“Go, gather together all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day. I and my maidens will also fast the same way. Then I will go in to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish.”
Now on the third day, Esther put on her royal clothing, and stood in the inner court of the king’s house, next to the king’s house. The king sat on his royal throne in the royal house, next to the entrance of the house.
He wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus, and sealed it with the king’s ring, and sent letters by courier on horseback, riding on royal horses that were bred from swift steeds.
In those letters, the king granted the Jews who were in every city to gather themselves together, and to defend their life, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province that would assault them, their little ones and women, and to plunder their possessions,
A copy of the letter, that the decree should be given out in every province, was published to all the peoples, that the Jews should be ready for that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.
So the couriers who rode on royal horses went out, hastened and pressed on by the king’s commandment. The decree was given out in the citadel of Susa.
Now in the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, on the thirteenth day of the month, when the king’s commandment and his decree came near to be put in execution, on the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to conquer them, (but it was turned out the opposite happened, that the Jews conquered those who hated them),
the Jews gathered themselves together in their cities throughout all the provinces of the King Ahasuerus, to lay hands on those who wanted to harm them. No one could withstand them, because the fear of them had fallen on all the people.
All the princes of the provinces, the satraps, the governors, and those who did the king’s business helped the Jews, because the fear of Mordecai had fallen on them.
The other Jews who were in the king’s provinces gathered themselves together, defended their lives, had rest from their enemies, and killed seventy-five thousand of those who hated them; but they didn’t lay their hand on the plunder.
For Mordecai the Jew was next to King Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and accepted by the multitude of his brothers, seeking the good of his people, and speaking peace to all his descendants.
Behold, you have instructed many, you have strengthened the weak hands.
Your words have supported him who was falling, You have made firm the feeble knees.
The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, the teeth of the young lions, are broken.
But he saves from the sword of their mouth, even the needy from the hand of the mighty.
For he wounds, and binds up. He injures, and his hands make whole.
In famine he will redeem you from death; in war, from the power of the sword.
Be it still my consolation, yes, let me exult in pain that doesn’t spare, that I have not denied the words of the Holy One.
What is my strength, that I should wait? What is my end, that I should be patient?
Is my strength the strength of stones? Or is my flesh of brass?
Though your beginning was small, yet your latter end would greatly increase.
His roots are wrapped around the rock pile. He sees the place of stones.
God who is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who has hardened himself against him, and prospered?
Behold, he snatches away. Who can hinder him? Who will ask him, ‘What are you doing?’
“God will not withdraw his anger. The helpers of Rahab stoop under him.
If it is a matter of strength, behold, he is mighty! If of justice, ‘Who,’ says he, ‘will summon me?’
Surely then you shall lift up your face without spot; Yes, you shall be steadfast, and shall not fear:
Life shall be clearer than the noonday. Though there is darkness, it shall be as the morning.
“With God is wisdom and might. He has counsel and understanding.
Behold, he breaks down, and it can’t be built again. He imprisons a man, and there can be no release.
With him is strength and wisdom. The deceived and the deceiver are his.
He loosens the bond of kings. He binds their waist with a belt.
He leads priests away stripped, and overthrows the mighty.
He pours contempt on princes, and loosens the belt of the strong.
He uncovers deep things out of darkness, and brings out to light the shadow of death.
yet through the scent of water it will bud, and sprout boughs like a plant.
but I would strengthen you with my mouth. The solace of my lips would relieve you.
He breaks me with breach on breach. He runs on me like a giant.
Yet shall the righteous hold on his way. He who has clean hands shall grow stronger and stronger.
One dies in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet.
When they cast down, you shall say, ‘be lifted up.’ He will save the humble person.
Would he contend with me in the greatness of his power? No, but he would listen to me.
Yet God preserves the mighty by his power. He rises up who has no assurance of life.
“How have you helped him who is without power! How have you saved the arm that has no strength!
He binds up the waters in his thick clouds, and the cloud is not burst under them.
The pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at his rebuke.
Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ways. How small a whisper do we hear of him! But the thunder of his power who can understand?”
Far be it from me that I should justify you. Until I die I will not put away my integrity from me.
The proud animals have not trodden it, nor has the fierce lion passed by there.
He puts his hand on the flinty rock, and he overturns the mountains by the roots.
when the Almighty was yet with me, and my children were around me,
when my steps were washed with butter, and the rock poured out streams of oil for me,
I broke the jaws of the unrighteous, and plucked the prey out of his teeth.
My root is spread out to the waters. The dew lies all night on my branch.
My glory is fresh in me. My bow is renewed in my hand.’
I will speak, that I may be refreshed. I will open my lips and answer.
If you can, answer me. Set your words in order before me, and stand up.
Behold, my terror shall not make you afraid, neither shall my pressure be heavy on you.
His flesh shall be fresher than a child’s. He returns to the days of his youth.
He breaks in pieces mighty men in ways past finding out, and sets others in their place.
“By reason of the multitude of oppressions they cry out. They cry for help by reason of the arm of the mighty.
“Behold, God is mighty, and doesn’t despise anyone. He is mighty in strength of understanding.
Would your wealth sustain you in distress, or all the might of your strength?
Behold, God is exalted in his power. Who is a teacher like him?
Behold, God is great, and we don’t know him. The number of his years is unsearchable.
He covers his hands with the lightning, and commands it to strike the mark.
Yes, he loads the thick cloud with moisture. He spreads abroad the cloud of his lightning.
Can you, with him, spread out the sky, which is strong as a cast metal mirror?
Out of the north comes golden splendor. With God is awesome majesty.
Then Yahweh answered Job out of the whirlwind,
Brace yourself like a man, for I will question you, then you answer me!
and said, ‘Here you may come, but no further. Here your proud waves shall be stayed?’
From the wicked, their light is withheld. The high arm is broken.
which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?
“Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, That abundance of waters may cover you?
Their young ones become strong. They grow up in the open field. They go out, and don’t return again.
“Will the wild ox be content to serve you? Or will he stay by your feeding trough?
Can you hold the wild ox in the furrow with his harness? Or will he till the valleys after you?
Will you trust him, because his strength is great? Or will you leave to him your labor?
When she lifts up herself on high, she scorns the horse and his rider.
“Have you given the horse might? Have you clothed his neck with a quivering mane?
Have you made him to leap as a locust? The glory of his snorting is awesome.
He paws in the valley, and rejoices in his strength. He goes out to meet the armed men.
He mocks at fear, and is not dismayed, neither does he turn back from the sword.
The quiver rattles against him, the flashing spear and the javelin.
He eats up the ground with fierceness and rage, neither does he stand still at the sound of the trumpet.
As often as the trumpet sounds he snorts, ‘Aha!’ He smells the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting.
Is it at your command that the eagle mounts up, and makes his nest on high?
On the cliff he dwells, and makes his home, on the point of the cliff, and the stronghold.
Then Yahweh answered Job out of the whirlwind,
“Now brace yourself like a man. I will question you, and you will answer me.
Or do you have an arm like God? Can you thunder with a voice like him?
“Now deck yourself with excellency and dignity. Array yourself with honor and majesty.
Then I will also admit to you that your own right hand can save you.
Look now, his strength is in his thighs. His force is in the muscles of his belly.
He moves his tail like a cedar. The sinews of his thighs are knit together.
His bones are like tubes of brass. His limbs are like bars of iron.
He is the chief of the ways of God. He who made him gives him his sword.
The lotuses cover him with their shade. The willows of the brook surround him.
Behold, if a river overflows, he doesn’t tremble. He is confident, though the Jordan swells even to his mouth.












