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his GOD. Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king's decree; 'Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask a petition of any 'god or man within thirty days, save of thee, O king, 'shall be cast into the den of lions?' The king answered and said, 'The thing is true, according to the law of the 'Medes and Persians, which altereth not.' Then answered they and said before the king, 'That Daniel, which is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not 'thee, O king, nor the decree which thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day.' Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him and he laboured till the going down of the sun to deliver him. Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and 'Persians is, That no decree nor statute which the king ' establisheth may be changed.' Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, 'Thy GoD whom thou servest continually, HE will deliver 'thee.' And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel.

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Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting neither were instruments of music brought before him and his sleep went from him. Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions. And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel and the king spake and said to Daniel, 'O Daniel, servant of the living GOD, is

:

thy GOD, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver

' thee from the lions?' Then said Daniel unto the king, 'O king, live for ever. My God hath sent his angel, and ' hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: 'forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; ' and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.' Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his GOD.

Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multi'plied unto you. I make a decree, That in every dominion ' of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the GOD ' of Daniel: for HE is the living GOD, and steadfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, ' and his dominion shall be even unto the end. HE de'livereth and rescueth, and HE worketh signs and wonders ' in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from 'the power of the lions.' So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

THE BOOK OF ESTHER.

Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace, in the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him: when he showed the riches of his glorious kingdom, and the honour of his excellent majesty many days, even an hundred and fourscore days. And when these days were expired, the king made a feast unto all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both unto great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king's palace; where were white, green, and blue hangings, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble: the beds were of gold and silver, upon a pavement of red, and blue, and white, and black marble. they gave them drink in vessels of gold, and royal wine in abundance. Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus.

And

On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry, he commanded to bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown-royal. But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king's commandment by his chamberlains therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him.

Then the king said to the wise men, 'What shall we 'do unto the queen Vashti according to law, because she ' hath not performed the commandment of the king?' And Memucan answered before the king and the princes, 'Vashti the queen hath not done wrong to the king only, 'but also to all the princes, and to all the people that are ' in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus. For this ' deed of the queen shall come abroad unto all women, so that they shall despise their husbands in their eyes, 'when it shall be reported, "The king Ahasuerus com'manded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, 'but she came not." Thus shall there arise too much 'contempt and wrath. If it please the king, let there go a royal commandment from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, that it 'be not altered, That Vashti come no more before king 'Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate unto ' another that is better than she.' And the saying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did according to the word of Memucan.

After these things, said the king's servants that ministered unto him, 'Let the maiden which pleaseth the king 'be queen instead of Vashti.' And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.

Now in Shushan the palace there was a certain Jew, whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite; who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captivity which had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away. And he brought up Hadassah, (that is, Esther,) his uncle's daughter for she had neither father nor mother, and the

maid was fair and beautiful; whom Mordecai (when her father and mother were dead) took for his own daughter.

So it came to pass, when the king's commandment and his decree was heard, and when many maidens were gathered together unto Shushan the palace, that Esther was brought also unto the king's house. Esther had not showed her people nor her kindred: for Mordecai had charged her that she should not show it. And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the house, to know how Esther did, and what should become of her.

Now when the turn of Esther was come, Esther was taken unto king Ahasuerus, into his house-royal. And the king loved Esther, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti. Then the king made a great feast unto all his princes and his servants, even Esther's feast; and he made a release to the provinces, and gave gifts. Then Mordecai sat in the king's gate. Esther had not yet showed her kindred nor her people; as Mordecai had charged her for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him.

In those days, while Mordecai sat in the king's gate, two of the king's chamberlains, of those which kept the door, were wroth, and sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus. And the thing was known to Mordecai, who told it unto Esther the queen; and Esther certified the king thereof in Mordecai's name. And when inquisition was made of the matter, it was found out; therefore they were both hanged on a tree and it was written in the book of the chronicles before the king.

After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman,

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