Are you surprised to see me back so soon? Well, don’t be. I’m telling you, I just can’t get enough of you folks! Even when I don’t have anything to blog about, here I am. But have any of you noticed that this blogging thing really gets in the way of real life? Honestly, when […]

Esther 9:18 – 32 The Jews in Susa, however, had assembled on the thirteenth and fourteenth, and then on the fifteenth they rested and made it a day of feasting and joy. That is why rural Jews—those living in villages—observe the fourteenth of the month of Adar as a day of joy and feasting, a […]

Esther 9:5 – 17 The Jews struck down all their enemies with the sword, killing and destroying them, and they did what they pleased to those who hated them. In the citadel of Susa, the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men. They also killed Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai and […]

Esther 9:1 – 4 On the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, the edict commanded by the king was to be carried out. On this day the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, but now the tables were turned and the Jews got the upper hand over those […]

Esther 8:9 – 17 At once the royal secretaries were summoned—on the twenty-third day of the third month, the month of Sivan. They wrote out all Mordecai’s orders to the Jews, and to the satraps, governors and nobles of the 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush. These orders were written in the script of […]

Esther 8:3 – 8 Esther again pleaded with the king, falling at his feet and weeping. She begged him to put an end to the evil plan of Haman the Agagite, which he had devised against the Jews. Then the king extended the gold scepter to Esther and she arose and stood before him. “If […]

Esther 8:1 – 2 “That same day King Xerxes gave Queen Esther the estate of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai came into the presence of the king, for Esther had told how he was related to her. The king took off his signet ring, which he had reclaimed from Haman, and presented […]

Last night, Jennifer called me. “Guess where I am?” she asked. “Uhm . . . I don’t know. Where?” I asked. “I’m in the car, driving home!” she said. “What? With Chloe?” I asked. (Duh.) “Yes, with Chloe! The doctors said she was ready to come home!” So today, I went to Chloe’s house and […]

Esther 7:6 – 10 Then Haman was terrified before the king and queen. The king got up in a rage, left his wine and went out into the palace garden. But Haman, realizing that the king had already decided his fate, stayed behind to beg Queen Esther for his life. Just as the king returned […]

Esther 7:1 – 4 So the king and Haman went to dine with Queen Esther, and as they were drinking wine on that second day, the king again asked, “Queen Esther, what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be granted.” Then […]