Queen Vashti Defies King Xerxes 1-2 From his royal throne in Persia’s capital city of Susa, King Xerxes ruled 127 provinces, all the way from India to Ethiopia. 3 In…

Esther Becomes Queen 1 Later, even after the king’s anger had cooled down, he kept thinking about what Vashti had done and about his proclamation against her. 2 So some…

Haman Plots to Destroy the Jews 1 Some time later King Xerxes promoted a man named Haman to the position of prime minister. Haman was the son of Hammedatha, a…

Mordecai Asks for Esther’s Help 1 When Mordecai learned of all that had been done, he tore his clothes in anguish. Then he dressed in sackcloth, covered his head with…

Esther Invites the King and Haman to a Banquet 1 On the third day of her fast Esther put on her royal robes and went and stood in the inner…

The King Honors Mordecai 1 That same night the king could not get to sleep, so he had the official records of the empire brought and read to him. 2…

1 And so the king and Haman went to eat with Esther 2 for a second time. Over the wine the king asked her again, “Now, Queen Esther, what do…

The Jews Are Told to Fight Back 1 That same day King Xerxes gave Queen Esther all the property of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. Esther told the king…

The Jews Destroy Their Enemies 1 The thirteenth day of Adar came, the day on which the royal proclamation was to take effect, the day when the enemies of the…

The Greatness of Xerxes and Mordecai 1 King Xerxes imposed forced labor on the people of the coastal regions of his empire as well as on those of the interior….