1   It came to passe that in the dayes of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus whiche raigned from India vnto Ethiopia, ouer an hundred and twentie and seuen prouinces)

2   Euen in those dayes when the king Ahasuerus sate on his seate royall, which was in Susan the chiefe citie:

3   In the third yere of his raigne, he made a feast vnto all his princes ∧ seruauntes: and the mightie men of Persia and Media, the captaynes also and rulers of his countreys were before hym.

4   And he shewed the richesse and glorie of his kingdome, and the glorious worship of his greatnesse many dayes long, [euen] an hundred and fourescore dayes.

5   And when these dayes were expired, the king made a feast vnto al the people that were in Susan the chiefe citie, both vnto great ∧ small, seuen dayes long, in the court of the garden by the kinges palace.

6   Where there hanged white, greene, and ^note yelowe clothes, fastened with cordes of fine silke and purple, in siluer ringes, vpon pillers of marble stones: The ^note benches also were of golde and siluer made vpon a pauement of ^note greene, white, yelowe, and blacke marble. B   

7   And they dranke in vessels of gold, and chaunged vessel after vessel, and royal wine in aboundaunce, according to the power of the king.

8   And the drinking was by an order, none might compell: for so the king had appoynted to all the officers of his house, that they shoulde do according to euery mans pleasure.

9   And the queene Uasthi made a feast also for the women in the palace of Ahasuerus.

10   And on the seuenth day when the king was mery after the wine, he commaunded Nehuma, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagthan, Zethar, and Charchas, the seuen chamberlayns that did seruice in the presence of king Ahasuerus,

11   To fetch the queene Uasthi with the crowne regall into the kinges presence, that he might shewe the people ∧ princes her fairenesse: for she was beautifull.

12   But the queene Uasthi would not come at the kinges worde by his chamberlaynes: Then was the king very wroth, and his indignation kindled in hym.

13   And the king spake to the wyse men which knewe the times (for so was the kinges maner towardes all that knewe the lawe and the iudgementes: C   

14   And the next vnto hym were, Carsena, Sethar, Admata, Thersis, Mares, Marsena, and Memuchan, the seuen princes of Persia and Media, whiche sawe the kinges face, and sate the first in the kingdome.)

15   What, shall we do vnto the queene Uasthi according to the lawe, because she dyd not according to the worde of the king Ahasuerus whiche he commaunded by his chamberlaynes?

16   And Memuchan aunswered before the king ∧ the princes: The queene Uasthi hath not onely done euyll against the king, but also against all the princes, and against all the people that are in all the prouinces of king Ahasuerus.

17   For this deede of the queene shall come abrode vnto all women, so that they shall despise their husbandes before their eyes, and shall say: The king Ahasuerus commaunded Uasthi the queene to be brought in before hym, but she woulde not come.

18   And so shal the princesses in Persia and Media say lykewise this day vnto al the kinges princes when they heare of this deede of the queene: thus shal there arise to much despitefulnesse and wrath.

19   If it please the king, let there go a commaundement from hym, and let it be written according to the lawes of the Persians and Medians, and not to be transgressed, that Uasthi come no more before king Ahasuerus, and let the king geue her royal estate vnto an other that is better then she.

20   And when this commaundement of the king which shalbe made, is published throughout all his empire whiche is great, all women shall holde their husbandes in honour both among great and small. D   

21   Thus saying pleased the king and the princes, and the king did according to the worde of Memucan.

22   For he sent letters foorth into all the kinges prouinces, into euery lande according to the wryting therof, and to euery people after their language, that euery man shoulde be lorde in his owne house: and this to be published after the language of his people. The .ii. Chapter. 2 After the queene is put away, certeyne young maydes are brought to the king. 14 Either pleaseth the king, and is made queene. 22 Mardocheus discloseth vnto the king those that woulde betray hym. A   

1   After these actes, when the displeasure of king Ahasuerus was nowe ^note alayed, he thought vpon Uasthi, ∧ what she had done, ∧ what was decreed against her.

2   Then sayde the kinges seruauntes that ministred vnto hym: Let there be faire young virgins sought for the king,

3   And let the king appoynt officers in all the prouinces of his empire, that they should bring together al the faire young virgins vnto Susan the head citie to the womens buylding, vnder the hande of Hegai the kinges chamberlayne that kept the women, to geue them their ^note apparell:

4   And that the mayden which pleased the king, should be queene in Uasthis steede. And this pleased the king, and he did so.

5   In the citie of Susan there was a certayne Iewe, whose name was Mardocheus, the sonne of Iair, the sonne of Semei, the sonne of Cis, a man of Iemini,

6   Which was caryed away from Hierusalem with the captiuitie, ^note when Iekonia the king of Iuda was led away, whom Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon caryed thence: B   

7   And he norished Hadassa (that is Esther) his vncles daughter: for he had neither father nor mother, and she was a faire and beautifull mayden, whom Mardocheus (when her father ∧ mother were dead) receaued for his owne daughter.

8   So when the kinges commaundement and commission was published, and many maydens were brought together into the citie of Susan vnder the hand of Hegai, Esther was brought also vnto the kinges house vnder the hande of Hegai the keper of the women.

9   And the mayden pleased hym, and she founde fauour in his sight: and he caused ^note ornamentes to be geuen her speedyly, and such thinges as belonged to her, and appoynted her seuen comely maydens out of the kinges house, ^note ∧ fauoured both her and her gentlewomen singularly in the house of the women.

10   But Esther shewed not her people and her kinred: for Mardocheus had charged her that she shoulde not tell it.

11   And Mardocheus walked euery day before the court of the womens house, that he might knowe howe Esther did, and what shoulde become of her.

12   And when the appoynted time of euery mayden came that she shoulde go in to the king Ahasuerus, after that she had ben twelue monethes according to the mauer of the women (for so were the dayes of their purification accomplissed, sixe monethes with oyle of mirre, and sixe monethes with sweete odoures, and in the purifiyng of the women:

13   And thus went the maydens vnto the king) whatsoeuer she required, that must be geuen her to go with her out of the womens buylding vnto the kinges palace.

C   

14   In the euening she went, and on the morowe she returned into the seconde house of the women abyding vnder the hande of Saasgaz the kinges chamberlayne, which kept the concubines: And she came in vnto the king no more, except it pleased the king to haue her, and that she were called by name.

15   Nowe when the course came of Esther the daughter of Abihail, the vncle of Mardocheus (which had receaued her as his owne daughter) that she shoulde come in vnto the king, she desired nothing but what Hegai the kinges chamberlayne the keper of the women saide: And Esther found fauour in the sight of all them that loked vpon her.

16   And Esther was taken vnto king Ahasuerus into his house royall, in the tenth moneth (which is the moneth Tebeth) in the seuenth yere of his raigne.

17   And the king loued Esther aboue all the women, and she found grace and fauour in his sight more then all the virgins, so that he set the crowne of the kingdome vpon her head, and made her queene in steede of Uasthi.

18   And the king made a great feast vnto all his princes and seruauntes, whiche feast was because of Esther, and caused the prouinces to be in quietnesse, ∧ gaue giftes, as became the royaltie of a king.

19   And when the virgins were gathered together the seconde time, Mardocheus sate in the kinges gate.

20   And as yet had not Esther shewed her kinred ∧ her people, according as Mardocheus had bidden her: for Esther dyd after the worde of Mardocheus, like as if she had ben yet vnder his gouernaunce. D   

21   At the same time (whyle Mardocheus sate in the kinges gate) two of þe; kinges chamberlaynes, Bigthan and Theres, which kept the doore, were wroth, and sought to lay their handes on the king Ahasuerus:

22   Whereof also Mardocheus gat knowledge, and tolde it vnto queene Esther, and Esther certified the king therof in Mardocheus name.

23   And when inquisition was made, it was founde so, and they were both hanged on tree: and it was written in the Chronicles before the king. The .iii. Chapter. 1 Haman after he was exalted, obteined of the king, that all the Iewes shoulde be put to death, because Mardocheus had not done him worship as other had. A   

1   After these actes, dyd king Ahasuerus promote Haman the sonne of Amadatha the Agagite, and set hym on hie, and set his seate aboue all the princes that he had with hym.

2   And al the kinges seruauntes that were in the kinges gate, bowed their knees, and reuerenced Haman, for the king had so commaunded concerning hym: But Mardocheus bowed not the knee, neither dyd hym reuerence.

3   Then the kinges seruauntes whiche were in the kinges gate, said vnto Mardocheus: Why transgressest thou the kinges commaundement?

4   And though they spake this dayly vnto hym, yet woulde he not heare them, therfore they tolde Haman, that they might see howe Mardocheus matters woulde stande, for he had tolde them that he was a Iewe.

5   And when Haman sawe that Mardocheus bowed not the knee vnto him, nor dyd reuerence vnto hym, he was full of indignation,

6   And thought it to litle to lay handes onely on Mardocheus, for they had shewed him the nation of Mardocheus: wherefore he sought to destroy all the Iewes that were throughout the whole empire of Ahasuerus, and that were of the nation of Mardocheus. B   

7   In the first moneth (that is, the moneth Nisan) in the twelfth yere of king Ahasuerus, they cast Phur, that is a lot, before Haman from day to day, and from moneth to moneth to the twelfth moneth, that is, the moneth Adar.

8   And Haman sayde vnto king Ahasuerus: There is here a people scattred abrode, and dispearsed among all people in all the prouinces of thyne empire, and their lawes are diuers from all people, and do not after the kinges lawes, therefore it is not the kinges profite to suffer them after this maner.

9   If it please the king, let it be written that they may be destroyed: and so wyll I waye downe ten thousand talents of siluer by the handes of them that haue the charge of this busines, to bring it into the kinges treasurie.

10   And the king toke his ring from his hand, ∧ gaue it vnto Haman the sonne of Amadatha the Agagite, the Iewes enemie.

11   And the king saide vnto Haman: Let the siluer be thyne, ∧ do with that people as it pleaseth thee.

12   Then were the kinges scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first moneth, ∧ there was written according as Haman commaunded vnto all the kinges officers, and to the captaynes that were ouer euery prouince, and to the rulers of euery people in the countryes on euery side according to the writing therof, and to euery nation after their language, in the name of king Ahasuerus was it writen, and sealed with the kinges ring. C   

13   And the letters were sent by postes into all the kinges prouinces, to roote out, to kill, and to destroy all Iewes both young and olde, children and women in one day [namely] vpon the thirteenth day of the twelfth moneth (which is the moneth Adar) ∧ to spoyle th&ebar; as a pray.

14   This was the summe of the writing, that there should be a commaundement geuen in al prouinces, and published vnto all people, that they should be redy against the same day.

15   And the postes went in all the haste according to the kinges commaundement, and in Susan the chiefe citie was the commaundement deuised: And the king and Haman sate and dranke, when in the meane time the citie of Susan was disquieted. ¶2; The .iiij. Chapter. 5 Mardocheus geueth the queene knowledge of the cruell decree of the king against the Iewes. 16 She wylleth that they pray for her. A   

1   When Mardocheus perceaued all that was done, he rent his clothes, and put on sackecloth with asshes, and went out into the middest of the citie, and cryed loude and lamentably,

2   And came before the kinges gate: but he might not enter within the kinges gate, because he had sackcloth on.

3   And in all prouinces, countries, and places, as farre as the kinges worde ∧ commaundement extented, there was great lamentati&obar; among the Iewes, fasting, weeping, and mourning, and many lay in sackeclothes and in asshes.

4   So Esthers maydens and her chamberlaynes, came and told it her: Then was the queene exceedingly astonied, and she sent rayment that Mardocheus shoulde put on, and lay the sackcloth from him: But Mardocheus would not take them.

5   Then called Esther Hathach one of the kinges chamberlaines which stoode before her, and gaue him a commaundement vnto Mardocheus, to know what it was wherefore he did so.

6   So Hathach went foorth to Mardocheus, vnto the streete of the citie which was before the kinges gate: B   

7   And Mardocheus tolde him of al that had come vnto him, ∧ of þe; summe of siluer that Haman had promised to waye downe into the kinges treasurie, because of the Iewes if he would destroy them.

8   And he gaue him the copie of the kinges commaundement that was deuised at Susan to destroy them, that he might shewe it vnto Esther, and to speake to her, and charge her that she should go in vnto the king, ∧ make her prayer and supplication vnto him for her people.

9   And when Hathach came in, he tolde Esther the wordes of Mardocheus.

10   And againe Esther spake vnto Hathach and comma&ubar;ded him to say vnto Mardocheus:

11   All the kinges seruauntes, ∧ the people in the prouinces of the king knowe, that whosoeuer commeth within the courte vnto the king, whether it be man or woman, which is not called, ^note the c&obar;maundement is, that the same shall dye, except the king holde out the golden septer vnto him, for then he shall lyue: As for me, I haue not ben called to come in vnto the king now this thirtie dayes.

12   And they certified Mardocheus of

Esthers wordes.

13   And Mardocheus bad say againe vnto Esther: Thinke not with thy selfe that thou shalt escape in the kinges house more then all the Iewes.

14   For if thou holdest thy peace at this time, then shall the Iewes haue ^note helpe and deliueraunce out of an other place, and thou and thy fathers house shalbe destroyed: And who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdome ^note for this causes sake?

15   Esther bad them geue Mardocheus this aunswere:

16   Go thou thy way, and gather together all the Iewes that are founde at Susan, and fast ye for me, that ye eate not and drinke not in three dayes neither day nor night, I and my maydens wyll fast likewyse: and so wyll I go in to the king, which thing yet is contrary to the commaundement: and if I perishe, I perishe.

17   So Mardocheus went his way, and did according to al that Esther had commaunded him. ¶2; The .v. Chapter. 1 Esther entreth into the king, and biddeth him and Haman to a feaste. 11 Haman prepareth a gallous for Mardocheus.