Foreword on Esther
The
festival of "lots" (Purim) is not something to look forward to for the
nations of the Gentiles, but it is for Israel.
The dream which Mordecai had, as well the event which came subsequent to
that dream, are a token to the great day of judgment, even as it states; "a
day of darkness and obscurity," and "the whole nation troubled, ready
to perish." For that is about
to come to pass when many Gentiles shall assembly themselves against Israel to
defile her, but that whole great multitude will become as if they never even
existed, the Lord destroying them without a trace.
For
the small fountain that grew as an overflowing flood is their Lord Jesus Christ,
as also the Sun rising on them. This
event as well as the dream, is a foreshadowing of the day of judgment. When therefore you see many nations assembled against the
righteous of God, look up, for then the time has arrived.
The Gentiles (kings) thought to wipe out the righteous in terming their
"obedience" as "disobedience," not realizing that with the
same he spoke his own destruction for, that all who are disobedient be destroyed
without mercy or pity. So then it was written - so let it be done.
And the rulers of this age can take example on the ruler of that former
age, who at least gives good definition and reason for his judgments, not like
current rulers who neither know what they do, nor give their subjects a
justified explanation.
ESTHER
TO
INDEX
Foreword.
Then
Mordecai said; God has done these things for I recall a dream I saw concerning
these matters, and nothing was missing there-in. A small fountain became a river, and there was a light, and
the sun, and much water.
This
river then is Esther, whom the king married and took as his queen, and the two
dragons are Haman and myself, and the nations were those that were assembled to
destroy the name of the Jews, and my nation Israel cried to God and was saved.
For the Lord saved His people, delivering us fully from those evils with
signs and wonders which were not done among the gentiles.
Therefore
has He made two lots, one for the people of God and the other for the Gentiles,
and these two lots came at the hour at the time and day of judgment before God,
and He remembered His people and justified His inheritance. These days therefore shall be in the month of Adar, the 14th
and the 15th of that month with an assembly and much joy and with gladness
before God according to the generations forever among His people.
Chapter 11
1. In
the fourth year of the reign of Ptolemy, Cleopatra, and Dositheus, who said he
was a priest and Levite, and Ptolemy his son, brought a letter of Purim, which
they say was the same which Lysimachus, the son of Ptolemy, who was in
Jerusalem, had interpreted.
2.
In the
second year of the reign of Artaxerxes the great, on the first day of the month
of Nissan (MK) Mordecai the son of Jairus, son of Semei, son of Casai of the
tribe of Benjamin, had a dream.
3. He was a
Jew living in the city of Susa, a great man being a servant at the kings court,
he was one of the captives which Nebuchadnezzar had carried from Jerusalem, and
this was his dream;
4. There was
a noise of a tumult with thunder and earthquakes and uproar in the land, and two
great dragons came forth ready to fight, and their cry was great, and at their
cry all nations were prepared to battle to fight against the righteous people.
5.
And lo,
there was a day of darkness and obscurity, of tribulation and of anguish and
affliction and great uproar on the earth came, and the whole righteous nation
was troubled fearing their destruction, about to perish.
6. And they
cried to God, and upon their cry a small fountain became a great flood of water,
and the light of the sun rose up, while the lowly were raised to devour the
glorious.
7. Mordecai
then awakening, after having seen this dream, which God determined to do, he
pondered it in his mind attempting to understand its meaning.
1. This
Mordecai now took his rest in the court with Gabatha and Tharra, two eunuchs of
the king, keepers of the palace.
2. And he
over-heard their device that they intended to lay their hands on king Artaxerxes,
and so he informed the king of this device.
3. And the
king examining the two eunuchs, they confessed. And were strangled, and a record was made of these things,
and also Mordecai wrote thereof.
4.
And the
king commanded Mordecai to serve in the court, and rewarded him.
There was however a Agagite, named Haman son of Amasdathus, who was in
great honor with the king who sought to molest Mordecai and his people because
of the two eunuchs which were killed on account of Mordecai informing the king.
1. The
copy of the letter now was this; The great king Artaxerxes to the princes and
governors that are under him from India to Ethiopia in a 127 provinces.
2. Although
I am a mighty king and have dominion of the whole world, I have not exalted
myself because of my authority, but I have conducted myself with equity and
mildness. I purposed to keep my
kingdom peaceable, which is the desire of everyone, and to open passages to the
utmost coast so everyone may perform their trades.
3. So I
asked my counselors how this may be brought about, and Haman, my wise lovable
and trustworthy counselor, who has the honor of being second in the kingdom,
declared to us that there is a nation scattered among the nations of the world
whose laws are contrary to all nations, and they continually despise the
commandments of the king opposing the unity and peace of our kingdom.
4. And thus
when it became known to us that this one people set themselves against the whole
world keeping their own institutions, and being disobedient to our institutions
wherein they cause us much harm and upset the peace and harmony of our kingdom,
5. Therefore
we commanded that all that are pointed out by Haman shall with their wives and
children be destroyed by the sword of their enemies without any mercy or pity on
the 14th day of the 12th month Adar of this year.
6. So that
all that from old till now have been disobedient may be destroyed in one day,
that continual peace may remain in our kingdom.
7.
Then
Mordecai prayed to the Lord and recounted His wondrous deeds saying; "O
Lord Thou the Almighty King, the whole world is in Thy power, there not being
anyone who can withstand Thee if Thou wilt save Israel.
8.
Thou did
create heaven and earth, and all that is wondrous under heaven, Thou art the
Lord of all and no-one can oppose Thee, and knowing everything Thou has seen
that it was not out of pride nor with contempt that I refused to bow down to
that proud Haman.
9.
For I was
ready for the good and salvation of Israel to kiss the soles of his feet, but I
did this in Thy fear that I would not give the glory which belongs to Thee unto
a man, neither will I worship anyone but Thee O Lord.
10. And now O
Lord King and God of Abraham, spare Thy people for our enemies desire to destroy
us Thy inheritance, which Thou has had from the beginning.
11.
Despise
not the portion which Thou delivered out of Egypt, hear my prayer and be
merciful to Thy people, change our sorrow into joy so that we may live and
praise Thy name O Lord, destroy not O Lord the mouths that praise Thee."
12. And all
Israel cried in like manner with all their might, for they were in perils of
death.
1. And
queen Esther also turned to the Lord in this peril, she put off her royal
apparel putting on garments of anguish and mourning, and instead of precious
ointments she covered her head with ashes, and humbled her body with fasting.
And at all places where she had been joyful she pulled out her hair.
2. And she
prayed to the Lord God of Israel saying; "O my Lord Thou art King, help me
desolate woman who has no helper except Thee, and my need is before me.
3. From my
youth I have heard in the tribe of my family that Thou Lord took Israel from
among all people, and our fathers from of old for a perpetual inheritance, and
Thou has performed what Thou did promise them.
4. And now,
we have sinned before Thee, therefore has Thou given us into the hands of our
enemies, for we have worshipped their gods, and Thou O Lord art righteous.
5. But they
are not satisfied that they have us in bitter captivity but have struck their
hands with their idols so they may abolish that which Thou has ordained, to
destroy Thy heritage and to stop the mouths of them that praise Thee.
6. To quench
the glory of Thy house and of Thy altar, to open the mouths of the heathen to
praise the might of idols, to call a perishable thing by an eternal name.
7.
O Lord
give not Thy scepter to them that are nothing, and let them not laugh at our
fall, but turn their devices on themselves, and mark him who begun against us.
8. Make
Thyself known in times of our affliction O Lord, and give me boldness O King of
nations, and Lord of all power.
9.
Teach me
how I must speak before the lion, to turn his heart so that he will be angry at
our enemy, so that he comes to his end for his own devices, and deliver us, and
Thy handmaid who has no other helper.
10. Thou know
that I do not glory in the honor that I have with the unrighteous, and I abhor
this strange and heathen marriage.
11. Thou know
O Lord that it is of necessity, and that I count not this sign of high estate
that bear on my head when I have to show myself, and I regard it as filthy rags,
and not wear it when I am by myself.
12.
And that
Thy handmaid has not eaten from Haman’s table, nor that I had joy on the royal
table, nor have I drunk from the wine of the drink offerings.
13. Thy
handmaid has never had joy since the day she was brought here, except in Thee O
Lord God of Abraham.
14.
Hear the
voice of the desolate O Lord might above all, deliver us out of the hands of the
ungodly, and me out of my anguish."
1. And
on the third day she put off her daily clothes and put on the royal garment, and
she was very beautiful calling upon the Lord the Savior who sees all things.
2. And she
took two maidservants with her, and leaning on one to bear herself daintily
while the other bore her train, and her face was very beautiful and lovely and
joyful, but her heart was full of fear and anguish.
3. And
having gone through all the doors she entered and stood before the king who sat
on his royal throne clothed with his robe of majesty glittering with gold and
precious stones, he therefore was dreadful to look upon.
4. When he
then raised his eyes and looked on her, the queen became pale and sunk down in
faint bowing her head on her maidservant.
5. Then the
Lord changed the heart of the king into mildness and he became concerned for
her, and leaping from his throne he caught her in his arms so that she became
herself again.
6. And he
spoke friendly to her saying; "What is it Esther, I am your brother, be of
good cheer, this commandment concerns all others, not you, you shall not
die." (For it was law that
whoever comes before the king uninvited shall die).
7. Thus he
held up the golden scepter touching her shoulder, and he kissed her and said;
speak to me. Then she said;
"When I saw you it was as if I saw an angel of God, and my heart was
troubled for your great majesty.
8.
For you
are very wonderful and your countenance full of glory."
And when she spoke that way, she again fainted and fell down, then the
king was troubled, and his servants also, and they comforted her.
The kings letter.
1. The
great king Artaxerxes to the princes and governors of the 127 provinces from
India to Ethiopia, and to all faithful subjects, greetings.
2.
We have
found that there are many who misuse the grace of their princes and have become
mischievous through the honor bestowed on them so that they not only oppress the
subjects, but also to tread under foot those who raised them to such high
office.
3. And they
not only strife without gratitude against natural requirement but are so blinded
in their pride that they think that God who sees all the just, would not punish
such unfaithfulness.
4.
And they
deceive good princes in that they shed innocent blood and bring into perils such
as faithfully serve them.
5. Their
examples are not only found in the old records, but day by day it is found how
much pain and sorrow these faithless counselors procure.
6.
Since now
it becomes us to look on these things so that for the future there may be peace
in our kingdom we must by circumstances sometimes change the commandments when
we find that it is different than that it was reported to us, and not proceed
hastily.
7. Haman
then, the son of Hamadatha, a Macedonian, not of the blood of Persians, and
distant from our goodness, having been received by us as a guest, who as we
concur to all nations obtained our favor, and whom we raised to call him our
father, and whom was honored by all as next to the king.
8. This one
has become so proud that he went about to deprive us of our life and kingdom,
for he has by cunning and deceit sought the destruction of Mordecai, who by his
faithfulness and goodness saved our lives, as well as the blameless Esther who
is a partaker of our kingdom, and her whole nation as well, these he falsely
accused.
9.
He though
that when those who guard us would be absent, to murder us and bring the kingdom
of the Persians to the Macedonians.
10. But we
have found out that the Jews, which the reckless wretch wished to kill, were not
guilty, and that they have excellent laws being children of the Highest the
greatest and eternal God, who gave our forefathers and this very kingdom, and
who maintains it to this day.
11.
Therefore,
you shall not act according to the letter which Haman has made up, for because
of that deed him and his whole family has been hanged in the gate of Susa, for
thus the Lord God has speedily rewarded him according as he deserved.
12.
But this
command, which we now sent to you, you shall declare in every city that the Jews
may freely keep their laws. And
that if anyone wishes to do harm to them on the 14th day of the 12th month Adar,
you then shall protect them that they may avenge themselves upon such.
13.
For the
Almighty God has turned into joy that day wherein the chosen people would have
perished. Among all your other
feast days therefore you shall keep this day now, and hereafter, with joy, so it
may be well with us, and everyone who is faithful to the Persians.
14. And the nation or the city that will not keep this command shall be destroyed with fire and sword so that neither men nor beast nor bird shall ever be able to live therein.
