15and as ſhe was ſpeaking, ‖‖ Or, ſhe fell in a ſwoone. ſhe fell downe for faintneſſe.
16Then the king was troubled, and all his ſeruants comforted her.
CHAP. XVI.
1 The Letter of Artaxerxes, 10 wherein hee taxeth Aman, 17 and reuoketh the decree procured by Aman to deſtroy the Iewes, 22 and commandeth the day of their deliuerance to be kept holy.
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HeIoſeph.Ant.lib.11.c.6. great king Artaxerxes vnto the princes and gouernours of an hundreth and ſeuen and twenty prouinces, from India vnto Ethiopia, and vnto all ‖‖ Or, well affected to our State. our faithfull Subiects, greeting.
2Many, the more often they are honoured with the great bountie of their †† Gr. their benefactors. gracious princes, the more proud they are waxen,
3And endeauour to hurt not our Subiects onely, but not being able to beare abundance, doe take in hand to practiſe alſo againſt thoſe that doe them good:
4And take not only thankfulneſſe away from among men, but alſo lifted vp with the glorious words of ‖‖ Or, needie lewde perſons ‖‖ Or, that neuer taſted proſperitie. that were neuer good, they thinke to eſcape the iustice of God, that ſeeth all things, and hateth euill.
5Often times alſo faire ſpeech of ‖‖ Or, of our friends put in truſt to manage the affaires. thoſe that are put in truſt to manage their friends affaires, hath cauſed many that are in authority to be partakers of innocent blood, and hath enwrapped them in remedileſſe calamities:
6Beguiling with the falſhood and deceit of their lewd diſpoſition, the innocencie and goodneſſe of princes.
7Now yee may ſee this as we haue declared, not ſo much by ancient hiſtories, as yee may, if ye ſearch what hath beene wickedly done of late through the peſtilent behauiour of them that are vnworthily placed in authoritie.
8And we muſt take care for the time to come, that our kingdome may bee quiet and peaceable for all men,
9Both by changing our purpoſes, and alwayes iudging things that are euident, with more equall proceeding.
10For Aman a Macedonian the ſon of Amadatha, being indeed a ſtranger from the Perſian blood, and far diſtant from our goodneſſe, and as a ſtranger receiued of vs:
11Had ſo farre forth obtained the fauour that wee ſhew toward euery nation, as that he was called our father, and was continually honoured of all men, as the next perſon vnto the king.
12But he not bearing his great dignitie, went about to depriue vs of our kingdome and life.
13Hauing by mainfold and cunning deceits ſought of vs the deſtruction as well of Mardocheus, who ſaued our life, and continually procured our good, as alſo of blameleſſe Eſther partaker of our kingdome, with their whole nation.
14For by theſe meanes he thought, finding vs deſtitute of friends, to haue tranſlated the kingdome of Perſians to the Macedonians.
15But wee finde that the Iewes, whom this wicked wretch hath deliuered to vtter deſtruction, are no euill doers, but liue by moſt iuſt lawes:
16And that they be children of the moſt high and moſt mighty liuing God, who hath ‖‖ Or, proſpered. ordered the kingdome both vnto vs, and to our progenitors in the moſt excellent maner.
17Wherefore ye ſhall doe well not to put in execution the Letters ſent vnto you by Aman the ſonne of Amadatha.
18For hee that was the worker of theſe things, is hanged at the gates of Suſa with all his family: God, who ruleth all things, ſpeedily rendring vengeance to him according to his deſerts.
19Therefore ye ſhall publiſh the copy of this Letter in all places, that the Iewes may freely liue after their owne lawes.
20And ye ſhall aide them, that euen the ſame day, being the thirteenth day of the twelfth moneth Adar, they may be auenged on them, who in the time of their affliction ſhall ſet vpon them.
21For Almightie God hath turned to ioy vnto them the day, wherein the choſen people ſhould haue periſhed.
22You ſhall therefore among your ſolemne feaſts keepe it in an high day with all feaſting.
23That both now and hereafter there may be ſafetie to vs, and the well affected Perſians: but to thoſe which doe conſpire againſt vs, a memoriall of deſtruction.
