17:002:016 So Esther was taken unto king Ahasuerus
into his house royal
in
the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the
seventh
year
of his reign.
17:002:017 And the king loved Esther above all the
women, and she
obtained
grace and favour in his sight more than all the
virgins;
so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and
made
her queen instead of Vashti.
17:002:018 Then the king made a great feast unto all
his princes and his
servants,
even Esther’s feast; and he made a release to
the
provinces,
and gave gifts, according to the state of the king.
17:002:019 And when the virgins were gathered together
the second time,
then
Mordecai sat in the king’s gate.
17:002:020 Esther had not yet shewed her kindred nor
her people; as
Mordecai
had charged her: for Esther did the commandment
of
Mordecai,
like as when she was brought up with him.
17:002:021 In those days, while Mordecai sat in the
king’s gate, two of
the
king’s chamberlains, Bigthan and Teresh, of those
which
kept
the door, were wroth, and sought to lay hands on the
king
Ahasuerus.
17:002:022 And the thing was known to Mordecai, who
told it unto Esther
the
queen; and Esther certified the king thereof in Mordecai’s
name.
17:002:023 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.
17:003:001 After these things did king Ahasuerus promote
Haman the son of
Hammedatha
the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat
above
all the princes that were with him.
17:003:002 And all the king’s servants, that
were in the king’s gate,
bowed,
and reverenced Haman: for the king had so commanded
concerning
him. But Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence.
17:003:003 Then the king’s servants, which were
in the king’s gate, said
unto
Mordecai, Why transgressest thou the king’s commandment?
17:003:004 Now it came to pass, when they spake daily
unto him, and he
hearkened
not unto them, that they told Haman, to see whether
Mordecai’s
matters would stand: for he had told them that
he
was
a Jew.
17:003:005 And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed
not, nor did him
reverence,
then was Haman full of wrath.
17:003:006 And he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai
alone; for they
had
shewed him the people of Mordecai: wherefore Haman
sought
to
destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole
kingdom
of
Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai.


