CHAP. XV.
Esther comes into the king's
presence: she is terrified,
but God turns his heart.
1 noteAnd Mardochai commanded
Esther to
go to the king, and petition
for her people, and for her
country.
2 Remember (said he) the
days of thy low estate, how
thou wast brought up by my
hand, because Aman the second
after the king hath spoken
against us unto death:
3 And do thou call upon
the Lord, and speak to the
king for us, and deliver us
from death.
4 And on the third day
she laid away the garments
she wore, and put on her glorious
apparel.
5 And glittering in royal
robes, after she had called
upon God the ruler and saviour
-- --
of all, she took two
maids with her,
6 And upon one of them
she leaned, as if for delicateness
and over much tenderness,
she were not able to bear
up her own body:
7 And the other maid followed
her lady, bearing up her
train flowing on the ground
8 But she with a rosy colour
in her face, and with
gracious and bright eyes, hid
a mind full of anguish, and
exceeding great fear.
9 So going in she passed
through all the doors in order,
and stood before the king,
where he sat upon his royal
throne, clothed with his royal
robes, and glittering with gold,
and precious stones, and he
was terrible to behold.
10 And when he had lifted
up his countenance, and with
burning eyes had shewed the
wrath of his heart, the queen
sunk down, and her colour
turned pale, and she rested her
weary head upon her handmaid.
11 And God changed the
king's spirit into mildness, and
all in haste and in fear he
leaped from his throne, and
holding her up in his arms, till
she came to herself, carressed
her with these words:
12 What is the matter,
Esther? I am thy brother,
fear not.
13 Thou shalt not die: for
this law is not made for thee,
but for all others.
14 Come near then, and
touch the scepter.
15 And as she held her
peace, he took the golden
scepter, and laid it upon her
neck, and kissed her, and said:
Why dost thou not speak to
me?
16 She answered: I saw
thee, my lord, as an Angel
of God, and my heart was
troubled for fear of thy majesty.
17 For thou, my lord, art
very admirable, and thy face
is full of graces.
18 And while she was
speaking, she fell down again,
and was almost in a swoon.
19 But the king was troubled,
and all his servants comforted
her.
Challoner [1752], THE NEW TESTAMENT OF Our LORD and SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST. Translated out of the Latin Vulgat Diligently compared with the original Greek And first published by the English College of Rhemes, anno 1582. Newly revised, and corrected according to the Clementin Edition of the Scriptures. WITH ANNOTATIONS For clearing up modern Controversies in Religion, and other Difficulties of Holy Writ () [word count] [B12000].
