Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: "Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day.  I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish."So Mordecai went away and carried out all of Esther's instructions.   Esther 4:15-17 Esther was...  Read More

So Hathak went out to Mordecai in the open square of the city in front of the king's gate. Mordecai told him everything that had happened to him, including the exact amount of money Haman had promised to pay into the royal treasury for the destruction of the Jews. He also gave him a copy of the text of the edict for their annihilation, which had been published in Susa, to show to Esther and explai...  Read More

When Mordecai learned of all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the city, wailing loudly and bitterly. But he went only as far as the king's gate, because no one clothed in sackcloth was allowed to enter it. In every province to which the edict and order of the king came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping and wailing....  Read More

Then Haman said to King Xerxes, "There is a certain people dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom who keep themselves separate. Their customs are different from those of all other people, and they do not obey the king's laws; it is not in the king's best interest to tolerate them. If it pleases the king, let a decree be issued to destroy them, and I will give ten thousand...  Read More

After these events, King Xerxes honored Haman, son of Hammedatha, the Agagite,  elevating him and giving him a seat of honor higher than that of all the other nobles. All the royal officials at the King's gate knelt down and paid honor to Haman, for the king had commanded this concerning him. But Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor.Then the royal officials at the king's gate asked Morde...  Read More

When the virgins were assembled a second time, Mordecai was sitting at the king's gate. But Esther had kept secret her family background and nationality just as Mordecai had told her to do, for she continued to follow Mordecai's instructions as she had done when he was bringing her up.During the time Mordecai was sitting at the king's gate, Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's officers who guard...  Read More

Before a young woman's turn came to go in to King Xerxes, she had to complete twelve months of beauty treatments prescribed for the women, six months with oil of myrrh and six with perfumes and cosmetics. And this is how she would go to the king. Anything she wanted was given her to take with her from the Harem to the king's palace. In the evening she would go there and in the morning return to an...  Read More

The LORD blessed the latter part of Job's life more than the former part. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. And he also had seven sons and three daughters. The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah and the third Keren-Happuch.Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job's daughters, and their fath...  Read More

What, then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for all of us - how will He not also, along with Him graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then, is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died - more than that who ...  Read More

When the king's order and edict had been proclaimed, many young women were brought to the citadel of Susa and put under the care of Hegai. Esther also was taken to the king's palace and entrusted to Hegai, who had charge of the Harem. She pleased him and won his favor. Immediately, he provided her with her beauty treatments and special food. He assigned to her seven female attendants selected from...  Read More

But after Xerxes' anger had subsided, he began thinking about Vashti and what she had done and the decree he had made.So his personal attendants suggested, "Let us search the empire to find beautiful young virgins for the king. Let the king appoint agents in each province to bring these beautiful young women into the royal harem at the fortress of Susa. Hegai, the king's eunuch in charge of the ha...  Read More

"According to law, what must be done to Queen Vashti?" he asked, "She has not obeyed the command of King Xerxes that the eunuchs have taken to her."Then Memukan replied in the presence of the king and the nobles, "Queen Vashti has done wrong, not only against the king but also against all the nobles and the peoples of all the provinces of King Xerxes. For the Queen's conduct will become known to a...  Read More