There were a couple more things Nehemiah did. He rebuked those men who had disobeyed the law of God and married foreign women and had children who had no knowledge of Judah. He even beat some of the man and pulled out their hair. Then he made them take an oath that they would not let their daughters or sons marry Moabites or Ammonites. He pointed out that even Solomon was led astray by foreign women. Also Nehemiah purified the priests and asked God to remember him with favor.
The book of Esther begins with details about king Xerxes or Ahasuerus, who was ruler over the vast empire of Persia which stretched from India to Ethiopia. He was very rich and very proud of his riches and liked to show them off. One time, he gave a lavish dinner for the men in the sumptuous palace gardens and made sure to keep their cups full of wine. Meanwhile, Queen Vashti was giving a dinner for the women inside the palace. After 7 days of partying the king was feeling pretty happy and told his servants to bring his wife to him so he could show her off to the men. She refused. The king asked his officials what he should do. He was told that she had embarassed him and encouraged other women to disobey their husbands too. They suggested he change the law so that he could replace her with a wife who would never disobey him. So that's what he did.
So then the king needed a new wife, and they had a nationwide search for the most beautiful women. Esther was a Jew from the tribe of Benjamin and she was very beautiful. Her cousin, Mordecai had taken care of her after her parents died. Esther was one of the many beautiful women taken to the king. Mordecai advised her to keep her Jewish heritage private, so she did. She began her beauty treatments and ate special food and had special maids to take care of her. Everyone liked Esther, including the king. So he crowned her queen in place of Vashti. Mordecai found out that there was mischeif afoot to kill the king and told him. The king verified that it was true and had the men hanged while he watched.
Soon circumstances collided to reveal Mordecai's secret - that he was a Jew. Special interest groups formed to have the Jews exterminated. The leader was a man named Haman who hated the Jews. The king told him to do what he wanted and that he could keep the Jew's money after he killed them. Letters explaining the new action were posted throughout the kingdom. Then Haman and the king started drinking and no one could figure out what was going on.
Mordecai heard about the letter and tore his clothes and began mourning. Esther became very upset when she heard about Mordecai and sent him some new clothes. He refused them. Then she had a servant go to Mordecai to ask him what had upset him so much. Mordecai gave the servant a copy of the letter and asked him to explain it to Esther, and to ask her to beg the king to change his mind. Esther knew about the law that if anyone went to see the king without an invitation they would be put to death. But she also knew that it had been 30 days since the king had asked to see her. She sent Mordecai a message that she and her ladies would fast and pray and asked him to gather all the Jews and do the same. She promised to go to the king and plead their case even if it meant she would die.
Tomorrow read Esther 5-10
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