44 T And at that time were some appointed over the chambers for the treasures, for the offerings, for the first-fruits, and for the tithes, to gather into them out of the fields of the cities the portions of the law for the priests and Levites: for Judah rejoiced for the priests and for the Levites that waited. 45 And both the singers and the porters kept the ward of their God, and the ward of the purification, according to the commandment of David, and of Solomon his son. 46 For in the days of David and Asaph of old there were chief of the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving unto God. 47 And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel, and in the days of Nehemiah, gave the portions of the singers and the porters, every day his portion: and they sanctified holy things unto the Levites; and the Levites sanctified them unto the children of Aaron. CHAP. XIII. Nehemiah's Zeal and Reforma 2 Because they met not the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them, that he should curse them: howbeit, our God turned the curse into a blessing. 3 Now it came to pass, when they had heard the law, that they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude. 4 T And before this, Eliashib the priest, having the oversight of the chamber of the house of our God, 20as allied unto Tobiah: certain abuses chamber in the courts of the house of God. 8 And it grieved me sore: therefore I cast forth all the householdstuff of Tobiah out of the chamber. 9 Then I commanded, and they cleansed the chambers: and thi ther brought I again the vessels of the house of God, with the meatoffering and the frankincense. 10 And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them: for the Levites and the singers, that did the work, were fled every one to his field. 11 Then contended I with the rulers, and said, Why is the house of God forsaken? And I gathered them together, and set them in their place. 12 Then brought all Judah the tithe of the corn and the new wine and the oil unto the treasuries. 13 And I made treasurers over the treasuries, Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe; and of the Levites, Pedaiah: and next to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur. the son of Mattaniah: for they were counted faithful; and their office was to distribute unto their brethren. 14 Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for the offices thereof. 15 In those days saw I in Judah some treading, wine-presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath-day: and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals. 16 There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on the sabbath unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. 5 And he had prepared for him a 17 Then I contended with the great chamber, where aforetime nobles of Judah, and said unto they laid the meat-offerings, the them, What evil thing is this that frankincense, and the vessels, and ye do, and profane the sabbaththe tithes of the corn, the new wine, day? and the oil, (which was commanded to be given to the Levites, and the singers, and the porters,) and the offerings of the priests. 18 Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath. 6 But in all this time was not I at Jerusalem: for in the two and thir- 19 And it came to pass, that, tieth year of Artaxerxes king of when the gates of Jerusalem beBabylon came I unto the king, and gan to be dark before the sabbath, after certain days obtained I leave I commanded that the gates should of the king: be shut, and charged that they 7. And I came to Jerusalem, and should not be opened till after the understood of the evil that Eliashib sabbath: and some of my servants did for Tobiah, in preparing him a lset I at the gates, that there should 475 Nehemiah reformeth ESTHER, the strange marriages. no burden be brought in on the ters unto their sons, nor take their sabbath day. daughters unto your sons, or for 20 So the merchants and sellers yourselves. of all kind of ware lodged without Jerusalem once or twice. 21 Then I testified against them, and said unto them, Why lodge ye about the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth came they no more on the sabbath. 22 And I commanded the Levites, that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy. 23 In those days also saw I Jews that had married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab: 24 And their children spake half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews' language, but according to the language of each people. 25 And I contended with them, and cursed them, and smote certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, saying, Ye shall not give your daugh 26 Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? yet among many nations was there no king like him, who was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless even him did outlandish women cause to sin. 27 Shall we then hearken unto you to do all this great evil, to transgress against our God in marrying strange wives ? 28 And one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, 10as son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite: therefore I chased him from me. 29 Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood,and the covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levites. 30 Thus cleansed I them from all strangers, and appointed the wards of the priests and the Levites, every one in his business; 31 And for the wood-offering, at times appointed, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, for good. T The Book of ESTHER. CHAP. I. of fine linen and purple to silver Ahasuerus's Royal Feasts. rings and pillars of marble: the Now it came to pass in the boon oere vement and silver days of Ahasuerus, (this is upon a pavement of red, and Ahasuerus which reigned from blue, and white, and black marIndia even unto Ethiopia, over a ble. hundred and seven and twenty pro- 7 And they gave them drink in vinces :) vessels of gold, (the vessels being diverse one from another,) and royal wine in abundance, according to the state of the king. 2 That in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace, 3 In the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him: 8 And the drinking was according to the law; none did compel: for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man's pleasure. 9 Also Vashti the queen made a 4 When he shewed the riches of feast for the women in the royal his glorious kingdom and the ho-house which belonged to king Ahanour of his excellent majesty many suerus. days, even a hundred and fourscore days. 10 On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry 5 And when these days were ex- with wine, he commanded Mepired, the king made a feast unto human, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, all the people that were present and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, in Shushan the palace, both unto the seven chamberlains that served great and small, seven days, in in the presence of Ahasuerus the the court of the garden of the king's king, palace; 11 To bring Vashti the queen 6 Where were white, green, and before the king with the crown blue hangings, fastened with cords royal, to shew the people and the 476 CHAP. II. Vashti, for disobedience, princes her beauty: for she was fair to look on. 12 But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king's commandment by his chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him. 13 Then the king said to the wise men, which knew the times, (for so was the king's manner toward all that knew law and judg is put away their language, that every man should bear rule in his own house; and that it should be published according to the language of every people. Esther chosen Queen the wrath of king Ahasuerus AFTER these things, when was appeased, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her. 2 Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king: 3 And let the king appoint offi cers in all the provinces of his king dom, that they may gather together all the fair young virgins unto Shushan the palace, to the house of the women, unto the custody of Hege the king's chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their things for purification be given them: 4 And let the maiden which pleaseth the king be queen instead of Vashti. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so. 5 Now in Shushan the palace there was a certain Jew, whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite; 6 Who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captivity which had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away. 7 And he brought up Hadassah, (that is, Esther,) his uncle's daugh ter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter. 8 So it came to pass, when the king's commandment and his decree was heard, and when many maidens were gathered together unto Shushan the palace, to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was brought also unto the king's house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women. 9 And the maiden pleased him. and she obtained kindness of him; and he speedily gave her her things for purification, with such things as belonged to her, and seven maidens which were meet to be given her, out of the king's house: and he preferred her and her maids unto. the best place of the house of the women. 10 Esther had not shewed her people nor her kindred: for Mor Esther is made queen. ESTHER, Haman's advancement. decai had charged her that she | decai sat in the king's gate, two should not shew it.. 11 And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women's house, to know how Esther did, and what should become of her. of the king's chamberlains, Bigthan and Teresh, of those which kept the door, were wroth, and sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus. 22 And the thing was known to 12 Now when every maid's Mordecai, who told it unto Esther turn was come to go in to king the queen; and Esther certified the Ahasuerus, after that she had been king thereof in Mordecai's name. twelve months, according to the 23 And when inquisition was manner of the women, (for so were made of the matter, it was found the days of their purifications ac-out; therefore they were both complished, to wit, six months with hanged on a tree: and it was writoil of myrrh, and six months with ten in the book of the Chronicles sweet odours, and with other things before the king. for the purifying of the women ;) 13 Then thus came every maiden unto the king; whatsoever she desired was given her to go with her out of the house of the women unto the king's house. 14 In the evening she went, and on the morrow she returned into the second house of the women, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king's chamberlain, which kept the concubines: she came in unto the king no more, except the king delighted in her, and that she were called by namo, 15 T Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, was come to go in unto the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king's chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed. And Esther obtained favour in the sight of all them that looked upon her. 16 So Esther was taken unto king, Ahasuerus into his houseroyal in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign. 17 And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti. 18 Then the king made a great feast unto all his princes and his servants, even Esther's feast; and he made a release to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the state of the king. 19 And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, then Mordecai sat in the king's gate. 20 Esther had not yet shewed her kindred, nor her people, as Mordecai had charged her: for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him. CHAP. III. Haman seeks the Jews' Destruction. AFTER these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes that were with him. 2 And all the king's servants that were in the king's gate, bowed. and reverenced Haman; for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence. 3 Then the king's servants which were in the king's gate, said unto Mordecai, Why transgressest thou the king's commandment? 4 Now it came to pass, when they spake daily unto him, and he hearkened not unto them, that they told Haman, to see whether Mordecai's matters would stand for he had told them that he was a Jew. 5 And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath. 6 And he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they had shewed him the people of Mordecai: wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai. 7 In the first month (that 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, to the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar. 8 And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain peo ple scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from all people; neither keep they the king's laws: therefore it is not for the king's profit to 21 In those days, while Mor-suffer them. Decree against the Jews. CHAP. IV. Mourning of Mordecai, &e 9 If it please the king, let it be chamberlains came and told it her written that they may be destroy: Then was the queen exceedingly grieved; and she sent raiment to clothe Mordecai, and to take away his sackcloth from him: but he received it not. |