mined, and after they had
confessed, commanded them to be put to death.

12:4. But the king made a record of what was done: and Mardochai also
committed the memory of the thing to writing.

12:5. And the king commanded him, to abide in the court of the palace,
and gave him presents for the information.

12:6. But Aman the son of Amadathi the Bugite was in great honour with
the king, and sought to hurt Mardochai and his people, because of the
two eunuchs of the king who were put to death.

Esther Chapter 13

A copy of a letter sent by Aman to destroy the Jews. Mardochai's prayer
for the people.

13:1. And this was the copy of the letter: Artaxerxes the great king who
reigneth from India to Ethiopia, to the princes and governors of the
hundred and twenty-seven provinces, that are subject to his empire,
greeting.

13:2. Whereas I reigned over many nations, and had brought all the world
under my dominion, I was not willing to abuse the greatness of my power,
but to govern my subjects with clemency and that they might live quietly
without any terror, and might enjoy peace, which is desired by all men,

13:3. But when I asked my counsellors how this might be accomplished,
one that excelled the rest in wisdom and fidelity, and was second after
the king, Aman by name,

13:4. Told me that there was a people scattered through the whole world,
which used new laws, and acted against the customs of all nations,
despised the commandments of kings, and violated by their opposition the
concord of all nations.

13:5. Wherefore having learned this, and seeing one nation in opposition
to all mankind using perverse laws, and going against our commandments,
and disturbing the peace and concord of the provinces subject to us,

13:6. We have commanded that all whom Aman shall mark out, who is chief
over all the provinces, and second after the king, and whom we honour as
a father, shall be utterly destroyed by their enemies, with their wives
and children, and that none shall have pity on them, on the fourteenth
day of the twelfth month Adar of this present year:

13:7. That these wicked men going down to hell in one day, may restore
to our empire the peace which they had disturbed.

13:8. But Mardochai besought the Lord, remembering all his works,

13:9. And said: O Lord, Lord, almighty king, for all things are in thy
power, and there is none that can resist thy will, if thou determine to
save Israel.

13:10. Thou hast made