Revised Version 1895

Esther 1

1NowH1961itcameH1961topassH1961in thedaysבִּימֵ֣יbi.MeiH3117ofAhasuerusאֲחַשְׁוֵר֑וֹשׁ'a.chash.ve.Ro.oshH325, (this isAhasuerusאֲחַשְׁוֵר֗וֹשׁ'a.chash.ve.Ro.oshH325whichה֣וּאhu'H1931reignedהַמֹּלֵךְ֙ha.mo.leKhH4427, fromIndiaמֵהֹ֣דּוּme.Ho.duH1912evenוְעַד־ve.'ad-H5704untoEthiopiaכּ֔וּשׁKushH3568, over anhundredוּמֵאָ֖הu.me.'AhH3967andsevenשֶׁ֛בַעShe.va'H7651andtwentyוְעֶשְׂרִ֥יםve.'es.RimH6242provincesמְדִינָֽה׃me.di.NahH4082:)

2that inthoseH834daysבַּיָּמִ֖יםbai.ya.MimH3117, when thekingהַמֶּ֣לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428Ahasuerusאֲחַשְׁוֵר֗וֹשׁ'a.chash.ve.Ro.oshH325satH7675on thethroneכִּסֵּ֣אki.Se'H3678of hiskingdomמַלְכוּת֔וֹmal.khu.ToH4438,whichH834was in Shushan the palace,

3in thethirdשָׁלוֹשׁ֙sha.lo.VoshH7969yearבִּשְׁנַ֤תbish.NatH8141of hisreignלְמָלְכ֔וֹle.ma.le.KhoH4427, hemadeעָשָׂ֣ה'a.SahH6213afeastמִשְׁתֶּ֔הmish.TehH4960untoallלְכָל־le.kholH3605hisprincesשָׂרָ֖יוsa.RavH8269and hisservantsוַעֲבָדָ֑יוva.'a.va.DavH5650; the power ofPersiaפָּרַ֣סpa.RasH6539andMediaוּמָדַ֗יu.ma.DaiH4074, thenoblesהַֽפַּרְתְּמִ֛יםha.par.te.MimH6579andprincesוְשָׂרֵ֥יve.sa.ReiH8269of theprovincesהַמְּדִינ֖וֹתha.me.di.NotH4082, beingbeforeלְפָנָֽיו׃le.fa.NavH6440him:

4when he shewed therichesעֹ֙שֶׁר֙'o.sherH6239of hisgloriousתִּפְאֶ֖רֶתtif.'E.retH8597kingdomמַלְכוּת֔וֹmal.khu.ToH4438and the honour of his excellentmajestyגְּדוּלָּת֑וֹge.du.la.ToH1420manyרַבִּ֔יםra.BimH7227daysיָמִ֣יםya.MimH3117,evenH853anhundredוּמְאַ֖תu.me.'AtH3967and fourscoredaysיֽוֹם׃YomH3117.

5And whentheseהָאֵ֗לֶּהha.'E.lehH428daysהַיָּמִ֣יםhai.ya.MimH3117werefulfilledוּבִמְל֣וֹאת׀u.vim.LotH4390, hekingהַמֶּ֡לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428madeעָשָׂ֣ה'a.SahH6213afeastמִשְׁתֶּ֖הmish.TehH4960untoallH3605thepeopleהָעָ֣םha.'AmH5971that werepresentהַנִּמְצְאִים֩ha.nim.tze.'ImH4672in Shushan thepalaceבִּיתַ֖ןbi.TanH1055,bothH3605greatלְמִגָּ֧דוֹלle.mi.Ga.dolH1419andsmallקָטָ֛ןka.TanH6996,sevenשִׁבְעַ֣תshiv.'AtH7651daysיָמִ֑יםya.MimH3117, in thecourtבַּחֲצַ֕רba.cha.TzarH2691of thegardenגִּנַּ֥תgi.NatH1594of theking’sהַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ha.Me.lekhH4428palaceH1055;

6There were hangings ofwhiteח֣וּר׀churH2353cloth, of green, and ofblueוּתְכֵ֗לֶתu.te.Khe.letH8504,fastenedאָחוּז֙'a.ChuzH270withcordsבְּחַבְלֵי־be.chav.lei-H2256offineשֵׁ֑שׁSheshH8336linenוָשֵׁ֖שׁva.SheshH8336andpurpleוְאַרְגָּמָ֔ןve.'ar.ga.ManH713tosilverכֶ֖סֶףKhe.sefH3701ringsגְּלִ֥ילֵיge.Li.leiH1550andpillarsוְעַמּ֣וּדֵיve.'a.Mu.deiH5982of marble: thecouchesמִטּ֣וֹת׀mi.TotH4296were ofgoldזָהָ֣בza.HavH2091andsilverוָכֶ֗סֶףva.Khe.sefH3701,uponH5921apavementרִֽצְפַ֥תritz.FatH7531of red, andwhiteH2353, and yellow, and black marble.

7And theygaveH8248themdrinkוְהַשְׁקוֹת֙ve.hash.kOtH8248invesselsH3627ofgoldזָהָ֔בza.HavH2091, (thevesselsH3627being diverse one from another,) androyalמַלְכ֛וּתmal.KhutH4438wineוְיֵ֥יןve.YeinH3196in abundance,accordingH3027to thebountyH3027of thekingהַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ha.Me.lekhH4428.

8And thedrinkingוְהַשְּׁתִיָּ֥הve.ha.she.ti.YahH8360wasaccordingH5921to thelawכַדָּ֖תkha.DatH1881;noneאֵ֣ין'einH369couldאִישׁ־'ish-H376compel: forsoכֵ֣ן׀khenH3651thekingהַמֶּ֗לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428hadappointedיִסַּ֣דyi.SadH3245toallH3605the officers of hishouseבֵּית֔וֹbei.ToH1004, that they shoulddoלַעֲשׂ֖וֹתla.'a.SotH6213accordingH5921toeveryH3605man’sוָאִֽישׁ׃va.'IshH376pleasureכִּרְצ֥וֹןkir.TzonH7522.

9AlsoVashtiוַשְׁתִּ֣יvash.TiH2060thequeenהַמַּלְכָּ֔הha.mal.KahH4436madeעָשְׂתָ֖ה'a.se.TahH6213afeastמִשְׁתֵּ֣הmish.TehH4960for thewomenנָשִׁ֑יםna.ShimH802in theroyalהַמַּלְכ֔וּתha.mal.KhutH4438houseבֵּ֚יתbeitH1004whichאֲשֶׁ֖ר'a.SherH834belonged tokingלַמֶּ֥לֶךְla.Me.lekhH4428Ahasuerusאֲחַשְׁוֵרֽוֹשׁ׃ ס'a.chash.ve.Ro.oshH325.

10On theseventhהַשְּׁבִיעִ֔יha.she.vi.'IH7637dayבַּיּוֹם֙bai.yOmH3117, when theheartלֵב־lev-H3820of thekingהַמֶּ֖לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428was merry withwineבַּיָּ֑יִןbai.Ya.yinH3196, hecommandedאָמַ֡ר'a.MarH559Mehumanלִ֠מְהוּמָןLim.hu.monH4104,Bizthaבִּזְּתָ֨אbi.ze.Ta'H968,Harbonaחַרְבוֹנָ֜אchar.vo.Na'H2726,Bigthaבִּגְתָ֤אbig.Ta'H903, andAbagthaוַאֲבַגְתָא֙va.'a.vag.Ta'H5,Zetharזֵתַ֣רze.TarH2242, and Carcas, thesevenשִׁבְעַת֙shiv.'AtH7651chamberlains thatministeredהַמְשָׁ֣רְתִ֔יםham.Sha.re.TimH8334in thepresenceפְּנֵ֖יpe.NeiH6440ofAhasuerusאֲחַשְׁוֵרֽוֹשׁ׃'a.chash.ve.Ro.oshH325thekingהַמֶּ֥לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428,

11tobringלְ֠הָבִיאLe.ha.vi'H935Vashtiוַשְׁתִּ֧יvash.TiH2060thequeenהַמַּלְכָּ֛הha.mal.KahH4436beforeלִפְנֵ֥יlif.NeiH6440thekingהַמֶּ֖לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428with thecrownבְּכֶ֣תֶרbe.Khe.terH3804royalמַלְכ֑וּתmal.KhutH4438, to shew thepeoplesהָֽעַמִּ֤יםha.'a.MimH5971and theprincesוְהַשָּׂרִים֙ve.ha.sa.RimH8269herH7200beautyיָפְיָ֔הּya.fe.YahH3308: forsheהִֽיא׃Hi'H1931was fair tolookH7200on.

12But thequeenהַמַּלְכָּ֣הha.mal.KahH4436Vashtiוַשְׁתִּ֗יvash.TiH2060refusedוַתְּמָאֵ֞ןva.te.ma.'EnH3985tocomeלָבוֹא֙la.Vo'H935at theking’sהַמֶּ֔לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428commandmentבִּדְבַ֣רbid.VarH1697by the chamberlains: therefore was thekingהַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ha.Me.lekhH4428veryמְאֹ֔דme.'OdH3966wroth, and hisangerוַחֲמָת֖וֹva.cha.ma.ToH2534burnedבָּעֲרָ֥הba.'a.RahH1197in him.

13Then thekingהַמֶּ֔לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428saidוַיֹּ֣אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559to thewiseלַחֲכָמִ֖יםla.cha.kha.MimH2450menH2450,whichH1697knewיֹדְעֵ֣יyo.de.'EiH3045thetimesהָֽעִתִּ֑יםha.'i.TimH6256, (forsoכֵן֙khenH3651was theking’sהַמֶּ֔לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428mannerדְּבַ֣רde.VarH1697towardלִפְנֵ֕יlif.NeiH6440allכָּל־kol-H3605thatknewיֹדְעֵ֖יyo.de.'EiH3045lawדָּ֥תdatH1881andjudgmentוָדִֽין׃va.DinH1779;

14and thenextH7200unto him wasCarshenaכַּרְשְׁנָ֤אkar.she.Na'H3771,Shetharשֵׁתָר֙she.TarH8369,Admathaאַדְמָ֣תָא'ad.Ma.ta'H133,Tarshishתַרְשִׁ֔ישׁtar.ShishH8659,Meresמֶ֥רֶסMe.resH4825,Marsenaמַרְסְנָ֖אmar.se.Na'H4826, andMemucanמְמוּכָ֑ןme.mu.KhanH4462, thesevenשִׁבְעַ֞תshiv.'AtH7651princesשָׂרֵ֣י׀sa.ReiH8269ofPersiaפָּרַ֣סpa.RasH6539andMediaוּמָדַ֗יu.ma.DaiH4074, whichsawH7200theking’sהַמֶּ֔לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428faceפְּנֵ֣יpe.NeiH6440, andsatהַיֹּשְׁבִ֥יםhai.yo.she.VimH3427firstרִאשֹׁנָ֖הri.sho.NahH7223in thekingdomבַּמַּלְכֽוּת׃ba.mal.KhutH4438:)

15Whatמַֽה־mah-H4100shallweH834doלַּעֲשׂ֔וֹתla.'a.SotH6213unto thequeenבַּמַּלְכָּ֖הba.mal.KahH4436Vashtiוַשְׁתִּ֑יvash.TiH2060accordingH5921tolawכְּדָת֙ke.DatH1881,becauseH5921sheH834hathnotלֹֽא־lo'-H3808doneעָשְׂתָ֗ה'a.se.TahH6213the bidding of thekingהַמֶּ֣לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428Ahasuerusאֲחַשְׁוֵר֔וֹשׁ'a.chash.ve.Ro.oshH325by the chamberlains?

16AndMemucanמְמוּכָ֗ןmu.me.khanH4462answeredוַיֹּ֣אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559beforeלִפְנֵ֤יlif.NeiH6440thekingהַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ha.Me.lekhH4428and theprincesוְהַשָּׂרִ֔יםve.ha.sa.RimH8269,Vashtiוַשְׁתִּ֣יvash.TiH2060thequeenהַמַּלְכָּ֑הha.mal.KahH4436hathnotלֹ֤אlo'H3808doneH3605wrong to thekingהַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ha.Me.lekhH4428onlyלְבַדּ֔וֹle.va.DoH905, but also toallH3605theprincesהַשָּׂרִים֙ha.sa.RimH8269, and toallH3605thepeoplesהָ֣עַמִּ֔יםha.'a.MimH5971that are inallH3605theprovincesמְדִינ֖וֹתme.di.NotH4082of thekingהַמֶּ֥לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428Ahasuerusאֲחַשְׁוֵרֽוֹשׁ׃'a.chash.ve.Ro.oshH325.

17For thisdeedדְבַר־de.var-H1697of thequeenהַמַּלְכָּה֙ha.mal.KahH4436shallcomeH935abroad untoallכָּל־kol-H3605womenהַנָּשִׁ֔יםha.na.ShimH802, tomakeH3588theirhusbandsבַּעְלֵיהֶ֖ןba'.lei.HenH1167contemptible in theireyesבְּעֵינֵיהֶ֑ןbe.'ei.nei.HenH5869, when it shall bereportedH935, Thekingהַמֶּ֣לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428Ahasuerusאֲחַשְׁוֵר֡וֹשׁ'a.chash.ve.Ro.oshH325commandedH559Vashtiוַשְׁתִּ֧יvash.TiH2060thequeenהַמַּלְכָּ֛הha.mal.KahH4436to bebroughtH935inbeforeלְפָנָ֖יוle.fa.NavH6440him, butsheH3588cameH935notוְלֹא־ve.lo'-H3808.

18And thisdayוְֽהַיּ֨וֹםve.hai.YomH3117shall theprincessesשָׂר֣וֹתsa.RotH8282ofPersiaפָּֽרַס־pa.ras-H6539andMediaוּמָדַ֗יu.ma.DaiH4074whichH834haveheardשָֽׁמְעוּ֙sha.me.'UH8085of thedeedH1697of thequeenהַמַּלְכָּ֔הha.mal.KahH4436sayתֹּאמַ֣רְנָה׀to.Mar.nahH559the like untoallלְכֹ֖לle.KholH3605theking’sהַמֶּ֑לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428princesשָׂרֵ֣יsa.ReiH8269,SoH834shall there arisemuchH1697contemptבִּזָּי֥וֹןbi.za.YonH963andwrathוָקָֽצֶף׃va.Ka.tzefH7110.

19Ifאִם־'im-H518itpleaseH2895thekingהַמֶּ֣לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428,letH5414theregoיֵצֵ֤אye.Tze'H3318forthH3318aroyalמַלְכוּת֙mal.KhutH4438commandmentדְבַר־de.var-H1697from him, andletH5414it bewrittenוְיִכָּתֵ֛בve.yi.ka.TevH3789among thelawsבְּדָתֵ֥יbe.da.TeiH1881of the Persians and theMedesוּמָדַ֖יu.ma.DaiH4074, that it benotH3808altered, thatVashtiוַשְׁתִּ֗יvash.TiH2060comeתָב֜וֹאta.Vo'H935noH3808moreמִמֶּֽנָּה׃mi.Me.nahH4480beforeH6440kingהַמֶּ֣לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428Ahasuerusאֲחַשְׁוֵר֔וֹשׁ'a.chash.ve.Ro.oshH325; andletH5414thekingהַמֶּ֔לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428giveיִתֵּ֣ןyi.TenH5414herעַל־'al-H5921royalוּמַלְכוּתָהּ֙u.mal.khu.TahH4438estate untoanotherH3808that isbetterH2896thanH4480sheאֲשֶׁ֨ר'a.SherH834.

20And when theking’sהַמֶּ֤לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428decreewhichאֲשֶֽׁר־'a.Sher-H834he shallmakeH5414shall be publishedthroughoutH3605allH3605hiskingdomמַלְכוּת֔וֹmal.khu.ToH4438, (for it isgreatלְמִגָּד֖וֹלle.mi.ga.DolH1419,)allH3605thewivesהַנָּשִׁ֗יםha.na.ShimH802shallgiveיִתְּנ֤וּyi.te.NuH5414to theirhusbandsלְבַעְלֵיהֶ֔ןle.va'.lei.HenH1167honour,bothH3605togreatH1419andsmallקָטָֽן׃ka.TanH6996.

21And thesayingהַדָּבָ֔רha.da.VarH1697pleasedוַיִּיטַב֙vai.yi.TavH3190thekingהַמֶּ֖לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428and theprincesוְהַשָּׂרִ֑יםve.ha.sa.RimH8269; and thekingהַמֶּ֖לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428didוַיַּ֥עַשׂvai.Ya.'asH6213according to thewordכִּדְבַ֥רkid.VarH1697ofMemucanמְמוּכָֽן׃me.mu.KhanH4462:

22for hesentוַיִּשְׁלַ֤חvai.yish.LachH7971lettersסְפָרִים֙se.fa.RimH5612intoH413allH3605theking’sהַמֶּ֔לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428provincesH4082,intoH413everyH3605provinceH4082accordingH413to thewritingכִּכְתָבָ֔הּkikh.ta.VahH3791thereof, and toeveryH3605peopleH5971afterH1961theirlanguageכִּלְשׁוֹנ֑וֹkil.sho.NoH3956, thateveryH3605manאִישׁ֙'ishH376should bearruleשֹׂרֵ֣רso.RerH8323in hisownH1961houseבְּבֵית֔וֹbe.vei.ToH1004, and should publish itaccordingH413to thelanguageכִּלְשׁ֥וֹןkil.ShonH3956of hispeopleH5971.

Commentaries on Esther 1

Revised Version 1895 — 1895 — Public Domain