Aramaic Peshitta Bible Repository
Lamsa OT - Esther
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1 ¶ NOW it came to pass in the days of Akhshirash, who reigned from India even to Ethiopia, over one hundred and twenty-seven provinces, 2 In the days when King Akhshirash sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace, 3 In the third year of his reign, he made a great feast for all his princes and his servants, the mighty men of Persia and Media and the king’s nobles and the governors of the provinces being before him. 4 Then he showed them the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honor of his excellent majesty many days, even a hundred and eighty days. 5 And when these days were completed, the king made a feast to all the people who were present in Shushan the palace, both great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king’s palace; 6 There were curtains of white cotton and wool, and hangings of violet, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble; the couches were of gold and silver, upon a pavement of marble, and the carpets were of fine white linen and silk. 7 And they gave the guests drink in vessels of gold (the vessels being different one from another), and royal wine was in abundance, according to the generosity of the king. 8 And the drinking was according to the law; none did compel; for so the king had commanded to all the stewards of his household, that they should do according to every man’s pleasure. 9 Also Vashti the queen made a great feast for all the women in the royal house which belonged to King Akhshirash.""
10 ¶ On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded the eunuchs, Biztha, Rahbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Terash, Zethar, and Carcash, the seven eunuchs who served in the presence of Akhshirash the king, 11 To bring Vashti the queen be fore the king with the royal crown, to show the people and the princes her beauty; for she was fair to look upon. 12 But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s command by the eunuchs; therefore the king was very wroth and his anger burned in him. 13 Then the king spoke to the wise men who knew the times (for this was the king’s custom, he discussed matters in the presence of all who knew law and judgment). 14 And those who were next to him were Barnashi, Shetar, Armoth, Remos, Tarshish, Mesriah, Meaucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media who sat in the presence of the king and were seen before him at the gate of the royal palace. 15 And he said, What shall we do to Queen Vashti, according to law, because she has not performed the command of King Akhshirash by the eunuchs? 16 And Meaucan said before the king and the princes, Vashti the queen has 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 King Akhshirash. 17 For this deed of the queen shall reach all women, so that their husbands shall be despised in their eyes, and they shall say, King Akhshirash commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she did not come. 18 Even this very day the princes of Persia and Media who have heard of the deed of the queen shall tell it to all the king’s princes. Thus there shall be much contempt and wrath. 19 If it please the king, let there go forth a royal decree from him, and let it be written among the laws of Media and Persia, that it may not be altered, that Vashti the queen is to come no more before King Akhshirash; and let the king give her royal estate to another who is better than she. 20 And the king’s decree shall be proclaimed and published throughout all his empire (for it is great), that all wives shall give honor to their husbands, both great and small. 21 And the saying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did according to the word of Meaucan; 22 And he sent letters to all the king’s provinces, into every province according to the writing thereof and to every people according to its own language, that every man should bear rule in his own house and that it should be published according to the language of every people.""
2:1 ¶ AFTER these things, when the wrath of King Akhshirash was appeased, he remembered Vashti the queen and what she had done and what was decreed against her. 2 Then the king’s servants and his ministers said to him, Let there be beautiful young virgins sought for the king; 3 And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces, that they may gather together all the beautiful young virgins to the house of the women, to the custody of Hegai the eunuch, keeper of women; and let their things for purification be given them; 4 And let the maiden who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so. 5 Now there was a certain Jew in Shushan the palace, whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite; 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. 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; and when her father and mother died, Mordecai took her for his own daughter. 8 So when the king’s commandment and his decree were heard, and when many virgins were gathered together in Shushan the palace in the custody of Hegai, the eunuch, that Esther was brought also to the king’s house to the custody of Hegai, the keeper of the women. 9 And the maiden pleased him, and she obtained favor of him; and he speedily gave her things for purification, such things which were her portion, and seven maidens who were worthy to be given her from the king’s house; and he preferred her and her maidens much more than all the other women. 10 Esther had not made known her people nor her kindred; for Mordecai had charged her that she should not make it known. 11 And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women’s house to learn how Esther did and what should become of her. 12 Now when the turn of each maiden was come to go in before King Akhshirash, after she had been twelve months, according to the manner of the women (for so were the days of their purification accomplished, every six days with oil of myrrh and every six days with spices and with other things for the purifying of the women); 13 Then thus came every maiden before the king; whatever she de sired was given her to go with her out of the house of the women to the king’s house. 14 In the evening she went in, and in the morning she returned to the house of the women to the custody of Shangashgeshir the king’s eunuch, the keeper of the concubines; she did not come in to the king unless the king delighted in her and she was called by name. 15 Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, came to go in before the king, she asked for nothing but what Hegai the king’s eunuch, the keeper of the women, appointed. And Esther obtained favor in the sight of all those who saw her. 16 So Esther entered before King Akhshirash into his royal house in the tenth month, that is, January, in the fourth year of his reign. 17 And the king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the other virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. 18 Then the king made a great feast to all his princes, even Esther’s feast; and he granted relief to the provinces and gave gifts, according to the generosity of the king. 19 And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, Mordecai was sitting in the king’s gate. 20 But Esther had not yet made known her kindred nor her people, as Mordecai had charged her; for Esther obeyed the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was faith fully brought up with him.""
21 ¶ In those days, while Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, two of the king’s eunuchs, Bigthan and Teresh, of those who kept the door, were wroth and sought to lay hands on King Akhshirash. 22 And the thing became known to Mordecai, who told it to Esther the queen; and Esther told the king in Mordecai’s name. 23 And when the matter was investigated and found to be so, they were both nailed on crosses, and it was written in the book of chronicles be fore the king.""
3:1 ¶ AFTER these things King Akhshirash promoted Haman the son of Hammadatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes who were with him. 2 And all the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate bowed down and did obeisance to Haman; for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai would not bow nor pay him reverence. 3 Then the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate said to Mordecai, Why do you transgress the king’s commandment? 4 Now it came to pass when they spoke daily to him and he would not listen to them, they told Haman, to know whether Mordecai’s words were the truth; for he had told them that he was a Jew. 5 And when Haman saw that Mordecai did not bow down nor do him obeisance, then Haman was full of wrath against Mordecai. 6 And he thought it nothing to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they had revealed to him the people of Mordecai; wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews who were throughout the whole kingdom of Akhshirash, even the people of Mordecai.""
7 ¶ In the first month, that is, the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Akhshirash, they cast lots be fore Haman from day to day and from month to month. Then in the twelfth month, that is, the month of Adar, 8 Haman said to King Akhshirash, There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of King Akhshirash; and their laws are different from those of all other people; and they do not keep the king’s laws; therefore the king ought not to spare them. 9 If it please the king, let it be written that they may be destroyed; and I will weigh ten thousand talents of silver to the hands of those who have charge of the business, to bring it into the king’s treasuries. 10 And the king took his ring from his hand and gave it to Haman the son of Hammadatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews. 11 And the king said to Haman, The silver is given to you, the people also, to do with them as it seems good to you. 12 Then the king’s scribe was called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded to the king’s commanders and to the governors that were over every province and to the princes of every people of every province according to the writing thereof and to every people according to their language; in the name of King Akhshirash it was written and sealed with the king’s ring. 13 And the letters were sent by couriers to 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 their wealth for a prey. In the same day on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar they were written. 14 The copy of the writing was given in every province, commanding all the people to be ready for that day. 15 The couriers went out, being hastened by the king’s command, and the decree was given in Shushan the palace. And the king and Haman sat down to drink; but the city of Shushan was in an uproar.""
4:1 ¶ WHEN Mordecai learned all that was done, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, howling with a loud and bitter lamentation; 2 And came even as far as the king’s gate; for it was unlawful for any man to enter into the king’s gate clothed with sackcloth. 3 And in every province, wherever the king’s decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting and weeping and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes. 4 So when Esther’s eunuchs and her maidens came in and told her, the queen was exceedingly disturbed; and she sent garments to clothe Mordecai and to take away his sackcloth from him; but he did not accept them.""
5 ¶ Then Esther called for Hathan, one of the king’s eunuchs, who had been appointed to attend her, and ordered him to go to Mordecai to know what this was and why it was, 6 So Hathan went forth to Mordecai to the streets of the city which were in front of the king’s gate. 7 And Mordecai told him of all that had happened to him and of the sum of money that Haman had promised to pay to the king’s treasuries for the Jews, to destroy them. 8 He also gave him a copy of the writing of the decree that was is sued in Shushan the palace, to show it to Esther, and to charge her to go in to the king to make supplication to him and to make request be fore him for her people. 9 And Hathan came in and told Esther the words of Mordecai. 10 Again Esther spoke to Hathan and commanded him to go to Mordecai, saying, 11 All the king’s servants know that whosoever, whether man or woman, comes to the king into the inner court who is not called, for him there is but one law to put him to death, except the one to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live; but I have not been called to come in to the king these three days. 12 And he told Mordecai Esther’s words. 13 Then Mordecai told him to tell Esther, Think not in yourself that you shall escape because you are in the king’s house, more than all the other Jews. 14 For if you altogether remain silent this time, then relief and salvation shall arise to the Jews from an other place; but you and your father’s house shall be destroyed; and who knows whether you have been called to come to the kingdom for such a time as this? 15 Then Esther told him to return Mordecai this answer: 16 Go, gather together all the Jews who are present in Shushan the pal ace, and fast for me, and neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day; I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and then I will go in to the king, which is not according to the law; and if I perish, I perish. 17 So Mordecai went his way and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.""
5:1 ¶ NOW on the third day Esther put on her royal apparel and stood in the inner court of the king’s house, opposite the king’s house; and the king was sitting upon his royal throne opposite the gate of the house. 2 And when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, she obtained favor in his sight; and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near and held the top of the golden sceptre. 3 Then the king said to her, What troubles you, Queen Esther? And what is your request? It shall be given you even to the half of the kingdom. 4 And Esther answered, If it please the king, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I have pre pared for him. 5 Then the king said, Make haste to find Haman, that he may do as Esther has said. So the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared. 6 And the king said to Esther at the banquet of wine, What is your petition? And it shall be granted you; and what is your request? Even to the half of the kingdom it shall be given you. 7 Then Esther answered and said, My petition and my request is this: 8 If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it please the king to grant my petition and to per form my request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them tomorrow, as the king has said.""
9 ¶ Then Haman went out that day joyful and glad in his heart; but when Haman saw Mordecai sitting in the king’s gate, that he neither stood up nor moved for him, Haman was full of indignation against Mordecai. 10 Nevertheless Haman restrained himself; and when he went to his home, he sent and brought all his friends and Zeresh his wife. 11 And Haman told them of the glory of his riches and the multitude of his children, and how the king had promoted him and how he had advanced him above the princes and the servants of the king. 12 Haman said moreover, Even Esther the queen did let no man come in with the king to the banquet that she had prepared but me; and to morrow I am invited by her together with the king. 13 Yet all this does not suffice me, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate; for he does not move from before me. 14 Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends to him, Let a gallows be made fifty cubits high, and in the morning speak to the king that Mordecai may be hanged upon it; then go in merrily with the king to the banquet. And the thing pleased Haman exceedingly; and he had the gallows made.""
6:1 ¶ ON that night the king could not sleep, and he commanded to bring the book of the records of the chronicles; and they were read be fore the king. 2 And it was found written that Mordecai had told of Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs, the keepers of the door, who had sought to lay hands on King Akhshirash. 3 And the king said, What honor and dignity have been conferred upon Mordecai for this? Then the king’s servants and his ministers said to him, There is nothing done for him.""
4 ¶ And the king said, Who is in the court? Now Haman was come into the outer court of the king’s house to speak to the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him. 5 So the king’s servants said to him, Behold, Haman is standing in the court. And the king said, Let him come in. 6 So Haman came in. And the king said to him, What shall be done to the man whom the king delights to honor? Now Haman thought in his heart, Whom would the king delight to honor more than myself? 7 And Haman answered the king, For the man whom the king delights to honor, 8 Let the royal apparel be brought which the king wears and the horse that the king rides, and let the royal crown be set upon his head: 9 And let the apparel and the horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king’s most noble princes, and let him array the man whom the king delights to honor and mount him on the horse and take him round through the streets of the city and proclaim before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king de lights to honor. 10 Then the king said to Haman, Make haste and take the apparel and the horse, as you have said, and do even so to Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king’s gate; let nothing fail of all that you have spoken. 11 Then Haman took the apparel and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai, and brought him on horseback through the streets of the city and proclaimed before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor.""
12 ¶ And Mordecai came again to the king’s gate. But Haman went to his house mourning and having his head covered. 13 And Haman told Zeresh his wife everything that had befallen him. Then his friends and Zeresh his wife said to him, If Mordecai is of the Jewish race, before whom you have begun to fall, you shall not prevail against him, but will surely again be humbled before him. 14 And while he was still talking with them, the king’s couriers arrived and hastened to bring Haman to the banquet that Esther had pre pared.""
7:1 ¶ SO the king and Haman went in to the banquet which Esther the queen had prepared. 2 And the king said again to Esther on the second day of the banquet of wine, What is your petition and what is your request? It shall be granted you, even to the half of the kingdom. 3 Then Esther the queen answered and said, If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request; 4 For we are sold, I and my people, to be slain, to be put to the sword, and to perish. But if we had been sold merely as bondmen and bondwomen, I would have held my tongue, but the enemy would not hesitate to cause damage to the king. 5 Then King Akhshirash answered and said to Esther the queen, Who is he and where is he who dares to presume in his heart to do so? 6 And Esther said, The oppressor and enemy is this wicked Haman. Then Haman trembled before the king and the queen.""
7 ¶ And the king arose from the banquet of wine in his wrath and went into the palace garden; and Haman remained to beg for his life from Esther the queen; for he saw that there was evil determined against him by the king. 8 Then the king returned from the palace garden into the place of the banquet of wine; and Haman was prostrate upon the couch where Esther was seated. Then the king said. Will he disgrace the queen also be fore me in the house? As the word went out of the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face. 9 And Rahbona, one of his eunuchs, said before the king, Behold the gallows fifty cubits high, which Haman had made to hang Mordecai because he had spoken good concerning the king, stands in the house of Haman. Then the king said, Hang him on it. 10 So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king’s wrath appeased.""
8:1 ¶ ON that day King Akhshirash gave the house of Haman the enemy of the Jews to Esther the queen. And Mordecai came before the king; for Esther had told what he was to her. 2 And the king took off the ring which he had taken away from Haman and gave it to Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.""
3 ¶ And Esther came back and spoke again before the king, and fell down at his feet and besought him and entreated him earnestly to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite and his device that he had devised against the Jews. 4 Then the king held out the golden sceptre toward Esther. So Esther touched it and stood before the king 5 And said. If it please the king and the thing seem right before the king and if I have found favor in his eyes, let it be written to reverse the letters devised by Haman the Agagite which he wrote to destroy all the Jews who are in all the king’s provinces; 6 For how can I endure to see the calamity that shall come to my people? Or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred? 7 Then King Akhshirash said to Esther the queen, Behold, I have given you the house of Haman, and him they have hanged upon the gal lows because he lifted up his hand against the Jews. 8 And write also concerning the Jews as it please you, in the king’s name, and seal it with the king’s ring; for the writing which is written in the king’s name and sealed with the king’s ring may not be reversed. 9 Then the king’s scribes were called at that time in the third month, which is the month of Heziran, on the twenty-third day thereof; and it was written according to all that Mordecai had written concerning the Jews, to the commanders of the armies and the governors and princes of the provinces from India to Ethiopia, a hundred and twenty-seven provinces, to every province according to its writing and to every people according to its own language and to the Jews according to their writing and according to their language. 10 And the letters were written in the name of King Akhshirash and sealed with the king’s ring, and they were sent by runners and by riders of horses and by dromedaries. 11 In these letters the king permitted the Jews who were in every city to gather themselves together and to defend their lives, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish every one that might oppress them, both little ones and women, and to take their goods for spoil. 12 Upon one day in all the provinces of King Akhshirash, namely, upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, 13 The copy of the writing was is sued in every province and it was decreed to all peoples that the Jews should be ready on that day to avenge themselves upon their enemies. 14 So the runners and the posts that rode on horseback went out, being hastened by the decree and the king’s command which was given at Shushan the palace.""
15 ¶ Then Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and fine white linen, and with a crown of gold and with a garment of fine white linen and purple; and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad. 16 The Jews had light and gladness and honor and joy. 17 And in every province and in every city whithersoever the king’s decree and his commandment came the Jews had a great joy, a feast, and a good day. And many of the people of the land were alarmed; for the fear of the Jews fell upon them.""
9:1 ¶ NOW in the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, when the time drew near for the king’s decree and his commandment to be put into execution, in the day when the enemies of the Jews hoped to overpower them (though the edict was turned to the contrary so that the Jews should have rule over those that hated them), 2 The Jews gathered themselves together in their cities throughout all the provinces of King Akhshirash to attack such as sought their hurt; and no man could withstand them; for the fear of them fell upon all people. 3 And all the princes of the provinces and the commanders of the armies and the governors and those who were employed in the king’s work honored the Jews because the fear of the king fell upon them. 4 For Mordecai was great in the king’s house, and his fame spread throughout all the provinces; for the man Mordecai grew greater and greater. 5 Thus the Jews smote all their enemies with the sword and slaughter and destruction, and did what they would to those who hated them. 6 And in Shushan the palace the Jews slew and destroyed five hundred men. 7 And they slew Shepiroth and Dalcon and Aspoth and 8 Parlat and Adalia and Derath 9 And Aprasmoth and Disai and Adri and Zoth, 10 The ten sons of Haman the son of Hammadatha, the enemy of the Jews; but they did not lay their hands on the plunder. 11 On that day the number of those that were slain in Shushan the palace was brought before the king. 12 And the king said to Esther the queen, The Jews have slain and destroyed five hundred men in Shushan the palace and the ten sons of Ha man; what have they done in the rest of the provinces? Now what is your petition? And it shall be granted you; and what is your request further? And it shall be done for you. 13 Then Esther said, Let it be granted to the Jews who are in Shushan to do tomorrow also according to this day’s decree, and let Haman’s ten sons be hanged on the gallows. 14 And the king commanded it so to be done; and the decree was given in Shushan, and the ten sons of Ha man were hanged. 15 For the Jews who were in Shushan gathered themselves together on the fourteenth day also of the same month, and slew three hundred men in Shushan; but they did not lay their hands on the plunder. 16 And the rest of the Jews who were in the king’s provinces gathered themselves together to defend their lives, and had rest from their enemies and slew of those who hated them seventy-five thousand, but they did not lay their hands on the plunder. 17 They began on the thirteenth day of the month Adar; and on the fourteenth day of the same they rested 18 And made it a day of feasting and gladness; 19 Therefore the Jews who are scattered, who dwell in widely separated towns, make the fourteenth day of the month Adar a day of gladness and feasting and a good day, and send portions one to another.""
20 ¶ And Mordecai wrote these things and sent letters to all the Jews who were in all the provinces of King Akhshirash, both near and far. 21 To agree among themselves that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar and the fifteenth day of the same, yearly, 22 As the days on which the Jews rested from their enemies and the month which was turned for them from sorrow to joy and from mourning to a good day, that they should make them days of feasting and joy and of sending portions of food one to another and gifts to the poor. 23 And the Jews took upon them selves to do as they had begun and as Mordecai had written them; 24 Because Haman the son of Hammadatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast lots to consume them and to destroy them; 25 When Esther came before the king, the scribe would say, Let the wicked plots which were devised against the Jews return upon the head of him who had devised them, and let him and his sons be hanged on the gallows. 26 Therefore they called these days Porayey, after the name Passover. Because of all the words of this letter and of that which they had seen concerning this matter and because of that which has befallen them. 27 The Jews ordained thus, and took upon themselves and upon their descendants and upon all such as joined themselves to them that it should not fail that they would keep these two days according to their writing and according to their appointed time every year. 28 And that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation in every province and every city; and that these days of Porayey should not fail from among the Jews, nor the memorial of them perish from their descend ants. 29 Then Esther the queen, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew wrote with all authority to confirm this letter of Porayey. 30 And they sent letters to all the Jews, to the hundred and twenty-seven provinces of the kingdom of Akhshirash the king, with words of truth and peace 31 To confirm these days of Porayey in their appointed times, ac cording as Mordecai the Jew and Esther the queen had enjoined upon them and upon their children the decree of their fasting and their prayer. 32 And the decree of Esther con firmed these matters of Porayey which were written in the book.""
10:1 ¶ AND King Akhshirash laid a tribute upon the whole land and upon the Islands of the sea. 2 And all the acts of his power and of his might and the glory of the greatness of Mordecai unto which the king promoted him, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia. 3 For Mordecai the Jew was next to King Akhshirash and became the chief over the Jews, and he sought the good of his people and spoke on behalf of all his race."