Short Stories Old and New | Page 5

king's gate, bowed, and
reverenced Haman: for the king had so commanded concerning him.
But Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence.
3. Then the king's servants, which were in the king's gate, said unto
Mordecai, Why transgressest thou the king's commandment?
4. 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.
5. And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him
reverence, then was Haman full of wrath.
6. 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.
7. In the first month, that is, the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of
king Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that is, the lot, before Haman from day

to day, and from month to month, to the twelfth month, that is, the
month Adar.
8. 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.
9. If it please the king, let it be written that they may be destroyed: and
I will pay ten thousand talents of silver to the hands of those that have
the charge of the business, to bring it into the king's treasuries.
10. And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman
the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews' enemy.
11. And the king said unto Haman, The silver is given to thee, the
people also, to do with them as it seemeth good to thee.
12. 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.
13. And the letters were sent by posts into all the king's provinces, to
destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old,
little children and women, in one day, even upon the thirteenth day of
the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to take the spoil of
them for a prey.
14. The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given in every
province was published unto all people, that they should be ready
against that day.
15. The posts went out, being hastened by the king's commandment,

and the decree was given in Shushan the palace. And the king and
Haman sat down to drink; but the city Shushan was perplexed.


CHAPTER IV
FASTING AMONG THE JEWS
1. When Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai rent his
clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of
the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry;
2. And came even before the king's gate: for none might enter into the
king's gate clothed with sackcloth.
3. And in every province, whithersoever the king's commandment and
his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting,
and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.
4. So Esther's maids and her chamberlains came and told it her. Then
was the queen exceedingly grieved; and she sent raiment to clothe
Mordecai, and to take away his sackcloth from him: but he received it
not.
5. Then called Esther for Hatach, one of the king's chamberlains, whom
he had appointed to attend upon her, and gave him a commandment to
Mordecai, to know what it was, and why it was.
6. So Hatach went forth to Mordecai unto the street of the city, which
was before the king's gate.
7. And Mordecai told him of all that had happened unto him, and of the
sum of the money that Haman had promised to pay to the king's
treasuries for the Jews, to destroy them.

8. Also he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was
given at Shushan to destroy them, to shew it unto Esther, and to declare
it unto her, and to charge her that she should go in unto the king, to
make supplication unto him, and to make request