Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked at him, and behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out quickly from there. Yes, he himself also hurried to go out, because Yahweh had struck him.
Uzziah the king was a leper to the day of his death, and lived in a separate house, being a leper; for he was cut off from Yahweh’s house. Jotham his son was over the king’s house, judging the people of the land.
Now don’t be stiff-necked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves to Yahweh, and enter into his sanctuary, which he has sanctified forever, and serve Yahweh your God, that his fierce anger may turn away from you.
Thus says Sennacherib king of Assyria, “In whom do you trust, that you remain under siege in Jerusalem?
Don’t you know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of the lands? Were the gods of the nations of the lands in any way able to deliver their land out of my hand?
Who was there among all the gods of those nations which my fathers utterly destroyed, that could deliver his people out of my hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of my hand?
Now therefore don’t let Hezekiah deceive you, nor persuade you in this way. Don’t believe him, for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of my hand, and out of the hand of my fathers. How much less will your God deliver you out of my hand?”
His servants spoke yet more against Yahweh God, and against his servant Hezekiah.
He also wrote letters insulting Yahweh, the God of Israel, and speaking against him, saying, “As the gods of the nations of the lands, which have not delivered their people out of my hand, so shall the God of Hezekiah not deliver his people out of my hand.”
But Hezekiah didn’t reciprocate appropriate to the benefit done for him, because his heart was lifted up. Therefore there was wrath on him, and on Judah and Jerusalem.
Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that Yahweh’s wrath didn’t come on them in the days of Hezekiah.
Hezekiah had exceedingly much riches and honor. He provided himself with treasuries for silver, for gold, for precious stones, for spices, for shields, and for all kinds of valuable vessels;
However concerning the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent to him to inquire of the wonder that was done in the land, God left him, to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart.
He didn’t humble himself before Yahweh, as Manasseh his father had humbled himself; but this same Amon trespassed more and more.
Nevertheless Josiah would not turn his face from him, but disguised himself, that he might fight with him, and didn’t listen to the words of Neco from the mouth of God, and came to fight in the valley of Megiddo.
He did that which was evil in Yahweh his God’s sight. He didn’t humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking from Yahweh’s mouth.
He also rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God; but he stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart against turning to Yahweh, the God of Israel.
For I was ashamed to ask of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy on the way, because we had spoken to the king, saying, “The hand of our God is on all those who seek him, for good; but his power and his wrath is against all those who forsake him.”
But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammontite servant, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they ridiculed us, and despised us, and said, “What is this thing that you are doing? Will you rebel against the king?”
Next to them, the Tekoites made repairs; but their nobles didn’t put their necks to the Lord’s work.
But when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry, and was very indignant, and mocked the Jews.
He spoke before his brothers and the army of Samaria, and said, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they fortify themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, since they are burned?”
Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, “What they are building, if a fox climbed up it, he would break down their stone wall.”
I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work, so that I can’t come down. Why should the work cease, while I leave it, and come down to you?”
and showed signs and wonders against Pharaoh, and against all his servants, and against all the people of his land; for you knew that they dealt proudly against them, and made a name for yourself, as it is today.
“But they and our fathers behaved proudly, hardened their neck, didn’t listen to your commandments,
and testified against them, that you might bring them again to your law. Yet they were arrogant, and didn’t listen to your commandments, but sinned against your ordinances (which if a man does, he shall live in them), turned their backs, stiffened their neck, and would not hear.
Didn’t Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? Yet among many nations was there no king like him, and he was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel. Nevertheless foreign women caused even him to sin.
in the third year of his reign, he made a feast for all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him.
to bring Vashti the queen before the king with the royal crown, to show the people and the princes her beauty; for she was beautiful.
But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s commandment by the eunuchs. Therefore the king was very angry, and his anger burned in him.
and the next to him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who saw the king’s face, and sat first in the kingdom),
For this deed of the queen will become known to all women, causing them to show contempt for their husbands, when it is reported, ‘King Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she didn’t come.’
Today, the princesses of Persia and Media who have heard of the queen’s deed will tell all the king’s princes. This will cause much contempt and wrath.
“If it pleases the king, let a royal commandment go from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, so that it cannot be altered, that Vashti may never again come before King Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate to another who is better than she.
When the king’s decree which he shall make is published throughout all his kingdom (for it is great), all the wives will give their husbands honor, both great and small.”
After these things King Ahasuerus promoted Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes who were with him.
All the king’s servants who were in the king’s gate bowed down, and paid homage to Haman; for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai didn’t bow down or pay him homage.
Now it came to pass, when they spoke daily to him, and he didn’t listen to them, that they told Haman, to see whether Mordecai’s reason would stand; for he had told them that he was a Jew.
When Haman saw that Mordecai didn’t bow down, nor pay him homage, Haman was full of wrath.
But he scorned the thought of laying hands on Mordecai alone, for they had made known to him Mordecai’s people. Therefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even Mordecai’s people.
Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom, and their laws are different than other people’s. They don’t keep the king’s laws. Therefore it is not for the king’s profit to allow them to remain.
The king took his ring from his hand, and gave it to Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews’ enemy.
Then Haman went out that day joyful and glad of heart, but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, that he didn’t stand up nor move for him, he was filled with wrath against Mordecai.
Nevertheless Haman restrained himself, and went home. There, he sent and called for his friends and Zeresh his wife.
Haman recounted to them the glory of his riches, the multitude of his children, all the things in which the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the princes and servants of the king.
Haman also said, “Yes, Esther the queen let no man come in with the king to the banquet that she had prepared but myself; and tomorrow I am also invited by her together with the king.
Yet all this avails me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.”
Then Zeresh his wife and all his friends said to him, “Let a gallows be made fifty cubits high, and in the morning speak to the king about hanging Mordecai on it. Then go in merrily with the king to the banquet.” This pleased Haman, so he had the gallows made.
The king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had come into the outer court of the king’s house, to speak to the king about hanging Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him.
The king’s servants said to him, “Behold, Haman stands in the court.” The king said, “Let him come in.”
So Haman came in. The king said to him, “What shall be done to the man whom the king delights to honor?” Now Haman said in his heart, “Who would the king delight to honor more than myself?”
Haman said to the king, “For the man whom the king delights to honor,
let royal clothing be brought which the king uses to wear, and the horse that the king rides on, and on the head of which a crown royal is set.
Let the clothing and the horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king’s most noble princes, that they may array the man whom the king delights to honor with them, and have him ride on horseback through the city square, and proclaim before him, ‘Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor!’”
Then the king said to Haman, “Hurry and take the clothing and the horse, as you have said, and do this for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king’s gate. Let nothing fail of all that you have spoken.”
Then Haman took the clothing and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai, and had him ride through the city square, and proclaimed before him, “Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor!”
Mordecai came back to the king’s gate, but Haman hurried to his house, mourning and having his head covered.
Haman recounted to Zeresh his wife and all his friends everything that had happened to him. Then his wise men and Zeresh his wife said to him, “If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of Jewish descent, you will not prevail against him, but you will surely fall before him.”
So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king’s wrath pacified.
For Mordecai was great in the king’s house, and his fame went out throughout all the provinces; for the man Mordecai grew greater and greater.
with kings and counselors of the earth, who built up waste places for themselves;
or with princes who had gold, who filled their houses with silver:
‘Shall mortal man be more just than God? Shall a man be more pure than his Maker?
I have seen the foolish taking root, but suddenly I cursed his habitation.
He takes the wise in their own craftiness; the counsel of the cunning is carried headlong.
He shall lean on his house, but it shall not stand. He shall cling to it, but it shall not endure.
God who is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who has hardened himself against him, and prospered?
If my head is held high, you hunt me like a lion. Again you show yourself powerful to me.
“Shouldn’t the multitude of words be answered? Should a man full of talk be justified?
Should your boastings make men hold their peace? When you mock, shall no man make you ashamed?
For you say, ‘My doctrine is pure. I am clean in your eyes.’
An empty-headed man becomes wise when a man is born as a wild donkey’s colt.
“No doubt, but you are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.
But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Yes, who doesn’t know such things as these?
In the thought of him who is at ease there is contempt for misfortune. It is ready for them whose foot slips.
The tents of robbers prosper. Those who provoke God are secure, who carry their God in their hands.
He loosens the bond of kings. He binds their waist with a belt.
He removes the speech of those who are trusted, and takes away the understanding of the elders.
He pours contempt on princes, and loosens the belt of the strong.
What you know, I know also. I am not inferior to you.
Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ashes, Your defenses are defenses of clay.
“Should a wise man answer with vain knowledge, and fill himself with the east wind?
Your own mouth condemns you, and not I. Yes, your own lips testify against you.
“Are you the first man who was born? Or were you brought out before the hills?
Have you heard the secret counsel of God? Do you limit wisdom to yourself?
What do you know, that we don’t know? What do you understand, which is not in us?
Why does your heart carry you away? Why do your eyes flash,
That you turn your spirit against God, and let such words go out of your mouth?
Because he has stretched out his hand against God, and behaves himself proudly against the Almighty;
he runs at him with a stiff neck, with the thick shields of his bucklers;
because he has covered his face with his fatness, and gathered fat on his thighs.
For you have hidden their heart from understanding, Therefore you shall not exalt them.
You who tear yourself in your anger, shall the earth be forsaken for you? Or shall the rock be removed out of its place?
If indeed you will magnify yourselves against me, and plead against me my reproach;
He has stripped me of my glory, and taken the crown from my head.
Though his height mount up to the heavens, and his head reach to the clouds,
What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? What profit should we have, if we pray to him?’
Behold, their prosperity is not in their hand. The counsel of the wicked is far from me.
“Shall any teach God knowledge, since he judges those who are high?












