Saturday in Season after Pentecost

1Verse 1. After these events, King Xerxes honored Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, elevating him to a position above all the princes who were with him. 2Verse 2. All the royal servants at the king’s gate bowed down and paid homage to Haman, because the king had commanded that this be done for him. But Mordecai would not bow down or pay homage. 3Verse 3. Then the royal servants at the king’s gate asked Mordecai, “Why do you disobey the command of the king?” 4Verse 4. Day after day they warned him, but he would not comply. So they reported it to Haman to see whether Mordecai’s behavior would be tolerated, since he had told them he was a Jew. 5Verse 5. When Haman saw that Mordecai would not bow down or pay him homage, he was filled with rage. 6Verse 6. And when he learned the identity of Mordecai’s people, he scorned the notion of laying hands on Mordecai alone. Instead, he sought to destroy all of Mordecai’s people, the Jews, throughout the kingdom of Xerxes. 7Verse 7. In the twelfth year of King Xerxes, in the first month, the month of Nisan, the Pur (that is, the lot) was cast before Haman to determine a day and month. And the lot fell on the twelfth month, the month of Adar. 8Verse 8. Then Haman informed King Xerxes, “There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the peoples of every province of your kingdom. Their laws are different from everyone else’s, and they do not obey the king’s laws. So it is not in the king’s best interest to tolerate them. 9Verse 9. If it pleases the king, let a decree be issued to destroy them, and I will deposit ten thousand talents of silver into the royal treasury to pay those who carry it out.” 10Verse 10. So the king removed the signet ring from his finger and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews. 11Verse 11. “Keep your money,” said the king to Haman. “These people are given to you to do with them as you please.” 12Verse 12. On the thirteenth day of the first month, the royal scribes were summoned and the order was written exactly as Haman commanded the royal satraps, the governors of each province, and the officials of each people, in the script of each province and the language of every people. It was written in the name of King Xerxes and sealed with the royal signet ring. 13Verse 13. And the letters were sent by couriers to each of the royal provinces with the order to destroy, kill, and annihilate all the Jews— young and old, women and children— and to plunder their possessions on a single day, the thirteenth day of Adar, the twelfth month. 14Verse 14. A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued in every province and published to all the people, so that they would be ready on that day. 15Verse 15. The couriers left, spurred on by the king’s command, and the edict was issued in the citadel of Susa. Then the king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Susa was in confusion.

1Verse 1. Then Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people: “Keep all the commandments I am giving you today. 2Verse 2. And on the day you cross the Jordan into the land that the LORD your God is giving you, set up large stones and coat them with plaster. 3Verse 3. Write on them all the words of this law when you have crossed over to enter the land that the LORD your God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, has promised you. 4Verse 4. And when you have crossed the Jordan, you are to set up these stones on Mount Ebal, as I am commanding you today, and you are to coat them with plaster. 5Verse 5. Moreover, you are to build there an altar to the LORD your God, an altar of stones. You must not use any iron tool on them. 6Verse 6. You shall build the altar of the LORD your God with uncut stones and offer upon it burnt offerings to the LORD your God. 7Verse 7. There you are to sacrifice your peace offerings, eating them and rejoicing in the presence of the LORD your God. 8Verse 8. And you shall write distinctly upon these stones all the words of this law.” 9Verse 9. Then Moses and the Levitical priests spoke to all Israel: “Be silent, O Israel, and listen! This day you have become the people of the LORD your God. 10Verse 10. You shall therefore obey the voice of the LORD your God and follow His commandments and statutes I am giving you today.”