5,624 verses contain “there” (in the KJV: 4,972, in the BSB: 2,163) — showing 2,001–2,100
King James Bible KJV Bible
Berean Standard Bible BSB Bible
Also I have made a decree, that
whosoever shall alter this word, let timber be pulled down from his house, and being set up, let him be
hanged thereon; and let his house be made a
dunghill for this.
I also decree that if any man interferes with this directive, a beam is to be
torn from his house and raised up, and he is to be impaled on it. And his own house shall be made a pile of
rubble for this
offense.
And the God that hath caused his name to dwell
there destroy all kings and people, that shall put to their hand to alter and to destroy this house of God which is at Jerusalem. I
Darius have made a decree; let it be done with speed.
May God, who has caused His Name to dwell
there, overthrow any king or people who lifts a hand to alter this decree or to destroy this house of God in Jerusalem. I,
Darius, have issued the decree. Let it be carried out with
diligence.
And
there went up some of the children of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the
porters, and the
Nethinims, unto Jerusalem, in the seventh year of
Artaxerxes the king.
So in the seventh year of King
Artaxerxes, he went up to Jerusalem with some of the Israelites, including priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and temple servants.
That thou mayest
buy speedily with this money bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meat offerings and their drink offerings, and offer them upon the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem.
With this money,
therefore, you are to
buy as many bulls, rams, and lambs as needed, together with their grain offerings and drink offerings, and offer them on the altar at the house of your God in Jerusalem.
Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be
diligently done for the house of the God of heaven: for why should
there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons?
Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven must be done
diligently for His house. For why should wrath fall on the realm of the king and his sons?
And I gathered them together to the river than runneth to
Ahava; and
there abode we in tents three days: and I viewed the people, and the priests, and found
there none of the sons of Levi.
Now I assembled these exiles at the canal that flows to
Ahava, and we camped
there three days. And when I searched among the people and priests, I found no Levites
there.
Then I proclaimed a fast
there, at the river of
Ahava, that we might
afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance.
And
there by the
Ahava Canal I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask Him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions.
And
weighed unto them the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, even the offering of the house of our God, which the king, and his counsellors, and his lords, and all Israel
there present, had offered:
and I
weighed out to them the contribution of silver and gold and the articles that the king, his counselors, his leaders, and all the Israelites
there had offered for the house of our God.
And we came to Jerusalem, and abode there three days.
So we arrived at Jerusalem and rested there for three days.
Then were assembled unto me every one that
trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the
transgression of those that had been carried away; and I sat
astonied until the evening sacrifice.
Then
everyone who
trembled at the words of the God of Israel gathered around me because of the unfaithfulness of the exiles, while I sat
there in
horror until the evening offering.
For we were
bondmen; yet our God hath not
forsaken us in our
bondage, but hath extended mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a
reviving, to set up the house of our God, and to repair the desolations
thereof, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem.
Though we are slaves, our God has not
forsaken us in our
bondage, but He has extended to us grace in the sight of the kings of Persia, giving us new life to rebuild the house of our God and repair its ruins, and giving us a wall of protection in Judah and Jerusalem.
Now therefore give not your daughters unto their sons, neither take their daughters unto your sons, nor seek their peace or their wealth for ever: that ye may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children for ever.
Now,
therefore, do not give your daughters in marriage to their sons or take their daughters for your sons. Never seek their peace or prosperity, so that you may be strong and may eat the good things of the land, leaving it as an inheritance to your sons
forever.’
Should we again break thy commandments, and join in affinity with the people of these abominations? wouldest not thou be
angry with us till thou hadst consumed us, so that
there should be no
remnant nor escaping?
shall we again break Your commandments and
intermarry with the peoples who commit these abominations? Would You not become so
angry with us as to
wipe us out, leaving no
remnant or
survivor?
Now when
Ezra had prayed, and when he had
confessed,
weeping and casting himself down before the house of God,
there assembled unto him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children: for the people
wept very
sore.
While
Ezra prayed and made this confession,
weeping and falling facedown before the house of God, a very large assembly of Israelites—men, women, and children—gathered around him, and the people
wept bitterly as well.
And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of
Elam, answered and said unto
Ezra, We have
trespassed against our God, and have taken strange wives of the people of the land: yet now
there is hope in Israel concerning this thing.
Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel, an
Elamite, said to
Ezra: “We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the people of the land, yet in spite of this,
there is hope for Israel.
Now
therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of my lord, and of those that
tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law.
So now let us make a covenant before our God to send away all the foreign wives and their children, according to the counsel of my lord and of those who
tremble at the command of our God. Let it be done according to the Law.
Then
Ezra rose up from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Johanan the son of Eliashib: and when he came thither, he did eat no bread, nor drink water: for he
mourned because of the
transgression of them that had been carried away.
Then
Ezra withdrew from before the house of God and walked to the chamber of Jehohanan son of Eliashib. And while he stayed
there, he
ate no food and
drank no water, because he was
mourning over the unfaithfulness of the exiles.
Now
therefore make confession unto the LORD God of your fathers, and do his pleasure: and separate
yourselves from the people of the land, and from the strange wives.
Now,
therefore, make a confession to the LORD, the God of your fathers, and do His will. Separate
yourselves from the people of the land and from your foreign wives.”
But the people are many, and it is a time of much rain, and we are not able to stand without, neither is this a work of one day or two: for we are many that have
transgressed in this thing.
But
there are many people here, and it is the
rainy season. We are not able to stay out in the open. Nor is this the work of one or two days, for we have
transgressed greatly in this matter.
Let now our rulers of all the congregation stand, and let all them which have taken strange wives in our cities come at appointed times, and with them the elders of every city, and the judges thereof, until the fierce wrath of our God for this matter be turned from us.
Let our leaders represent the whole assembly. Then let
everyone in our towns who has married a foreign woman come at an appointed time, together with the elders and judges of each town, until the fierce anger of our God in this matter is turned away from us.”
And among the sons of the priests
there were found that had taken strange wives: namely, of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren; Maaseiah, and
Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah.
Among the descendants of the priests who had married foreign women were found these descendants of Jeshua son of Jozadak and his brothers:
And they said unto me, The
remnant that are left of the captivity
there in the province are in great
affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates
thereof are burned with fire.
And they told me, “The
remnant who survived the exile are
there in the province, in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are burned with fire.”
But if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though
there were of you cast out unto the
uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to set my name
there.
but if you return to Me and keep and practice My commandments, then even if your exiles have been banished to the
farthest horizon, I will gather them from
there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for My Name.’
And said unto the king, Let the king live for ever: why should not my countenance be
sad, when the city, the place of my fathers’
sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gates
thereof are consumed with fire?
and replied to the king, “May the king live
forever! Why should I not be
sad when the city where my fathers are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?”
But when
Sanballat the Horonite and
Tobiah the
Ammonite official heard about this, they were deeply disturbed that someone had come to seek the well-being of the Israelites.
So I came to Jerusalem, and was there three days.
After I had arrived in Jerusalem and had been there three days,
And I arose in the night, I and some few men with me; neither told I any man what my God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem: neither was
there any beast with me, save the beast that I
rode upon.
I set out at night with a few men. I did not tell
anyone what my God had laid on my heart to do for Jerusalem. The only animal with me was the one on which I was riding.
And I went out by night by the gate of the valley, even before the
dragon well, and to the dung port, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and the gates
thereof were consumed with fire.
So I went out at night through the Valley Gate toward the Well of the Serpent and the Dung Gate, and I
inspected the walls of Jerusalem that had been broken down and the gates that had been destroyed by fire.
Then I went on to the gate of the fountain, and to the king’s
pool: but
there was no place for the beast that was under me to pass.
Then I went on to the Fountain Gate and the King’s
Pool, but
there was no room for the animal under me to get through;
Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach.
Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in. Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned down. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, so that we will no longer be a disgrace.”
Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will
prosper us;
therefore we his servants will arise and build: but ye have no portion, nor right, nor
memorial, in Jerusalem.
So I answered them and said, “The God of heaven is the One who will grant us success. We, His servants, will start rebuilding, but you have no portion, right, or claim in Jerusalem.”
But the fish gate did the sons of Hassenaah build, who also laid the beams thereof, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof.
The Fish Gate was rebuilt by the sons of Hassenaah. They laid its beams and
installed its doors, bolts, and bars.
Moreover the old gate repaired Jehoiada the son of Paseah, and Meshullam the son of Besodeiah; they laid the beams thereof, and set up the doors thereof, and the locks thereof, and the bars thereof.
The Jeshanah Gate was repaired by Joiada son of Paseah and Meshullam son of Besodeiah. They laid its beams and
installed its doors, bolts, and bars.
The valley gate repaired Hanun, and the inhabitants of Zanoah; they built it, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof, and a thousand cubits on the wall unto the dung gate.
The Valley Gate was repaired by Hanun and the residents of Zanoah. They rebuilt it,
installed its doors, bolts, and bars, and repaired a thousand cubits of the wall as far as the Dung Gate.
But the dung gate repaired Malchiah the son of Rechab, the ruler of part of Beth-haccerem; he build it, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof.
The Dung Gate was repaired by Malchijah son of Rechab, ruler of the district of Beth-haccherem. He rebuilt it and
installed its doors, bolts, and bars.
But the gate of the fountain repaired Shallun the son of
Col-hozeh, the ruler of part of
Mizpah; he built it, and covered it, and set up the doors
thereof, the locks
thereof, and the bars
thereof, and the wall of the
pool of
Siloah by the king’s garden, and unto the stairs that go down from the city of David.
The Fountain Gate was repaired by Shallun son of
Col-hozeh, ruler of the district of
Mizpah. He rebuilt it, roofed it, and
installed its doors, bolts, and bars. He also repaired the wall of the
Pool of Shelah near the king’s garden, as far as the stairs that descend from the City of David.
So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work.
So we rebuilt the wall until all of it was joined together up to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.
And Judah said, The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and
there is much
rubbish; so that we are not able to build the wall.
Meanwhile, the people of Judah said: “The strength of the laborer fails, and
there is so much
rubble that we will never be able to rebuild the wall.”
Therefore set I in the lower places behind the wall, and on the higher places, I even set the people after their families with their swords, their spears, and their bows.
So I stationed men behind the lowest sections of the wall, at the
vulnerable areas. I stationed them by families with their swords, spears, and bows.
In what place
therefore ye hear the sound of the
trumpet, resort ye thither unto us: our God shall fight for us.
Wherever you hear the sound of the horn,
rally to us
there. Our God will fight for us!”
And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.
About that time there was a great outcry from the people and their wives against their fellow Jews.
For there were that said, We, our sons, and our daughters, are many: therefore we take up corn for them, that we may eat, and live.
Some were saying, “We and our sons and daughters are numerous. We must get grain in order to eat and stay alive.”
Some also
there were that said, We have
mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might
buy corn, because of the
dearth.
Others were saying, “We are
mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our homes to get grain during the famine.”
There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king’s tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards.
Still others were saying, “We have borrowed money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards.
Yea, also I continued in the work of this wall, neither bought we any land: and all my servants were gathered thither unto the work.
Instead, I devoted myself to the construction of the wall, and all my servants were gathered there for the work; we did not acquire any land.
Moreover there were at my table an hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers, beside those that came unto us from among the heathen that are about us.
There were 150 Jews and officials at my table, besides the guests from the surrounding nations.
Now it came to pass, when
Sanballat, and
Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall, and that
there was no breach left
therein; (though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates;)
When
Sanballat,
Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall and not a
gap was left—though to that time I had not yet
installed the doors in the gates—
And thou hast also appointed prophets to
preach of thee at Jerusalem, saying,
There is a king in Judah: and now shall it be reported to the king according to these words. Come now
therefore, and let us take counsel together.
and you have even appointed prophets in Jerusalem to
proclaim on your behalf: ‘
There is a king in Judah.’ Soon these rumors will reach the ears of the king. So come, let us
confer together.”
Then I sent unto him, saying, There are no such things done as thou sayest, but thou feignest them out of thine own heart.
Then I sent him this reply: “
There is nothing to these rumors you are spreading; you are
inventing them in your own mind.”
For they all made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be
weakened from the work, that it be not done. Now
therefore, O God,
strengthen my hands.
For they were all trying to
frighten us, saying, “Their hands will be
weakened in the work, and it will never be finished.” But now, my God,
strengthen my hands.
And I said, Should such a man as I
flee? and who is
there, that, being as I am, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.
But I replied, “Should a man like me run away? Should one like me go into the temple to save his own life? I will not go!”
Therefore was he
hired, that I should be afraid, and do so, and sin, and that they might have matter for an evil report, that they might reproach me.
He had been
hired to
intimidate me so that I would sin by doing as he suggested, so they could give me a bad name in order to discredit me.
And it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard thereof, and all the heathen that were about us saw these things, they were much cast down in their own eyes: for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God.
When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and
disheartened, for they realized that this task had been accomplished by our God.
For
there were many in Judah
sworn unto him, because he was the son in law of Shechaniah the son of Arah; and his son Johanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah.
For many in Judah were bound by oath to him, since he was a son-in-law of Shecaniah son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam son of Berechiah.
Now the city was large and great: but the people were few therein, and the houses were not builded.
Now the city was large and
spacious, but
there were few people in it, and the houses had not yet been rebuilt.
And my God put into mine heart to gather together the nobles, and the rulers, and the people, that they might be reckoned by
genealogy. And I found a register of the
genealogy of them which came up at the first, and found written
therein,
Then my God put it into my heart to
assemble the nobles, the officials, and the people to be
enrolled by
genealogy. I found the
genealogical register of those who had first returned, and I found the following written in it:
These sought their register among those that were reckoned by
genealogy, but it was not found:
therefore were they, as
polluted, put from the priesthood.
These men searched for their family records, but they could not find them and so were excluded from the priesthood as unclean.
And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till
there stood up a priest with
Urim and
Thummim.
The governor ordered them not to eat the most holy things until
there was a priest to
consult the
Urim and
Thummim.
Beside their manservants and their maidservants, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven: and they had two hundred forty and five singing men and singing women.
in addition to their 7,337 menservants and maidservants, as well as their 245 male and female singers.
And he read
therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until
midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were
attentive unto the book of the law.
So
Ezra read it
aloud from
daybreak until
noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate, in front of the men and women and those who could understand. And all the people
listened attentively to the Book of the Law.
And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and sat under the booths: for since the days of Jeshua the son of
Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so. And
there was very great
gladness.
The whole assembly who had returned from exile made booths and lived in them. From the days of Joshua son of
Nun until that day, the Israelites had not celebrated like this. And
there was great
rejoicing.
Thou, even thou, art LORD alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee.
You alone are the LORD. You created the heavens, the highest heavens with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to all things, and the host of heaven worships You.
Therefore thou deliveredst them into the hand of their enemies, who
vexed them: and in the time of their trouble, when they
cried unto thee, thou heardest them from heaven; and according to thy
manifold mercies thou gavest them saviours, who saved them out of the hand of their enemies.
So You delivered them into the hands of enemies who
oppressed them, and in their time of distress they
cried out to You. From heaven You heard them, and in Your great
compassion You gave them deliverers who saved them from the hands of their enemies.
But after they had rest, they did evil again before thee:
therefore leftest thou them in the hand of their enemies, so that they had the dominion over them: yet when they returned, and
cried unto thee, thou heardest them from heaven; and many times
didst thou deliver them according to thy
mercies;
But as soon as they had rest, they again did evil in Your sight. So You abandoned them to the hands of their enemies, who had dominion over them. When they
cried out to You again, You heard from heaven, and You delivered them many times in Your
compassion.
Yet many years
didst thou
forbear them, and testifiedst against them by thy spirit in thy prophets: yet would they not give ear:
therefore gavest thou them into the hand of the people of the lands.
You were patient with them for many years, and Your Spirit
admonished them through Your prophets. Yet they would not
listen, so You gave them into the hands of the
neighboring peoples.
Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who keepest covenant and mercy, let not all the trouble seem little before thee, that hath come upon us, on our kings, on our princes, and on our priests, and on our prophets, and on our fathers, and on all thy people, since the time of the kings of Assyria unto this day.
So now, our God, the great and mighty and
awesome God who keeps His
gracious covenant, do not view lightly all the
hardship that has come upon us, and upon our kings and leaders, our priests and prophets, our ancestors and all Your people, from the days of the kings of Assyria until
today.
Behold, we are servants this day, and for the land that thou gavest unto our fathers to eat the fruit thereof and the good thereof, behold, we are servants in it:
So here we are
today as slaves in the land You gave our fathers to enjoy its fruit and goodness— here we are as slaves!
For it was the king’s commandment concerning them, that a certain portion should be for the singers, due for every day.
For
there was a command from the king concerning the singers, an
ordinance regulating their daily
activities.
And for the villages, with their fields, some of the children of Judah dwelt at Kirjath-arba, and in the villages thereof, and at Dibon, and in the villages thereof, and at Jekabzeel, and in the villages thereof,
As for the villages with their fields, some of the people of Judah lived in Kiriath-arba, Dibon, Jekabzeel, and their villages;
And at Hazar-shual, and at Beer-
sheba, and in the villages
thereof,
in Hazar-shual; in
Beersheba and its villages;
And at
Ziklag, and at Mekonah, and in the villages
thereof,
in
Ziklag; in Meconah and its villages;
Zanoah,
Adullam, and in their villages, at
Lachish, and the fields
thereof, at Azekah, and in the villages
thereof. And they dwelt from Beer-
sheba unto the valley of
Hinnom.
Zanoah,
Adullam, and their villages; in
Lachish and its fields; and in Azekah and its villages. So they settled from
Beersheba all the way to the Valley of
Hinnom.
For in the days of David and
Asaph of old
there were chief of the singers, and songs of praise and
thanksgiving unto God.
For long ago, in the days of David and
Asaph,
there were directors for the singers and for the songs of praise and
thanksgiving to God.
On that day they read in the book of Moses in the
audience of the people; and
therein was found written, that the
Ammonite and the
Moabite should not come into the congregation of God for ever;
At that time the Book of Moses was read
aloud in the hearing of the people, and in it they found the passage stating that no
Ammonite or
Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God,
And it
grieved me
sore:
therefore I cast forth all the household stuff of
Tobiah out of the chamber.
And I was greatly displeased and threw all of
Tobiah’s household goods out of the room.
Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and
wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for the offices
thereof.
Remember me for this, O my God, and do not
blot out my deeds of loving devotion for the house of my God and for its services.
There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on the sabbath unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem.
Additionally, men of Tyre who lived
there were importing fish and all kinds of
merchandise and selling them on the Sabbath to the people of Judah in Jerusalem.
And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and some of my servants set I at the gates, that there should no burden be brought in on the sabbath day.
When the evening shadows began to fall on the gates of Jerusalem, just before the Sabbath, I ordered that the gates be shut and not opened until after the Sabbath. I posted some of my servants at the gates so that no load could enter on the Sabbath day.
Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? yet among many nations was
there no king like him, who was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless even him did
outlandish women cause to sin.
Did not King Solomon of Israel sin in matters like this? There was not a king like him among many nations, and he was loved by his God, who made him king over all Israel—yet foreign women drew him into sin.
And one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was son in law to
Sanballat the Horonite:
therefore I
chased him from me.
Even one of the sons of Jehoiada son of Eliashib the high priest had become a son-in-law to
Sanballat the Horonite.
Therefore I drove him away from me.
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:
In the third year of his reign,
Xerxes held a feast for all his officials and servants. The military leaders of Persia and Media were
there, along with the nobles and princes of the provinces.
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.
Queen Vashti, however, refused to come at the king’s command brought by his eunuchs. And the king became
furious, and his anger burned within him.
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.
This very day the noble women of Persia and Media who have heard about the queen’s conduct will say the same thing to all the king’s officials, resulting in much contempt and wrath.
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.
So if it pleases the king, let him issue a royal decree, and let it be recorded in the laws of Persia and Media so that it cannot be
repealed, that Vashti shall never again enter the presence of King
Xerxes, and that her royal position shall be given to a woman better than she.
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.
He sent letters to all the provinces of the kingdom, to each province in its own
script and to each people in their own language,
proclaiming that every man should be master of his own household.
Then said the king’s servants that ministered unto him, Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king:
Then the king’s attendants proposed, “Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king,
Now
there was at the citadel of
Susa a Jewish man from the tribe of Benjamin named
Mordecai son of
Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of
Kish.
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.
She would go
there in the evening, and in the morning she would return to a second
harem under the care of Shaashgaz, the king’s
eunuch in charge of the concubines. She would not return to the king unless he delighted in her and summoned her by name.
When
Mordecai learned of the plot, he reported it to Queen
Esther, and she informed the king on
Mordecai’s behalf.
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.
After the report had been investigated and
verified, both officials were
hanged on the
gallows. And all this was recorded in the Book of the Chronicles in the presence of the king.
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.
Then
Haman informed King
Xerxes, “
There is a certain people scattered and
dispersed among the peoples of every province of your kingdom. Their laws are different from
everyone else’s, and they do not obey the king’s laws. So it is not in the king’s best interest to
tolerate them.
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.
On the
thirteenth day of the first month, the royal
scribes were summoned and the order was written exactly as
Haman commanded the royal satraps, the governors of each province, and the officials of each people, in the
script of each province and the language of every people. It was written in the name of King
Xerxes and sealed with the royal
signet ring.
In every province to which the king’s command and edict came,
there was great
mourning among the Jews. They fasted,
wept, and
lamented, and many lay in
sackcloth and ashes.
All the king’s servants, and the people of the king’s provinces, do know, that
whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called,
there is one law of his to put him to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden
sceptre, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days.
“All the royal officials and the people of the king’s provinces know that one law applies to every man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned—that he be put to death. Only if the king extends the gold
scepter may that person live. But I have not been summoned to appear before the king for the past thirty days.”
For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall
there enlargement and
deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?
For if you remain silent at this time, relief and
deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows if perhaps you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
His wife Zeresh and all his friends told him, “Have them build a
gallows fifty cubits high, and ask the king in the morning to have
Mordecai hanged on it. Then go to the
banquet with the king and enjoy
yourself.” The advice pleased
Haman, and he had the
gallows constructed.
And it was found written, that
Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s chamberlains, the keepers of the door, who sought to lay hand on the king
Ahasuerus.
And
there it was found recorded that
Mordecai had exposed Bigthana and Teresh, two of the eunuchs who guarded the king’s entrance, when they had
conspired to
assassinate King
Xerxes.
And the king said, What honour and dignity hath been done to
Mordecai for this? Then said the king’s servants that ministered unto him,
There is nothing done for him.
The king inquired, “What honor or dignity has been bestowed on
Mordecai for this act?” “Nothing has been done for him,” replied the king’s attendants.
And the king’s servants said unto him, Behold,
Haman standeth in the court. And the king said, Let him come in.
So the king’s attendants answered him, “
Haman is
there, standing in the court.” “Bring him in,” ordered the king.
And the king arising from the
banquet of wine in his wrath went into the palace garden: and
Haman stood up to make request for his life to
Esther the queen; for he saw that
there was evil determined against him by the king.
In his
fury, the king arose from drinking his wine and went to the palace garden, while
Haman stayed behind to
beg Queen
Esther for his life, for he realized that the king was
planning a terrible fate for him.