Esther Cross References - ISV

¹ The Wealth of King AhasuerusThis is a record of what happened during the reign of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who ruled over 127 provinces from India to Cush. ² At that time King Ahasuerus was ruling from Susa the capital. ³ In the third year of his reign, he gave a banquet for all his officials and ministers, and the military leaders of Persia and Media, the nobles, and the provincial officials were present. ⁴ He displayed the enormous wealth of his kingdom, along with its splendid beauty and greatness for many days—for 180 days in all.
⁵ The Banquet of King AhasuerusWhen those days were over, the king held a seven-day banquet in the courtyard of the garden of his palace for all the people who were present in Susa the capital, from the greatest to the least important. ⁶ There were curtains of white and blue linen tied with cords of fine linen and purple material to silver rings on marble columns. There were couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl and other precious stones. ⁷ Drinks were served in gold vessels of various kinds, and there was plenty of royal wine because the king was generous. ⁸ According to the king’s decree the drinking was not compulsory because the king instructed every steward in his house to serve each individual what he desired. ⁹ Queen Vashti also held a banquet in the royal palace of King Ahasuerus for the women.
¹⁰ Vashti Refuses to Obey the KingA week later, when the king was under the influence of all that wine, he ordered Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven eunuchs who served King Ahasuerus, ¹¹ to bring Queen Vashti to the king, wearing the royal crown to display her beauty to the people and the officials, since she was lovely to look at. ¹² Queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s order that was brought by the eunuchs.
The King Removes Vashti as QueenThen the king flew into a rage. ¹³ The king spoke to the wise men who understood the times, for it was the king’s custom to consult all those who understood law and justice. ¹⁴ (His closest advisers were: Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven officials of Persia and Media who had direct access to the king and who held the highest rank in the kingdom.) ¹⁵ The king inquired, “According to law, what should be done to Queen Vashti because she did not obey the order of King Ahasuerus that was delivered by the eunuchs?”
¹⁶ Then Memucan replied in the presence of the king and his officials, “It is not the king alone whom Vashti has wronged, but rather all of the officials and all of the people who are in the provinces of King Ahasuerus. ¹⁷ When the report about the queen goes out to all the women, it will cause them to despise their husbands. They’ll say, ‘King Ahasuerus ordered Queen Vashti to be brought before him, but she wouldn’t come.’ ¹⁸ This very day the wives of the officials of Persia and Media who hear the report about the queen will speak in the same way to all the officials of the king, and there will be more than enough contempt and anger. ¹⁹ If it seems good to the king, let a royal decree go out from him and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media, which cannot be repealed, that Vashti is never again to enter the presence of King Ahasuerus. Let the king give her royal position to another woman who is better than she. ²⁰ When the edict of the king that he issues is heard throughout his kingdom—for it’s vast—then all the women will give honor to their husbands, from the greatest to the least important.”
²¹ This seemed like a good idea to the king and his officials, so the king did what Memucan suggested. ²² He sent letters to all the provinces of the king, written in the script of that province, and to each people in their own language, ordering that every man should be the master in his house and speak the language of his own people.

⁶ At the beginning of the reign of Ahasuerus, they lodged a formal accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.

⁹ The king’s scribes were summoned at that time, on the twenty-third day of the third month, which is the month Sivan, and everything that Mordecai commanded the Jewish people, the regional authorities, the governors, and the provincial officials of the 127 provinces from India to Cush was written down for each province according to its script, for each people according to their language, and for the Jewish people according to their script and language.

³⁰ Letters containing wishes for peace and stability were sent to all the Jewish people, to the 127 provinces of Ahasuerus’ kingdom,

¹ A Rebuke to Cush Woe to the land of whirring wings that is beyond the rivers of Cush,

⁹ Now King Sennacherib had received this report concerning King Tirhakah of Cush: “He has marched out to fight against you.”
When he heard it, he returned and sent messengers to Hezekiah:

¹ Daniel’s Service to DariusIt pleased Darius to appoint 120 regional authorities over the kingdom throughout the realm,

¹ Daniel’s Prayer“In the first year of the reign of Darius son of Ahasuerus, a descendant of the Medes, who was made king over the kingdom of the Chaldeans—

¹ David Plans to Build the Temple
After the king had settled down in his palace and the LORD had given him respite from all of his surrounding enemies,

⁴⁶ Solomon now sits on the royal throne.

¹ IntroductionIn this document, I, Hacaliah’s son Nehemiah, recount what occurred during the twentieth year of Artaxerxes.
BackgroundIn the month of Chislev, while I was in Shushan at the palace,

³ Let the king appoint officials in all the provinces of his kingdom to bring all the beautiful young virgins into the harem in Susa the capital. Let them be placed under the care of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, who is in charge of the women to give them their beauty treatments.

¹⁵ The couriers went out, urged on by the king’s command, and the edict was issued in Susa the capital. The king and Haman sat down to drink, while the city of Susa was thrown into confusion.

¹⁶ “Go and gather all the Jewish people who are in Susa and fast for me. Don’t eat or drink for three days, night or day. Both I and my young women will also fast in the same way, and then I’ll go in to the king, even though it’s against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”

¹² The king told Queen Esther, “In Susa the capital the Jewish people have killed and destroyed 500 people, including Haman’s ten sons. What have they done in the rest of the king’s provinces? Now what’s your petition? It will be given to you. What’s your further request? It will be done.”
¹³ Then Esther said, “If it pleases the king, let it also be granted to the Jewish people in Susa to do tomorrow what the edict allowed them to do today, and let Haman’s ten sons be hanged on poles.”
¹⁴ The king said, “Let this be done.” So an edict was issued in Susa, and Haman’s ten sons were hanged on poles. ¹⁵ The Jewish people in Susa assembled again on that day, the fourteenth of Adar, and they killed 300 people in Susa, but they did not lay their hands on the spoils.

⁴ Nebuchadnezzar’s DreamI, Nebuchadnezzar, was resting in my home and prospering in my palace.

² As I observed the vision, I looked around the citadel of Susa in Elam Province. While I watched, I found myself beside the Ulai Canal.

²⁰ The Dreams are FulfilledOn the third day, which just happened to be Pharaoh’s birthday, he threw a party for all his servants. He lifted the head of both his senior security advisor and of his head chef in front of his servants—

¹⁵ Then Solomon woke up and realized that he had dreamed a dream. Then he went back to Jerusalem, stood before the ark of the LORD’s covenant, offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and threw a party for all of his servants.

² AN OFFICIAL STATEMENT FROM CYRUS, KING OF PERSIA All of the kingdoms of the earth have been given to me by the LORD God of Heaven, and he specifically charged me to build a temple for him in Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

¹⁴ (His closest advisers were: Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven officials of Persia and Media who had direct access to the king and who held the highest rank in the kingdom.)

¹⁸ The king put on a great banquet for all his officials and ministers to honor Esther. He declared a holiday for the provinces and gave generous gifts.

² A dire vision has been announced to me: the traitor betrays, and the plunderer takes loot. Get up, Elam! Attack, Media! I am putting a stop to all the groaning she has caused.

¹¹ Sharpen the arrows, fill the quivers! The LORD has stirred up the spirit of the kings of the Medes— he has decided to destroy Babylon. Indeed, it’s the LORD’s vengeance, vengeance for his Temple.

² Then King Nebuchadnezzar summoned the regional authorities, governors, deputy governors, advisors, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all of the other administrators of the provinces, ordering them to come to the dedication of the statue that he had erected.
³ So the regional authorities, governors, deputy governors, advisors, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all of the other administrators of the provinces assembled to dedicate the statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had erected. They took their places in front of the statue that he had erected.

¹ Belshazzar’s FestivalKing Belshazzar put on a great festival for a thousand of his officials. He joined all one thousand of them in getting drunk.

²⁸ PERES: Your kingdom has been divided—and will be given to the Medes and Persians.”

⁶ Then these administrators and regional authorities went as a group to the king and said this, “Your majesty, live forever! ⁷ All of the royal administrators, prefects, regional authorities, scribes, and governors have concluded that the king should establish and enforce an edict that anyone who prays to any god or man for the next 30 days (except to you, your majesty) is to be thrown into the lions’ pit.

²⁰ The ram that you saw with a pair of horns are the kings of Media and Persia.

²¹ An opportunity came during Herod’s birthday celebration, when he gave a banquet for his top officials, military officers, and the most important people of Galilee.

¹¹ To you, LORD, belongs the greatness, and the valor, and the splendor, and the endurance, and the majesty because all that is in heaven and on earth is yours. To you belongs the kingdom, LORD, and you are exalted as head over all. ¹² Both wealth and honor proceed from you, and you are ruling over them all. You control power— you control who is made great, and how everyone becomes strong.

²⁵ and the LORD exalted Solomon magnificently in the sight of all Israel, bestowing upon him royal majesty such as had not been given to any king in Israel before him.

¹⁰ Can You Save Yourself?“When you have adorned yourself with exalted majesty, clothed yourself with splendor and dignity,

⁵ His glory is great because of your deliverance, you have given him honor and majesty.

³ Strap your sword to your side, mighty warrior, along with your honor and majesty.

¹ To the Director: With stringed instruments. A psalm of Asaph. A song.
The Awesome God God is known in Judah; in Israel his reputation is great. ² His abode is in Salem, his dwelling place in Zion. ³ There he shattered sharp arrows, shields, swords, and weapons of war. Interlude ⁴ You are enveloped by light; more majestic than mountains filled with game.

¹ God Reigns The LORD reigns! He is clothed in majesty; the LORD is clothed, and he is girded with strength. Indeed, the world is well established, and cannot be shaken.

⁵ I will speak about the glorious splendor of your majesty as well as your awesome actions.

¹² in order to make known your mighty acts to mankind as well as the majestic splendor of your kingdom. ¹³ Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your authority endures from one generation to another. ^13bGod is faithful about everything he says and merciful in everything he does.

² Hezekiah was delighted with them, and showed them everything in his treasure-houses—the silver, the gold, the spices, the precious oils, his entire armory, and everything found in his treasuries. There was nothing in his palace or in all his kingdom that Hezekiah did not show them.

⁵ By your great wisdom, by your skills in trading you have amassed wealth for yourself and your heart has become arrogant because of your wealth.”

³⁷ You, your majesty, king of kings—to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, the strength, and the glory, ³⁸ so that wherever people, wild animals, or birds of the sky live, he has placed them under your control, giving you dominion over them all—you’re that head of gold. ³⁹ “After you, another kingdom will arise that is inferior to yours, and then a third kingdom of bronze will arise to rule all the earth. ⁴⁰ Then there will be a fourth kingdom, as strong as iron. Just as all things are broken to pieces and shattered by iron, so it will shatter and crush everything. ⁴¹ “The feet and toes that you saw, made partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, represent a divided kingdom. It will still have the strength of iron, in that you saw iron mixed with clay. ⁴² Just as their toes and feet are part iron and part clay, so will the kingdom be both strong and brittle. ⁴³ Just as you saw iron mixed with clay, so they will mix themselves with human offspring. Furthermore, they won’t remain together, just as iron doesn’t mix with clay. ⁴⁴ “During the reigns of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor its sovereignty left in the hands of another people. It will shatter and crush all of these kingdoms, and it will stand forever.

³⁰ he commented to himself, “Isn’t Babylon great? I’ve built a royal palace in it by my own might and power, for the sake of my majesty.”

³⁶ At that moment I recovered my sanity, and my honor and majesty returned to me, for the sake of my kingdom. My advisors and officials sought me out, my throne was restored, and even more greatness than I had before was added to me.

¹⁸ Your majesty, the Most High God gave your grandfather Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty, as well as greatness, glory, and splendor.

⁹ The Vision of the Ancient of Days“I kept on watching until the Ancient of Days was seated. His clothes were white, like snow, and the hair on his head was like pure wool. His throne burned with flaming fire, and its wheels burned with fire. ¹⁰ A river of fire flowed out from before him. Thousands upon thousands were serving him, with millions upon millions waiting before him. The court sat in judgment, and record books were unsealed.
¹¹ “I continued watching because of the audacious words that the horn was speaking. I kept observing until the animal was killed and its body destroyed and given over to burning fire. ¹² Now as to the other animals, their authority was removed, but they were granted a reprieve from execution for an appointed period of time.”
¹³ The Vision of the Son of Man“I continued to observe the night vision—and look!—someone like the Son of Man was coming, accompanied by heavenly clouds. He approached the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. ¹⁴ To him dominion was bestowed, along with glory and a kingdom, so that all peoples, nations, and languages are to serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion—it will never pass away—and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.”

⁸ Once more the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world, along with their splendor.

¹³ And never bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’

²³ Can’t he also reveal his glorious riches to the objects of his mercy that he has prepared ahead of time for glory—

¹⁸ Then, with the eyes of your hearts enlightened, you will know the confidence that is produced by God having called you, the rich glory that is his inheritance among the saints,

²⁷ to whom God wanted to make known the glorious riches of this secret among the gentiles—which is the Messiah in you, our glorious hope.

¹⁶ Pay Attention to God’s WordWhen we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah, we did not follow any clever myths. Rather, we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. ¹⁷ For he received honor and glory from God the Father when these words from the Majestic Glory were spoken about him: “This is my Son, whom I love. I am pleased with him.”

¹¹ “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory, honor, and power, because you created all things; they came into existence and were created because of your will.”

⁸ At that time Solomon also held a week-long festival attended by all of Israel. The assembly was very large, and included people from as far away as Lebo-hamath to the Wadi of Egypt. ⁹ On the day after the festival ended, they convened a solemn assembly, because they had been dedicating the altar for seven days and observing the festival for seven days.

²¹ The Festival of Unleavened Bread is ObservedThe Israelis who were present in Jerusalem observed the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days with immense gladness, and the descendants of Levi and priests praised the LORD throughout each day, singing mightily to the LORD. ²² Hezekiah encouraged all the descendants of Levi who demonstrated significant insight in their service to the LORD, so they all participated in the festival meals for seven days, all the while sacrificing peace offerings and giving thanks to the LORD God of their ancestors. ²³ After this, the whole assembly agreed to celebrate for another seven days, and so they did—and they were very happy to do so! ²⁴ King Hezekiah of Judah gave the assembly 1,000 bulls and 7,000 sheep for offerings, and the princes contributed 1,000 bulls and 10,000 sheep, and a large number of priests consecrated themselves.
²⁵ Everyone in the assembly of Judah rejoiced, as did the priests, the descendants of Levi, and the people who gathered together from throughout Israel, including those who came from the land of Israel and those who lived in Judah.

⁷ The king got up from the banquet in anger and went out to the palace garden, while Haman stood there begging Queen Esther to spare his life, because he realized that the king intended to harm him.
⁸ When the king returned to the banquet hall from the palace garden, Haman was prostrate on the couch where Esther was. The king asked, “Will this man even assault the queen with me in the house?” The king had no sooner spoken than they covered Haman’s face.

¹ The Tent“You are to make the tent with ten curtains of fine woven linen and with blue, purple, and scarlet material. You are to make them with cherubim skillfully worked into them.

³¹ “You are to make a curtain of blue, purple, and scarlet material, and fine woven linen. You are to make it with cherubim skillfully worked into it. ³² You are to hang it on four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold, which have hooks of gold, and are set on four sockets of silver.

³⁶ For the doorway of the tent you are to make a screen of blue, purple, and scarlet material, and with fine woven linen, the work of an embroiderer. ³⁷ You are to make five pillars of acacia for the screens and overlay them with gold. Their hooks shall be of gold, and you are to cast five bronze sockets for them.”

⁸ When the king returned to the banquet hall from the palace garden, Haman was prostrate on the couch where Esther was. The king asked, “Will this man even assault the queen with me in the house?” The king had no sooner spoken than they covered Haman’s face.

¹⁵ The Jewish People Celebrate the King’s EdictMordecai left the king’s presence in royal robes of blue and white, wearing a large golden crown and a purple robe made of fine linen; and the city of Susa shouted with joy.

⁴¹ then sat down on an elegant bed. A table was arranged in front of it, on which you set out my incense and oil.

⁸ They lay down beside every altar, on garments pledged as collateral, drinking wine paid for through fines imposed by the temple of their gods.

⁴ lying on ivory beds, stretching out on your couches, eating lambs from the flock, and fattened calves from the stall,

²¹ All of King Solomon’s drinking vessels were made of gold, and all the vessels in his palace in the Lebanon forest were made of pure gold. None were of silver, because silver was never considered to be valuable during Solomon’s lifetime,

²⁰ All of King Solomon’s drinking vessels were made of gold, and all the vessels in his palace in the Lebanon forest were made of pure gold. Silver was never considered to be valuable during the lifetime of Solomon,

² Under the influence of wine, Belshazzar ordered that the gold and silver vessels his grandfather Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the Temple in Jerusalem be brought in so the king, his officials, his wives, and his mistresses could drink from them. ³ As ordered, they brought in the gold vessels that had been taken from the sanctuary of God’s Temple in Jerusalem, and the king, his officials, his wives, and mistresses drank from them. ⁴ As they drank the wine, they praised gods of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.

⁸ We have obeyed everything that our ancestor, Rechab’s son Jonadab, commanded us. So we, our wives, our sons, and our daughters have drunk no wine all our lives,

⁷ Babylon was a golden cup in the LORD’s hand, making the whole earth drunk. The nations drank her wine, therefore the nations have gone mad.

¹⁵ Judgment on the Violent“Woe to the one who supplies his neighbor with a drink! You are forcing your bottle on him, making him drunk so you can see them naked. ¹⁶ You are filled with dishonor instead of glory. So go ahead, drink and be naked! The LORD will turn against you, and utter disgrace will debase your reputation.

⁸ Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the man in charge of the banquet.” So they did.

⁴ Esther replied, “If it pleases the king, let the king and Haman come today to the banquet I’ve prepared for him.”

⁸ If I’ve found favor with the king and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and to honor my request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I’ll prepare for them tomorrow, and then I’ll do what the king has said.”

³⁴ Joseph himself brought portions to them from his own table, except that he provided to Benjamin five times as much as he did for each of the others. So they feasted together and drank freely with Joseph.

²⁵ Because they all got good and drunk, they ordered, “Go get Samson, so he can entertain us.” So they called for Samson from the prison, and he entertained them while they made him stand between the pillars.

³⁶ Nabal’s DeathAbigail returned to Nabal, and he was there in his house holding a festival like the festival of a king. Nabal’s heart was glad, and he was very drunk, so she didn’t tell him anything at all until morning. ³⁷ After Nabal became sober the next morning, his wife told him all that had happened. Nabal’s heart failed and he became paralyzed.

²⁸ Then Absalom instructed his young men, “Please keep watching Amnon until he’s drunk. Then I’ll tell you, ‘Attack Amnon!’ As soon as I do, kill him and don’t be afraid! You have your orders, so be strong and brave!”

⁹ Then Harbonah, one of the eunuchs attending the king, observed, “Look there! A pole is standing 50 cubits high at Haman’s house that he prepared for Mordecai, whose report benefitted the king!”
The king said, “Hang him on it.”

¹ Advice on How to Live Wine causes mocking, and beer causes fights; everyone led astray by them lacks wisdom.

² It’s better to attend a funeral than to attend a banquet, for everyone dies eventually, and the living will take this to heart. ³ Sorrow is better than laughter, because the heart is made better through trouble. ⁴ For the wise person thinks carefully when in mourning, but fools focus their thoughts on pleasure.

¹⁹ Festivals are for laughter, wine makes life pleasant, and money speaks to everything.

³ Later, the king ordered Ashpenaz, his chief officer, to bring in some Israelis of royal and noble descent. ⁴ They were to be young men without physical defect, handsome in appearance, skilled in all wisdom, quick to learn, prudent in how they used knowledge, and capable of serving in the king’s palace. They were to learn the literature and language of the Chaldeans.
⁵ The king assigned them fine food and choice wine on a daily basis, ordering them to be trained for three years, at the end of which time they would enter the king’s service.

¹⁸ Then at the end of the training period that the king had established, the chief officer brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. ¹⁹ When the king spoke to them, none of them compared to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, or Azariah as they stood before the king.

¹⁸ Stop getting drunk with wine, which leads to wild living, but keep on being filled with the Spirit. ¹⁹ Then you will recite to one another psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs; you will sing and make music to the Lord with your hearts;

³ The man’s name was Nabal and his wife’s name was Abigail. The woman was intelligent and beautiful, while the man was harsh and wicked in his dealings. He was a descendant of Caleb.

²⁵ David’s Son AbsalomNow throughout all of Israel no one was as handsome as Absalom or so highly praised, from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head there wasn’t a single thing wrong about him.

¹⁷ The king loved Esther more than any of the other women, so he favored her and was kinder to her than he was to any of the other virgins. He put the royal crown on her head and made her queen in place of Vashti.

⁸ let them bring royal robes that the king has worn and a horse on which the king has ridden, with a royal crown placed on its head.

⁹ A person plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps.

²⁹ On SobrietyWho has woe? Who has grief? Who has contention? Who has complaints? Who has wounds without cause? Who has bloodshot eyes? ³⁰ Those who linger over their wine, who consume mixed drinks. ³¹ Don’t stare into red wine, when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly. ³² Eventually it will bite like a snake and sting like a serpent. ³³ Your eyes will see strange things, and with slurred words you’ll speak what you really believe.

³⁰ Charm is deceitful and beauty fades; but a woman who fears the LORD will be praised.

²¹ An opportunity came during Herod’s birthday celebration, when he gave a banquet for his top officials, military officers, and the most important people of Galilee. ²² When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests. So the king told the girl, “Ask me for anything you want, and I’ll give it to you.”

¹⁶ He told the woman, “I’ll greatly increase the pain of your labor during childbirth. It will be painful for you to bear children, “since your trust is turning toward your husband, and he will dominate you.”

¹⁹ As Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, he became angry. He threw the tablets from his hands and shattered them at the base of the mountain.

²² Aaron said, “Sir, don’t be angry. You know the people—that they’re intent on evil.

²⁰ “The LORD won’t forgive such a person. Instead, the zealous anger of the LORD will blaze against him. All the curses that were written in this book will fall on him. Then the LORD will wipe out his memory from under heaven.

¹ An instruction of Asaph
A Plea for Deliverance Why, God? Have you rejected us forever? Your anger is burning against the sheep of your pasture.

⁵ How long, LORD, will you be angry? Forever? Will your jealousy burn like fire?

¹² The king’s anger is like the roaring of a lion, but his goodwill is like dew on the grass.

² A king’s anger is like a lion’s roar; anyone who angers him forfeits his life.

¹² At this point, the king flew into a rage and issued an order to destroy all the advisors of Babylon.

¹³ The Threat of the Fire FurnaceNebuchadnezzar flew into a rage and furiously ordered that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought before him.

¹⁹ The King Orders an ExecutionOut of control with rage, Nebuchadnezzar’s facial expression changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and he ordered that the furnace be heated seven times hotter than usual.

⁶ Who can stand before his fury? And who can endure his fierce anger? His displeasure pours out like fire, and rocks are broken to pieces because of him.

²² Wives and HusbandsWives, submit yourselves to your husbands as to the Lord.

²⁴ Indeed, just as the church is submissive to the Messiah, so wives must be submissive to their husbands in everything.

¹ Wives and HusbandsIn a similar way, you wives must submit yourselves to your husbands so that, even if some of them refuse to obey the word, they may be won over without a word through your conduct as wives

¹⁶ They told the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the lamb. ¹⁷ For the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to endure it?”

³² The tribe of Issachar supplied 200 leaders, along with all of their relatives under their command. They kept up-to-date in their understanding of the times and knew what Israel should do.

⁷ Who wouldn’t fear you, king of the nations? This is what you deserve! Indeed, among all the wise men of the nations, and throughout all their kingdoms, there is no one like you!

² So the king gave orders to summon diviners, enchanters, sorcerers, and Chaldeans to reveal to the king what he had dreamed. When they came and stood before him,

²⁷ By way of answer, Daniel addressed the king:“None of the advisors, enchanters, diviners, or astrologers can explain the secret that the king has requested to be made known.

⁶ So I gave an order to bring in all of the advisors of Babylon so they would tell me the interpretation of the dream. ⁷ Then the diviners, enchanters, Chaldeans, and astrologers came in, and I told them the dream. But they could not reveal its interpretation to me.

⁷ The king cried out to bring in enchanters, Chaldeans, and astrologers. He announced to the advisors of Babylon, “Whoever can read this writing and tell me its meaning will be clothed in purple, have a gold chain placed around his neck, and will become the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”

¹ The Visit of the Wise MenAfter Jesus had been born in Bethlehem of Judea during the reign of King Herod, wise men arrived in Jerusalem from the east

³ Red sky in the morning, cloudy and storming.’
You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, yet you can’t interpret the signs of the times?

¹⁹ one overseer from the city who supervised the soldiers, five of the king’s advisors who had been discovered in the city, the scribe who served the army captain who mustered the army of the land, and 60 men of the land who were discovered in the city.

¹⁴ You have authority to act for the king and for his Council of Seven to conduct an inquiry concerning Judah and Jerusalem in accordance with the Law of your God, which is in your possession.

¹⁰ “See to it that you do not despise one of these little ones, because I tell you, their angels in heaven always have access to my Father in heaven.

⁴ and see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.

⁶ After Haman came in, the king asked him, “What should be done for the man whom the king desires to honor?”
Haman told himself, “Whom would the king desire to honor more than me?”

¹⁴ Paul was about to speak when Gallio admonished the Jewish leaders, “If there were some misdemeanor or crime involved, it would be reasonable to put up with you Jews.

¹⁰ But Paul said, “I am standing before the emperor’s judgment seat where I ought to be tried. I haven’t done anything wrong to the Jewish leaders, as you know very well.

⁷ The very fact that you have lawsuits among yourselves is already a defeat for you. Why not rather just accept the wrong? Why not rather be cheated? ⁸ Instead, you yourselves practice doing wrong and cheating others, and brothers at that!

¹⁶ David’s Wife Michal Disrespects David’s WorshipAs the ark of the LORD was coming into the City of David, Saul’s daughter Michal was peering out a window, watching King David jumping and dancing in the LORD’s presence, and she despised him in her heart.

³³ But each individual man among you must love his wife as he loves himself; and may the wife fear her husband.

²⁹ Her wise attendants find an answer for her; in fact, she tells the same words to herself:

³ He had 700 princess wives and 300 mistresses who turned his heart away from the LORD,

²⁸ Samuel told him, “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel away from you today, and he has given it to your neighbor who is better than you.

²⁸ When this decision that the king had handed down was announced, everybody in Israel was amazed at the king, because they all saw that God’s wisdom was in him, enabling him to administer justice.

²¹ This seemed like a good idea to the king and his officials, so the king did what Memucan suggested.

⁹ If the king approves, let it be decreed that they’re to be destroyed, and I’ll measure out 10,000 silver talents and bring it to the king’s treasury for those who will do the work.”

⁵ She said, “If it pleases the king, and if I’ve found favor with him, and if the matter is proper in the king’s opinion, and if I’m pleasing to the king, let an order be issued revoking the letters devised by Hammedatha the Agagite’s son Haman, which ordered the destruction of the Jewish people throughout the king’s provinces.

⁸ Now, in the name of the king, you write what seems good to you concerning the Jewish people, and seal it with the king’s signet ring, for a document written in the king’s name and sealed with the king’s signet ring cannot be revoked.”

⁸ Therefore, your majesty, establish the decree and sign the written document so it can’t be changed, in accordance with the laws of the Medes and Persians that can’t be repealed.” ⁹ So King Darius signed the edict contained in the written document.
¹⁰ Daniel is AccusedWhen Daniel learned that the written document had been signed, he went to an upstairs room in his house that had windows opened facing Jerusalem. Three times a day he would kneel down, pray, and give thanks to his God, just as he had previously done.
¹¹ The conspirators then went as a group and found Daniel praying and seeking help before his God. ¹² So they approached the king and asked, “Didn’t you sign an edict that for the next 30 days if anyone prays to any god or man, except to you, your majesty, he would be thrown into the lions’ pit?”
The king responded, “The decree has been established, in accordance with the laws of the Medes and Persians that can’t be repealed.”
¹³ Then they told the king, “Daniel, who is one of the Judean exiles, pays no attention to you, your majesty, or to the written decree, since he is still praying three times a day.”
¹⁴ When the king heard this, he was greatly upset, because he was determined to make every effort to save Daniel before the sun set. ¹⁵ But the men who had gone as a group to the king told him, “Remember, your majesty, that according to the laws of the Medes and Persians, any decree or edict that the king establishes cannot be repealed.”

¹⁷ A stone was brought and placed over the opening to the pit, and the king affixed a seal to it with his personal signet ring and with the signet rings of his officials so that no one would interfere with Daniel’s situation.

¹³ Then all the people who hear will be afraid and will not act presumptuously again.”

²¹ Then all the men of his city are to stone him with stones so that he dies. This is how you will remove this evil from among you. Then all Israel will hear of it and will be afraid.”

¹⁸ Family DutiesWives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is appropriate for those who belong to the Lord.

¹ Wives and HusbandsIn a similar way, you wives must submit yourselves to your husbands so that, even if some of them refuse to obey the word, they may be won over without a word through your conduct as wives ² when they see your pure and reverent lives.
³ Your beauty should not be an external one, consisting of braided hair or the wearing of gold ornaments and dresses. ⁴ Instead, it should be the inner disposition of the heart, consisting in the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which God values greatly. ⁵ After all, this is how holy women who set their hope on God used to make themselves beautiful in the past. They submitted themselves to their husbands, ⁶ just as Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him lord. You have become her daughters by doing good and by not letting anything terrify you.
⁷ In a similar way, you husbands must live with your wives in an understanding manner, as with a most delicate partner. Honor them as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing may interfere with your prayers.

³⁷ Pharaoh Appoints Joseph as RegentWhat Joseph proposed pleased Pharaoh and all of his advisors,

¹⁹ If it seems good to the king, let a royal decree go out from him and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media, which cannot be repealed, that Vashti is never again to enter the presence of King Ahasuerus. Let the king give her royal position to another woman who is better than she.

⁴ Then let the young woman who pleases the king rule in place of Vashti.” This advice pleased the king, and he did this.

¹² The king’s scribes were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month, and all that Haman commanded was written to the regional authorities of the king, to the governors who were over each province, and to the officials of each people. This order was translated in the name of King Ahasuerus into the language of each province and bore the seal of the king’s signet ring.

²⁹ So I decree that people from any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego will be destroyed and their house reduced to rubble, because there is no other god who can save like this.”

¹ Nebuchadnezzar’s Testimonial AN OFFICIAL STATEMENT FROM NEBUCHADNEZZAR THE KING
To the people of all nations and languages who live on earth.
Peace and prosperity to you!

⁸ The master praised the dishonest servant manager for being so clever, because worldly people are more clever than enlightened people in dealing with their own.

⁵ Now devout Jews from every nation on earth were living in Jerusalem. ⁶ When that sound came, a crowd quickly gathered, startled because each one heard the disciples speaking in his own language. ⁷ Stunned and amazed, they asked, “All of these people who are speaking are Galileans, aren’t they? ⁸ So how is it that each one of us hears them speaking in his own native language: ⁹ Parthians, Medes, Elamites, residents of Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, ¹⁰ Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, the district of Libya near Cyrene, Jewish and proselyte visitors from Rome, ¹¹ Cretans, and Arabs, listening to them talk in our own languages about the great deeds of God?”

¹⁹ But in church I would rather speak five words with my mind to instruct others than 10,000 words in a foreign language.
²⁰ Brothers, stop being childish in your thinking. Be like infants with respect to evil, but think like adults.

²² Wives and HusbandsWives, submit yourselves to your husbands as to the Lord. ²³ For the husband is the head of his wife as the Messiah is the head of the church. It is he who is the Savior of the body. ²⁴ Indeed, just as the church is submissive to the Messiah, so wives must be submissive to their husbands in everything.

¹² Moreover, in the area of teaching, I am not allowing a woman to instigate conflict toward a man. Instead, she is to remain calm.

⁴ They should encourage the younger women to love their husbands, to love their children, ⁵ to be sensible and pure, to manage their households, to be kind, and to submit themselves to their husbands. Otherwise, the word of God may be discredited.