Then said they, We will restore them, and will require nothing of them; so will we do as thou sayest. Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they should do according to this promise.

Yet they sent unto me four times after this sort; and I answered them after the same manner.

These are the children of the province, that went up out of the captivity, of those that had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away, and came again to Jerusalem and to Judah, every one unto his city;

And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and sat under the booths: for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness.

And refused to obey, neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them; but hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage: but thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsookest them not.

Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their backs, and slew thy prophets which testified against them to turn them to thee, and they wrought great provocations.

But after they had rest, they did evil again before thee: therefore leftest thou them in the hand of their enemies, so that they had the dominion over them: yet when they returned, and cried unto thee, thou heardest them from heaven; and many times didst thou deliver them according to thy mercies;

And testifiedst against them, that thou mightest bring them again unto thy law: yet they dealt proudly, and hearkened not unto thy commandments, but sinned against thy judgments,(which if a man do, he shall live in them;) and withdrew the shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not hear.

For they have not served thee in their kingdom, and in thy great goodness that thou gavest them, and in the large and fat land which thou gavest before them, neither turned they from their wicked works.

Then I commanded, and they cleansed the chambers: and thither brought I again the vessels of the house of God, with the meat offering and the frankincense.

In the evening she went, and on the morrow she returned into the second house of the women, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king's chamberlain, which kept the concubines: she came in unto the king no more, except the king delighted in her, and that she were called by name.

Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews.

Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer,

And Mordecai came again to the king's gate. But Haman hasted to his house mourning, and having his head covered.

Then the king returned out of the palace garden into the place of the banquet of wine; and Haman was fallen upon the bed whereon Esther was. Then said the king, Will he force the queen also before me in the house? As the word went out of the king's mouth, they covered Haman's face.

And said, If it please the king, and if I have found favour in his sight, and the thing seem right before the king, and I be pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to reverse the letters devised by Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews which are in all the king's provinces:

Write ye also for the Jews, as it liketh you, in the king's name, and seal it with the king's ring: for the writing which is written in the king's name, and sealed with the king's ring, may no man reverse.

But when Esther came before the king, he commanded by letters that his wicked device, which he devised against the Jews, should return upon his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.

And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.

Return, I pray you, let it not be iniquity; yea, return again, my righteousness is in it.

O remember that my life is wind: mine eye shall no more see good.

He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more.

Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou?

If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him.

He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness.

Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me as the clay; and wilt thou bring me into dust again?

For it increaseth. Thou huntest me as a fierce lion: and again thou shewest thyself marvellous upon me.

Before I go whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death;

If he cut off, and shut up, or gather together, then who can hinder him?

Then call thou, and I will answer: or let me speak, and answer thou me.

O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me!

That thou turnest thy spirit against God, and lettest such words go out of thy mouth?

He believeth not that he shall return out of darkness, and he is waited for of the sword.

When a few years are come, then I shall go the way whence I shall not return.

But as for you all, do ye return, and come now: for I cannot find one wise man among you.

Therefore do my thoughts cause me to answer, and for this I make haste.

His children shall seek to please the poor, and his hands shall restore their goods.

That which he laboured for shall he restore, and shall not swallow it down: according to his substance shall the restitution be, and he shall not rejoice therein.

If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles.

But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth, even that he doeth.

For I know that thou wilt bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all living.

What then shall I do when God riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall I answer him?

Now he hath not directed his words against me: neither will I answer him with your speeches.

If thou canst answer me, set thy words in order before me, stand up.

His flesh shall be fresher than a child's: he shall return to the days of his youth:

He shall pray unto God, and he will be favourable unto him: and he shall see his face with joy: for he will render unto man his righteousness.

To bring back his soul from the pit, to be enlightened with the light of the living.

If thou hast any thing to say, answer me: speak, for I desire to justify thee.

All flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again unto dust.

I will answer thee, and thy companions with thee.