From: "FamilyNet" 

The Book of Esther
CHAPTER 1
Esther 1:1
1 Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus which
reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and
twenty provinces:)
Esther 1:2
2 That in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his
kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace, Esther 1:3
3 In the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and
his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the
provinces,  being before  him:
Esther 1:4
4 When he shewed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his
excellent majesty many days, even an hundred and fourscore days. Esther 1:5
5 And when these days were expired, the king made a feast unto all the
people that were present in Shushan the palace, both unto great and small,
seven days,  in the court  of the garden  of the king's  palace; Esther 1:6
6 Where were white, green, and blue, hangings, fastened with cords of fine
linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble: the beds were of
gold  and silver,  upon a pavement  of red,  and blue,  and white,  and
black,  marble.
Esther 1:7
7 And they gave them drink in vessels of gold, (the vessels being diverse
one from another,) and royal wine in abundance, according to the state of
the king.
Esther 1:8
8 And the drinking was according to the law; none did compel: for so the
king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do
according to every man's pleasure.
Esther 1:9
9 Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house which
belonged to king Ahasuerus.
Esther 1:10
10 On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he
commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar,  and
Carcas,  the seven  chamberlains  that served  in the presence  of
Ahasuerus the king,
Esther 1:11
11 To bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to shew
the people and the princes her beauty: for she was fair to look on. Esther
1:12
12 But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king's commandment by his
chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned  in
him.
Esther 1:13
13 Then the king said to the wise men, which knew the times, (for so was
the king's manner toward all that knew law and judgment: Esther 1:14
14 And the next unto him was Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres,
Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, which saw  the
king's  face,  and which sat  the first  in the kingdom;) Esther 1:15
15 What shall we do unto the queen Vashti according to law, because she
hath not performed the commandment of the king Ahasuerus by the
chamberlains? Esther 1:16
16 And Memucan answered before the king and the princes, Vashti the queen
hath not done wrong to the king only, but also to all the princes, and to
all the people that are in all the provinces of the king  Ahasuerus. Esther
1:17
17 For this deed of the queen shall come abroad unto all women, so that
they shall despise their husbands in their eyes, when it shall be reported,
The king Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen  to be brought in  before 
him, but she came  not.
Esther 1:18
18 Likewise shall the ladies of Persia and Media say this day unto all the
king's princes, which have heard of the deed of the queen. Thus shall there
arise too much contempt and wrath.
Esther 1:19
19 If it please the king, let there go a royal commandment from him, and
let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, that it be
not altered, That Vashti come  no more before  king  Ahasuerus;  and let
the king  give  her royal estate  unto another  that is better  than she.
Esther 1:20
20 And when the king's decree which he shall make shall be published
throughout all his empire, (for it is great,) all the wives shall give to
their husbands honour, both to great and small. Esther 1:21
21 And the saying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did
according to the word of Memucan:
Esther 1:22
22 For he sent letters into all the king's provinces, into every province
according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language,
that every man should bear rule in his own house, and that it should be
published according to the language  of every people. CHAPTER 2
Esther 2:1
1 After these things, when the wrath of king Ahasuerus was appeased, he
remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her.
Esther 2:2
2 Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, Let there be fair
young virgins sought for the king:
Esther 2:3
3 And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom,
that they may gather together all the fair young virgins unto Shushan the
palace, to the house of the women,  unto the custody  of Hege  the king's
chamberlain,  keeper  of the women;  and let their things for purification
be given  them:
Esther 2:4
4 And let the maiden which pleaseth the king be queen instead of Vashti.
And the thing pleased the king; and he did so. Esther 2:5
5 Now in Shushan the palace there was a certain Jew, whose name was
Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite;
Esther 2:6
6 Who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captivity which had
been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king
of Babylon had carried away.
Esther 2:7
7 And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daughter: for
she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful;
whom Mordecai, when her father and mother  were dead,  took  for his own
daughter.
Esther 2:8
8 So it came to pass, when the king's commandment and his decree was heard,
and when many maidens were gathered together unto Shushan the palace, to
the custody of Hegai, that Esther was brought  also unto the king's  house,
 to the custody  of Hegai,  keeper  of the women. Esther 2:9
9 And the maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness of him; and he
speedily gave her her things for purification, with such things as belonged
to her, and seven maidens, which were meet to be given  her, out of the
king's  house:  and he preferred  her and her maids  unto the best  place
of the house  of the women.
Esther 2:10
10 Esther had not shewed her people nor her kindred: for Mordecai had
charged her that she should not shew it. Esther 2:11
11 And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women's house, to
know how Esther did, and what should become of her. Esther 2:12
12 Now when every maid's turn was come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after
that she had been twelve months, according to the manner of the women, (for
so were the days of their purifications  accomplished,  to wit, six  months
with oil  of myrrh,  and six  months  with sweet odours,  and with other
things for the purifying  of the women;) Esther 2:13
13 Then thus came every maiden unto the king; whatsoever she desired was
given her to go with her out of the house of the women unto the king's
house.
Esther 2:14
14 In the evening she went, and on the morrow she returned into the second
house of the women, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king's chamberlain,
which kept the concubines:  she came in  unto the king  no more, except the
king  delighted  in her, and that she were called  by name. Esther 2:15
15 Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of
Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, was come to go in unto the
king, she required nothing  but what Hegai  the king's  chamberlain,  the
keeper  of the women,  appointed.  And Esther  obtained  favour  in the
sight  of all them that looked  upon her. Esther 2:16
16 So Esther was taken unto king Ahasuerus into his house royal in the
tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.
Esther 2:17
17 And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace
and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal
crown upon her head,  and made her queen  instead of Vashti. Esther 2:18
18 Then the king made a great feast unto all his princes and his servants,
even Esther's feast; and he made a release to the provinces, and gave
gifts, according to the state  of the king. Esther 2:19
19 And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, then
Mordecai sat in the king's gate.
Esther 2:20
20 Esther had not yet shewed her kindred nor her people; as Mordecai had
charged her: for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she
was brought up with him.
Esther 2:21
21 In those days, while Mordecai sat in the king's gate, two of the king's
chamberlains, Bigthan and Teresh, of those which kept the door, were wroth,
and sought  to lay  hand  on the king  Ahasuerus. Esther 2:22
22 And the thing was known to Mordecai, who told it unto Esther the queen;
and Esther certified the king thereof in Mordecai's name. Esther 2:23
23 And when inquisition was made of the matter, it was found out; therefore
they were both hanged on a tree: and it was written in the book of the
chronicles before the king.
CHAPTER 3
Esther 3:1
1 After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman the son of Hammedatha
the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes  that
were with him.
Esther 3:2
2 And all the king's servants, that were in the king's gate, bowed, and
reverenced Haman: for the king had so commanded concerning him. But
Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence.
Esther 3:3
3 Then the king's servants, which were in the king's gate, said unto
Mordecai, Why transgressest thou the king's commandment? Esther 3:4
4 Now it came to pass, when they spake daily unto him, and he hearkened not
unto them, that they told Haman, to see whether Mordecai's matters would
stand: for he had told them that he was a Jew. Esther 3:5
5 And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then
was Haman full of wrath.
Esther 3:6
6 And he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they had shewed
him the people of Mordecai: wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews
that were throughout the whole kingdom  of Ahasuerus,  even the people  of
Mordecai.
Esther 3:7
7 In the first month, that is, the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of king
Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that is, the lot, before Haman  from day  to day,
and from month  to month,  to the twelfth  month, that is, the month  Adar.
Esther 3:8
8 And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered
abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom;
and their laws  are diverse  from all people;  neither keep  they the
king's laws:  therefore it is not for the king's  profit  to suffer  them.
Esther 3:9
9 If it please the king, let it be written that they may be destroyed: and
I will pay ten thousand talents of silver to the hands of those that have
the charge of the business, to bring  it into the king's  treasuries.
Esther 3:10
10 And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman the son
of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews' enemy. Esther 3:11
11 And the king said unto Haman, The silver is given to thee, the people
also, to do with them as it seemeth good to thee. Esther 3:12
12 Then were the king's scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first
month, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto
the king's lieutenants, and to the governors  that were over every
province, and to the rulers  of every people  of every province  according
to the writing  thereof, and to every people  after their language;  in the
name of king  Ahasuerus  was it written,  and sealed  with the king's 
ring. Esther 3:13
13 And the letters were sent by posts into all the king's provinces, to
destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old,
little children  and women,  in one  day,  even upon the thirteenth  day of
the twelfth  month,  which is the month  Adar,  and to take the spoil  of
them for a prey.
Esther 3:14
14 The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given in every province
was published unto all people, that they should be ready against that day.
Esther 3:15
15 The posts went out, being hastened by the king's commandment, and the
decree was given in Shushan the palace. And the king and Haman sat down to
drink;  but the city  Shushan  was perplexed.

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