Hello, this is Father Paul, and I'm glad we're
taking this journey together to read the Bible
in a year. Today's reading is from the book of
Esther, chapters 4 through 8. Chapter 4 When
Mordecai learned all that had happened, he tore
his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and
went out into the midst of the city. He cried
out with a loud and bitter cry. He went as far
as the front of the king's gate, for no one might
enter the king's gate clothed with sackcloth.
And in every province where the king's command
and decree arrived, there was great mourning
among the Jews, with fasting, weeping, and wailing,
and many lay in sackcloth and ashes. So Esther's
maids and eunuchs came and told her, and the
queen was deeply distressed. Then she sent garments
to Claude Mordecai, and take his sackcloth away
from him, but he would not accept them. Then
Esther called, Hatak one of the king's eunuchs
whom he had appointed to attend her and she gave
him a command concerning Mordecai to learn what
and why this was. So Hatak went out to Mordecai
in a city square that was in front of the king's
gate and Mordecai told him all that had happened
to him and the sum of money that Haman had promised
to pay into the king's treasuries to destroy
the Jews. He also gave him a copy of the written
decree for their destruction, which was given
at Shushan, that he might show it to Esther and
explain it to her, and that she might command
her to go into the king to make supplication
to him, and plead before him for her people.
So Hatak returned and told Esther the words of
Mordecai. Then Esther spoke to Hatak and gave
him a command for Mordecai. All the king's servants
and the people of the king's provinces know that
any man or woman who goes into the inner court
to the king, who has not been called, he has
but one law, put all to death, except the one
to whom the king holds out the golden scepter,
that he may live. Yet I myself have not been
called to go into the king these thirty days.
So they told Mordecai Esther's words. And Mordecai
told them to answer Esther, that you will escape
in the king's palace any more than all the other
Jews. For if you remain completely silent at
this time, relief and deliverance will arise
for the Jews from another place, but you and
your father's house will perish. Yet who knows
whether you have come to the kingdom for such
a time as this? Then Esther told them to reply
to Mordecai, Go gather all the Jews who are present
in Shushan and fast for me. Neither eat nor drink
for three days, night or day. my maids and i
will fast likewise and so i will go to the king
which is against the law and if i perish i perish
so mordechai went his way and did according to
all that esther commanded him chapter five Now
it happened on the third day that Esther put
on her royal robes and stood in the inner court
of the king's palace, across from the king's
house, while the king sat on his royal throne
in the royal house, facing the entrance of the
house. So it was when the king saw Queen Esther
standing in the court that she found favor in
his sight, and the king held out to Esther the
golden scepter that was in his hand. Then Esther
went near and touched the top of the scepter.
And the king said to her, What do you wish, Queen
Esther? What is your request? It shall be given
to you up to half the kingdom. So Esther answered,
If it pleases the king, let the king and Haman
come today to the banquet that I have prepared
for him. Then the king said, Bring Haman quickly,
that he may do as Esther has said. So the king
and Haman went to the banquet that Esther had
prepared. At the banquet of wine, the king said
to Esther, What is your petition? It shall be
granted you. What is your request? Up to half
the kingdom. It shall be done. Then Esther answered
and said, My petition and request is this. If
I have found favor in the sight of the king,
and if it pleases the king to grant my petition
and fulfill my request, then let the king and
Haman come to the banquet which I will prepare
for them, and tomorrow I will do as the king
has said. So Haman went out that day joyful and
with a glad heart. But when Haman saw Mordecai
in the king's gate, and that he did not stand
or tremble before him, he was filled with indignation
against Mordecai. Nevertheless, Haman restrained
himself and went home, and he sent and called
for his friends and his wife Zeresh. Then Haman
told them of his great riches, the multitude
of his children, everything in which the king
had promoted him, and how he had advanced him
above the officials and servants of the king.
Moreover, Haman said, Besides, Queen Esther invited
no one but me to come in with the king to the
banquet that she prepared, and tomorrow I am
again invited by her, along with the king. CHAPTER
VI. to bring the book of the records of the chronicles,
and they were read before the king. And it was
found written that Mordecai had told of Biktana
and Teresh, two of the king's eunuchs, the doorkeepers,
who had sought to lay hands on king Ahasuerus.
Then the king said, What honor and dignity has
been bestowed on Mordecai for this? And the king's
servants who attended him said, Nothing has been
done for him. So the king said, Who is in the
court? Now Haman had just entered the outer court
of the king's palace to suggest that the king
hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared
for him. The king's servants said to him, Haman
is here standing in the court. And the king said,
Let him come in. So Haman came in and the king
asked him, What shall be done for the man whom
the king delights to honor? Now Haman thought
in his heart, Whom would the king delight to
honor more than me? And Haman answered the king,
For the man whom the king delights to honor,
Let a royal robe be brought which the king has
worn, and a horse on which the king has ridden,
which has a royal crest placed on its head. Then
let this robe and horse be delivered to the hand
of one of the king's most noble princes, that
he may array the man whom the king delights to
honor. Then parade him on horseback through the
city square, and proclaim before him, Thus shall
it be done to the man whom the king delights
to honor. Then the king said to Haman, Hurry.
Take the robe and the horse, as you have suggested,
and do so for Mordecai the Jew, who sits within
the king's gate. Leave nothing undone of all
that you have spoken. So Haman took the robe
and the horse, arrayed Mordecai, and led him
on horseback through the city square, and proclaimed
before him, Thus shall it be done to the man
whom the king delights to honor. Afterward, Mordecai
went back to the king's gate, but Haman hurried
to his house, mourning and with his head covered.
Chapter 7 So the king and Haman went to dine
with Queen Esther, and on the second day, at
the banquet of wine, the king again said to Esther,
What is your petition, Queen Esther? It shall
be granted you. And what is your request? Up
to half the kingdom it shall be done. Then Queen
Esther answered and said, If I have found favor
in your sight, O king, and if it pleases the
king, let my life be given me at my petition,
and my people at my request. For we have been
sold, my people and I, to be destroyed, to be
killed, and to be annihilated. Had we been sold
as male and female slaves, I would have held
my tongue, although the enemy could never compensate
for the king's loss. So king Ahasuerus answered
and said to queen Esther, Who is he and where
is he who would dare presume in his heart to
do such a thing? And Esther said, The adversary
and enemy is this wicked Haman. So Haman was
terrified before the king and queen. Then the
king arose in his wrath from the banquet of wine
and went into the palace garden. But Haman stood
before Queen Esther pleading for his life, for
he saw that evil was determined against him by
the king. When the king returned from the palace
garden to the place of the banquet of wine, Haman
had fallen across the couch where Esther was.
Then the king said, As the word left the king's
mouth, they covered Haman's face, Now Harbona,
one of the eunuchs, said to the king, Look, the
gallows, fifty cubits high, which Haman made
for Mordecai, who spoke good on the king's behalf,
is standing at the house of Haman. Then the king
said, Hang him on it. So they hanged Haman on
the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai.
Then the king's wrath subsided. On that day,
King Ahasuerus gave Queen Esther the house of
Haman. the enemy of the Jews, and Mordecai came
before the king, for Esther had told how he was
related to her. So the king took off his signet
ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave
it to Mordecai, and Esther appointed Mordecai
over the house of Haman. Now Esther spoke again
to the king, fell down at his feet, and implored
him with tears to counteract the evil of Haman
the Agagite, and the scheme which he had devised
against the Jews. And the king held out the golden
scepter toward Esther. So Esther arose and stood
before the king and said, If it pleases the king,
and if I have found favor in his sight, and the
thing seems right to the king, and I am pleasing
in his eyes, let it be written to revoke the
letters devised by Haman, the son of Hamidata
the Agagite, which he wrote to annihilate the
Jews who are in all the king's provinces. For
how can I endure to see the evil that will come
to my people? Or how can I endure to see the
destruction of my countrymen? Then King Ahasuerus
said to Queen Esther and Mordecai the Jew, Indeed,
I have given Esther the house of Haman, and they
have hanged him on the gallows, because he tried
to lay his hand on the Jews. You yourselves write
a decree concerning the Jews, as you please.
in the king's name, and seal it with the king's
signet ring. For whatever is written in the king's
name and sealed with the king's signet ring,
no one can revoke. So the king's scribes were
called at that time in the third month, which
is the month of Sivan on the 23rd day, and it
was written, according to all that Mordecai commanded,
to the Jews, the satraps, the governors, and
the princes of the provinces, from India to Ethiopia.
127 provinces in all, to every province in its
own script, to every people in their own language,
and to the Jews in their own script and language.
And he wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus, sealed
it with the king's signet ring, and sent letters
by couriers on horseback, riding on royal horses,
bred from swift steeds. By these letters, the
king permitted the Jews who were in every city
to gather together and protect their lives, to
destroy, kill and annihilate all the forces of
any people or province that would assault them,
both little children and women, and to plunder
their possessions. On one day in all the provinces
of King Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth day of the
twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, a
copy of the document was to be issued as a decree
in every province and published for all people.
so that the Jews would be ready on that day to
avenge themselves on their enemies. The couriers
who rode on royal horses went out, hastened and
pressed on by the king's command, and the decree
was issued in Shushan, the citadel. So Mordecai
went out from the presence of the king in royal
apparel of blue and white, with a great crown
of gold and a garment of fine linen and purple,
and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad.
The Jews had light and gladness, joy and honor.
And in every province and city, wherever the
king's command and decree came, the Jews had
joy and gladness, a feast and a holiday. Then
many of the people of the land became Jews because
fear of the Jews fell upon them. I hope you enjoyed
today's reading as much as I did and I look forward
to seeing you again tomorrow to continue on our
journey. God bless you and have a great day.