Esther 1

Old Testament · Brenton Septuagint with Greek parallel

Esther 1

1[In the second year of the reign of Artaxerxes the great king, on the first day of Nisan, Mardochaeus the son of Jarius, the son of Semeias, the son of Cisaus, of the tribe of Benjamine, a Jew dwelling in the city Susa, a great man, serving in the king's palace, saw a vision. Now he was of the captivity which Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon had carried captive from Jerusalem, with Jachonias the king of Judea. And this was his dream: Behold, voices and a noise, thunders and earthquake, tumult upon the earth. And, behold, two great serpents came forth, both ready for conflict, and there came from them a great voice, and by their voice every nation was prepared for battle, even to fight against the nation of the just. And, behold, a day of darkness and blackness, tribulation and anguish, affection and tumult upon the earth. And all the righteous nation was troubled, fearing their own afflictions; and they prepared to die, and cried to God: and from their cry there came as it were a great river from a little fountain, even much water. And light and the sun arose, and the lowly were exalted, and devoured the honorable. And Mardochaeus who had seen this vision and what God desired to do, having * awoke, kept it in his heart, and desired by all means to interpret it, even till night. And Mardochaeus rested quiet in the palace with Gabatha and Tharrha the king's two chamberlains, eunuchs who guarded the palace. And he heard their reasoning and searched out their plans, and learned that they were preparing to lay hands on king Artaxerxes: and he informed the king concerning them. And the king examined the two chamberlains, and they confessed, and were † executed. And the king wrote these things for a memorial: also Mardochaeus wrote concerning these matters. And the king commanded Mardochaeus to attend in the palace, and gave gifts for this service. And Aman the son of Amadathes the Bugean was honorable in the sight of the king, and he endeavored to hurt Mardochaeus and his people, because of the two chamberlains of the king.] ‡ And it came to pass after these § things in the days of Artaxerxes, —(this Artaxerxes ruled over one hundred and twenty-seven provinces from India)—“ἜΤΟΥΣ δευτέρου βασιλεύοντος Ἀρταξέρξου τοῦ μεγάλου βασιλέως τῇ μιᾷ τοῦ Νισὰν, ἐνύπνιον εἶδε Μαρδοχαῖος ὁ τοῦ Ἰαΐρου, τοῦ Σεμεΐου, τοῦ Κισαίου, ἐκ φυλῆς Βενιαμὶν,

1bἄνθρωπος Ἰουδαῖος οἰκῶν ἐν Σούσοις τῇ πόλει, ἄνθρωπος μέγας, θεραπεύων ἐν τῇ αὐλῇ τοῦ βασιλέως.

1cἮν δὲ ἐκ τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας, ἦς ᾐχμαλώτευσε Ναβουχοδονόσορ βασιλεὺς Βαβυλῶνος ἐξ Ἰερουσαλὴμ, μετὰ Ἰεχονίου τοῦ βασιλέως τῆς Ἰουδαίας.

1d“Καὶ τοῦτο αὐτοῦ τὸ ἐνύπνιον· καὶ ἰδοὺ φωναὶ καὶ θόρυβος, βρονταὶ καὶ σεισμὺς, τάραχος ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς.

1eΚαὶ ἰδοὺ δύο δράκοντες μεγάλοι, ἕτομοι προῆλθον ἀμφότεροι παλαίειν· καὶ ἐγένετο αὐτῶν φωνὴ μεγάλη,

1fκαὶ τῇ φωνῇ αὐτῶν ἡτοιμάσθη πᾶν ἔθνος εἰς πόλεμον, ὥστε πολεμῆσαι δικαίων ἔθνος.

1gΚαὶ ἰδοὺ ἡμέρα σκότους καὶ γνόφου, θλιψις καὶ στενοχωρία, κάκωσις καὶ τάραχος μέγας ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς.

1hΚαὶ ἐταράχθη πᾶν ἔθνος δίκαιον φοβούμενοι τὰ ἑαυτῶν κακὰ, καὶ ἡτοιμάσθησαν ἀπολέσθαι, καὶ ἐβόησαν πρὸς τὸν Θεόν·

1iἀπὸ δὲ τῆς βοῆς αὐτῶν ἐγένετο ὡσανεὶ ἀπὸ μικρᾶς πηγῆς ποταμὸς μέγας, ὕδωρ πολύ.

1kΚαὶ φῶς και ὁ ἥλιος ἀνέτειλε, καὶ οἱ ταπεινοὶ ὑψώθησαν, καὶ κατέφαγον τοὺς ἐνδόξους.

1l“Καὶ διεγερθεὶς Μαρδοχαῖος ὁ ἑωρακὼς τὸ ἐνύπνιον τοῦτο, καὶ τί ὁ Θεὸς βεβούλευται ποιῆσαι, εἶχεν αὐτὸ ἐν τῇ καρδία, καὶ ἐν παντὶ λόγῳ ἤθελεν ἐπιγνῶναι αὐτὸ ἕως τῆς νυκτός.

1mΚαὶ ἡσύχασε Μαρδοχαῖος ἐν τῇ αὐλῇ. μετὰ Γαβαθὰ καὶ Θάῤῥα τῶν δύο εὐνούχων τοῦ βασιλέως, τῶν φυλασσόντων τὴν αὐλήν.

1nἬκουσέ τε αὐτῶν τοὺς λογισμοὺς, καὶ τὰς μερίμνας αὐτῶν ἐξηρεύνησεν· καὶ ἔμαθεν, ὅτι ἑτοιμάζουσι τὰς χεῖρας ἐπιβαλεῖν Ἀρταξέρξῃ τῷ βασιλεῖ· καὶ ὑπέδειξε τῷ βασιλεῖ περὶ αὐτῶ.

1oΚαὶ ἐξήτασεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τοὺς δύο εὐνούχους, καὶ ὁμολογήσαντες σαντες ἀπήχθησαν.

1pΚαὶ ἔγραψεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τοὺς λόγους τούτους εἰς μνημόσυνον, καὶ Μαρδοχαῖος ἔγραψε περὶ τῶν λόγων τούτων.

1qΚαὶ ἐπέταξεν ὁ βασιλεὺς Μαρδοχαίῳ θεραπεύειν ἐν τῇ αὐλῇ, καὶ ἔδωκεων αὐτῷ δόματα περὶ τούτων.

1rΚαὶ ἦν Ἀμὰν Ἀμαδάθου Βουγαῖος ἔνδοξος ἐνώπιον τοῦ βασιλέως, καὶ ἐζήτησε κακποιῆσαι τὸν Μαρδοχαῖον καὶ τον λαὸν αὐτοῦ, ὑπὲρ τῶν δύο εὐνούχων τοῦ βασιλέως.”

1sΚαὶ ἐγένετο μετὰ τοὺς λόγους τούτους ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις Ἀρταξέρξου· οὗτος ὁ Ἀρταξέρξης ἀπὸ τῆς Ἰνδικῆς ἑκατὸν εἰκοσιεπτὰ χωρῶν ἐκράτησεν·

2in those days, when king Artaxerxes was on the throne in the city of Susa,Ἐν αὐταῖς ταῖς ἡμέραις ὅτε ἐθρονίσθη βασιλεὺς Ἀρταξέρξης ἐν Σούσοις τῇ πόλει,

3in the third year of his reign, he made a feast to his friends, and the other nations, and to the nobles of the Persians and Medes, and the chief of the satraps.ἐν τῷ τρίτῳ ἔτει βασιλεύοντος αὐτοῦ, δοχὴν ἐποίησε τοῖς φίλοις καὶ τοῖς λοιποῖς ἔθνεσι, καὶ τοῖς Περσῶν καὶ Μήδων ἐνδόξοις, καὶ τοῖς ἄρχουσι τῶν σατραπῶν.

4And after this, after he had shown to them the wealth of his kingdom, and the abundant glory of his wealth during one hundred and eighty days,Καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα μετὰ τὸ δεῖξαι αὐτοῖς τὸν πλοῦτον τῆς βασιλείας αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὴν δόξαν τῆς εὐφροσύνης τοῦ πλούτου αὐτοῦ ἐν ἡμέραις ἑκατὸν ὀγδοήκοντα.

5when, I say, the days of the marriage feast were completed, the king made a banquet to the nations who were present in the city six days, in the court of the king's house,Ὅτε δὲ ἀνεπληρώθησαν αἱ ἡμέραι τοῦ γάμου, ἐποίησεν ὁ βασιλεὺς πότον τοῖς ἔθνεσι τοῖς εὑρεθεῖσιν εἰς τὴν πόλιν ἐπὶ ἡμέρας ἓξ, ἐν αὐλῇ οἴκου τοῦ βασιλέως

6which was adorned with hangings of fine linen and flax on cords of fine linen and purple, fastened to golden and silver studs, on pillars of Parian marble and stone: there were golden and silver couches on a pavement of emerald stone, and of pearl, and of Parian stone, ** and open-worked coverings variously flowered, having roses worked round about;κεκοσμημένῃ βυσσίνοις καὶ καρπασίνοις τεταμένοις ἐπὶ σχοινίοις βυσσίνοις καὶ πορφυροῖς, ἐπὶ κύβοις χρυσοῖς καὶ ἀργυροῖς, ἐπὶ στύλοις Παρίνοις καὶ λιθίνοις· κλίναι χρυσαῖ καὶ ἀργυραῖ ἐπὶ λιθοστρώτου σμαραγδίτου λίθου, καὶ πιννίνου, καὶ Παρίνου λίθου· καὶ στρωμναὶ διαφανεῖς ποικίλως διηνθισμέναι, κύκλῳ ῥόδα πεπασμένα·

7gold and silver cups, and a small cup of carbuncle set out of the value of thirty thousand talents, abundant and sweet wine, which the king himself drank.Ποτήρια χρυσᾶ καὶ ἀργυρᾶ, καὶ ἀνθράκινον κυλίκιον προκείμενον ἀπὸ ταλάντων τρισμυρίων· οἶνος πολὺς καὶ ἡδὺς, ὃν αὐτὸς ὁ βασιλεὺς ἔπινεν.

8And this banquet was not according to the appointed law; but so the king would have it: and he charged the stewards to perform his will and that of the company.Ὁ δὲ πότος οὗτος οὐ κατὰ προκείμενον νόμον ἐγένετο· οὕτως δὲ ἠθέλησεν ὁ βασιλεὺς, καὶ ἐπέταξε τοῖς οἰκονόμοις ποιῆσαι τὸ θέλημα αὐτοῦ, καὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων.

9Also Astin the queen made a banquet for the women in the palace where king Artaxerxes lived.Καὶ Ἀστὶν ἡ βασίλισσα ἐποίησε πότον ταῖς γυναιξὶν ἐν τοῖς βασιλείοις, ὅπου ὁ βασιλεὺς Ἀρταξέρξης.

10Now on the seventh day the king, being merry, told Aman, and Bazan, and Tharrha, and Barazi, and Zatholtha, and Abataza, and Tharaba, the seven chamberlains, servants of king Artaxerxes,Ἐν δὲ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἑβδόμῃ ἡδέως γενόμενος ὁ βασιλεὺς, εἶπε τῷ Ἀμὰν, καὶ Βαζὰν, καὶ Θάῤῥα, καὶ Βωραζὶ, καὶ Ζαθολθὰ, καὶ Ἀβαταζὰ, καὶ Θαραβά, τοῖς ἑπτὰ εὐνούχοις τοῖς διακόνοις τοῦ βασιλέως Ἀρταξέρξου,

11to bring in the queen to him, to †† enthrone her, and crown her with the diadem, and to show her to the princes, and her beauty to the nations: for she was beautiful.εἰσαγαγεῖν τὴν βασίλισσαν πρὸς αὐτὸν, βασιλεύειν αὐτὴν, καὶ περιθεῖναι αὐτῇ τὸ διάδημα, καὶ δεῖξαι αὐτὴν τοῖς ἄρχουσι, καὶ τοῖς ἔθνεσι τὸ κάλλος αὐτῆς, ὅτι καλὴ ἦν.

12But queen Astin listened not to him to come with the chamberlains: so the king was grieved and angered.Καὶ οὐκ εἰσήκουσεν αὐτοῦ Ἀστὶν ἡ βασίλισσα ἐλθεῖν μετὰ τῶν εὐνούχων· καὶ ἐλυπήθη ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ ὠργίσθη,

13And he said to his friends, Thus have Astin spoken: pronounce therefore upon this case law and judgment.Καὶ εἶπε τοῖς φίλοις αὐτοῦ, κατὰ ταῦτα ἐλάλησεν Ἀστίν, ποιήσατε οὖν περὶ τούτου νόμον καὶ κρίσιν.

14So Arkesaeus, and Sarsathaeus, and Malisear, the princes of the Persians and Medes, who were near the king, who sat chief in rank by the king, drew near to him,Καὶ προσῆλθεν αὐτῷ Ἀρκεσαῖος, καὶ Σαρσαθαῖος, καὶ Μαλισεὰρ, οἱ ἄρχοντες Περσῶν καὶ Μήδων, οἱ ἐγγὺς τοῦ βασιλέως, οἱ πρῶτοι παρακαθήμενοι τῷ βασιλεῖ,

15and reported to him according to the laws how it was proper to do to queen Astin, because she had not done the things commanded of the king by the chamberlains.καὶ ἀπήγγειλαν αὐτῷ κατὰ τοὺς νόμους, ὡς δεῖ ποιῆσαι Ἀστὶν τῇ βασιλίσσῃ, ὅτι οὐκ ἐποίησε τὰ ὑπὸ τοῦ βασιλέως προσταχθέντα διὰ τῶν εὐνούχων.

16And Muchaeus said to the king and to the princes, Queen Astin has not wronged the king only, but also all the king's rulers and princes:καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Μουχαῖος πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα καὶ τοὺς ἄρχοντας, οὐ τὸν βασιλέα μόνον ἠδίκησεν Ἀστὶν ἡ βασίλισσα, ἀλλὰ καὶ πάντας τοὺς ἄρχοντας καὶ τοὺς ἡγουμένους τοῦ βασιλέως·

17for he has told them the words of the queen, and how she ‡‡ disobeyed the king. As then, said he, she refused to obey king Artaxerxes,Καὶ γὰρ διηγήσατο αὐτοῖς τὰ ῥήματα τῆς βασιλίσσης, καὶ ὡς ἀντεῖπε τῷ βασιλεῖ· ὡς οὖν ἀντεῖπε τῷ βασιλεῖ Ἀρταξέρξῃ,

18so this day shall the other ladies of the chiefs of the Persians and Medes, having heard what she said to the king, dare in the same way to dishonor their husbands.οὕτω σήμερον αἱ τυραννίδες αἱ λοιπαὶ τῶν ἀρχόντων Περσῶν καὶ Μήδων ἀκούσασαι τὰ τῷ βασιλεῖ λεχθέντα ὑπʼ αὐτῆς, τολμήσουσιν ὁμοίως ἀτιμάσαι τοὺς ἄνδρας αὐτῶν.

19If then it seem good to the king, let him make a royal decree, and let it be written according to the laws of the Medes and Persians, and let him not alter it: and let not the queen come in to him any more; and let the king give her royalty to a woman better than she.Εἶ οὖν δοκεῖ τῷ βασιλεῖ, προσταξάτω βασιλικὸν, καὶ γραφήτω κατὰ τοὺς νόμους Μήδων καὶ Περσῶν, καὶ μὴ ἄλλως χρησάσθω, μηδὲ εἰσελθάτω ἔτι ἡ βασίλισσα πρὸς αὐτὸν, καὶ τὴν βασιλείαν αὐτῆς δότω ὁ βασιλεὺς γυναικὶ κρείττονι αὐτῆς.

20And let the law of the king which he shall have made, be widely proclaimed, in his kingdom: and so shall all the women give honor to their husbands, from the poor even to the rich.Καὶ ἀκουσθήτω ὁ νόμος ὁ ὑπὸ τοῦ βασιλέως, ὃν ἐὰν ποιῇ ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ αὐτοῦ· καὶ οὕτω πᾶσαι αἱ γυναῖκες περιθήσουσι τιμὴν τοῖς ἀνδράσιν ἑαυτῶν, ἀπὸ πτωχοῦ ἕως πλουσίου.

21And the saying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did as Muchaeus had said,Καὶ ἤρεσεν ὁ λόγος τῷ βασιλεῖ καὶ τοῖς ἄρχουσι· καὶ ἐποίησεν ὁ βασιλεὺς καθὰ ἐλάλησεν ὁ Μουχαῖος,

22and sent into all his kingdom through the several provinces, according to their language, §§ in order that men might be feared in their own houses.καὶ ἀπέστειλεν εἰς πᾶσαν τὴν βασιλείαν κατὰ χώραν, κατὰ τὴν λέξιν αὐτῶν, ὥστε εἶναι φόβον αὐτοῖς ἐν ταῖς οἰκίαις αὐτῶν.

Translator's Notes

These notes come from the printed edition of Sir Lancelot Brenton's classic English translation of the Septuagint (LXX), and record where the Greek differs from the English rendering or admits more than one reading.

• v. 1*Or, arisen.
• v. 1†Lit led away, see Acts 12:19.
• v. 1‡Note. - In the Heb. and some copies of LXX, Esther begins here.
• v. 1§Gr. words.
• v. 6**Lit. transparent.
• v. 11††Gr. to make her queen.
• v. 17‡‡Gr. contradicted.
• v. 22§§Gr. that there might be fear to them, etc.