Money that Haman had promifed to pay the King's Treafuries for the Jews to deftroy them.

8 Alfo he gave him the Copy of the Decree that was given to destroy them, to fhew it unto Efther, and to charge her that the fhould go in unto the King, to make Supplication unto him, and to make Request before him for her People.

9 Then Hatach came and told Efther the Words of Mordecai.

10 Again Efther fpake unto Hatach, and gave him Commandment unto Mordecai.

11 All the People of the King's Provinces do know, that whofoever Man or Woman, fhall come unto the King into the inner Court, who is not called, there is one Law of his to put him to Death, except fuch to whom the King fhall hold out the golden Sceptre, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto the King, these thirty Days.

12 And they told Mordecai Efther's Words.

13 Then Mordecai commanded to answer Efther, Think not with thy felf that thou fhalt escape in the King's House more than all the Jews.

14 For if thou altogether holdeft thy Peace at this Time, then fhall there Enlargement and Deliverance arife to the Jews from another Place, but thou and thy Father's House: fhall be deftroyed: and who knoweth, whether thou art come to the Kingdom for fuch a Time as this?

15 Then Efther bad them return Mordecai this Answer.

16 Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shufhan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three Days, Night nor Day: I alfo and my Maidens will faft likewife, and fo will I go in unto the King, which is not according to the Law; and if I perish, I perish.

*Note, it is evident, that many of the Pfalms have a Relation to the State of the Jewish and Chriftian Church, in their several Captivities, and Perfecutions under the Pagan and Christian Empires.

It may be prefum'd that this excellent Princess was animated to so hazardous an Undertaking, by reading and meditating upon the 27th Pfalm, in which are many Expreffions, which seem to refer to the great Affliction the Jews were under at this Time, The Decree being for the Destruction of Man, Woman, and Child. Their Deliverance by the Divine Providence was so very wonderful, that the Jews have in all Ages fince, and do to this Time celebrate both the Fast and Feaf, which they call Purim.

17 So Mordecai went his Way, and did according to all that Efther had commanded him.

CHAP. V.

Efther adventuring on the King's Favour, obtaineth the Grace of the golden Sceptre; and inviteth the King and Haman to a Banquet. 6 She being encouraged by the King in her Suit, inviteth them to another Banquet the next Day. Haman proud of his Advancement, repineth at the Contempt of Mordecai. 14 By the Counsel of his Wife, he buildeth for him a Gallows.

Ver. 1

Now

OW it came to pass on the third Day, that Efther put on the Royal Apparel, and stood in the inner Court of the King's Houfe: and the King fat upon his Royal Throne.

2 And it was fo when the King faw Efther the Queen standing in the Court, that the obtained Favour in his Sight: and the King held out to Efther the golden Sceptre that was in his Hand: fo Efther drew near, and touched the Top of the Sceptre.

3 Then faid the King unto her, What wilt thou, Queen Efther? and what is thy Requeft? it shall be given thee, to the half of the Kingdom.

4 And Efther anfwered, If it feem good unto the King, let the King and Haman come this Day unto the Banquet that I have prepared for him.

5 Then the King faid, Caufe Haman to make Hafte, that he may do as Efther hath faid. So the King and Haman came to the Banquet.

6 And the King faid unto Efther at the Banquet, What is thy Petition? and it fhall be granted thee: and what is thy Request? even to the half of the Kingdom.

7 Then anfwered Efther, and faid, My Petition, and my Request is;

8 If I have found Favour in the Sight of the King, and if it please the King to grant my Petition, and to perform my Requeft, let the King and Haman come to the Banquet that I fhall provide for them, and I will do to Morrow as the King hath faid.

9 Then went Haman forth that Day, joyful, and with a glad Heart: but when he faw Mordecai in the King's Gate,

Gate, that he ftood not up, nor moved for him, he was full of Indignation against Mordecai.

10 Nevertheless, Haman refrained himself, and when he came Home, he fent and called for his Friends, and Zerefh his Wife.

11 And Haman told them of the Glory of his Riches, and the Multitude of his Children, and all the Things wherein the King had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the Princes and Servants of the King. 12 Haman faid moreover, Yea, Efther the Queen did let no Man come in with the King unto the Banquet that fhe had prepared, but my felf; and to Morrow am I invited unto her alfo with the King.

Pfal. lii. Why boafteft thou thy Goodness of GOD endureth contifelf in Mischief, O mighty Man? the nually.

2 Thy Tongue devifeth Mischiefs: fully. like a fharp Razor, working deceit

S GOD fhall deftroy thee for ever, he fhall take thee away, and pluck and root thee out of the Land of the thee out of thy Dwelling-place, Living.

6 The Righteous alfo fhall fee and fear, and fhall laugh at him.

7 Lo, this is the Man that made

not GOD his Strength, but trufted in

the Abundance of his Riches, and ftrengthened himself in his Wicked

nefs.

13 Yet all this availeth me nothing, fo long as I fee Mordecai the Jew fitting at the King's Gate.

14 Then faid his Wife, and all his Friends unto him, Let a Gallows be made of fifty Cubits high, and to Morrow speak unto the King, that Mordecai may be hanged thereon: then go thou in merrily with the King unto the Banquet. And the Thing pleafed Haman, and he caufed the Gallows to be made.

thee do I put my Truft: fave me Pfal. vii. O LORD my GOD, in from all them that perfecute me, and deliver me.

renting it in Pieces, while there is 2 Left he tear my Soul like a Lion, none to deliver.

3 O LORD my GOD, if I have done Hands: this; if there be Iniquity in my

4 If I have rewarded Evil unto him that was at Peace with me: (yea,

I have delivered him that without
Cause is mine Enemy.)

s Let the Enemy perfecute my Soul, and take it; yea, let him tread down my Life upon the Earth, and lay mine Honour in the Duft. Selah. 6 Arife, O LORD, in thine Anger, lift up thy felf, because of the Rage of mine Enemies: and awake for me to the Judgment that thou haft coinmanded.

7 So fhall the Congregation of the People compass thee about: for their Sakes therefore return thou on high.

8 The LORD fhall judge the People: judge me, O LORD, according to my Righteoufnefs, and according to mine Integrity that is in me.

9 Oh let the Wickedness of the Wicked come to an End, but establish the

Juft: for the Righteous GoD trieth the Hearts and Reins.

10 My Defence is of God, which faveth the Upright in Heart.

11 GOD judgeth the Righteous, and GOD is angry with the Wicked every

Day.

CHAP. VI.

Abafuerus reading in the Chronicles of the good Service done by Mordecai, taketh Care for his Reward. 4 Haman coming to fue that Mordecai might be hanged, unawares giveth Counsel that he might do him Honour. 12 Complaining of his Misfortune his Friends tell him of his final Destiny.

" Pfal. Ixxiii. I was envious at the foolish, when I faw the Prosperity of

Ver. 10 couldnot the King the WICKED.
ON N that Night

fleep, and he commanded to
bring the Book of Records
of the Chronicles; and they
were read before the King.

2 And it was found written, that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Terefh, two of the King's Chamberlains, the Keepers of the Door, who fought to lay Hand on the King Ahafuerus.

3 And the King faid, What Honour and Dignity hath been done to Mordecai for this? Then faid the King's Servants, There is nothing done for him.

4 And the King faid, Who is in the Court? (Now Haman was come into the outward Court of the King's Houfe, to fpeak unto the King, to hang Mordecai on the Gallows that he had prepared for him.)

5 And the King's Servants faid unto him, Haman ftandeth in the Court. And the King faid, Let him come in. 6 And the King faid unto

17 Until I went into the San&uay of GOD, then understood 1 their

End.

18 Surely thou didst fet them in ippery Places: thou caftedft them down into Deftruction.

19 How are they brought into Defolation, as in a Moment! they are utterly confumed with Terrors. of old, fince Man was plac'd upon the Earth.

Job xx. 4 Knoweft thou not this

s That the Triumphing of the Wicked is fhort, and the Joy of the

Hypocrite but for a Moment.

6 Though his Excellency mount up to the Heavens, and his Head

reach unto the Clouds.

7 Yet he shall perish for ever, like his own Dung: they which have feen him fhall fay, Where is he?

8 He fhall Ay away as a Dream, aud fhall not be found: yea, he thall be chafed away as the Vision of the Night.

9 The Eye alfo which fee him, fhall fee him no more; neither shall his Place any more behold him.

To His Children fhall seek to please the Poor, and his Hands shall rettore

their Goods.

11 His Bones are full of the Sin of his Youth, which shall lie down with him in the Duft.

12 Though Wickedness be fweet in his Mouth, though he hide it under his Tongue.

13 Though he fpare it, and forfake it not; but keep it ftill within his Mouth.

him, What shall be done unto the Man whom the King deligheth to honour? (Now Haman thought in his Heart, To whom would the King delight to do Honour more than my self?)

7 And he answered the King, For the Man whom the King delighteth to ho

nour,

8 Let the Royal Apparel be brought which the King ufeth to wear, and the Horse that the King rideth upon, and the Crown Royal which is fet upon his Head:

9 And let this Apparel and Horfe be delivered to the Hand of one of the King's moft noble Princes, that they may aray the Man withal whom the King delighteth to honour, and bring him on Horfeback through the Street of the City, and proclaim before him, Thus fhall it be King delighteth to honour.

is turned, it is the Gall of Afps within him.

14 Yet this Meat in his Bowels

Is He hath fwallowed down Riches, GOD fhall caft them out of his Belly. and he fhall vomit them up again:

18 That which he laboured for fhall he reftore, and fhall not swallow it down: according to his Sub

ftance fhall the Reftitution be, and he fhall not rejoice therein.

19 Because he hath oppreffed, and hath forfaken the Poor, because he hath violently taken away an House which he builded not. Belly, GOD fhall caft the Fury of his wrath upon him, and shall rain it upon him while he is eating.

23 When he is about to fill his

26 All Darkness fhall be hid in his fecret Place: a Fire not blown fhall confume him; it fhall go ill with him that is left in his Taber

nacle.

27 The Heaven fhall reveal his Iniquity: and the Earth shall rise up again him.

21 The Increase of his Houfe shall depart, and his Goods fhall flow away in the Day of his Wrath.

29 This is the Portion of a wicked Man from GOD, and the Heritage appointed unto him by God.

done to the Man whom the

10 Then the King faid to Haman, Make hafte, and take the Apparel and the Horfe, as thou haft faid, and do even fo to Mordecai the Jew, that fitteth at the King's Gate: let nothing fail of all that thou hast spoken.

11 Then took Haman the Apparel and the Horse, and arayed Mordecai, and brought him on Horfeback through the Street of the City, and proclaimed before him, Thus fhall it be done unto the Man whom the King delighteth to ho

nour.

12 And Mordecai came again to the King's Gate: but Haman hafted to his Houfe, mourning, and having his Head covered.

13 And Haman told his Wife, and all his Friends, every Thing that had b. fal en him. Then faid his wife Men, and Q ૬ ૧ ૧ 2

his