Job 39

1 “Do you know the time when the wildmountain goats bear young?

# Orcan you mark whenthe deer gives birth?

2 Can you number the monthsthatthey fulfill?

Or do you know the time when they bear young?

3 They bow down,

They bring forth their young,

They deliver their offspring.

4 Their young ones are healthy,

They grow strong with grain;

They depart and do not return to them.

5 “Who set the wild donkey free?

Who loosed the bonds of the onager,

6 Whose home I have made the wilderness,

And the barren land his dwelling?

7 He scorns the tumult of the city;

He does not heed the shouts of the driver.

8 The range of the mountainsishis pasture,

# And he searches afterevery green thing.

9 “Will thewild ox be willing to serve you?

Will he bed by your manger?

10 Can you bind the wild ox in the furrow with ropes?

Or will he plow the valleys behind you?

11 Will you trust him because his strengthisgreat?

Or will you leave your labor to him?

12 Will you trust him to bring home your grain,

And gather it to your threshing floor?

13 “The wings of the ostrich wave proudly,

But are her wings and pinionslikethekindly stork’s?

14 For she leaves her eggs on the ground,

And warms them in the dust;

15 She forgets that a foot may crush them,

Or that a wild beast may break them.

16 Shetreats her young harshly, as thoughtheywerenot hers;

Her labor is in vain, without concern,

17 Because God deprived her of wisdom,

# And did notendow her with understanding.

18 When she lifts herself on high,

She scorns the horse and its rider.

19 “Have you given the horse strength?

Have you clothed his neck with thunder?

20 Can you frighten him like a locust?

His majestic snorting strikes terror.

21 He paws in the valley, and rejoices inhisstrength;

# He gallops into the clash of arms.

22 He mocks at fear, and is not frightened;

Nor does he turn back from the sword.

23 The quiver rattles against him,

The glittering spear and javelin.

24 He devours the distance with fierceness and rage;

Nor does he come to a halt because the trumpethassounded.

25 Attheblastofthe trumpet he says, ‘Aha!’

He smells the battle from afar,

The thunder of captains and shouting.

26 “Does the hawk fly by your wisdom,

Andspread its wings toward the south?

27 Does theeagle mount up at your command,

# Andmake its nest on high?

28 On the rock it dwells and resides,

On the crag of the rock and the stronghold.

29 From there it spies out the prey;

Its eyes observe from afar.

30 Its young ones suck up blood;

# Andwhere the slainare,there itis.”

Job 40

1 Moreover theLordanswered Job, and said:

2 “Shallthe one who contends with the Almighty correctHim?

# He whorebukes God, let him answer it.”

Job’s Response to God

3 Then Job answered theLordand said:

4 “Behold,I am vile;

What shall I answer You?

# I lay my hand over my mouth.

5 Once I have spoken, but I will not answer;

Yes, twice, but I will proceed no further.”

God’s Challenge to Job

6 Then theLordanswered Job out of the whirlwind, and said:

7 “Nowprepare yourself like a man;

# I will question you, and you shall answer Me:

8 “Wouldyou indeed annul My judgment?

Would you condemn Me that you may be justified?

9 Have you an arm like God?

# Or can you thunder witha voice like His?

10 Then adorn yourselfwithmajesty and splendor,

And array yourself with glory and beauty.

11 Disperse the rage of your wrath;

Look on everyonewhoisproud, and humble him.

12 Look on everyonewhoisproud,andbring him low;

Tread down the wicked in their place.

13 Hide them in the dust together,

Bind their faces in hiddendarkness.

14 Then I will also confess to you

That your own right hand can save you.

15 “Look now at the behemoth, which I madealongwith you;

He eats grass like an ox.

16 See now, his strengthisin his hips,

And his powerisin his stomach muscles.

17 He moves his tail like a cedar;

The sinews of his thighs are tightly knit.

18 His bonesarelikebeams of bronze,

His ribs like bars of iron.

19 Heisthe first of theways of God;

Only He who made him can bring near His sword.

20 Surely the mountainsyield food for him,

And all the beasts of the field play there.

21 He lies under the lotus trees,

In a covert of reeds and marsh.

22 The lotus trees cover himwiththeir shade;

The willows by the brook surround him.

23 Indeed the river may rage,

Yethe is not disturbed;

He is confident, though the Jordan gushes into his mouth,

24 Thoughhe takes it in his eyes,

Orone pierceshisnose with a snare.

Job 41

1 “Can you draw outLeviathan with a hook,

Orsnarehis tongue with a linewhichyou lower?

2 Can youput a reed through his nose,

Or pierce his jaw with a hook?

3 Will he make many supplications to you?

Will he speak softly to you?

4 Will he make a covenant with you?

Will you take him as a servant forever?

5 Will you play with him aswitha bird,

Or will you leash him for your maidens?

6 Willyourcompanions make a banquet of him?

Will they apportion him among the merchants?

7 Can you fill his skin with harpoons,

Or his head with fishing spears?

8 Lay your hand on him;

Remember the battle—

Never do it again!

9 Indeed,anyhope ofovercominghim is false;

Shallonenotbe overwhelmed at the sight of him?

10 No oneissofierce that he would dare stir him up.

Who then is able to stand against Me?

11 Who has preceded Me, that I should payhim?

# Everything under heaven is Mine.

12 “I will not conceal his limbs,

His mighty power, or his graceful proportions.

13 Who can remove his outer coat?

Who can approachhimwith a double bridle?

14 Who can open the doors of his face,

Withhis terrible teeth all around?

15 Hisrows of scales arehispride,

Shut up tightlyaswitha seal;

16 One is so near another

That no air can come between them;

17 They are joined one to another,

They stick together and cannot be parted.

18 His sneezings flash forth light,

And his eyesarelike the eyelids of the morning.

19 Out of his mouth go burning lights;

Sparks of fire shoot out.

20 Smoke goes out of his nostrils,

Asfroma boiling pot and burning rushes.

21 His breath kindles coals,

And a flame goes out of his mouth.

22 Strength dwells in his neck,

And sorrow dances before him.

23 The folds of his flesh are joined together;

They are firm on him and cannot be moved.

24 His heart is as hard as stone,

Even as hard as the lowermillstone.

25 When he raises himself up, the mighty are afraid;

Because of his crashings they are beside themselves.

26 Thoughthe sword reaches him, it cannot avail;

Nor does spear, dart, or javelin.

27 He regards iron as straw,

Andbronze as rotten wood.

28 The arrow cannot make him flee;

Slingstones become like stubble to him.

29 Darts are regarded as straw;

He laughs at the threat of javelins.

30 His undersidesarelike sharp potsherds;

He spreads pointedmarksin the mire.

31 He makes the deep boil like a pot;

He makes the sea like a pot of ointment.

32 He leaves a shining wake behind him;

Onewould think the deep had white hair.

33 On earth there is nothing like him,

Which is made without fear.

34 He beholds every highthing;

Heisking over all the children of pride.”

Job 42

Job’s Repentance and Restoration

1 Then Job answered theLordand said:

2 “I know that Youcan do everything,

And that no purposeofYourscan be withheld from You.

3 Youasked,‘Whoisthis who hides counsel without knowledge?’

Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand,

# Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.

4 Listen, please, and let me speak;

# Yousaid,‘I will question you, and you shall answer Me.’

5 “I haveheard of You by the hearing of the ear,

But now my eye sees You.

6 Therefore Iabhormyself,

And repent in dust and ashes.”

7 And so it was, after theLordhad spoken these words to Job, that theLordsaid to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My wrath is aroused against you and your two friends, for you have not spoken of Mewhatisright, as My servant Jobhas.

8 Now therefore, take for yourselvesseven bulls and seven rams,go to My servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and My servant Job shallpray for you. For I will accept him, lest I deal with youaccordingtoyourfolly; because you have not spoken of Mewhatisright, as My servant Jobhas.”

9 So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the ShuhiteandZophar the Naamathite went and did as theLordcommanded them; for theLordhad accepted Job.

10 And theLordrestored Job’s losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed theLordgave Jobtwice as much as he had before.

11 Thenall his brothers, all his sisters, and all those who had been his acquaintances before, came to him and ate food with him in his house; and they consoled him and comforted him for all the adversity that theLordhad brought upon him. Each one gave him a piece of silver and each a ring of gold.

12 Now theLordblessedthe latterdaysof Job more than his beginning; for he hadfourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and one thousand female donkeys.

13 He also had seven sons and three daughters.

14 And he called the name of the first Jemimah, the name of the second Keziah, and the name of the third Keren-Happuch.

15 In all the land were found no womensobeautiful as the daughters of Job; and their father gave them an inheritance among their brothers.

16 After this Joblived one hundred and forty years, and saw his children and grandchildrenforfour generations.

17 So Job died, old andfull of days.

Esther 1

The King Dethrones Queen Vashti

1 Now it came to pass in the days ofAhasuerus (thiswasthe Ahasuerus who reignedover one hundred and twenty-seven provinces,from India to Ethiopia),

2 in those days when King Ahasuerussat on the throne of his kingdom, whichwasinShushan the citadel,

3 thatin the third year of his reign hemade a feast for all his officials and servants—the powers of Persia and Media, the nobles, and the princes of the provincesbeingbefore him—

4 when he showed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the splendor of his excellent majesty for many days, one hundred and eighty daysinall.

5 And when these days were completed, the king made a feast lasting seven days for all the people who were present in Shushan the citadel, from great to small, in the court of the garden of the king’s palace.

6 Therewerewhite and blue linencurtainsfastened with cords of fine linen and purple on silver rods and marble pillars;andthecoucheswereof gold and silver on amosaicpavement of alabaster, turquoise, and white and black marble.

7 And they served drinks in golden vessels, each vessel being different from the other, with royal wine in abundance,according to the generosity of the king.

8 In accordance with the law, the drinking was not compulsory; for so the king had ordered all the officers of his household, that they should do according to each man’s pleasure.

9 Queen Vashti also made a feast for the womeninthe royal palace whichbelongedto King Ahasuerus.

10 On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha,Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, seven eunuchs who served in the presence of King Ahasuerus,

11 to bring Queen Vashti before the king,wearingher royal crown, in order to show her beauty to the people and the officials, for shewasbeautiful to behold.

12 But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s commandbroughtbyhiseunuchs; therefore the king was furious, and his anger burned within him.

13 Then the king said to thewise menwho understood the times (for thiswasthe king’s manner toward all who knew law and justice,

14 those closest to himbeingCarshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, theseven princes of Persia and Media,who had access to the king’s presence,andwho ranked highest in the kingdom):

15 “Whatshallwedo to Queen Vashti, according to law, because she did not obey the command of King Ahasuerusbroughttoherby the eunuchs?”

16 And Memucan answered before the king and the princes: “Queen Vashti has not only wronged the king, but also all the princes, and all the people whoarein all the provinces of King Ahasuerus.

17 For the queen’s behavior will become known to all women, so that they willdespise their husbands in their eyes, when they report, ‘King Ahasuerus commanded Queen Vashti to be brought in before him, but she did not come.’

18 This very day thenobleladies of Persia and Media will say to all the king’s officials that they have heard of the behavior of the queen. Thustherewillbeexcessive contempt and wrath.

19 If it pleases the king, let a royal decree go out from him, and let it be recorded in the laws of the Persians and the Medes, so that it willnot be altered, that Vashti shall come no more before King Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal position to another who is better than she.

20 When the king’s decree which he will make is proclaimed throughout all his empire (for it is great), all wives willhonor their husbands, both great and small.”

21 And the reply pleased the king and the princes, and the king did according to the word of Memucan.

22 Then he sent letters to all the king’s provinces,to each province in its own script, and to every people in their own language, that each man shouldbe master in his own house, and speak in the language of his own people.

Esther 2

Esther Becomes Queen

1 After these things, when the wrath of King Ahasuerus subsided, he remembered Vashti,what she had done, and what had been decreed against her.

2 Then the king’s servants who attended him said: “Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king;

3 and let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather all the beautiful young virgins to Shushan the citadel, into the women’s quarters, under the custody of Hegai the king’s eunuch, custodian of the women. And let beauty preparations be giventhem.

4 Then let the young woman who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.”

This thing pleased the king, and he did so.

5 In Shushan the citadel there was a certain Jew whose namewasMordecai the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son ofKish, a Benjamite.

6 Kishhad been carried away from Jerusalem with the captives who had been captured with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away.

7 AndMordecaihad brought up Hadassah, thatis,Esther,his uncle’s daughter, for she had neither father nor mother. The young womanwaslovely and beautiful. When her father and mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter.

8 So it was, when the king’s command and decree were heard, and when many young women weregathered at Shushan the citadel,underthe custody of Hegai, that Esther also was taken to the king’s palace, into the care of Hegai the custodian of the women.

9 Now the young woman pleased him, and she obtained his favor; so he readily gavebeauty preparations to her, besides her allowance. Then seven choice maidservants were provided for her from the king’s palace, and he moved her and her maidservants to the bestplacein the house of the women.

10 Esther had not revealed her people or family, for Mordecai had charged her not to revealit.

11 And every day Mordecai paced in front of the court of the women’s quarters, to learn of Esther’s welfare and what was happening to her.

12 Each young woman’s turn came to go in to King Ahasuerus after she had completed twelve months’ preparation, according to the regulations for the women, for thus were the days of their preparation apportioned: six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with perfumes and preparations for beautifying women.

13 Thusprepared, eachyoung woman went to the king, and she was given whatever she desired to take with her from the women’s quarters to the king’s palace.

14 In the evening she went, and in the morning she returned to the second house of the women, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch who kept the concubines. She would not go in to the king again unless the king delighted in her and called for her by name.

15 Now when the turn came for Estherthe daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her as his daughter, to go in to the king, she requested nothing but what Hegai the king’s eunuch, the custodian of the women, advised. And Estherobtained favor in the sight of all who saw her.

16 So Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus, into his royal palace, in the tenth month, whichisthe month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.

17 The king loved Esther more than all theotherwomen, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins; so he set the royalcrown upon her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.

18 Then the kingmade a great feast, the Feast of Esther, for all his officials and servants; and he proclaimed a holiday in the provinces and gave gifts according to the generosity of a king.

Mordecai Discovers a Plot

19 When virgins were gathered together a second time, Mordecai sat within the king’s gate.

20 NowEsther had not revealed her family and her people, just as Mordecai had charged her, for Esther obeyed the command of Mordecai as when she was brought up by him.

21 In those days, while Mordecai sat within the king’s gate, two of the king’s eunuchs, Bigthan and Teresh, doorkeepers, became furious and sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus.

22 So the matter became known to Mordecai,who told Queen Esther, and Esther informed the king in Mordecai’s name.

23 And when an inquiry was made into the matter, it was confirmed, and both were hanged on a gallows; and it was written inthe book of the chronicles in the presence of the king.

Esther 3

Haman’s Conspiracy Against the Jews

1 After these things King Ahasuerus promoted Haman, the son of Hammedatha theAgagite, andadvanced him and set his seat above all the princes whowerewith him.

2 And all the king’s servants whowerewithin the king’s gate bowed and paid homage to Haman, for so the king had commanded concerning him. But Mordecaiwould not bow or pay homage.

3 Then the king’s servants whowerewithin the king’s gate said to Mordecai, “Why do you transgress theking’s command?”

4 Now it happened, when they spoke to him daily and he would not listen to them, that they tolditto Haman, to see whether Mordecai’s words would stand; forMordecaihad told them that hewasa Jew.

5 When Haman saw that Mordecaidid not bow or pay him homage, Haman wasfilled with wrath.

6 But he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had told him of the people of Mordecai. Instead, Hamansought to destroy all the Jews whowerethroughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus—the people of Mordecai.

7 In the first month, which is the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus,they cast Pur (thatis,the lot), before Haman to determine the day and the month, untilitfellonthetwelfthmonth,whichisthe month of Adar.

8 Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of your kingdom;their lawsaredifferent from allotherpeople’s, and they do not keep the king’s laws. Therefore itisnot fitting for the king to let them remain.

9 If it pleases the king, letadecreebe written that they be destroyed, and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver into the hands of those who do the work, to bringitinto the king’s treasuries.”

10 So the kingtookhis signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, theenemy of the Jews.

11 And the king said to Haman, “The money and the peoplearegiven to you, to do with them as seems good to you.”

12 Then the king’s scribes were called on the thirteenth day of the first month, andadecreewas written according to all that Haman commanded—to the king’s satraps, to the governors whowereover each province, to the officials of all people, to every provinceaccording to its script, and to every people in their language.In the name of King Ahasuerus it was written, and sealed with the king’s signet ring.

13 And the letters weresent by couriers into all the king’s provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, little children and women,in one day, on the thirteenthdayof the twelfth month, whichisthe month of Adar, andto plunder their possessions.

14 A copy of the document was to be issued as law in every province, being published for all people, that they should be ready for that day.

15 The couriers went out, hastened by the king’s command; and the decree was proclaimed in Shushan the citadel. So the king and Haman sat down to drink, butthe city of Shushan was perplexed.

Esther 4

Esther Agrees to Help the Jews

1 When Mordecai learned all that had happened, hetore his clothes and put on sackclothand ashes, and went out into the midst of the city. Hecried out with a loud and bitter cry.

2 He went as far as the front of the king’s gate, for no onemightenter the king’s gate clothed with sackcloth.

3 And in every province where the king’s command and decree arrived,therewasgreat mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.

4 So Esther’s maids and eunuchs came and told her, and the queen was deeply distressed. Then she sent garments to clothe Mordecai and take his sackcloth away from him, but he would not acceptthem.

5 Then Esther called Hathach,oneof the king’s eunuchs whom he had appointed to attend her, and she gave him a command concerning Mordecai, to learn what and why thiswas.

6 So Hathach went out to Mordecai in the city square thatwasin front of the king’s gate.

7 And Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, andthe sum of money that Haman had promised to pay into the king’s treasuries to destroy the Jews.

8 He also gave hima 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 he might command her to go in to the king to make supplication to him and plead before him for her people.

9 So Hathach returned and told Esther the words of Mordecai.

10 Then Esther spoke to Hathach, and gave him a command for Mordecai:

11 “All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that any man or woman who goes intothe inner court to the king, who has not been called,hehasbut one law: putallto death, except the oneto whom the king holds out the golden scepter, that he may live. Yet I myself have not beencalled to go in to the king these thirty days.”

12 So they told Mordecai Esther’s words.

13 And Mordecai toldthemto answer Esther: “Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews.

14 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 forsucha time as this?”

15 Then Esther toldthemto reply to Mordecai:

16 “Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink forthree days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, whichisagainst the law;and if I perish, I perish!”

17 So Mordecai went his way and did according to all that Esther commanded him.

Esther 5

Esther’s Banquet

1 Now it happenedon the third day that Esther put onherroyalrobesand stood inthe 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.

2 So it was, when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court,thatshe found favor in his sight, andthe king held out to Esther the golden scepter thatwasin his hand. Then Esther went near and touched the top of the scepter.

3 And the king said to her, “What do you wish, Queen Esther? Whatisyour request?It shall be given to you—up to half the kingdom!”

4 So Esther answered, “If it pleases the king, let the king and Haman come today to the banquet that I have prepared for him.”

5 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.

6 At the banquet of winethe king said to Esther,“Whatisyour petition? It shall be granted you. Whatisyour request, up to half the kingdom? It shall be done!”

7 Then Esther answered and said, “My petition and requestisthis:

8 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 thebanquet which I will prepare for them, and tomorrow I will do as the king has said.”

Haman’s Plot Against Mordecai

9 So Haman went out that dayjoyful and with a glad heart; but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, andthat he did not stand or tremble before him, he was filled with indignation against Mordecai.

10 Nevertheless Hamanrestrained himself and went home, and he sent and called for his friends and his wife Zeresh.

11 Then Haman told them of his great riches,the multitude of his children, everything in which the king had promoted him, and how he hadadvanced him above the officials and servants of the king.

12 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.

13 Yet all this avails me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.”

14 Then his wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “Let agallows be made, fifty cubits high, and in the morningsuggest to the king that Mordecai be hanged on it; then go merrily with the king to the banquet.”

# And the thing pleased Haman; so he hadthe gallows made.

Esther 6

The King Honors Mordecai

1 That night the king could not sleep. So one was commanded to bringthe book of the records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king.

2 And it was found written that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs, the doorkeepers who had sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus.

3 Then the king said, “What honor or dignity has been bestowed on Mordecai for this?”

And the king’s servants who attended him said, “Nothing has been done for him.”

4 So the king said, “Whoisin the court?” Now Haman hadjustenteredthe outer court of the king’s palaceto suggest that the king hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him.

5 The king’s servants said to him, “Haman is there, standing in the court.”

And the king said, “Let him come in.”

6 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 thanme?”

7 And Haman answered the king, “Forthe man whom the king delights to honor,

8 let a royal robe be brought which the king has worn, anda horse on which the king has ridden, which has a royal crest placed on its head.

9 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!’ ”

10 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.”

11 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!”

12 Afterward Mordecai went back to the king’s gate. But Hamanhurried to his house, mourningand with his head covered.

13 When Haman told his wife Zeresh and all his friends everything that had happened to him, his wise men and his wife Zeresh said to him, “If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of Jewish descent, you will not prevail againsthim but will surely fall before him.”

14 While theywerestill talking with him, the king’s eunuchs came, and hastened to bring Haman tothe banquet which Esther had prepared.