Esther 5:1-14 Queen Esther Has a Banquet for the King & Haman

 

Queen Esther Has a Banquet for the King & Haman

Esther 5:1-14           The Book of Esther [in Smaller Chunks]

Now, it [happened,] on the 3rd day, Esther put on her royal [clothing] & stood in the inner court of the [king, next to] the king's [palace.] And the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal [palace, next to] the [house's] gate.

And it [happened,] when the king saw queen Esther standing in the court, that the king held out the golden scepter in his hand, [showing] that she gained favor. So, Esther drew near & touched the top of the scepter. Then, the king said to her, What [would you like,] queen Esther?

And what is your request? Even it shall be given to you, [up] to 1/2 of the kingdom. And Esther answered, If it [seems] good to the king, let the king & Haman come [today,] to the banquet I have prepared for him. Then, the king said, [Bring] Haman [quickly, so] he may do as Esther has said.

So, the king & Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared. And the king said to Esther at the banquet of wine, What is your petition? What is your request & it shall be granted [to] you? It shall be [carried out,] even to 1/2 of the kingdom.

Then, Esther said, My petition & my request is, If I have found favor in the sight of the king & it [pleases] the king to grant my petition & [carry out] my request, let the king & Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them tomorrow & I will do as the king has said.

Then, Haman went [out] joyful that day, with a glad heart. But when Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate & he [didn't stand] up, nor moved [aside] for him, [Haman] was full of indignation against Mordecai.

[Still,] Haman refrained himself & when he came home, he called & sent [for] his friends & Zeresh, his wife. And Haman told them of the glory of his riches, the multitude of his children & all the things [about] the king [promoting] him & how he had advanced him above the [king's] princes & servants.

Haman said, [Additionally,] queen Esther let no man come in with the king to the banquet that she had prepared, but [me.] And I [was] invited [by] her tomorrow & also with the king.

Yet, this [is of no benefit to] me, so long as I see Mordecai, the Jew, sitting at the king's gate. Then, Zeresh, his wife & friends said to him, Let a gallows be made of 50 cubits high & tomorrow you [can] speak to the king, [so] that Mordecai may be [hung there.]

Then, go in merrily with the king to the banquet. And [this] thing, pleased Haman & he [had] the gallows made.

Esther 4:1-17 Mordecai Requests Esther to Talk to the King About His Decree to Kill the Jews

 

Mordecai Requests Esther to Talk to the King About His Decree to Kill the Jews

Esther 4:1-17           The Book of Esther [in Smaller Chunks]

When Mordecai [realized what] was done, Mordecai [tore] his clothes & put on sackcloth with ashes & went out into the [middle] of the city & cried [out] with a loud & bitter cry.

[He] came, even [in front of] the king's gate. For [no one] might enter the king's gate [dressed] in sackcloth. And in every province, [wherever] the king's [command] & decree [went,] there was great mourning, fasting weeping, wailing among the Jews & many lay in sackcloth & ashes.

So, Esther's maids & her chamberlains [a.k.a. eunuchs] came & told [this to] her. Then, the queen was exceedingly grieved & she sent [garments] to clothe Mordecai & to take away his sackcloth from him; but he [wouldn't accept] it.

Then, Esther called for Hatach, one of the king's chamberlains, whom [the king] appointed to attend [to] her & [she] gave him a [command for] Mordecai, to know what it was & why it was.

So, Hattach went [out into] the street of the city, in front of the king's gate, to Mordecai. And Mordecai told him of all that had happened to him & [about] the sum of money that Haman had promised to pay to the king's [treasury] to destroy the Jews.

Also, [Mordecai] gave him the copy of the [written] decree, that was given [in] Shushan, to destroy them. [So, Hatach] could [show] it to Esther & [make it known] to her & to [give her the responsibility to] go in to the king, to make [a plea, requesting for] her people, before the king. And Hatach came & told Esther the words of Mordcai.

Again, Esther [spoke] to Hatach & gave him [a command] for Mordecai: All the king's servants & the people of the king's provinces know there is [a] law: that [whoever wants to go] into the inner court to the king, whether man or woman, who isn't called, [shall] be put to death, [unless] the king [holds] out the golden scepter, that he may live.

[Esther said,] But I haven't been called to come to the king these 30 days. And they told Esther's words to Mordecai. Then, Mordecai [commanded this] answer to Esther, Think not [of] yourself, that you shall escape [from this] in the king's house, more than all the Jews.

For if you hold your peace altogether, at this time, then there shall be [relief] & deliverance [will] arise [for] the Jews from another place. But you & your father's house shall be destroyed. And who knows whether you [have] come into the kingdom for such a time as this?

Then Esther [asked] them to return this answer [to] Mordecai. Go, gather together all the Jews [who] are present in Shushan [a.k.a. Susa] & [all of] you fast for me & [not] eat [or] drink [for] 3 days, night or day.

Also, my maidens & I will fast [like this,] so I will go in to the king, which isn't according to the law & if I perish, I perish. So, Mordecail went his way & did according to all that Esther had commanded him.

Esther 3:1-15 Haman Has the Decree of the Jew's Future Demise Sent to All the Provinces

 

Haman Has the Decree of the Jew's Future Demise Sent to All the Provinces

Esther 3:1-15            The Book of Esther [in Smaller Chunks]

After these things, king Ahasuerus [a.k.a. Xerxes, promoted] Haman, [Hammedatha's] son, the Agagite & he [was] advanced. And his seat was [put] above all the princes [who] were with him.

All the king's servants in the king's gate bowed & [paid respect] to Haman, as the king commanded [be done to] him. Mordecai [didn't] bow, nor [gave him respect.] Then, the king's servants [who] were in the king's gate, said to Mordecai, Why do you [go against] the king's [command?]

Now, it [happened,] when [the servants spoke] daily to [Mordecai,] he [didn't pay attention to] them, [so] they told [Haman this & that Mordecai] was a Jew, to see whether Mordecai's [issues] would stand [up.]

When Haman saw that Mordecai [didn't] bow [or pay Haman respect,] Haman was [furious & looked down on Mordecai & thought to seize] him [when he was] alone.

But [since they had told Haman about Mordecai's] people, [therefore,] Haman sought to destroy all the Jews, throughout [all of Ahasuerus'] kingdom, even the people of Mordecai.

In the 1st month, Nisan, in the 12th year king Ahasuerus [ruled,] they cast Pur, which is the lot, in the [presence of] Haman  [to select a day & a] month. [The lot fell] to the 12th month, that is, the month Adar.

Haman said to king Ahasuerus, There is [particular] people scattered [around] & dispersed among the people in all the provinces of your kingdom. And their laws are [different] from all the [other] people. Neither [do] they keep the king's laws. Therefore, it isn't [to] the king's [benefit] to [put up with] them.

If it [pleases] the king, let it be written that they may be destroyed. I will [even] pay 10,000 talents of silver [into] the hands of those [in] charge of [this type of] business, to bring it into the king's treasuries.

And the king took [off] his ring from his hand & gave it to Haman, [Hammedatha's] son, the Agagite, [who was] the Jew's enemy. And the king said to Haman, The silver is given to you & the [Jewish] people also, to do with them, as seems good to you.

Then, the king's scribes were called on the 13th day of the 1st month & all was written according to [what] Haman had commanded the king's lieutenants & governors in every province & to every people [in] their language.

[It was] written in the name of king Ahasuerus & sealed with the king's ring. And the letters were sent by [postal messengers] into all the king's provinces, to destroy, to kill & to [annihilate] all Jews, both the young & old, little children & women, in one day, even upon the 13th day of the 12th month, Adar & to take the [plunder] of them for a [prize.]

The copy of the [written command] was published to all people, [so] that they could be [prepared] against that day. The [postal messengers] went out, being [speeded] by the king's [command.]

The decree was given in the palace in Shushan. And the king & Haman sat down to drink; but the city of Shushan was [troubled.]

Esther 2:1-23 The King Decrees Young Maidens be Brought to Him to Choose a New Queen

 

The King Decrees Young Maidens be Brought to Him to Choose a New Queen

Esther 2:1-23           The Book of Esther [in Smaller Chunks]

After these things, when the [anger had subsided] of king Ahasuerus [a.k.a. Xerxes,] he remembered what [queen] Vashtil had done  & what was decreed against her.

[Esther 1:11-12 To bring queen Vashti before the king with the royal crown, to [show] the people & the princes her beauty: for she was [pleasant to look at.] But queen Vashti refused to come at the king's [command] by his chamberlains [a.k.a. eunuchs:] therefore, the king was very [angry] & his anger burned [within] him.

Then, the king's servants [who] ministered to him said, Let [attractive,] young virgins [a.k.a. maidens] to [be] sought for the king. Let the king appoint officers in all his [kingdom's] provinces, to gather together all the fair young [maidens] to the palace in Shushan.

They will be in the custody of Hege [a.k.a. Hegai,] the king's chamberlain [a.k.a. eunuch,] keeper of the women. And let their things for purification be given [to] them. And let the maiden [who] pleases the king, be queen instead of Vasti. And the thing pleased the king & he did so.

Now, there was a certain Jew near the palace in Shushan, whose name was Mordecia, the son of Jair. [Jair was] the son of Shimei.

[Shimei was] the son of Kish, a Benjamite, who had been carried away [captive] from Jerusalem with Jeconiah, [Judah's] king, whom Nebuchadnezzar, [Babylon's] king, had carried away.

And [Mordecai] brought up Hadassah, which is Esther, his uncle's daughter: for she had neither father nor mother & the maid was [pleasant] & beautiful; whom Mordecai took for his own daughter, when her father & mother were dead.

So, it [happened] when the king's [command] & his decree was heard & when many maidens were gathered tougher to the palace [in] Shushan, to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was also brought to the king's house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of women.

And the maiden pleased [Hegai] & she obtained kindness [from] him. And he speedily gave her things for her purification, [that] belonged to her & 7 maidens, [from] of the king's house, [which were] given to her.

And [Hegai] preferred [Esther] & her maids, [were in] the best place of the house of women. Esther hadn't [revealed] her people, nor her [family:] for Mordecai had [ordered] that she shouldn't [reveal] it.

And Mordecai walked everyday, [in front of] the [courtyard] of the women's house, to know how Esther did & what [would] become of her. Now, when every maid's turn [had] come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after she had been [purified] for 12 months, according to the [requirements] of the women,

(For the the days of their purification were accomplished with 6 months [using] oil of myrrh & 6 months with sweet [aromas] & other things for the purifying of the women.)

Then, every maiden came to the king [like this & whatever] she desired was given [to] her to go with her [from] the house of the women & into the king's house. She went in the evening

And the [next day,] she return into the 2nd house for the women, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king's chamberlain, [who] kept the [mistresses] & she came in to the king no [longer, unless] the king delighted in her & she was called by name.

Now, when [it was] the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail, [who was] the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, and she was to go in to the king, she [didn't request anything,] but what Hegai, the king's chamberlain, the keeper of the women, [had advised.]

And Esther obtained favor in the sight of all [those who] looked upon her. So, Esther was taken into the royal house of king Ahasuerus in the 10th month, which is the month Tebeth, in the 7th year [Ahasuerus ruled.]

And the king loved Esther above all the women & she obtained grace & favor in his sight, more than all the [maidens;] so he [put] the royal crown upon her head & made her queen instead of Vashti.

Then, the king made a [large] feast [for] all his princes & his servants, even Esther's feast & he made a release to the provinces & gave gifts, according to the [generosity] of the king.

And when the [maidens] were gathered together the 2nd time, then Mordecai sat in the king's gate. Esther hadn't [revealed] her [family,] or her people yet, [since] Mordecai had [ordered] her. For Esther [followed] the [command] of Mordecai, like when she was brought up [by] him.

[During] those days, while Mordecai sat in the king's gate, 2 of the king's chamberlains, Bigthan & Teresh, [who were door keepers,] were [angry] & sought to [seize] king Ahasuerus. [This] thing was known to Mordecai, who told it to queen Esther.

And Esther [notified] the king [on Mordecai's behalf.] And when [inquiry] was made [about] the matter, it was found [to be true] & they were both [hung] on a tree & it was written in the Book of the Chronicles, [in front of] the king.

Esther 1:1-22 Vashti Rebels Against the King's Request

 

Vashti Rebels Against the King's Request

Esther 1:1-22            The Book of Esther [in Smaller Chunks]

Now, it [happened, during] the days of [king] Ahasuerus [a.k.a. Xerxes,] ([who] ruled from India to Ethiopia & had over 127 provinces:) That [during] those days, king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom [in] the palace in Shushan [a.k.a. Susa.]

In the 3rd year he [ruled,] he made a feast [for] all his princes & his servants. All the [powerful] princes, servants & nobles of his province of Persia & Media being [in front of] him. [Then, the king] showed the riches of his glorious kingdom & the honor of his excellent majesty, even [for] 180 days.

[After] these days were [completed,] the king made a feast [for] all the people [who] were present in the palace [in] Shushan, in a [courtyard] of the garden of the king's palace [for] 7 days, [for] both the [powerless & the powerful.]

[There] were white, green & blue hangings, fastened with cords of fine linen & purple, to silver rings & marble pillars [columns.] The [couches] were gold & silver, upon a pavement [walkway] of red & blue, white & black marble.

According to the [generosity] of the king, they were [given] royal wine to drink in abundance, in gold [goblets, each uniquely different] from one another. The king had ordered all the [wine stewards] that the drinking [wasn't limited for] all the officers of his house, but was according [to what each man wanted.]

Also, queen Vashti made a feast for the women in the royal house, [that] belonged to king Ahasuerus.

On the 7th day, when the king's heart was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar & Carcas [a.k.a. Karkas,] the 7 chamberlains [a.k.a. Eunuchs, who] served in the presence of king Ahasuerrus, to bring queen Vashti before the king with the royal crown, to [show] the people & all the princes her beauty: for she was [pleasant] to look [at.]

But queen Vashti refused to come at the king's [command] by his chamberlains. Therefore, the king was very [angry] & his anger burned [within] him. Then, the king [talked] to the wise men, [who] knew the times, (for it was the king's manner toward all [who] knew law & [justice:]

And next to [the king] was Carshena [a.k.a. Karshena,] Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena & Memucan [a.k.a. Memukan,] the 7 princes of Persia & Media, [who met face to face with the king] & sat [as the highest leaders] in the kingdom.)

According to the law, what shall we do to queen Vashti, because [of] the command king Ahasuerus gave to [his] chamberlains? Memucan answered [in front of] the king & princes, Queen Vashti [hasn't] only done wrong to the king, but also to all the princes & all the people [who] are in king [Ahasuerus'] provinces.

For the queen's deed [of defiance] shall [spread] to all [the] women, so their husbands [will be despised] in their eyes, when it [is] reported. King Ahasuerus commanded Vasti, the queen, to be brought in [front of] him, but she [didn't come.]

[Also,] the ladies of Persia & Media shall say [the same,] this day to all the king's princes, [who] have heard [what] queen Vashti [has done.] Much [disrespect & anger] shall also arise.

If it [pleases] the king, let a royal command be written [in] the laws of the Persians & Medes that [can't be] altered, That Vashti no [longer comes in front of] king Ahasuerus & let the king give her royal estate to another, [who] is better than she.

And when the king's decree, [that] he shall make [is] published throughout all his empire, ([which is large,]) all the wives shall give honor to their husbands, both to the [powerless & the powerful.]

For [Ahasuerus] sent letters, That every man should bear rule in his own house. & into all the king's provinces, [these letters went] into every province & people according to their language & writing [there.]

Nehemiah 13:1-31 Remembering What was Done in Jerusalem, for the Lord God's Mercy

Remembering What was Done in Jerusalem, for the Lord God's Mercy

Nehemiah 13:1-31           The Book of Nehemiah in [Smaller Chunks]

[On] that day, they read [from] the Book of Moses, [in front of] the people & [in it] was found written, that the Ammonite & Moabite shouldn't come into the congregation of God forever.

[That's] because they [didn't] meet the children [people] of Israel with bread & water, but hired Balaam, against them, [so] he [could] curse them. [However,] our God turned the curse into a blessing.

Now, it [happened,] that after they heard the law, they separated Israel from all the mixed multitude. [Deuteronomy 12:29-31 When the Lord, your God, shall cut off the nations from before you, [where you go] to possess them & [you come there afterwards & live] in their land;

[pay attention] to yourself, that you not be [trapped] by following them, after they [have been] destroyed from before you. [So] that you [don't] inquire after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? I will even do the same [to you.]

You shall not do so, to the Lord, your God; for every abomination to the Lord, [that] He hates, they have done to their gods; for they have even burnt their sons & daughters in the fire to their gods.]

And before this, Eliashib, the priest, having oversight of the [storage room] of the house of our God, was [aligned] with Tobiah.

And he had prepared for [Tobiah a large room, where previously] they laid the meat offerings, frankincense, vessels, [1/10] tithes of [grain,] new wine, oil, which was to be given to the Levites, singers [& musicians,] [gatekeepers] & the offerings of the priests.

But all this time, I wasn't [in] Jerusalem. For [during] the 32nd year of Artaxerxes, [Babylon's] king, I came to the king & after [some] days, I [got permission] to leave [from] the king.

And I came to Jerusalem & I [realized] the evil that Eliashib [had done] for Tobiah, in preparing him a [room] in the [courtyards] of the house of God. And it grieved me [bitterly,] therefore, I [threw out] all the household stuff of Tobiah, out of the [room.]

Then, I commanded & they cleansed the [rooms] & brought [in there] again, the vessels of the house of God, with the meat offering & the frankincense. And I [realized] that the Levites portions [of food,] hadn't been given to them. For the Levites, the singers [& musicians, who] did the work, had [each] fled to his field.

Then, I [argued] with the rulers & said, Why is the house of God [abandoned?] I gathered them together & [put] them in their place. Then, all Judah brought the [1/10] tithe of [grain,] new wine & oil into the treasury [storage rooms.]

I made treasurers over the [treasury storage rooms:] Shelemiah, the priest & Zadok, the scribe. And [from] the Levites: Pedaiah & next to them was: Hanan, the son of Zaccur [a.k.a. Zakkur,] [who] was the son of Mattaniah.

For they were [considered] faithful & their [duty] was to distribute [their portion of food] to their brethren. Remember me, O my God, [about] this & [don't] wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God & for [its services.]

[During] those days, I saw in Judah & some [trampling grapes in a wine vat] on the Sabbath & bringing in sheaves [of grain & loading mules] & also wine, grapes & figs & all [types of loads, that] they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day.

And I testified against them [on that] day, they sold [food.] Also, there [lived] men of Tyre [there, who] brought fish & all [types of merchandise] & sold [it] on the Sabbath to the children [people] of Judah & in Jerusalem.

Then, I [argued] with the nobles of Judah & said to them, What is this evil thing that you do & [defile] the Sabbath day? Didn't your [forefathers] do [this] & didn't our God bring all this [calamity] upon us & upon this city? [Still,] you bring [even] more [anger] upon Israel by [defiling] the Sabbath.

And it [happened,] that when [it] began to be dark, before the Sabbath, I commanded that the gates of Jerusalem should be shut & [ordered] that they should not be opened [until] after the Sabbath. And I [put] some of my servants at the gates, [so] that no [load] be brought in on the Sabbath day.

So, the merchants & sellers of all [types of merchandise,] lodged [outside] Jerusalem once or twice. Then, I testified against them & said to them, Why [do] you lodge [around] the wall? If you do so again, I will [seize] you. From that time [forward,] they no [longer] came on the Sabbath.

And I commanded the Levites, that they should cleanse themselves & that they should come & keep [watch] at the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day. Remember me, O God, [related] to this also & spare me according to the greatness of Your mercy.

[During] those days, I also saw Jews [who] had married wives of Ashdod, Ammon & Moab. And their children [partially spoke] the [language] of Ashdod & couldn't speak the Jew's language, but according to the language of each people.

And I [argued] with them & cursed them & [struck some] of them & plucked off their hair & made them swear by God, saying, You shall not give your daughter to their sons, nor take their daughter to your sons, or for yourselves.

Didn't Solomon, [Israel's] king, sin by these things? [Still] among many nations, there was no king like him, who was beloved [by] his God. And God made him king over all Israel. [However,] even outlandish women, [caused him] to sin.

[1 Kings 11:2-4 Of the nations, [of] which the Lord said to the children [people] of Israel, You shall not go in to them [intimately] & neither shall they come in to you. For surely they will turn away your heart after their gods & Solomon [clung] to these in love.

And [Solomon] had 700 wives, princesses & 300 [mistresses] & his wives turned away his heart. For it [happened,] when he was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods & his heart wasn't perfect with the Lord, his God [like] David, his father.]

Shall we [pay attention] to you & do all this great evil, to [sin] against our God [by] marrying strange wives? And one of the sons of Joiada, [who] was the son of Eliashib, the high priest & was the son-in-law to Sanballat, the Horonite, I chased him [away] from me.

Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood & the covenant [contract] of the priesthood & of the Levites.

[Like this,] I cleansed them from all [foreigners] & appointed the [duties] of the priests & the Levites, everyone [related] to his business. And [for] the wood offering & the firstfruits, times [were] appointed. Remember me, O my God, for good.