Esther-Hadasah

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Esther-Hadassah 

To Our Forefathers Yisrael

In the second year of the reign of Achashverosh the great melech, on the first yom of Aviv, Mordechai the son of Yahir, the son of Semeyah, the son of Keshu, of the tribe of Benyamin, a Yahudi dwelling in the city of Shushan, a famous man, serving in the melech's palace, saw a vision. Now he was part of the captivity which Nevuchadnetzar melech of Bavel had carried captive from Yahrushalayim, with Yahconyah, the melech of Yahudah. And this was his dream: Behold, voices and a noise, thunders and an earthquake and tumult upon the olam. And, behold, two great serpents came forth, both ready for conflict and there came from them great voices and by their voices every nation was prepared for battle, even to fight against the nation of the tzadikim. And, behold, a yom of darkness and blackness, tribulation and anguish, affliction and great tumult upon the olam. And all of the tzadik nation was troubled, fearing their own afflictions; and they prepared to die, and cried to YHUH: and from their cry there came as it were a great river from a little fountain, even much mayim. And ohr and the shemesh arose and the lowly were exalted and devoured the nobles. And Mordechai who had seen this vision and what YHUH designed to do, having awoke, kept it in his lev and desired by all means to interpret it, that lyla. And Mordechai remained quiet in the palace with Gabatha and Tharrha the melech's two managers, eunuchs, who guarded the palace. And he heard their conversations and searched out their plans and learned that they were preparing to kill melech Achashverosh: and he informed the melech concerning them. And the melech examined the two managers and they confessed and were executed. And the melech wrote these things for a record; also Mordechai wrote concerning these matters. And the melech commanded Mordechai to serve in the palace and gave him gifts for this service. And Haman the son of Hammedatha had honor in the sight of the melech and he endeavoured to hurt Mordechai and his people, because of his friendship with the two managers of the melech.

1 Now it came to pass in the yamim of Achashverosh (this is Achashverosh that reigned, from India even to Ethiopia, over one hundred twenty seven provinces),

2 That in those yamim, when The melech Achashverosh sat on the kesay of his malchut, which was in Shushan the palace,

3 In the third year of his reign, he made a feast to all his princes and his avadim; the powers of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him:

4 He showed the riches of his beautiful malchut and the kavod of his excellent majesty many yamim, even one hundred eighty yamim.

5 And when those yamim were expired, the melech made a feast to all the peoples that were present in Shushan the palace, both to great and small, seven yamim, in the court of the gan of the melech’s palace;

6 Where there were white, green and blue, hangings, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble: the beds were of gold and silver, upon a pavement of red and blue and white and black, marble.

7 And they served drinks in vessels of gold – the vessels being diverse one from another – and royal wine in abundance, according to the generosity of the melech.

8 And the drinking was according to the law; no one was compelled: for so the melech had appointed to all the officers of his bayit, that they should serve according to every man’s pleasure.

9 Also Vashti the malka made a feast for the women in the royal bayit that belonged to melech Achashverosh.

10 On the seventh yom, when the lev of the melech was filled with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harvona, Bigtha and Avagtha, Zethar and Carcas, the seven officers that served in the presence of Achashverosh the melech,

11 To bring Vashti the malka before the melech with her royal keter, to show the people and the princes her beauty: for she was lovely to look at.

12 But the malka Vashti refused to come at the melech’s commandment given by his officers: therefore the melech was very angry and his anger burned inside of him.

13 Then the melech said to the wise men, who knew the times – for this was the melech’s custom; he discussed matters in the presence of those who understood law and mishpat-

14 And the next to him was Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who saw the melech’s face and who sat in the highest and foremost positions in the malchut.

15 What shall we do to the malka Vashti according to law because she has not performed the commandment of melech Achashverosh by the officers?

16 And Memucan answered before the melech and the princes, Vashti the malka has not done wrong to the melech only, but also to all the princes and to all the peoples that are in all the provinces of the melech Achashverosh.

17 For this rebellion of the malka shall be known to all women, so that they shall despise their husbands, when it shall be reported that the melech Achashverosh commanded Vashti the malka to be brought in before him, but she did not come.

18 Likewise shall the ladies of Persia and Media say to all the melech’s princes, that they have heard of the deed of the malka. Then shall there arise much contempt and anger.

19 If it please the melech, let there be issued a royal commandment from him and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, that it be not altered, That Vashti come no more before melech Achashverosh; and let the melech give her royal position to another that is better than she.

20 And when the melech’s decree that he shall make shall be published throughout all his empire – for it is great – all the wives shall give to their husbands kavod, both great and small.

21 And the guidance pleased the melech and the princes; and the melech did according to the words of Memucan:

22 For he sent letters into all the melech’s provinces, into every province according to the written decree and to every people after their language, that every man should bear the rule in his own bayit and that it should be published according to the language of every people.

2 After these things, when the anger of melech Achashverosh was appeased, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what was decreed against her.

2 Then said the melech’s avadim that attended to him, Let there be lovely young virgins sought for the melech:

3 And let the melech appoint officers in all the provinces of his malchut, that they may gather together all the lovely young virgins to Shushan the palace, to the bayit of the women to the custody of Hegai the melech’s officer, guardian of the women; and let their things for purification be given to them:

4 And let the virgin that pleases the melech become malka instead of Vashti. And the guidance pleased the melech; and he did so.

5 Now in Shushan the palace there was a certain Yahudi, whose name was Mordechai, the son of Yair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benyamite;

6 Who had been carried away from Yahrushalayim with the captivity that had been carried away with Yechonyah melech of Yahudah, whom Nevuchadnetzar the melech of Bavel had carried away.

7 And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle’s daughter: for she had neither abba nor eema and the virgin was lovely and beautiful; whom Mordechai took for his own isha, when her abba and eema were dead.

8 So it came to pass, when the melech’s commandment and his decree was heard and when many virgins were gathered together to Shushan the palace, to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was brought also to the melech’s bayit, to the custody of Hegai, guardian of the women.

9 And the virgin pleased him and she obtained kindness from him; and he quickly gave her things for purification, with such things as belonged to her and seven avadim, which were to be given to her, out of the melech’s bayit: and he preferred her and her female avadim to the best place of the bayit of the women.

10 Esther had not revealed her national identity nor her relatives: for Mordechai had ordered her that she should not declare it.

11 And Mordechai walked every yom before the court of the women’s bayit, to know how Esther was doing and what would become of her.

12 Now when every virgin’s turn had come to go in to melech Achashverosh, after she had been purified twelve chodashem, according to the manner of the women; for in this manner were the yamim of their purifications accomplished; six chodashem with the oil of myrrh and six chodashem with sweet odors.

13 Then came every virgin to the melech; whatever she desired was given to her to go with her out from the bayit of the women to the melech’s bayit.

14 In the evening she went and the next yom she returned into the second bayit of the women, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the melech’s officer, who kept the concubines: she came in to the melech no more, unless the melech delighted in her, so that she was called by name a second time.

15 Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Avihail the uncle of Mordechai, who had taken her for his daughter, had come to go in to the melech, she required nothing but what Hegai the melech’s officer, the guardian of the women, had advised. And Esther obtained chen in the sight of all those that looked upon her.

16 So Esther was taken to melech Achashverosh, into his royal bayit in the twelfth chodesh, in the seventh year of his reign.

17 And the melech loved Esther above all the women and she obtained chen and kindness in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal keter upon her head and made her malka instead of Vashti.

18 Then the melech made a great feast to all his princes and his avadim, even Esther’s Moed; and he made a release to the provinces and gave gifts, according to the means of a melech.

19 And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, then Mordechai sat in the palace.

20 Now Esther had not revealed her identity; for so Mordechai commanded her, to fear YHUH and perform His mitzvoth, as when she was with him: and Esther changed not her manner of chayim.

21 In those yamim, while Mordechai sat in the melech’s gate, two of the melech’s officers, Bigthan and Teresh, of those who guarded the palace door, were angry and sought to lay hands on the melech Achashverosh.

22 And the matter became known to Mordechai, who told it to Esther the malka; and Esther informed the melech in Mordechai’s name.

23 And when an investigation was made of the matter, it was confirmed; therefore they were both hanged on an eytz: and it was written in the scroll of the chronicles before the melech.

3 After these things did melech Achashverosh 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 melech’s avadim, that were in the melech’s gate, bowed and reverenced Haman: for the melech had so commanded concerning him. But Mordechai bowed not, nor did him reverence.

3 Then the melech’s avadim, who were in the melech’s gate, said to Mordechai, Why do you transgress the melech’s commandment?

4 Now it came to pass, when they spoke daily to him and he listened not to them, that they told Haman, to see whether Mordechai’s words would stand: for he had told them that he was a Yahudi.

5 And when Haman saw that Mordechai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of anger.

6 And he thought it despicable to lay hands on Mordechai alone; for they had showed him the identity of the people of Mordechai: therefore Haman sought to destroy all the Yahudim that were throughout the whole malchut of Achashverosh, even the people of Mordechai.

7 And he made a decree in the twelfth year of the reign of Achashverosh, and cast lots daily and every chodesh, to slay in one yom the nation of Mordechai: and the lot fell on the fourteenth yom of the chodesh, which is chodesh twelve.

8 And Haman said to melech Achashverosh, There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the nation in all the provinces of your malchut; and their laws are diverse from all peoples; neither do they keep the melech’s laws: therefore it is not for the melech’s benefit to let them remain alive.

9 If it please the melech, let it be written that they may be destroyed: and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver to the hands of those that have the duties of the business, to bring it into the melech’s treasuries.

10 And the melech took his ring from his hand and gave it to Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Yahudim’s enemy.

11 And the melech said to Haman, The silver is given to you, the people also, to do with them as it seems tov to you.

12 Then were the melech’s sophrim called on the thirteenth yom of the first chodesh and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded to the melech’s lieutenants and to the governors that were over every province and to the rulers of every people of every province according to the written decree and to every people in their own language; in the name of melech Achashverosh it was written and sealed with the melech’s seal.

13 And the message was sent by posts throughout the malchut of Achashverosh, to utterly destroy the race of the Yahudim, on the first yom of the twelfth chodesh and to plunder their goods. And the following is the copy of the letter; The great melech Achashverosh writes this to the rulers and smaller governors of a hundred and twenty-seven provinces, from India even to Ethiopia, who hold authority under him. Ruling over many nations and having obtained dominion over the whole olam hazeh, I was inclined (not elated by the confidence of power, but always conducting myself with great moderation and gentleness) to make the chayim of my subjects one of shalom, desiring both to maintain the malchut quietly and orderly to its utmost limits and to restore the shalom desired by all men. But when I had enquired of my advisors how this should be brought to pass, a man, who excels in soundness of mishpat among us and had been shown to be loyal, without wavering and with unshaken fidelity and had obtained the second position in the malchut, informed us, that a certain wicked people, is mixed among all the goyim throughout the olam, opposed because of their Torah, to every other nation and continually neglecting the commands of the melech, so that the unity government blamelessly administered by us, is not able to be established in shalom. Having then understood that this nation alone, above all others, is continually set in opposition to every man, introducing as a change, a foreign code of Torot and plotting to accomplish the worst of evils against our interests and against the establishment of our malchut in simcha; we signified to you in the letter written by Haman, who is set over public affairs and is our second governor, to destroy them all utterly; with their wives and children by the sword due to our enemies, without pitying or sparing any, on the fourteenth day of the twelfth chodesh. So that the people, both before and now, who are evil and opposed to us, have been violently consigned to death, all in one yom, may after their demise, secure for us continually, a well constituted state of affairs in shalom.

14 The copy of the decree was issued as a commandment to be given in every province and was published to all the peoples, that they should be ready for that yom.

15 The messengers went out, being quickened by the melech’s commandment and the decree was given in Shushan the palace. And the melech and Haman sat down to drink; but the city of Shushan was in confusion.

4 When Mordechai perceived all that was done, Mordechai tore his clothes and put on sackcloth with ashes and went out into the middle of the city and cried with a loud and a bitter cry;

2 And came before the melech’s gate: for none might enter into the melech’s gate clothed with sackcloth.

3 And in every province, wherever the melech’s commandment and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Yahudim and fasting and weeping and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.

4 So Esther’s maids and her officers came and told it to her. Then was the malka exceedingly in pain; and she sent clothing to clothe Mordechai and to take away his sackcloth from him: but he refused.

5 Then called Esther for Hatach, one of the melech’s officers, who was appointed to serve her and gave him an order to go to Mordechai, to know what it was and why it was.

6 So Hatach went forth to Mordechai to the street of the city, which was before the melech’s gate.

7 And Mordechai told him of all that had happened to him and of the ten thousand talents that Haman had promised to pay into the melech’s treasuries, for the Yahudim, in order to destroy them.

8 Also he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was given at Shushan to destroy them, to show it to Esther and to declare it to her and to order her that she should go in to the melech, to make petition to him and to make a request before him for her people, remembering, he said, the yamim of your humble start, how you were nursed by my hand: because Haman, who holds the next highest place to the melech, has spoken against us for death. So now, call on YHUH and speak to the melech concerning us, to deliver us from death.

9 And Hatach came and told Esther the words of Mordechai.

10 Again Esther spoke to Hatach and gave him an admonition to Mordechai;

11 All the melech’s avadim and the people of the melech’s provinces, do know, that anyone, whether man, or woman, who shall come to the melech into the inner court, who is not called, will be put to death by his law, except the one to whom the melech shall hold out the golden scepter, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in to the melech these thirty yamim.

12 And they told Mordechai Esther’s words.

13 Then Mordechai commanded this answer to Esther, Think not to yourself that you shall escape in the melech’s bayit, more than all the other Yahudim.

14 For if you keep silent at this time, then shall their relief and deliverance arise for the Yahudim from another place; but you and your abba’s bayit shall be destroyed: and who knows whether you have come to the malchut for such a time as this?

15 Then Esther ordered them to return to Mordechai with this answer,

16 Go, gather together all the Yahudim that are present in Shushan and fast for me and neither eat nor drink three yamim and laylot: I also and my virgins will fast as well; and then I will go in to the melech, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.

17 So Mordechai went his derech and did according to all that Esther had commanded him. And he besought YHUH, making mention of all the works of YHUH; and he said, Adonai Ahlohim, Melech ruling overall, for all things are in Your Power and there is no one that shall oppose You, in Your purpose to save Yisrael. For You have made the shamayim and the olam and every wonderful thing in the olam under the shamayim. And You are Ahlohim of all and there is no one who shall resist You YHUH. You know all things. You know,YHUH, that it is not in insolence, nor haughtiness, nor the ahava of tifereth, that I have done this, to refuse obeisance to the haughty Haman. For I would gladly have kissed the soles of his feet for the safety of Yisrael. But I have done this, that I might not set the tifereth of man above the tifereth of YHUH; and I will not worship anyone except You, my YHUH and I will not do these things in haughtiness. And now,YHUH Ahlohim, The Melech, The Ahlohim of Avraham, spare Your people, for our enemies are looking upon us to our destruction and they have desired to destroy Your ancient inheritance. Do not overlook Your peculiar people, whom You have redeemed for Yourself out of eretz Mitzrayim. Shema to my tefillah and show chen to Your inheritance and turn our mourning into simcha, that we may have chayim and sing tehillot to Your name,YHUH; and do not utterly destroy the mouths of those that give tehillot to You,YHUH. And all Yisrael cried with all their might, for death was before their eyes. And malka Esther took refuge in YHUH, being taken as it were in the agony of death. And having taken off her royal apparel, she put on garments of distress and mourning; and instead of grand perfumes, she filled her head with ashes and dung and she greatly humbled her body and she filled every place of her adorning with the torn curls of her hair. And she sought YHUH Ahlohim of Yisrael, and said,YHUH, You alone are our Melech: help me who am destitute and have no Helper but You, for my danger is near at hand. I have heard from my birth, in the tribe of my kindred that You,YHUH took Yisrael out of all the goyim and our ahvot out of all their kindred, for a perpetual inheritance and have done for them all that You have said. And now we have sinned before You, and You have delivered us into the hands of our enemies because we served their ahlahim. You are tzadik,YHUH. But now they have not been contented with the bitterness of our past avdoot but have laid their hands on the hands of their idols, in order to abolish the decree of Your mouth and utterly to destroy Your inheritance and to stop the mouths of them that give You tehillot and to extinguish the tifereth of Your Bayit and Your altar and to open the mouths of the goyim, to speak the praises of vanities, in order that a mortal melech should be admired forever.YHUH, do not grant Your Sceptre to them that are not Yours and let them not laugh at our fall, but turn their counsel against themselves and make an example of the one who has begun to injure us. Remember us,YHUH and manifest Yourself in the time of our affliction and encourage me, Melech over all other ahlahim and Ruler over all dominions. Put harmonious speech into my mouth before the lion and turn his lev to hate him that fights against us, to the utter destruction of him that consents with him. But deliver us by Your Hand and help me who am destitute and have none but You YHUH. You know all things and know that I hate the esteem of transgressors and that I abhor the places of the ones wthout brit milah and of every stranger. You know my need; for I abhor the keter, the symbol of my proud position, which is upon my head in the days of my splendor: I abhor it as a menstruous cloth and I wear it not in the days of my tranquility. And Your handmaid has not eaten at the shulchan of Haman and I have not honored the banquet of the melech, neither have I drunk wine of their libations. Neither has Your handmaid rejoiced since the yom of my promotion, until now, except in You,YHUH Ahlohim of Avraham. Ahlohim, who has power over all, shema to the kol of the desperate and deliver us from the hand of them that devise mischief; and deliver me from all my fears.

5 And it came to pass on the third yom, when she had ceased making tefillah, that she put off her simple dress and put on her esteemed apparel. And being splendidly dressed and having called upon YHUH Ahlohim, The Overseer and Preserver of all things, she took her two maids, and she leaned upon one, as a delicate female and the other followed bearing her train. And she was blooming in the perfection of her beauty; and her face was cheerful and it was benevolent, but her lev was stressed with fear. And having passed through all the doors, she stood before the melech: and he was sitting upon his royal throne and he had put on all his esteemed apparel, covered all over with gold and precious stones and was very upset. And having raised his face resplendent with esteem, he looked on with intense anger: and the malka fell and her color changed as she fainted; and she bowed herself upon the head of the maid that went before her. But YHUH Ahlohim changed the ruach of the melech to gentleness and in intense feeling, he sprang from off his kesay and took her into his arms, until she recovered: and he comforted her with words of shalom and said to her, What is the matter, Esther? I am your brother; be of tov cheer, you shall not die, for our command is openly declared to you, Draw near to me.

2 And the melech held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand and laid it on her neck and embraced her and said. Speak to me. And she said to him, I saw you master as a malach of YHUH and my lev was troubled for fear of your esteem. For you master, are wonderous and your face is full of unmerited favor. And while she was speaking, she fainted and fell. Then the melech was troubled and all his avadim comforted her. So Esther arose and drew near and touched the top of the scepter.

3 Then said the melech to her, What do you desire, malka Esther? And what is your request? It shall be given to you even to half of the malchut.

4 And Esther answered, If it seems tov to the melech, let the melech and Haman come this yom to the banquet that I have prepared for him.

5 Then the melech said, Hurry and get Haman, that he may do as Esther has said. So the melech and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared.

6 And the melech said to Esther at the banquet of wine, What is your petition? And it shall be granted you: and what is your request? Even to half of the malchut it shall be given.

7 Then answered Esther and said, My petition and my request is this;

8 If I have found chen in the sight of the melech and if it pleases the melech to grant my petition and to perform my request, let the melech and Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them and I will do tomorrow as the melech has said.

9 Then went Haman forth that yom with gilah and with a lev of simcha: but when Haman saw Mordechai in the melech’s gate, that he did not stand up, nor move for him, he was full of indignation against Mordechai.

10 Nevertheless Haman refrained himself: and when he came home, he sent and called for his chaverim and Zeresh his isha.

11 And Haman told them of the beauty of his riches and the multitude of his children and all the things in which the melech had promoted him and how he had advanced him above the princes and avadim of the melech.

12 Haman said moreover, Esther the malka did not let any man come in with the melech to the banquet that she had prepared except myself; and tomorrow I am invited with her and also with the melech.

13 Yet all this means nothing to me, as long as I see Mordechai the Yahudi sitting at the melech’s gate.

14 Then said Zeresh his isha and all his chaverim to him, Let gallows be made of fifty cubits high and tomorrow speak to the melech that Mordechai may be hanged on it: then go in joyfully with the melech to the banquet. And the thing pleased Haman; and he ordered the gallows to be made.

6 On that lyla the melech could not sleep and he commanded someone to bring the scroll of records of the chronicles; and they were read before the melech.

2 And it was found written, that Mordechai had informed him of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the melech’s officers, the guards of the palace door, who sought to lay hands on the melech Achashverosh.

3 And the melech said, What kavod and dignity has been done to Mordechai for this? Then said the melech’s avadim that attended to him, There is nothing done for him.

4 And the melech said, Who is in the court? Now Haman had come into the outward court of the melech’s bayit, to speak to the melech to hang Mordechai on the gallows that he had prepared for him.

5 And the melech’s avadim said to him, Behold, Haman stands in the court. And the melech said, Let him come in.

6 So Haman came in. And the melech said to him, What shall be done to the man whom the melech delights to esteem? Now Haman thought in his lev, To whom would the melech delight to do esteem more than to myself?

7 And Haman answered the melech, For the man whom the melech delights to esteem,

8 Let the royal apparel be brought which the melech wears and the horse that the melech rides upon and the royal keter that is set upon his head:

9 And let this apparel and horse be delivered to the hand of one of the melech’s most noble princes, that they may array the man completely whom the melech delights to esteem and bring him on horseback through the streets of the city and proclaim before him, So shall it be done to the man whom the melech delights to esteem.

10 Then the melech said to Haman, Hurry and take the apparel and the horse, as you have said and do so to Mordechai the Yahudi, that sits at the melech’s gate: let nothing fail of all that you have spoken.

11 Then took Haman the apparel and the horse and arrayed Mordechai and brought him on horseback through the streets of the city and proclaimed before him, So shall it be done to the man whom the melech delights to esteem.

12 And Mordechai came again to the melech’s gate. But Haman hurried back to his bayit mourning and having his head covered.

13 And Haman told Zeresh his isha and all his chaverim everything that had happened to him. Then said his wise men and Zeresh his isha to him, If Mordechai is of the zera of the Yahudim, you shall not prevail against him, but shall surely fall before him, for the living Ahlohim is with him.

14 And while they were yet talking with him, the melech’s officers came and quickly brought Haman to the banquet that Esther had prepared.

7 So the melech and Haman came to the banquet with Esther the malka.

2 And the melech said again to Esther on the second yom at the banquet of wine, What is your petition, malka Esther? And it shall be granted you: and what is your request? And it shall be performed, even to half of the malchut.

3 Then Esther the malka answered and said, If I have found chen in your sight, O melech and if it please the melech, let my chayim be given me at my petition and my people at my request:

4 For we have been sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain and to perish. But if we had been sold even as avadim, I would have remained silent, although the enemy could not make up the damage to the melech.

5 Then the melech Achashverosh answered and said to Esther the malka, Who is he and where is he, that does presume in his lev to do so?

6 And Esther said, The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman. Then Haman was afraid before the melech and the malka.

7 And the melech arising from the banquet of wine in anger went into the palace gan: and Haman stood up to make a request for his chayim to Esther the malka; for he saw that there was evil determined against him by the melech.

8 Then the melech returned out of the palace gan into the place of the banquet of wine; and Haman fell upon the bed on which Esther was. Then said the melech, Will he force the malka sexually also before me in the bayit? As the word went out of the melech’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face.

9 And Havonah, one of the officers, said before the melech, Behold also, the gallows fifty cubits high, which Haman had made for Mordechai, who had spoken tov for the melech, stands at the bayit of Haman. Then the melech said, Hang him on it.

10 So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordechai. Then was the melech’s anger abated.

8 On that yom did the melech Achashverosh give the bayit of Haman the Yahudim’s enemy to Esther the malka. And Mordechai came before the melech; for Esther had told him how he was related to her.

2 And the melech took off his ring, which he had taken from Haman and gave it to Mordechai. And Esther set Mordechai over the bayit of Haman.

3 And Esther spoke yet again before the melech and fell down at his feet and sought him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite and his evil device that he had devised against the Yahudim.

4 Then the melech held out the golden scepter toward Esther. So Esther arose and stood before the melech,

5 And said, If it please the melech and if I have found chen in his sight and the thing seems right before the melech and I be pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to reverse the letters devised by Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Yahudim who are in all the melech’s provinces:

6 For how can I endure to see the evil that shall come to my people? Or, how can I endure to see the destruction of my relatives?

7 Then the melech Achashverosh said to Esther the malka and to Mordechai the Yahudi, Behold, I have given Esther the bayit of Haman and they have hanged him upon the gallows because he laid his hand upon the Yahudim; what more do you seek?

8 Write also for the Yahudim, whatever you like, in the melech’s name and seal it with the melech’s ring: for the writing which is written in the melech’s name and sealed with the melech’s ring, no man can reverse.

9 Then were the melech’s sophrim called at that time, in the first chodesh, that is, the chodesh Aviv, on the twenty-third yom; and it was written according to all that Mordechai commanded to the Yahudim and to the lieutenants and the deputies and rulers of the provinces which are from India to Ethiopia, a hundred twenty seven provinces, to every province according to their writing and to every people after their language and to the Yahudim according to their writing and according to their language.

10 And he wrote in the melech Achashverosh’s name and sealed it with the melech’s ring and sent letters by messenger posts on horseback and riders on mules, camels and young mares:

11 In which the melech granted the Yahudim to use their own Torah, who were in every city, to gather themselves together, and to stand for their chayim, to destroy, to slay and to cause to perish, all the power of the peoples and provinces that would assault them, both little ones and women and to take the plunder from them for a spoil,

12 Upon one yom in all the provinces of melech Achashverosh, namely, upon the thirteenth yom of the twelfth chodesh.

13 The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given in every province was published to all peoples, that the Yahudim should be ready that yom to avenge themselves on their enemies. And the following is the copy of the letter of the orders. The great melech Achashverosh sends greetings to the rulers of provinces in a hundred and twenty-seven provinces, from India to Ethiopia, even to those who are faithful to our interests. Many who have been frequently honored by the most abundant kindness of their benefactors have conceived ambitious designs and not only endeavour to hurt our subjects, but moreover, not being able to bear prosperity, they also endeavour to plot against their own benefactors. And they not only would utterly abolish gratitude from among men, but also, elated by the boastings of men who are strangers to all that is tov, they thought that they shall escape the sin-hating vengeance of the ever-seeing Ahlohim. And often evil exhortation has made them partakers of the guilt of shedding innocent dahm and has involved in irremediable calamities, many of those who had been appointed to offices of authority, who had been entrusted with the management of their chaverims' affairs; while men, by the false deceptions of an evil disposition, have deceived the simple candor of the ruling powers. And it is possible to see this, not so much from more ancient accounts, as it is immediately in your power to see it by examining what things have been wickedly perpetrated by the baseness of men unworthily holding power. And it is right to take heed with regard to the future, that we may maintain the government in undisturbed shalom for all men, adopting needful changes and ever giving mishpat to those cases which come under our notice, with truly equitable decisions. For whereas Haman, an Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, in reality an alien from our dahm of the Persians and differing widely from our mild course of government, having been hosted in kindness by us, obtained so large a share of our universal kindness, as to be called our abba and to continue as the person next to the royal throne, esteemed by all; he however, overcome by the pride of his position, endeavored to deprive us of our dominion and our chayim: having by various and subtle deceptions demanded the destruction of both Mordechai our deliverer and perpetual benefactor and Esther the blameless consort of our malchut, with their whole nation. For by these methods he thought, having surprised us in a vulnerable state, to transfer the dominion of the Persians to the Agagites. But we find that the Yahudim, who have been consigned to destruction by the most abominable of men, are not our enemies, but living according to the tzadik Torot and being the sons of the living Ahlohim, the El-Elyon and El-Gibbor, who maintains the malchut for us, as well as for our ahvot, in a most excellent order. You will therefore do well in refusing to obey the letter sent by Haman the son of Hammedath, because he that has done these things, has been hung with his whole mishpacah at the gates of Shushan, El Shaddai having swiftly returned to him a worthy pay back. We urge you then, having openly published a copy of this letter in every place, to give the Yahudim permission to use their own lawful customs and to strengthen them, that on the thirteenth of the twelfth chodesh, on the same yom, they may defend themselves against those who attack them in a time of affliction. For in the place of the destruction of the chosen race, El Shaddai has granted them this time of simcha. Do you therefore also, among your notable feasts, keep a distinct yom with all simcha, that both now and in the future, it may be a yom of deliverance for us and to all who are well disposed toward the Persians; but to those that plotted against us, may it be a memorial of destruction. And every city and province collectively, which shall not do accordingly, shall be consumed with vengeance by spear and fire: it shall be made not only inaccessible to men, but most hateful to wild beasts and birds forever. And let the copies be posted in plain sight throughout the malchut and let all the Yahudim be ready for this yom, to fight against their enemies.

14 So the messenger posts that rode upon mules and camels went out, being rushed by the melech’s commandment. And the decree was also given at Shushan the palace.

15 And Mordechai went out from the presence of the melech in royal apparel of blue and white and with a great keter of gold and with a garment of fine linen and purple: and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was in simcha.

16 The Yahudim had ohr and gilah and simcha and kavod.

17 And in every province and in every city, wherever the melech’s commandment and his decree was declared, the Yahudim had simcha and gilah, a moed and a Yom-Tov. And many of the goyim of the land performed brit-milah and became Yahudim; for the fear of the Yahudim fell upon them.

9 Now in the twelfth chodesh, on the thirteenth yom of the same, when the melech’s commandment and his decree drew near to be done to the Yahudim, in the same yom that the enemies of the Yahudim hoped to have power over them, it was turned around, so that the Yahudim had rule over those who hated them.

2 The Yahudim gathered themselves together in their cities throughout all the provinces of the melech Achashverosh, to lay hands on those who had sought their hurt: and no man could withstand them; for the fear of them fell upon all people.

3 And all the rulers of the provinces and the lieutenants and the deputies and officers of the melech, helped the Yahudim; because the fear of Mordechai fell upon them.

4 For Mordechai was great in the melech’s bayit and his fame went out throughout all the provinces: for this man Mordechai grew greater and greater.

5 So the Yahudim smote all their enemies with the stroke of the sword and slaughter and destruction and did what they desired to those that hated them.

6 And in Shushan the palace the Yahudim killed and destroyed five hundred men.

7 And Parshandatha and Dalphon and Aspatha,

8 And Poratha and Adalya and Aridatha,

9 And Parmashta and Arisai and Aridai and Vayetzatha,

10 The ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Yahudim, they killed; but on the plunder they laid not their hands.

11 On that yom the number of those that were slain in Shushan the palace was brought before the melech.

12 And the melech said to Esther the malka, The Yahudim have slain and destroyed five hundred men in Shushan the palace and the ten sons of Haman; what have they done in the rest of the melech’s provinces? Now what is your petition? And it shall be granted you: or what is your further request? And it shall be done.

13 Then said Esther, If it please the melech, let it be granted to the Yahudim who are in Shushan to do tomorrow also according to today’s decree and let Haman’s ten sons be hanged upon the gallows.

14 And the melech commanded it to be done: and the decree was given at Shushan; and they hanged Haman’s ten sons.

15 For the Yahudim that were in Shushan gathered themselves together on the fourteenth yom of the twelfth chodesh and killed three hundred men at Shushan; but the plunder was not touched.

16 But the other Yahudim that were in the melech’s provinces gathered themselves together and stood up for their chayim and had rest from their enemies and killed of their foes fifteen thousand, on the thirteenth yom of the twelfth chodesh; but they laid not their hands on the plunder,

17 And on the fourteenth yom of the same chodesh they rested and made it a yom of feasting and simcha.

18 But the Yahudim that were at Shushan assembled together on the thirteenth yom; and on the fourteenth; and on the fifteenth yom of the same they rested and made it yamim of feasting and gilah.

19 Therefore the Yahudim of the villages, that dwelt in the unwalled towns, made the fourteenth yom of the twelfth chodesh a yom of gilah and feasting and a Yom-Tov and of sending portions one to another.

20 And Mordechai wrote these things and sent letters to all the Yahudim that were in all the provinces of the melech Achashverosh, both near and far,

21 To establish this among them, that they should observe the fourteenth yom of the twelfth chodesh and the fifteenth yom of the same, yearly,

22 As the yamim in which the Yahudim rested from their enemies and the chodesh which was turned from sorrow to simcha and from mourning into a Yom-Tov: that they should make them yamim of feasting and simcha and of sending portions one to another and gifts to the poor.

23 And the Yahudim undertook to do as they had begun and as Mordechai had written to them;

24 Because Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Yahudim, had devised against the Yahudim to destroy them and had cast Pur, that is, the lot, to consume them and to destroy them;

25 But when Esther came before the melech, he commanded by letters that his wicked device, which he devised against the Yahudim, should return upon his own head and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.

26 Therefore they called these yamim Purim after the name of Pur. Therefore for all the words of this letter and of that which they had seen concerning this matter and which had come to them,

27 The Yahudim ordained and took upon them and upon their zera and upon all such as joined themselves to them, so as it should not fail, that they would keep these two yamim according to their decree and according to their appointed time every year;

28 And that these yamim should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every mishpacha, every province and every city; and that these yamim of Purim should not fail from among the Yahudim, nor the memorial of them perish from their zera.

29 Then Esther the malka, the daughter of Avihail and Mordechai the Yahudi, wrote with all authority, to confirm this second letter of Purim.

30 And he sent the letters to all the Yahudim, to the hundred twenty seven provinces of the malchut of Achashverosh, with words of shalom and emet,

31 To confirm these yamim of Purim in their appointed times, according to what Mordechai the Yahudi and Esther the malka had established for them and as they had decreed for themselves and for their zera, the matters of their fasting and their lamenting.

32 And the decree of Esther confirmed these matters of Purim; and it was written in the scroll.

10 And the melech Achashverosh laid a compulsory labor upon the land and upon the islands of the sea.

2 And all the acts of his power and of his might and the declaration of the greatness of Mordechai, with which the melech made him great, are they not written in the Scroll of the Chronicles of The Melechim of Media and Persia?

3 For Mordechai the Yahudi succeeded melech Achashverosh and was great among the Yahudim and accepted by the multitude of his brothers, seeking the wealth of his people and speaking shalom to all his zera. And Mordechai said, These things have been done by Ahlohim. For I remember the dream which I had concerning these matters: for not one of them has failed. There was the little fountain which became a river and there was ohr and the shemesh and much mayim. The river is Esther, whom the melech married and made her malka. And the two serpents are I and Haman. And the nations are those goyim that combined to destroy the name of the Yahudim. But as for my nation, that is Yisrael, even they cried to Ahlohim and were delivered: for YHUH delivered His people. And YHUH rescued us out of all these calamities; and Ahlohim wrought such otot and great wonders, as have not been done among the goyim. And He appointed two Purim. One for Yisrael and one for all the other goyim. One for simcha and one for mishpat. And Ahlohim remembered His people, and vindicated His inheritance. And they shall observe these yamim in the twelfth chodesh, on the fourteenth yom and on the fifteenth yom of the chodesh, with a miqra kodesh and simcha and gilah before YHUH Ahlohim, throughout the generations, le-olam-va-ed, among His people Yisrael. **In the fourth year of the reign of Ptolemeus and Cleopatra and Dositheus, who said he was a kohen and Lewite and Ptolemeus his son, brought this letter of Purim, which they said was the same and that Lysimachus the son of Ptolemeus, who was in Yahrushalayim, had interpreted it. X

The Book Of Esther as it appears here, has restored major sections of missing texts from the LXX, where the Name of YHUH is mentioned regularly and where Torah and YHUH are both esteemed.

ESTHER

***It is important top note that the Book of Esther based on the Masoretic text has major sections missing. Many of these missing texts found clearly in the LXX, have YHUH's Name and many references to Elohim and to Torah followed by Esther. Using these restored verses from the LXX, we can see how the Book of Esther actually does contain the divine Name, not merely the divine Hand behind the scenes. This fully negates the arguments against its divine inspiration, as well as the biblical celebration of Purim.

• 1:1 Many scholars feel this was none other than the well-known Artaxeres, who was a chaver of the Jews based on many events, including those detailed in the Scroll of Esther.

• 1:2 The Jews in Babylon, who chose not to return with Ezra and Nehemiah, were later swallowed up in the captivity of Babylon, by the combined might of Medo-Persia. These captured exiles from Babylon circa 490 BCE are the Jews of the Book of Esther. They were called Jews by then because all the Jews descended primarily from the three southern tribes, as were both Mordechai and Esther.

• 2:5 The thought of anyone having to become Jewish is nonsensical prior to 921 BCE when the Tabernacle of Dawid split. The term “Jew,” or “Jews,” is not mentioned in Scripture prior to 490 BCE. The term “Jew” does not even appear in the Scriptures in social-historical Israel until the nation split into two houses and is first referenced here in the Scroll of Esther (and in the Scroll of Jeremiah), which took place after the first return of Judah from the Babylonian captivity. Jews did not exist as Jews separately from Israel until the kingdom split in 921 BCE. Any ties to social and historical Israel prior to that date would lead one to Yisraelite and certainly not Jewish, status. Mordechai was considered a Jew because he came from Benjamin, a southern tribe after the split.

• 2:7 LXX. If Mordechai was already married, this would have made him a polygynist like many other set apart men.

• 2:16 LXX.

• 2:19 LXX.

• 2:20 LXX.

• 3:7 Lots.

• 3:13 LXX.

• 3:8 Jewish Israel.

• 4:14 Yisraelites cannot keep silent when either house of Israel is being mistreated, or persecuted. We must speak up for both houses, using love and equal weights and measures. If we keep silent we lose YAH’s blessing. We have been brought into the kingdom in these last days to proclaim deliverance and relief to all Israel’s captives.

• 4:16 We must be willing to lose all for the kingdom message of Israel’s restoration.

• 5:1 LXX.

• 6:13 Would to YAH all the nations would grab hold of this principle. LXX.

• 8:7 LXX.

• 8:9 We see Yisraelites throughout Asia and Asia Minor. If that is true of Judah, how much more of the numerically larger non-Jewish Yisraelites? LXX.

• 8:11 Judah was scattered into every Persian city, just like Efrayim was scattered into every city on the earth as the “fullness of the nations.” LXX.

• 8:17 Many in Asia and the Middle East became Jews. Since the Chaldeans in Medo-Persia were included, many Chaldeans and Persians also became Israel. So the blood of both houses remains fully intermingled in fulfillment of the nivrechu promise given to Abraham in Genesis 12:3. See notes on Gen. 12:3 for more details.

• 9:27 Many joined with Jewish-Israel and had offspring who obviously became Israel and are dispersed in the world to this day.

• 10:1 Home to many of Efrayim-Israel.

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