Additions to the Book of Esther
AddEsth.1
[1] Then Mardocheus said,
God hath done these things.
[2] For I remember a dream which I saw concerning these matters, and
nothing thereof hath failed.
[3] A little fountain became a river, and there was light, and the sun,
and much water: this river is Esther, whom the king married, and made queen:
[4] And the two dragons are I and Aman.
[5] And the nations were those that were assembled to destroy the name of
the Jews:
[6] And my nation is this Israel, which cried to God, and were saved: for
the Lord hath saved his people, and the Lord hath delivered us from all those
evils, and God hath wrought signs and great wonders, which have not been done
among the Gentiles.
[7] Therefore hath he made two lots, one for the people of God, and
another for all the Gentiles.
[8] And these two lots came at the hour, and time, and day of judgment,
before God among all nations.
[9] So God remembered his people, and justified his inheritance.
[10] Therefore those days shall be unto them in the month Adar, the
fourteenth and fifteenth day of the same month, with an assembly, and joy, and
with gladness before God, according to the generations for ever among his
people.
AddEsth.2
[1] In the fourth year of
the reign of Ptolemeus and Cleopatra, Dositheus, who said he was a priest and
Levite, and Ptolemeus his son, brought this epistle of Phurim, which they said
was the same, and that Lysimachus the son of Ptolemeus, that was in Jerusalem,
had interpreted it.
[2] In the second year of the reign of Artexerxes the great, in the first
day of the month Nisan, Mardocheus the son of Jairus, the son of Semei, the son
of Cisai, of the tribe of Benjamin, had a dream;
[3] Who was a Jew, and dwelt in the city of Susa, a great man, being a
servitor in the king's court.
[4] He was also one of the captives, which Nabuchodonosor the king of
Babylon carried from Jerusalem with Jechonias king of Judea; and this was his
dream:
[5] Behold a noise of a tumult, with thunder, and earthquakes, and uproar
in the land:
[6] And, behold, two great dragons came forth ready to fight, and their
cry was great.
[7] And at their cry all nations were prepared to battle, that they might
fight against the righteous people.
[8] And lo a day of darkness and obscurity, tribulation and anguish,
affliction and great uproar, upon earth.
[9] And the whole righteous nation was troubled, fearing their own evils,
and were ready to perish.
[10] Then they cried unto God, and upon their cry, as it were from a
little fountain, was made a great flood, even much water.
[11] The light and the sun rose up, and the lowly were exalted, and
devoured the glorious.
[12] Now when Mardocheus, who had seen this dream, and what God had
determined to do, was awake, he bare this dream in mind, and until night by all
means was desirous to know it.
AddEsth.3
[1] And Mardocheus took
his rest in the court with Gabatha and Tharra, the two eunuchs of the king, and
keepers of the palace.
[2] And he heard their devices, and searched out their purposes, and
learned that they were about to lay hands upon Artexerxes the king; and so he
certified the king of them.
[3] Then the king examined the two eunuchs, and after that they had
confessed it, they were strangled.
[4] And the king made a record of these things, and Mardocheus also wrote
thereof.
[5] So the king commanded, Mardocheus to serve in the court, and for this
he rewarded him.
[6] Howbeit Aman the son of Amadathus the Agagite, who was in great
honour with the king, sought to molest Mardocheus and his people because of the
two eunuchs of the king.
AddEsth.4
[1] The copy of the
letters was this: The great king Artexerxes writeth these things to the princes
and governours that are under him from India unto Ethiopia in an hundred and
seven and twenty provinces.
[2] After that I became lord over many nations and had dominion over the
whole world, not lifted up with presumption of my authority, but carrying myself
always with equity and mildness, I purposed to settle my subjects continually in
a quiet life, and making my kingdom peaceable, and open for passage to the
utmost coasts, to renew peace, which is desired of all men.
[3] Now when I asked my counsellors how this might be brought to pass,
Aman, that excelled in wisdom among us, and was approved for his constant good
will and steadfast fidelity, and had the honour of the second place in the
kingdom,
[4] Declared unto us, that in all nations throughout the world there was
scattered a certain malicious people, that had laws contrary to ail nations, and
continually despised the commandments of kings, so as the uniting of our
kingdoms, honourably intended by us cannot go forward.
[5] Seeing then we understand that this people alone is continually in
opposition unto all men, differing in the strange manner of their laws, and evil
affected to our state, working all the mischief they can that our kingdom may
not be firmly established:
[6] Therefore have we commanded, that all they that are signified in
writing unto you by Aman, who is ordained over the affairs, and is next unto us,
shall all, with their wives and children, be utterly destroyed by the sword of
their enemies, without all mercy and pity, the fourteenth day of the twelfth
month Adar of this present year:
[7] That they, who of old and now also are malicious, may in one day with
violence go into the grave, and so ever hereafter cause our affairs to be well
settled, and without trouble.
[8] Then Mardocheus thought upon all the works of the Lord, and made his
prayer unto him,
[9] Saying, O Lord, Lord, the King Almighty: for the whole world is in
thy power, and if thou hast appointed to save Israel, there is no man that can
gainsay thee:
[10] For thou hast made heaven and earth, and all the wondrous things
under the heaven.
[11] Thou art Lord of all things, and and there is no man that can resist
thee, which art the Lord.
[12] Thou knowest all things, and thou knowest, Lord, that it was neither
in contempt nor pride, nor for any desire of glory, that I did not bow down to
proud Aman.
[13] For I could have been content with good will for the salvation of
Israel to kiss the soles of his feet.
[14] But I did this, that I might not prefer the glory of man above the
glory of God: neither will I worship any but thee, O God, neither will I do it
in pride.
[15] And now, O Lord God and King, spare thy people: for their eyes are
upon us to bring us to nought; yea, they desire to destroy the inheritance, that
hath been thine from the beginning.
[16] Despise not the portion, which thou hast delivered out of Egypt for
thine own self.
[17] Hear my prayer, and be merciful unto thine inheritance: turn our
sorrow into joy, that we may live, O Lord, and praise thy name: and destroy not
the mouths of them that praise thee, O Lord.
[18] All Israel in like manner cried most earnestly unto the Lord,
because their death was before their eyes.
AddEsth.5
[1] Queen Esther also,
being in fear of death, resorted unto the Lord:
[2] And laid away her glorious apparel, and put on the garments of
anguish and mourning: and instead of precious ointments, she covered her head
with ashes and dung, and she humbled her body greatly, and all the places of her
joy she filled with her torn hair.
[3] And she prayed unto the Lord God of Israel, saying, O my Lord, thou
only art our King: help me, desolate woman, which have no helper but thee:
[4] For my danger is in mine hand.
[5] From my youth up I have heard in the tribe of my family that thou, O
Lord, tookest Israel from among all people, and our fathers from all their
predecessors, for a perpetual inheritance, and thou hast performed whatsoever
thou didst promise them.
[6] And now we have sinned before thee: therefore hast thou given us into
the hands of our enemies,
[7] Because we worshipped their gods: O Lord, thou art righteous.
[8] Nevertheless it satisfieth them not, that we are in bitter captivity:
but they have stricken hands with their idols,
[9] That they will abolish the thing that thou with thy mouth hast
ordained, and destroy thine inheritance, and stop the mouth of them that praise
thee, and quench the glory of thy house, and of thine altar,
[10] And open the mouths of the heathen to set forth the praises of the
idols, and to magnify a fleshly king for ever.
[11] O Lord, give not thy sceptre unto them that be nothing, and let them
not laugh at our fall; but turn their device upon themselves, and make him an
example, that hath begun this against us.
[12] Remember, O Lord, make thyself known in time of our affliction, and
give me boldness, O King of the nations, and Lord of all power.
[13] Give me eloquent speech in my mouth before the lion: turn his heart
to hate him that fighteth against us, that there may be an end of him, and of
all that are likeminded to him:
[14] But deliver us with thine hand, and help me that am desolate, and
which have no other help but thee.
[15] Thou knowest all things, O Lord; thou knowest that I hate the glory
of the unrighteous, and abhor the bed of the uncircumcised, and of all the
heathen.
[16] Thou knowest my necessity: for I abhor the sign of my high estate,
which is upon mine head in the days wherein I shew myself, and that I abhor it
as a menstruous rag, and that I wear it not when I am private by myself.
[17] And that thine handmaid hath not eaten at Aman's table, and that I
have not greatly esteemed the king's feast, nor drunk the wine of the drink
offerings.
[18] Neither had thine handmaid any joy since the day that I was brought
hither to this present, but in thee, O Lord God of Abraham.
[19] O thou mighty God above all, hear the voice of the forlorn and
deliver us out of the hands of the mischievous, and deliver me out of my fear.
AddEsth.6
[1] And upon the third
day, when she had ended her prayers, she laid away her mourning garments, and
put on her glorious apparel.
[2] And being gloriously adorned, after she had called upon God, who is
the beholder and saviour of all things, she took two maids with her:
[3] And upon the one she leaned, as carrying herself daintily;
[4] And the other followed, bearing up her train.
[5] And she was ruddy through the perfection of her beauty, and her
countenance was cheerful and very amiable: but her heart was in anguish for
fear.
[6] Then having passed through all the doors, she stood before the king,
who sat upon his royal throne, and was clothed with all his robes of majesty,
all glittering with gold and precious stones; and he was very dreadful.
[7] Then lifting up his countenance that shone with majesty, he looked
very fiercely upon her: and the queen fell down, and was pale, and fainted, and
bowed herself upon the head of the maid that went before her.
[8] Then God changed the spirit of the king into mildness, who in a fear
leaped from his throne, and took her in his arms, till she came to herself
again, and comforted her with loving words and said unto her,
[9] Esther, what is the matter? I am thy brother, be of good cheer:
[10] Thou shalt not die, though our our commandment be general: come
near.
[11] And so be held up his golden sceptre, and laid it upon her neck,
[12] And embraced her, and said, Speak unto me.
[13] Then said she unto him, I saw thee, my lord, as an angel of God, and
my heart was troubled for fear of thy majesty.
[14] For wonderful art thou, lord, and thy countenance is full of grace.
[15] And as she was speaking, she fell down for faintness.
[16] Then the king was troubled, and ail his servants comforted her.
AddEsth.7
[1] The great king
Artexerxes unto the princes and governors of an hundred and seven and twenty
provinces from India unto Ethiopia, and unto all our faithful subjects,
greeting.
[2] Many, the more often they are honoured with the great bounty of their
gracious princes, the more proud they are waxen,
[3] And endeavour to hurt not our subjects only, but not being able to
bear abundance, do take in hand to practise also against those that do them
good:
[4] And take not only thankfulness away from among men, but also lifted
up with the glorious words of lewd persons, that were never good, they think to
escape the justice of God, that seeth all things and hateth evil.
[5] Oftentimes also fair speech of those, that are put in trust to manage
their friends' affairs, hath caused many that are in authority to be partakers
of innocent blood, and hath enwrapped them in remediless calamities:
[6] Beguiling with the falsehood and deceit of their lewd disposition the
innocency and goodness of princes.
[7] Now ye may see this, as we have declared, not so much by ancient
histories, as ye may, if ye search what hath been wickedly done of late through
the pestilent behaviour of them that are unworthily placed in authority.
[8] And we must take care for the time to come, that our kingdom may be
quiet and peaceable for all men,
[9] Both by changing our purposes, and always judging things that are
evident with more equal proceeding.
[10] For Aman, a Macedonian, the son of Amadatha, being indeed a stranger
from the Persian blood, and far distant from our goodness, and as a stranger
received of us,
[11] Had so far forth obtained the favour that we shew toward every
nation, as that he was called our father, and was continually honoured of all
the next person unto the king.
[12] But he, not bearing his great dignity, went about to deprive us of
our kingdom and life:
[13] Having by manifold and cunning deceits sought of us the destruction,
as well of Mardocheus, who saved our life, and continually procured our good, as
also of blameless Esther, partaker of our kingdom, with their whole nation.
[14] For by these means he thought, finding us destitute of friends to
have translated the kingdom of the Persians to the Macedonians.
[15] But we find that the Jews, whom this wicked wretch hath delivered to
utter destruction, are no evildoers, but live by most just laws:
[16] And that they be children of the most high and most mighty, living
God, who hath ordered the kingdom both unto us and to our progenitors in the
most excellent manner.
[17] Wherefore ye shall do well not to put in execution the letters sent
unto you by Aman the son of Amadatha.
[18] For he that was the worker of these things, is hanged at the gates
of Susa with all his family: God, who ruleth all things, speedily rendering
vengeance to him according to his deserts.
[19] Therefore ye shall publish the copy of this letter in all places,
that the Jews may freely live after their own laws.
[20] And ye shall aid them, that even the same day, being the thirteenth
day of the twelfth month Adar, they may be avenged on them, who in the time of
their affliction shall set upon them.
[21] For Almighty God hath turned to joy unto them the day, wherein the
chosen people should have perished.
[22] Ye shall therefore among your solemn feasts keep it an high day with
all feasting:
[23] That both now and hereafter there may be safety to us and the well
affected Persians; but to those which do conspire against us a memorial of
destruction.
[24] Therefore every city and country whatsoever, which shall not do
according to these things, shall be destroyed without mercy with fire and sword,
and shall be made not only unpassable for men, but also most hateful to wild
beasts and fowls for ever.
HOME
