THE BOOKE OF Esther. Chapter 16

(Original 1611 KJV Book of Additions to Esther)

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Additions to Esther Chapter 16 Original 1611 Bible Scan

CHAP. XVI.

1 The Letter of Artaxerxes, 10 wherein hee taxeth Aman, 17 and reuoketh the decree procured by Aman to destroy the Iewes, 22 and commandeth the day of their deliuerance to be kept holy.

¹The great king Artaxerxes vnto the princes and gouernours of an hundreth and seuen and twenty prouinces, from India vnto Ethiopia, and vnto all our faithfull Subiects, greeting.¹

²Many, the more often they are honoured with the great bountie of their gracious princes, the more proud they are waxen,²

³And endeauour to hurt not our Subiects onely, but not being able to beare abundance, doe take in hand to practise also against those that doe them good:

⁴And take not only thankfulnesse away from among men, but also lifted vp with the glorious words of lewde persons that were neuer good, they thinke to escape the iustice of God, that seeth all things, and hateth euill.⁴

⁵Often times also faire speech of those that are put in trust to manage their friends affaires, hath caused many that are in authority to be partakers of innocent blood, and hath enwrapped them in remedilesse calamities:⁵

⁶Beguiling with the falshood and deceit of their lewd disposition, the innocencie and goodnesse of princes.

⁷Now yee may see this as we haue declared, not so much by ancient histories, as yee may, if ye search what hath beene wickedly done of late through the pestilent behauiour of them that are vnworthily placed in authoritie.

⁸And we must take care for the time to come, that our kingdome may bee quiet and peaceable for all men,

⁹Both by changing our purposes, and alwayes iudging things that are euident, with more equall proceeding.

¹⁰For Aman a Macedonian the son of Amadatha, being indeed a stranger from the Persian blood, and far distant from our goodnesse, and as a stranger receiued of vs:

¹¹Had so farre forth obtained the fauour that wee shew toward euery nation, as that he was called our father, and was continually honoured of all men, as the next person vnto the king.

¹²But he not bearing his great dignitie, went about to depriue vs of our kingdome and life:

¹³Hauing by manifold and cunning deceits sought of vs the destruction as well of Mardocheus, who saued our life, and continually procured our good, as also of blamelesse Esther partaker of our kingdome, with their whole nation.

¹⁴For by these meanes he thought, finding vs destitute of friends, to haue translated the kingdome of the Persians to the Macedonians.

¹⁵But wee finde that the Iewes, whom this wicked wretch hath deliuered to vtter destruction, are no euill doers, but liue by most iust lawes:

¹⁶And that they be children of the most high and most mighty liuing God, who hath ordered the kingdome both vnto vs, and to our progenitors in the most excellent maner.¹⁶

¹⁷Wherefore ye shall doe well not to put in execution the Letters sent vnto you by Aman the sonne of Amadatha.

¹⁸For hee that was the worker of these things, is hanged at the gates of Susa with all his family: God, who ruleth all things, speedily rendring vengeance to him according to his deserts.

¹⁹Therefore ye shall publish the copy of this Letter in all places, that the Iewes may freely liue after their owne lawes.

²⁰And ye shall aide them, that euen the same day, being the thirteenth day of the twelfth moneth Adar, they may be auenged on them, who in the time of their affliction shall set vpon them.

²¹For Almightie God hath turned to ioy vnto them the day, wherein the chosen people should haue perished.

²²You shall therefore among your solemne feasts keepe it an high day with all feasting,

²³That both now and hereafter there may be safetie to vs, and the well affected Persians: but to those which doe conspire against vs, a memoriall of destruction.

²⁴Therefore euery citie and countrey whatsoeuer, which shall not doe according to these things, shall bee destroyed without mercy, with fire and sword, and shall be made not onely vnpassable for men, but also most hatefull to wilde beasts and foules for euer.

Original 1611 KJV Sidenote References for Additions to Esther Chapter 16

¹ Or, well affected to our State. , Ioseph. Ant. lib.11.c.6.
² Gr. their benefactors.
⁴ Or, needie. , Or, that neuer tasted prosperitie.
⁵ Or, of our friends put in trust to manage the affaires.
¹⁶ Or, prospored.

* Some content courtesy of Rare Book and Manuscript Library, University of Pennsylvania

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Additions to Esther

1611 King James Version (KJV)

THE BOOKE OF Esther. Chapter 16

(Original 1611 KJV Book of Additions to Esther)