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Now when the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon, she came to test him with difficult questions. She arrived in Jerusalem with a very large caravan—with camels bearing spices, gold in abundance, and precious stones. And she came to Solomon and spoke with him about all that was on her mind.

She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your words and wisdom is true.

Then she gave the king 120 talents of gold, a great quantity of spices, and precious stones. There had never been such spices as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired—whatever she asked—far more than she had brought the king. Then she left and returned to her own country, along with her servants.

King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired—whatever she asked—far more than she had brought the king. Then she left and returned to her own country, along with her servants.

King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired—whatever she asked—far more than she had brought the king. Then she left and returned to her own country, along with her servants.

King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired—whatever she asked—far more than she had brought the king. Then she left and returned to her own country, along with her servants.

She bore sons to him: Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham.

After her, he married Maacah daughter of Absalom, and she bore to him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith.

…and he reigned in Jerusalem three years. His mother’s name was Micaiah daughter of Uriel; she was from Gibeah. And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.

King Asa also removed his grandmother Maacah from her position as queen mother because she had made a detestable Asherah pole. Asa chopped down the pole, crushed it, and burned it in the Kidron Valley.

When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to annihilate all the royal heirs of the house of Judah.

But Jehoshabeath daughter of King Jehoram took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the sons of the king who were being murdered, and she put him and his nurse in a bedroom. Because Jehoshabeath, the daughter of King Jehoram and the wife of Jehoiada the priest, was Ahaziah’s sister, she hid Joash from Athaliah so that she could not kill him.

But Jehoshabeath daughter of King Jehoram took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the sons of the king who were being murdered, and she put him and his nurse in a bedroom. Because Jehoshabeath, the daughter of King Jehoram and the wife of Jehoiada the priest, was Ahaziah’s sister, she hid Joash from Athaliah so that she could not kill him.

But Jehoshabeath daughter of King Jehoram took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the sons of the king who were being murdered, and she put him and his nurse in a bedroom. Because Jehoshabeath, the daughter of King Jehoram and the wife of Jehoiada the priest, was Ahaziah’s sister, she hid Joash from Athaliah so that she could not kill him.

When Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and cheering the king, she went out to them in the house of the LORD.

And she looked and saw the king standing by his pillar at the entrance. The officers and trumpeters were beside the king, and all the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets, while the singers with musical instruments were leading the praises. Then Athaliah tore her clothes and screamed, “Treason, treason!”

And Jehoiada the priest sent out the commanders of hundreds in charge of the army, saying, “Bring her out between the ranks, and put to the sword anyone who follows her.” For the priest had said, “She must not be put to death in the house of the LORD.”

So they seized Athaliah as she reached the entrance of the Horse Gate on the palace grounds, and there they put her to death.

Joash was seven years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem forty years. His mother’s name was Zibiah; she was from Beersheba.

Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother’s name was Jehoaddan; she was from Jerusalem.

Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-two years. His mother’s name was Jecoliah; she was from Jerusalem.

So Hilkiah and those the king had designated went and spoke to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum son of Tokhath, the son of Hasrah, the keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem, in the Second District.

…to bring Queen Vashti before him, wearing her royal crown, to display her beauty to the people and officials. For she was beautiful to behold.

“According to law,” he asked, “what should be done with Queen Vashti, since she refused to obey the command of King Xerxes delivered by the eunuchs?”

For the conduct of the queen will become known to all women, causing them to despise their husbands and say, ‘King Xerxes ordered Queen Vashti to be brought before him, but she did not come.’

So if it pleases the king, let him issue a royal decree, and let it be recorded in the laws of Persia and Media so that it cannot be repealed, that Vashti shall never again enter the presence of King Xerxes, and that her royal position shall be given to a woman better than she.

Some time later, when the anger of King Xerxes had subsided, he remembered Vashti and what she had done, and what had been decreed against her.

And Mordecai had brought up Hadassah (that is, Esther), the daughter of his uncle, because she did not have a father or mother. The young woman was lovely in form and appearance, and when her father and mother had died, Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter.

When the young woman would go to the king, she was given whatever she requested to take with her from the harem to the king’s palace.

When the young woman would go to the king, she was given whatever she requested to take with her from the harem to the king’s palace.

She would go there in the evening, and in the morning she would return to a second harem under the care of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch in charge of the concubines. She would not return to the king unless he delighted in her and summoned her by name.

She would go there in the evening, and in the morning she would return to a second harem under the care of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch in charge of the concubines. She would not return to the king unless he delighted in her and summoned her by name.

She would go there in the evening, and in the morning she would return to a second harem under the care of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch in charge of the concubines. She would not return to the king unless he delighted in her and summoned her by name.

Now Esther was the daughter of Abihail, the uncle from whom Mordecai had adopted her as his own daughter. And when it was her turn to go to the king, she did not ask for anything except what Hegai, the king’s trusted official in charge of the harem, had advised. And Esther found favor in the eyes of everyone who saw her.

She was taken to King Xerxes in the royal palace in the tenth month, the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.

And the king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she found grace and favor in his sight more than all of the other virgins. So he placed the royal crown upon her head and made her queen in place of Vashti.

Esther still had not revealed her lineage or her people, just as Mordecai had instructed. She obeyed Mordecai’s command, as she had done under his care.

Esther still had not revealed her lineage or her people, just as Mordecai had instructed. She obeyed Mordecai’s command, as she had done under his care.

When Mordecai learned of the plot, he reported it to Queen Esther, and she informed the king on Mordecai’s behalf.

When Esther’s maidens and eunuchs came and told her about Mordecai, the queen was overcome with distress. She sent clothes for Mordecai to wear instead of his sackcloth, but he would not accept them.

Then Esther summoned Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs appointed to her, and she dispatched him to Mordecai to learn what was troubling him and why.

As soon as the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, she found favor in his sight. The king extended the gold scepter in his hand toward Esther, and she approached and touched the tip of the scepter.

As soon as the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, she found favor in his sight. The king extended the gold scepter in his hand toward Esther, and she approached and touched the tip of the scepter.

“What is more,” Haman added, “Queen Esther invited no one but me to join the king at the banquet she prepared, and I am invited back tomorrow along with the king.

And once again, Esther addressed the king. She fell at his feet weeping and begged him to revoke the evil scheme of Haman the Agagite, which he had devised against the Jews.

The king extended the gold scepter toward Esther, and she arose and stood before the king.

“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.

For she leaves her eggs on the ground and lets them warm in the sand.

She forgets that a foot may crush them, or a wild animal may trample them.

She treats her young harshly, as if not her own, with no concern that her labor was in vain.

Yet when she proudly spreads her wings, she laughs at the horse and its rider.

Yet when she proudly spreads her wings, she laughs at the horse and its rider.

In colorful garments she is led to the king; her virgin companions are brought before you.

God is within her; she will not be moved. God will help her when morning dawns.

“Kings and their armies flee in haste; she who waits at home divides the plunder.

Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she places her young near Your altars, O LORD of Hosts, my King and my God.

Wisdom calls out in the street, she lifts her voice in the square;

…in the main concourse she cries aloud, at the city gates she makes her speech:

…in the main concourse she cries aloud, at the city gates she makes her speech:

…for she is more profitable than silver, and her gain is better than fine gold.

She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire compares with her.

She is a tree of life to those who embrace her, and those who lay hold of her are blessed.

Do not forsake wisdom, and she will preserve you; love her, and she will guard you.

Do not forsake wisdom, and she will preserve you; love her, and she will guard you.

Prize her, and she will exalt you; if you embrace her, she will honor you.

Prize her, and she will exalt you; if you embrace her, she will honor you.

She will set a garland of grace on your head; she will present you with a crown of beauty.”

She will set a garland of grace on your head; she will present you with a crown of beauty.”

…in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a double-edged sword.

She does not consider the path of life; she does not know that her ways are unstable.

She does not consider the path of life; she does not know that her ways are unstable.

She is loud and defiant; her feet do not remain at home.

Now in the street, now in the squares, she lurks at every corner.

She seizes him and kisses him; she brazenly says to him:

She seizes him and kisses him; she brazenly says to him:

With her great persuasion she entices him; with her flattering lips she lures him.

With her great persuasion she entices him; with her flattering lips she lures him.

For she has brought many down to death; her slain are many in number.

On the heights overlooking the road, at the crossroads she takes her stand.

Beside the gates to the city, at the entrances she cries out:

Wisdom has built her house; she has carved out her seven pillars.

She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine; she has also set her table.

She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine; she has also set her table.

She has sent out her maidservants; she calls out from the heights of the city.

She has sent out her maidservants; she calls out from the heights of the city.

“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” she says to him who lacks judgment.

The woman named Folly is loud; she is naive and knows nothing.

She sits at the door of her house, on a seat in the heights of the city,

“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” she says to him who lacks judgment.

A wife of noble character is her husband’s crown, but she who causes shame is like decay in his bones.

Wisdom rests in the heart of the discerning; even among fools she is known.

Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.

May your father and mother be glad, and may she who gave you birth rejoice!

Like a robber she lies in wait and multiplies the faithless among men.

This is the way of an adulteress: She eats and wipes her mouth and says, ‘I have done nothing wrong.’

A wife of noble character, who can find? She is far more precious than rubies.

She brings him good and not harm all the days of her life.

She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.

She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar.