Bible (King James Version, 1611)/The rest of Esther

For other versions of this work, see Additions to Esther.

The reſt of the Chapters of the Booke of Eſther, which are found neither in the Hebrew, nor in the Calde.

Part of the tenth Chapter after the Greeke.

5 Mardocheus remembreth and expoundeth his dreame, of the riuer adn the two dragons.

Hen Mardocheus ſaide, God hath done theſe things.

⁵For I remember a dreame, which I ſawe concerning theſe matters, and nothing thereof hath failed.

⁶A little fountaine became a riuer, and there was light, ⁊ the Sunne, and much water: this riuer is Eſther, whõ the King married and made Queene.

⁷And the two Dragons are I, and Aman.

⁸And the nations were thoſe that were aſſembled, to deſtroy the name of the Iewes.

⁹And my nation is this Iſrael, which cryed to God and were ſaued: for the Lord hath ſaued his people, and the Lord hath deliuered vs from all thoſe euils, and God hath wrought ſignes, and great wonders, which haue not bin done among the Gentiles.

¹⁰Therefore hath hee made two lots, one for the people of God, and another for all the Gentiles.

¹¹And theſe two lots came at the houre, and time, and day of iudgement before God amongſt all nations.

¹²So God remembred his people, and iuſtified his inheritance.

¹³Therefore thoſe dayes ſhall be vnto them in the moneth Adar, the foureteenth and fifteenth day of the ſame moneth, with an aſſembly, and ioy, and with gladneſſe, before God, according to the generations for euer among his people.

CHAP. XI.

2 The ſtocke and qualitie of Mardocheus. 6 He dreameth of two dragons comming forth to fight, 10 and of a little fountaine, which became a great water.

N the fourth yeere of the raigne of Ptolomeus, and Cleopatra, Doſitheus, who ſaid hee was a prieſt and Leuite, and Ptolomeus his ſonne brought this Epiſtle of Phurim, which they ſaid was the ſame, and that Lyſimachus the ſonne of Ptolomeus, that was in Ieruſalem, had interpreted it.

²In the ſecond yeere of the raigne of Artaxerxes the great: in the firſt day of the moneth Niſan, Mardocheus the ſonne of Iairus, the ſonne of Semei, the ſonne of Ciſai of the tribe of Beniamin, had a dreame.

³Who was a Iew and dwelt in the citie of Suſa, a great man, being a ſeruitour in the kings court.

⁴He was alſo one of the captiues, which Nabuchodonoſor the king of Babylon caried from Ieruſalem, with Iechonias king of Iudea; and this was his dreame.

⁵Behold a noiſe of a tumult with thunder, and earthquakes, and vproare in the land.

⁶And behold, two great dragons came forth ready to fight, and their crie was great.

⁷And at their cry all nations were prepared to battel, that they might fight againſt the righteous people.

⁸And loe a day of darkneſſe and obſcurity: tribulation, and anguiſh, affliction, and great vproare vpon the earth.

⁹And the whole righteous nation was troubled, fearing their owne euils and were ready to periſh.

¹⁰Then they cryed vnto God, and vpon their cry, as it were from a little fountaine, was made a great flood, euen much water.

¹¹The light and the Sunne roſe vp, and the lowly were exalted, and deuoured the glorious.

¹²Now when Mardocheus, who had ſeene this dreame, and what God had determined to doe, was awake: he bare this dreame in minde, and vntill night by all meanes was deſirous to know it.

CHAP. XII.

2 The conſpiracie of the two Eunuchs is diſcouered by Mardocheus, 5 for which he is entertained by the king and rewarded.

Nd Mardocheus tooke his reſt in the court with Gabatha, and Tharra, the two Eunuches of the king, and keepers of the palace.

²** Eſter 2.21. and 6.2. And he heard their deuices, and ſearched out their purpoſes, and learned that they were about to lay hands vpon Artaxerxes the king, and ſo he certified the king of them.

³Then the king examined the two Eunuches, and after that they had confeſſed it, they were ſtrangled.

⁴And the king made a record of theſe things, and Mardocheus alſo wrote thereof.

⁵So the king commaunded Mardocheus to ſerue in the court, and for this he rewarded him.

⁶Howbeit Aman the ſonne of Amadathus the Agagite, who was in great honour with the king, ſought to moleſt Mardocheus and his people, becauſe of the two Eunuches of the king.

CHAP. XIII.

1 The copie of the kings letters to deſtroy the Iewes. 8 The prayer of Mardocheus for them.

HeIof. antiq. lib.11.cap.6 copy of the letters was this. The great king Artaxerxes, writeth theſe things to the princes, and gouernours that are vnder him from India vnto Ethiopia, in an hundred and ſeuen and twentie prouinces.

²After that I became Lord ouer many nations, and had dominion ouer the whole world, not lifted vp with preſumption of my authoritie, but carying my ſelfe away with equitie and mildneſſe, I purpoſed to ſettle my ſubiects continually in a quiet life, and making my kingdome ‖‖ Or, milde. peaceable, and open for paſſage to the vtmoſt coaſtes, to renue peace which is deſired of all men.

³Now when I aſked my counſellers how this might bee brought to paſſe, Aman that excelled in wiſedome among vs, and was approoued for his conſtant good will, and ſtedfaſt fidelitie, and had the honour of the ſecond place in the kingdome,

⁴Declared vnto vs, that in all nations throughout the world, there was ſcattered a certaine malitious people, that had Lawes contrary to all nations, and continually deſpiſed the commandements of Kings, ſo as the vniting of our kingdomes honourably intended by vs, cannot ‖‖ Or, be ſettled. goe forward.

⁵Seeing then we vnderſtand that this people alone is continually in oppoſition vnto all men, differing in the ſtrange maner of their Lawes, and euill affected to our ſtate, working all the miſchiefe they can, that our kingdome may not be firmely ſtabliſhed:

⁶Therefore haue we commanded that al they that are ſignified in writing vnto you by Aman (who is ordained ouer the affaires, and is ‖‖ Or, ſecond from vs. next vnto vs) ſhall all with their wiues and children, bee vtterly deſtroyed, by the ſword of their enemies, without all mercie and pitie, the fourteenth day of the twelfth moneth Adar of this preſent yeere:

⁷That they, who of old, and now alſo are malitious, may in one day with violence goe into the graue, and ſo euer hereafter, cauſe our affaires to be well ſettled, and without trouble.

⁸Then Mardocheus thought vpon all the works of the Lord, and made his prayer vnto him,

⁹Saying, O Lord, Lord, the king Almightie: for the whole world is in thy power; and if thou haſt appointed to ſaue Iſrael, there is no man that can gaineſay thee.

¹⁰For thou haſt made heauen and earth, and all the wonderous things vnder the heauen.

¹¹Thou art Lord of all things, and there is no man that can reſiſt thee, which art the Lord.

¹²Thou knoweſt all things, and thou knoweſt Lord, that it was neither in contempt nor pride, nor for any deſire of glory, that I did not bow downe to proud Aman.

¹³For I could haue bene content with good will for the ſaluation of Iſrael, to kiſſe the ſoles of his feet.

¹⁴But I did this, that I might not preferre the glory of man aboue the glory of God: neither will I worſhip any but thee, O God, neither wil I doe it in pride.

¹⁵And now, O Lord God, and King, ſpare thy people: for their eyes are vpon vs, to bring vs to nought, yea they deſire to deſtroy the inheritance that hath beene thine from the beginning.

¹⁶Deſpiſe not the portion which thou haſt deliuered out of Egypt for thine owne ſelfe:

¹⁷Heare my prayer, and be mercifull vnto thine inheritance: turne our ſorrow into ioy, that wee may liue, O Lord, and praiſe thy Name: and ‖‖ Or, ſhut or ſtop not. deſtroy not the mouthes of them that praiſe thee, O Lord.

¹⁸All Iſrael in like maner cried moſt ^†† Greeke mightily. earneſtly vnto the Lord, becauſe their death was before their eyes.

CHAP. XIIII.

1 The prayer of Queene Eſther, for herſelfe, and her people.

Ueene Eſther also being in feare of death, reſorted vnto the Lord,

²and layd away her glorious apparel, and put on the garments of anguiſh, ⁊ mourning: and in ſtead of pretious oyntments, ſhe couered her head with aſhes, ⁊ doung, and ſhe humbled her body greatly, and all the places of her ioy ſhe filled with her torne haire.

³And ſhee prayed vnto the Lord God of Iſrael, ſaying, O my Lord, thou onely art our king: helpe me deſolate woman, which haue no helper but thee:

⁴** 1.Sam.28.21. iob 13.14. pſa.119.109. For my danger is in mine hand.

⁵From my youth vp I haue heard in the tribe of my family, that thou, O Lord, tookeſt Iſrael from among all people, and our fathers from all their predeceſſours, for a perpetuall inheritance, and thou haſt performed whatſoeuer thou didſt promiſe them.

⁶And now we haue ſinned before thee: therefore haſt thou giuen vs into the hands of our enemies,

⁷Becauſe wee worſhipped their gods: O Lord, thou art righteous.

⁸Neuertheles it ſatiſfieth them not, that we are in bitter captiuitie, but they haue ſtricken hands with their idols,

⁹That they will aboliſh the thing, that thou with thy mouth haſt ordained, and deſtroy thine inheritance, and ſtop the mouth of them that praiſe thee, and quench the glory of thy houſe, and of thine Altar.

¹⁰And open the mouthes of the heathen to ſet foorth the praiſes of the ^†† Or, vaine things. Idoles, and to magnifie a fleſhly king for euer.

¹¹O Lord, giue not thy ſcepter vnto them that ^†† Gr. be not. be nothing, and let them not laugh at our fall, but turne their deuice vpon themſelues, and make him an example that hath begunne this againſt vs.

¹²Remember, O Lord, make thy ſelfe knowen in time of our affliction, and giue mee boldneſſe, O King of the ‖‖ Or, gods. nations, and Lord of all power.

¹³Giue me eloquent ſpeech in my mouth before the lyon: turne his heart to hate him that fighteth againſt vs, that there may be an end of him, and of all that are like minded to him:

¹⁴But deliuer vs with thine hand, and helpe me that am deſolate, ⁊ which haue no other helper but thee.

¹⁵Thou knoweſt all things, O Lord, thou knoweſt that I hate the glory of the vnrighteous, and abhore the bed of the vncircumciſed, and of ^†† Gr. euery ſtranger. all the heathen.

¹⁶Thou knoweſt my neceſſitie: for I abhore the ſigne of my ^†† Gr. pride. high eſtate, which is vpon mine head, in the dayes wherein I ſhewe my ſelfe, and that I abhore it as a menſtruous ragge, and that I weare it not when I am ^†† Gr. quiet, or priuate. priuate by my ſelfe.

¹⁷And that thine handmaid hath not eaten at Amans table, and that I haue not greatly eſteemed the Kings feaſt, nor drunke the wine of the drinke offerings:

¹⁸Neither had thine handmaid any ioy, ſince the day ^†† Gr. of my change. that I was brought hither to this preſent, but in thee, O Lord God of Abraham.

¹⁹O thou mightie God aboue all, heare the voice of the forlorne, and deliuer vs out of the handes of the miſchieuous, and deliuer me out of my feare.

CHAP. XV.

6 Eſther commeth into the Kings preſence. 7 Hee looketh angerly, and ſhe fainteth. 8 The king doth take her vp, and comfort her.

Nd vpon the third day when ſhee had ended her prayer, ſhe laide away her mourning garments, and put on her glorious apparell.

²And being gloriouſly adorned, after ſhe had called vpon God, who is the beholder, and Sauiour of all things, ſhe tooke two maids with her.

³And vpon the one ſhee leaned as carying her ſelfe ‖‖ Or, delicately. daintily.

⁴And her other followed bearing vp her traine.

⁵And ſhe was ‖‖ Or, roſe coloured. ruddy through the perfection of her beautie, and her countenance was cheerefull, and very ‖‖ Or, as amiable or ſmiling. amiable: but her heart was anguiſh for feare.

⁶Then hauing paſſed through all the doores, ſhee ſtood before the King, who ſate vpon his royall throne, and was clothed with all his robes of maieſtie, all glittering with golde and precious ſtones, and he was very dreadfull.

⁷Then lifting vp his countenance that ſhone with maieſtie, he looked very fiercely vpon her: and the Queene fell downe and was pale, and fainted, and bowed her ſelfe vpon the head of the maide that went ‖‖ Or, with her, or by her. before her.

⁸Then God changed the ſpirit of the king into mildneſſe, who in a ^†† Gr. in an agonie. feare leaped from his throne, and tooke her in his armes till ſhe came to her ſelfe againe, and comforted her with louing words, and ſayd vnto her:

⁹Eſther, what is the matter? I am thy brother, be of good cheere.

¹⁰Thou ſhalt not die, though our cõmandement be ‖‖ Or, as well thine as mine. generall: come neere.

¹¹And ſo he held vp his golden ſcepter, and laid it vpon her necke.

¹²And embraced her, ⁊ ſaid, Speake vnto me.

¹³Then ſaid ſhee vnto him, I ſaw thee, my lord, as an Angel of God, and my heart was troubled for feare of thy maieſtie.

¹⁴For wonderfull art thou, lord, and thy countenance is full of grace.

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.

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.

²⁴Therefore euery citie and countrey whatſoeuer, which ſhall not doe according to theſe things, ſhall bee deſtroyed without mercy, with fire and ſword, and ſhall be made not onely vnpaſſable for men, but alſo moſt hatefull to wilde beaſts and foules for euer.