WEBVTT NOTE This file was generated by Descript 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.920 Emily: welcome to immerse: the daily bible reading experience. 00:00:03.020 --> 00:00:04.660 day 300 and 57 00:00:05.016 --> 00:00:11.496 Sometime later, king Xerxes promoted Haman son of Hamaha, the Aite over 00:00:11.496 --> 00:00:15.906 all the other nobles, making him the most powerful official in the empire. 00:00:16.686 --> 00:00:20.976 All the King's officials would bow down before Haman to show him respect 00:00:20.976 --> 00:00:26.586 whenever he passed by for, so the King had commanded, but Mordecai refused 00:00:26.586 --> 00:00:28.716 to bow down or show him respect. 00:00:29.526 --> 00:00:33.456 Then the palace officials at the King's Gate asked Mordecai, why are 00:00:33.456 --> 00:00:35.256 you disobeying the King's command? 00:00:35.826 --> 00:00:40.416 They spoke to him day after day, but still he refused to comply with the order. 00:00:41.076 --> 00:00:45.756 So they spoke to Haman about this to see if he would tolerate Mordecai's conduct 00:00:46.056 --> 00:00:48.516 since Mordecai had told them he was a Jew. 00:00:49.386 --> 00:00:52.746 When Haman saw that Mordecai would not bow down or show him 00:00:52.746 --> 00:00:55.206 respect, he was filled with rage. 00:00:55.671 --> 00:00:59.571 He had learned of Mordecai's nationality, so he decided it was not 00:00:59.571 --> 00:01:02.001 enough to lay hands on Mordecai alone. 00:01:02.511 --> 00:01:06.711 Instead, he looked for a way to destroy all the Jews throughout 00:01:06.711 --> 00:01:08.871 the entire empire of Xerxes. 00:01:10.221 --> 00:01:14.031 So in the month of April during the 12th year of Kings Xerxes reign, 00:01:14.451 --> 00:01:16.701 lots were cast in Haman's presence. 00:01:17.001 --> 00:01:22.311 The lots were called Purim to determine the best day and month to take action. 00:01:22.776 --> 00:01:26.466 And the day selected was March 7th, nearly a year later. 00:01:27.546 --> 00:01:32.226 Then Haman approached King Xerxes and said, there is a certain race 00:01:32.226 --> 00:01:36.456 of people scattered through all the provinces of your empire, who keep 00:01:36.456 --> 00:01:38.736 themselves separate from everyone else. 00:01:39.186 --> 00:01:43.416 Their laws are different from those of any other people, and they refuse to 00:01:43.416 --> 00:01:49.296 obey the laws of the king, so it is not in the king's interest to let them live. 00:01:49.926 --> 00:01:54.516 If it please the king issue, a decree that they be destroyed and I will 00:01:54.516 --> 00:01:59.676 give 10,000 large sacks of silver to the government administrators to 00:01:59.676 --> 00:02:01.746 be deposited in the Royal Treasury. 00:02:02.856 --> 00:02:07.686 The king agreed confirming his decision by removing his signe ring from his 00:02:07.686 --> 00:02:13.686 finger and giving it to Haman son of hemo Deha, the Aite, the enemy of the Jews. 00:02:14.346 --> 00:02:19.986 The king said the money and the people are both yours to do with as you see fit. 00:02:20.856 --> 00:02:25.836 So on April 17th, the King's secretaries were summoned and a decree was 00:02:25.836 --> 00:02:28.086 written exactly as Haman dictated. 00:02:28.686 --> 00:02:32.616 It was sent to the king's highest officers, the governors of the respective 00:02:32.616 --> 00:02:37.176 provinces and the nobles of each province in their own scripts and languages. 00:02:37.866 --> 00:02:41.436 The decree was written in the name of King's Xerxes, and sealed 00:02:41.436 --> 00:02:42.726 with the king's signet ring. 00:02:43.401 --> 00:02:48.411 Dispatches were sent by swift messengers into all the provinces of the empire, 00:02:48.831 --> 00:02:53.271 giving the order that all Jews, young and old, including women and 00:02:53.276 --> 00:02:58.821 children, must be killed, slaughtered, and annihilated on a single day. 00:02:59.571 --> 00:03:03.051 This was scheduled to happen on March 7th of the next year. 00:03:03.591 --> 00:03:07.191 The property of the Jews would be given to those who killed them. 00:03:08.061 --> 00:03:12.381 A copy of this decree was to be issued as law in every province and 00:03:12.381 --> 00:03:16.341 proclaimed to all peoples so that they would be ready to do their duty. 00:03:16.371 --> 00:03:20.871 On the appointed day at the King's Command, the decree went out by 00:03:20.871 --> 00:03:25.341 swift Messengers, and it was also proclaimed in the fortress of Suse. 00:03:25.881 --> 00:03:30.471 Then the king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Suse 00:03:30.921 --> 00:03:36.411 fell into confusion when Mordecai learned about all that had been done. 00:03:36.771 --> 00:03:42.111 He tore his clothes, put on burlap and ashes, and went out into the city 00:03:42.441 --> 00:03:44.571 crying with a loud and bitter whale. 00:03:45.291 --> 00:03:49.161 He went as far as the gate of the palace for no one was allowed to enter 00:03:49.161 --> 00:03:53.811 the palace gate while wearing clothes of mourning, and as news of the king's 00:03:53.816 --> 00:03:58.551 decree reached all the provinces, there was great mourning among the Jews. 00:03:58.971 --> 00:04:04.611 They fasted, wept and wailed, and many people lay in burlap and ashes. 00:04:05.751 --> 00:04:09.291 When Queen Esther's maids and Eunuch came and told her about 00:04:09.291 --> 00:04:11.871 Mordecai, she was deeply distressed. 00:04:12.291 --> 00:04:16.521 She sent clothing to him to replace the burlap, but he refused it. 00:04:17.331 --> 00:04:20.961 Then Esther sent for Hayek, one of the King's Unix, who had 00:04:20.961 --> 00:04:22.701 been appointed as her attendant. 00:04:23.151 --> 00:04:26.721 She ordered him to go to Mordecai and find out what was troubling 00:04:26.721 --> 00:04:28.401 him and why he was in mourning. 00:04:29.031 --> 00:04:33.051 So Hayak went out to Mordecai in the square in front of the Palace Gate. 00:04:34.416 --> 00:04:38.946 Mordecai told him the whole story including the exact amount of money 00:04:38.946 --> 00:04:43.536 Haman had promised to pay into the Royal Treasury for the destruction of the Jews. 00:04:44.196 --> 00:04:48.246 Mordecai gave Haac a copy of the decree issued in Suse that 00:04:48.246 --> 00:04:50.196 called for the death of all Jews. 00:04:50.646 --> 00:04:55.356 He asked Haac to show it to Esther and explain the situation to her. 00:04:55.926 --> 00:05:00.456 He also asked Hayak to direct her to go to the King to beg for 00:05:00.456 --> 00:05:02.406 mercy and plead for her people. 00:05:02.961 --> 00:05:06.231 So Hayak returned to Esther with Mordecai's message. 00:05:07.161 --> 00:05:11.781 Then Esther told Hayak to go back and relay this message to Mordecai. 00:05:12.591 --> 00:05:16.611 All the king's officials and even the people in the provinces know 00:05:16.611 --> 00:05:20.931 that anyone who appears before the king in his inner court without being 00:05:20.931 --> 00:05:25.851 invited, is doomed to die unless the king holds out his gold scepter. 00:05:26.121 --> 00:05:30.441 And the king has not called for me to come to him for 30 days. 00:05:31.086 --> 00:05:33.816 So Ack gave Esther's message to Mordecai. 00:05:34.806 --> 00:05:37.116 Mordecai sent this reply to Esther. 00:05:37.716 --> 00:05:41.766 Don't think for a moment that because you are in the palace, you will 00:05:41.766 --> 00:05:44.226 escape when all other Jews are killed. 00:05:44.886 --> 00:05:49.746 If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews 00:05:49.746 --> 00:05:54.426 will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. 00:05:55.221 --> 00:06:00.801 Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this, 00:06:01.971 --> 00:06:04.341 then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai. 00:06:05.031 --> 00:06:09.201 Go and gather together all the Jews of SUSE and fast for me. 00:06:09.861 --> 00:06:13.131 Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. 00:06:13.701 --> 00:06:18.171 My maids and I will do the same, and then though it is against the 00:06:18.171 --> 00:06:20.721 law, I will go in to see the king. 00:06:21.411 --> 00:06:24.051 If I must die, I must die. 00:06:25.041 --> 00:06:29.511 So Mordecai went away and did everything as Esther had ordered him. 00:06:31.071 --> 00:06:35.301 On the third day of the fast, Esther put on her royal robes and entered 00:06:35.301 --> 00:06:38.781 the inner court of the palace just across from the King's Hall. 00:06:39.381 --> 00:06:44.161 The king was sitting on his royal throne facing the entrance when he saw Queen 00:06:44.331 --> 00:06:46.251 Esther standing there in the inner court. 00:06:46.731 --> 00:06:49.911 He welcomed her and held out the gold scepter to her. 00:06:50.631 --> 00:06:53.401 So Esther approached and touched the end of the scepter. 00:06:54.411 --> 00:06:57.411 Then the king asked her, what do you want, queen Esther? 00:06:57.801 --> 00:06:58.971 What is your request? 00:06:59.361 --> 00:07:02.481 I will give it to you even if it is half the kingdom. 00:07:03.471 --> 00:07:08.901 And Esther replied, if it please the king, let the king and Haman come today to a 00:07:08.901 --> 00:07:10.761 banquet I have prepared for the king. 00:07:11.901 --> 00:07:15.801 The king turned to his attendance and said, tell Haman to come quickly to 00:07:15.801 --> 00:07:17.961 a banquet as Esther has requested. 00:07:18.771 --> 00:07:21.501 So the King and Haman went to Esther's banquet. 00:07:22.686 --> 00:07:25.686 And while they were drinking wine, the king said to Esther, 00:07:26.076 --> 00:07:28.176 now tell me what you really want. 00:07:28.506 --> 00:07:29.916 What is your request? 00:07:30.306 --> 00:07:33.606 I will give it to you even if it is half the kingdom. 00:07:34.776 --> 00:07:41.256 Esther replied, this is my request and deepest wish if I have found favor with 00:07:41.256 --> 00:07:46.986 the king and if it pleases the king to grant my request and do what I ask, please 00:07:46.986 --> 00:07:49.326 come with Haman tomorrow to the banquet. 00:07:49.356 --> 00:07:50.376 I will prepare for you. 00:07:51.246 --> 00:07:53.526 Then I will explain what this is all about. 00:07:54.576 --> 00:07:59.376 Haman was a happy man as he left the banquet, but when he saw Mordecai 00:07:59.376 --> 00:08:03.696 sitting at the palace gate, not standing up or trembling nervously 00:08:03.701 --> 00:08:06.576 before him, Haman became furious. 00:08:07.116 --> 00:08:09.966 However, he restrained himself and went on home. 00:08:11.091 --> 00:08:15.771 Then Haman gathered together his friends and zeroes his wife and boasted 00:08:15.771 --> 00:08:19.911 to them about his great wealth and as many children he bragged about 00:08:19.916 --> 00:08:23.391 the honors the king had given him and how he had been promoted over 00:08:23.396 --> 00:08:25.281 all the other nobles and officials. 00:08:26.211 --> 00:08:31.191 Then Haman added, and that's not all Queen Esther invited only me 00:08:31.251 --> 00:08:33.021 and the king himself to the banquet. 00:08:33.021 --> 00:08:36.681 She prepared for us, and she has invited me to dine with her 00:08:36.681 --> 00:08:38.121 and the king again tomorrow. 00:08:39.051 --> 00:08:39.861 Then he added. 00:08:40.776 --> 00:08:45.996 This is all worth nothing as long as I see Mordecai the Jew just 00:08:45.996 --> 00:08:48.036 sitting there at the Palace Gate. 00:08:49.236 --> 00:08:55.476 So Haman's wife, Xes, and all his friends suggested set up a sharpened pole that 00:08:55.476 --> 00:09:01.686 stands 75 feet tall, and in the morning, ask the king to impale Mordecai on it. 00:09:02.106 --> 00:09:06.156 When this is done, you can go on your merry way to the banquet with the king. 00:09:07.026 --> 00:09:10.236 This pleased Haman and he ordered the poll set up.