2 that in those days, when the King Ahasuerus sat on the throne of
his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace,
Est
1:3 in the third year of his reign, he made a feast for all his
princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles
and princes of the provinces, being before him.
Est
1:4 He displayed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honor of
his excellent majesty many days, even one hundred eighty days.
Est
1:5 When these days were fulfilled, the king made a seven day feast
for all the people who were present in Shushan the palace, both great
and small, in the court of the garden of the king's palace.
Est
1:6 There were hangings of white, green, and blue material, fastened
with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and marble
pillars. The couches were of gold and silver, on a pavement of red,
white, yellow, and black marble.
Est
1:7 They gave them drinks in golden vessels of various kinds,
including royal wine in abundance, according to the bounty of the
king.
Est
1:8 In accordance with the law, the drinking was not compulsory; for
so the king had instructed all the officials of his house, that they
should do according to every man's pleasure.
Est
1:9 Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal
house which belonged to King Ahasuerus.
Est
1:10 On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with
wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha,
Zethar, and Carcass, the seven eunuchs who served in the presence of
Ahasuerus the king,
Est
1:11 to bring Vashti the queen before the king with the royal crown,
to show the people and the princes her beauty; for she was beautiful.
Est
1:12 But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king's commandment
by the eunuchs. Therefore the king was very angry, and his anger
burned in him.
Est
1:13 Then the king said to the wise men, who knew the times, (for
it was the king's custom to consult those who knew law and judgment;
Est
1:14 and the next to him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish,
Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media,
who saw the king's face, and sat first in the kingdom),
Est
1:15 "What shall we do to the queen Vashti according to law,
because she has not done the bidding of the King Ahasuerus by the
eunuchs?"
Est
1:16 Memucan answered before the king and the princes, "Vashti
the queen has not done wrong to just the king, but also to all the
princes, and to all the people who are in all the provinces of the
King Ahasuerus.
Est
1:17 For this deed of the queen will become known to all women,
causing them to show contempt for their husbands, when it is
reported, 'King Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in
before him, but she didn't come.'
Est
1:18 Today, the princesses of Persia and Media who have heard of the
queen's deed will tell all the king's princes. This will cause much
contempt and wrath.
Est
1:19 If it please the king, let a royal commandment go from him, and
let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, so
that it cannot be altered, that Vashti may never again come before
King Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate to another who
is better than she.
Est
1:20 When the king's decree which he shall make is published
throughout all his kingdom (for it is great), all the wives will
give their husbands honor, both great and small."
Est
1:21 This advice pleased the king and the princes, and the king did
according to the word of Memucan:
Est
1:22 for he sent letters into all the king's provinces, into every
province according to its writing, and to every people in their
language, that every man should rule his own house, speaking in the
language of his own people.
Est
2:1 After these things, when the wrath of King Ahasuerus was
pacified, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was
decreed against her.
Est
2:2 Then the king's servants who served him said, "Let
beautiful young virgins be sought for the king.
Est
2:3 Let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his
kingdom, that they may gather together all the beautiful young
virgins to the citadel of Susa, to the women's house, to the custody
of Hegai the king's eunuch, keeper of the women. Let cosmetics be
given them;
Est
2:4 and let the maiden who pleases the king be queen instead of
Vashti." The thing pleased the king, and he did so.
Est
2:5 There was a certain Jew in the citadel of Susa, whose name was
Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a
Benjamite,
Est
2:6 who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captives who
had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom
Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away.
Est
2:7 He brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daughter;
for she had neither father nor mother. The maiden was fair and
beautiful; and when her father and mother were dead, Mordecai took
her for his own daughter.
Est
2:8 So it happened, when the king's commandment and his decree was
heard, and when many maidens were gathered together to the citadel of
Susa, to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was taken into the king's
house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women.
Est
2:9 The maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness from him. He
quickly gave her cosmetics and her portions of food, and the seven
choice maidens who were to be given her out of the king's house. He
moved her and her maidens to the best place in the women's house.
Est
2:10 Esther had not made known her people nor her relatives, because
Mordecai had instructed her that she should not make it known.
Est
2:11 Mordecai walked every day in front of the court of the women's
house, to find out how Esther did, and what would become of her.
Est
2:12 Each young woman's turn came to go in to King Ahasuerus after
her purification for twelve months (for so were the days of their
purification accomplished, six months with oil of myrrh, and six
months with sweet fragrances and with preparations for beautifying
women).
Est
2:13 The young woman then came to the king like this: whatever she
desired was given her to go with her out of the women's house to the
king's house.
Est
2:14 In the evening she went, and on the next day she returned into
the second women's house, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king's
eunuch, who kept the concubines. She came in to the king no more,
unless the king delighted in her, and she was called by name.
Est
2:15 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 to the
king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king's eunuch, the
keeper of the women, advised. Esther obtained favor in the sight of
all those who looked at her.
Est
2:16 So Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus into his royal house in
the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of
his reign.
Est
2:17 The king loved Esther more than all the women, and she obtained
favor and kindness in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he
set the royal crown on her head, and made her queen instead of
Vashti.
Est
2:18 Then the king made a great feast for all his princes and his
servants, even Esther's feast; and he proclaimed a holiday in the
provinces, and gave gifts according to the king's bounty.
Est
2:19 When the virgins were gathered together the second time,
Mordecai was sitting in the king's gate.
Est
2:20 Esther had not yet made known her relatives nor her people, as
Mordecai had commanded her; for Esther obeyed Mordecai, like she did
when she was brought up by him.
Est
2:21 In those days, while Mordecai was sitting in the king's gate,
two of the king's eunuchs, Bigthan and Teresh, who were doorkeepers,
were angry, and sought to lay hands on the King Ahasuerus.
Est
2:22 This thing became known to Mordecai, who informed Esther the
queen; and Esther informed the king in Mordecai's name.
Est
2:23 When this matter was investigated, and it was found to be so,
they were both hanged on a tree; and it was written in the book of
the chronicles in the king's presence.
Est
3:1 After these things King Ahasuerus promoted Haman the son of
Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above all
the princes who were with him.
Est
3:2 All the king's servants who were in the king's gate bowed down,
and paid homage to Haman; for the king had so commanded concerning
him. But Mordecai didn't bow down or pay him homage.
Est
3:3 Then the king's servants, who were in the king's gate, said to
Mordecai, "Why do you disobey the king's commandment?"
Est
3:4 Now it came to pass, when they spoke daily to him, and he didn't
listen to them, that they told Haman, to see whether Mordecai's
reason would stand; for he had told them that he was a Jew.
Est
3:5 When Haman saw that Mordecai didn't bow down, nor pay him
homage, Haman was full of wrath.
Est
3:6 But he scorned the thought of laying hands on Mordecai alone,
for they had made known to him Mordecai's people. Therefore Haman
sought to destroy all the Jews who were throughout the whole kingdom
of Ahasuerus, even the Mordecai's people.
Est
3:7 In the first month, which is the month Nisan, in the twelfth
year of King Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that is, the lot, before Haman
from day to day, and from month to month, and chose the twelfth
month, which is the month Adar.
Est
3:8 Haman said to King Ahasuerus, "There is a certain people
scattered abroad and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces
of your kingdom, and their laws are different than other people's.
They don't keep the king's laws. Therefore it is not for the king's
profit to allow them to remain.
Est
3:9 If it pleases the king, let it be written that they be
destroyed; and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver into the
hands of those who are in charge of the king's business, to bring it
into the king's treasuries."
Est
3:10 The king took his ring from his hand, and gave it to Haman the
son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews' enemy.
Est
3:11 The king said to Haman, "The silver is given to you, the
people also, to do with them as it seems good to you."
Est
3:12 Then the king's scribes were called in on the first month, on
the thirteenth day of the month; and all that Haman commanded was
written to the king's satraps, and to the governors who were over
every province, and to the princes of every people, to every province
according its writing, and to every people in their language. It was
written in the name of King Ahasuerus, and it was sealed with the
king's ring.
Est
3:13 Letters were sent by couriers into all the king's provinces, to
destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and
old, little children and women, in one day, even on the thirteenth
day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to plunder
their possessions.
Est
3:14 A copy of the letter, that the decree should be given out in
every province, was published to all the peoples, that they should be
ready against that day.
Est
3:15 The couriers went forth in haste by the king's commandment, and
the decree was given out in the citadel of Susa. The king and Haman
sat down to drink; but the city of Shushan was perplexed.
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