Esther not to speak of her Jewish family, but every
day he walked before the court of the women's house to ask how she did
and what had become of her.

Out of all the maidens brought from the city and the kingdom Esther was
chosen by the king to be queen in the place of Vashti, and he placed
the royal crown upon her head, and proclaimed a great feast that he
called Esther's feast, when he gave gifts and made a holiday for all
the people to rest and be happy in all his provinces.

Mordecai sat daily at the king's gate, and once while there he heard of
a plot to kill the king by two of his chamberlains, and he sent word
secretly to Esther, and she told the king in Mordecai's name, so that
these two men were hanged, and the account of it was written in the
king's book of records.

About this time the king gave great honors to a man named Haman. He
set him above all his princes, and when the king's servants who were at
his gate knew it they all bowed down and gave great honor to Haman,
whenever he passed, for the king had so commanded them; but Mordecai
would not bow to Haman. When Haman saw this he was full of anger
toward Mordecai the Jew, and he made a wicked plan to destroy not only
Mordecai, but all his people.

So he came with wily ways and cunning speech to the king, saying,

"There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the
people in all the provinces of thy kingdom, and their laws are diverse
from all people, neither keep they the king's laws, therefore it is not
for the king's profit to suffer them. If it please the king let it be
written that they be destroyed, and I will pay ten thousand talents of
silver to the hands of those that have the charge of the business, to
bring it into the king's treasuries."

Then the king gave his ring to Haman as a sign that he would pledge his
word to do what he asked, and said,

"The silver is given to thee, the people also, to do with them as it
seemeth good to thee."

Then Haman had letters written and sealed with the king's seal ring,
saying to the rulers of every province in the kingdom that all Jews,
both young and old, throughout the kingdom, must be destroyed in one
day, and their goods, and money, and lands be taken for a prey, and the
thirteenth day of the twelfth month was set in which to destroy them.

After the messengers were sent out the king and Haman sat down to drink
wine, but the city was troubled.

Then Mordecai rent his clothe