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“What is it, Queen Esther?” the king inquired. “What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be given to you.”

And as they drank their wine, the king said to Esther, “What is your petition? It will be given to you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be fulfilled.”

And as they drank their wine, the king said to Esther, “What is your petition? It will be given to you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be fulfilled.”

That night sleep escaped the king; so he ordered the Book of Records, the Chronicles, to be brought in and read to him.

Haman entered, and the king asked him, “What should be done for the man whom the king is delighted to honor?” Now Haman thought to himself, “Whom would the king be delighted to honor more than me?”

Haman entered, and the king asked him, “What should be done for the man whom the king is delighted to honor?” Now Haman thought to himself, “Whom would the king be delighted to honor more than me?”

Let the robe and the horse be entrusted to one of the king’s most noble princes. Let them array the man the king wants to honor and parade him on the horse through the city square, proclaiming before him, ‘This is what is done for the man whom the king is delighted to honor!’”

…and as they drank their wine on that second day, the king asked once more, “Queen Esther, what is your petition? It will be given to you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be fulfilled.”

…and as they drank their wine on that second day, the king asked once more, “Queen Esther, what is your petition? It will be given to you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be fulfilled.”

“If it pleases the king,” she said, “and if I have found favor in his sight, and the matter seems proper to the king, and I am pleasing in his sight, may an order be written to revoke the letters that the scheming Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, wrote to destroy the Jews in all the king’s provinces.

Now you may write in the king’s name as you please regarding the Jews, and seal it with the royal signet ring. For a decree that is written in the name of the king and sealed with the royal signet ring cannot be revoked.”

A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued in every province and published to all the people, so that the Jews would be ready on that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.

A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued in every province and published to all the people, so that the Jews would be ready on that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.

On the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, the king’s command and edict were to be executed. On this day the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, but their plan was overturned and the Jews overpowered those who hated them.

…who said to Queen Esther, “In the citadel of Susa the Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men, including Haman’s ten sons. What have they done in the rest of the royal provinces? Now what is your petition? It will be given to you. And what further do you request? It will be fulfilled.”

…who said to Queen Esther, “In the citadel of Susa the Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men, including Haman’s ten sons. What have they done in the rest of the royal provinces? Now what is your petition? It will be given to you. And what further do you request? It will be fulfilled.”

Esther replied, “If it pleases the king, may the Jews in Susa also have tomorrow to carry out today’s edict, and may the bodies of Haman’s ten sons be hanged on the gallows.”

So the king commanded that this be done. An edict was issued in Susa, and they hanged the ten sons of Haman.

…as the days on which the Jews gained rest from their enemies and the month in which their sorrow turned to joy and their mourning into a holiday. He wrote that these were to be days of feasting and joy, of sending gifts to one another and to the poor.

But when it came before the king, he commanded by letter that the wicked scheme which Haman had devised against the Jews should come back upon his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.

These days should be remembered and celebrated by every generation, family, province, and city, so that these days of Purim should not fail to be observed among the Jews, nor should the memory of them fade from their descendants.

These days should be remembered and celebrated by every generation, family, province, and city, so that these days of Purim should not fail to be observed among the Jews, nor should the memory of them fade from their descendants.

…saying: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD.”

If only darkness had taken that night away! May it not appear among the days of the year; may it never be entered in any of the months.

Behold, may that night be barren; may no joyful voice come into it.

May it be cursed by those who curse the day—those prepared to rouse Leviathan.

Why were there knees to receive me, and breasts that I should be nursed?

For now I would be lying down in peace; I would be asleep and at rest

For now I would be lying down in peace; I would be asleep and at rest

“If one ventures a word with you, will you be wearied? Yet who can keep from speaking?

‘Can a mortal be more righteous than God, or a man more pure than his Maker?

…how much more those who dwell in houses of clay, whose foundations are in the dust, who can be crushed like a moth!

You will be hidden from the scourge of the tongue, and will not fear havoc when it comes.

For you will have a covenant with the stones of the field, and the wild animals will be at peace with you.

You will know that your offspring will be many, your descendants like the grass of the earth.

“If only my grief could be weighed and placed with my calamity on the scales.

…that God would be willing to crush me, to unleash His hand and cut me off!

What strength do I have, that I should still hope? What is my future, that I should be patient?

Teach me, and I will be silent. Help me understand how I have erred.

Reconsider; do not be unjust. Reconsider, for my righteousness is at stake.

The eye that beholds me will no longer see me. You will look for me, but I will be no more.

Why do You not pardon my transgression and take away my iniquity? For soon I will lie down in the dust; You will seek me, but I will be no more.”

Your enemies will be clothed in shame, and the tent of the wicked will be no more.”

Your enemies will be clothed in shame, and the tent of the wicked will be no more.”

“Yes, I know that it is so, but how can a mortal be righteous before God?

If only I had never come to be, but had been carried from the womb to the grave.

“Should this stream of words go unanswered and such a speaker be vindicated?

But a witless man can no more become wise than the colt of a wild donkey can be born a man!

Your life will be brighter than noonday; its darkness will be like the morning.

Your life will be brighter than noonday; its darkness will be like the morning.

You will be secure, because there is hope, and you will look around and lie down in safety.

What He tears down cannot be rebuilt; the man He imprisons cannot be released.

What He tears down cannot be rebuilt; the man He imprisons cannot be released.

If only you would remain silent; for that would be your wisdom!

Would it be well when He examined you? Could you deceive Him as you would deceive a man?

Be silent, and I will speak. Then let come to me what may.

Moreover, this will be my salvation, for no godless man can appear before Him.

See now, I have prepared my case; I know that I will be vindicated.

Can anyone indict me? If so, I will be silent and die.

…so a man lies down and does not rise. Until the heavens are no more, he will not be awakened or roused from sleep.

My transgression would be sealed in a bag, and You would cover over my iniquity.

What is man, that he should be pure, or one born of woman, that he should be righteous?

What is man, that he should be pure, or one born of woman, that he should be righteous?

He will no longer be rich; his wealth will not endure. His possessions will not overspread the land.

Let him not deceive himself with trust in emptiness, for emptiness will be his reward.

It will be paid in full before his time, and his branch will not flourish.

He will be like a vine stripped of its unripe grapes, like an olive tree that sheds its blossoms.

For the company of the godless will be barren, and fire will consume the tents of bribery.

O earth, do not cover my blood; may my cry for help never be laid to rest.

Give me, I pray, the pledge You demand. Who else will be my guarantor?

You who tear yourself in anger—should the earth be forsaken on your account, or the rocks be moved from their place?

You who tear yourself in anger—should the earth be forsaken on your account, or the rocks be moved from their place?

He will fly away like a dream, never to be found; he will be chased away like a vision in the night.

He will fly away like a dream, never to be found; he will be chased away like a vision in the night.

In the midst of his plenty, he will be distressed; the full force of misery will come upon him.

The possessions of his house will be removed, flowing away on the day of God’s wrath.

“Listen carefully to my words; let this be your consolation to me.

Is my complaint against a man? Then why should I not be impatient?

Look at me and be appalled; put your hand over your mouth.

“Can a man be of use to God? Can even a wise man benefit Him?

Reconcile now and be at peace with Him; thereby good will come to you.

If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored. If you remove injustice from your tents

…then the Almighty will be your gold and the finest silver for you.

Your decisions will be carried out, and light will shine on your ways.

Then an upright man could reason with Him, and I would be delivered forever from my Judge.

Can His troops be numbered? On whom does His light not rise?

How then can a man be just before God? How can one born of woman be pure?

How then can a man be just before God? How can one born of woman be pure?

May my enemy be like the wicked and my opponent like the unjust.

His survivors will be buried by the plague, and their widows will not weep for them.

…what he lays up, the righteous will wear, and his silver will be divided by the innocent.

But where can wisdom be found, and where does understanding dwell?

It cannot be bought with gold, nor can its price be weighed out in silver.

It cannot be bought with gold, nor can its price be weighed out in silver.

It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir, in precious onyx or sapphire.

Neither gold nor crystal can compare to it, nor jewels of fine gold be exchanged for it.

Topaz from Cush cannot compare to it, nor can it be valued in pure gold.

…then may another eat what I have sown, and may my crops be uprooted.

For that would be a heinous crime, an iniquity to be judged.

For that would be a heinous crime, an iniquity to be judged.