ADDITIONS TO ESTHER 15

(In the Greek Esther, the next 2 verses would follow verse 8 of Chapter 4; in the Hebrew Esther, these 2 verses would also follow verse 8 of Chapter 4.)

1' And no doubt that Mordecai sent to Esther, that she should enter to the king, and pray for her people, and for her country.

1'' He said, Be thou mindful of the days of thy meekness, how thou were nourished in mine hand; for Haman, which is ordained the second person in power from the king, hath spoken against us into death; therefore thou inwardly call the Lord, and speak thou to the king for us, and deliver us from death.

(In the Greek Esther, verses 1-16 below, follow Esther’s prayer, which follows Mordecai’s prayer, all of which precede Chapter 5; in the Hebrew Esther, these 16 verses would replace the first 2 verses of Chapter 5.)

CHAPTER 15

1 Forsooth in the third day she putted off the clothes of her adorning, or of her mourning, and was encom-passed with her glory.

2 And when she shined in the king’s clothing, and had inwardly called the Governor of all things and the Saviour God, she took two servantesses,

3 and soothly she leaned on one, as not sustaining to bear her [own] body, for delights and full great tenderness;

4 but the other servantess [or damsel] pursued [or followed] the lady, and bare up her clothes trailing [or flowing] down upon the earth.

5 Soothly she was beshed with colour of roses in the cheer/And Esther in her face was coloured with rose colours, and with her pleasant and shining [or bright] eyes she covered her sorrowful soul, that was drawn together with full much dread.

6 Therefore she entered [or gone in] through all the doors by order, and she stood against the king, where he sat upon the seat [or the see] of his realm, and was clothed in the king’s clothes, and shined in [or shining with] gold and precious stones, and he was dreadful [or fearful] in sight.

7 And when he had raised up his face, and had showed the madness, or austereness, of his heart with burning eyes, the queen felled [or fell] down before him; and when her colour was changed into paleness, she rested her head bowed down upon her handmaid.

8 And God turned the spirit of the king into mildness, and he hasted, and dreaded, and skipped [or started] out of the seat/and the king hasting, and dreading, rose up anon of his seat; and he sustained her/he held up the queen with his arms, till she came again to herself; and he spake fair to her by these words,

9 Esther, what grief hast thou? I am thy brother; do not thou dread,

10 thou shalt not die, for this coming to me without calling; for this law is not made for thee, but for all men. Therefore nigh thou hither [or Come hither then],

11 and touch the sceptre, that is, the king’s rod. And when she was still [or held her peace], he took the golden rod, and putted [or put] [up] on her neck;

12 and he kissed her, and said, Why speakest thou not to me?

13 And she answered, Lord, I saw thee as an angel of God, and mine heart was troubled [or disturbed] for the dread of thy glory;

14 for, lord, thou art full wonderful, and thy face is full of graces.

15 And when she spake, again she felled down in a swoon, and was almost dead [or utterly swooned].

16 Soothly the king was troubled, and all his servants comforted her.

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