Esther Chapter 13

Other Translations

vul1914 (vul1914) - Vulgate 1914 UTF-8 (sacredbible.org)

1 Rex maximus Artaxerxes ab India usque Æthiopiam centum vigintiseptem provinciarum principibus, et ducibus, qui eius imperio subiecti sunt, salutem.

2 Cum plurimis gentibus imperarem, et universum orbem meæ ditioni subiugassem, volui nequaquam abuti potentiæ magnitudine, sed clementia et lenitate gubernare subiectos, ut absque ullo terrore vitam silentio transigentes, optata cunctis mortalibus pace fruerentur.

3 Quærente autem me a consiliariis meis quomodo posset hoc impleri, unus qui sapientia et fide ceteros præcellebat, et erat post regem secundus, Aman nomine,

4 indicavit mihi in toto orbe terrarum populum esse dispersum, qui novis uteretur legibus, et contra omnium Gentium consuetudinem faciens, Regum iussa contemneret, et universarum concordiam nationum sua dissensione violaret.

5 Quod cum didicissemus, videntes unam gentem rebellem adversus omne hominum genus perversis, uti legibus, nostrisque iussionibus contraire, et turbare subiectarum nobis provinciarum pacem atque concordiam,

6 iussimus ut quoscumque Aman, qui omnibus provinciis præpositus est, et secundus a rege, et quem patris loco colimus, monstraverit, cum coniugibus ac liberis deleantur ab inimicis suis, nullusque eorum misereatur, quartadecima die duodecimi mensis Adar anni præsentis:

7 ut nefarii homines uno die ad inferos descendentes, reddant imperio nostro pacem, quam turbaverant.Pergensque Mardochæus, fecit omnia, quæ ei mandaverat Esther.

8 Mardochæus autem deprecatus est Dominum, memor omnium operum eius,

9 et dixit: Domine Domine rex omnipotens, in ditione enim tua cuncta sunt posita, et non est qui possit tuæ resistere voluntati, si decreveris salvare Israel.

10 Tu fecisti cælum et terram, et quidquid cæli ambitu continetur.

11 Dominus omnium es, nec est qui resistat maiestati tuæ.

12 Cuncta nosti, et scis quia non pro superbia et contumelia, et aliqua gloriæ cupiditate fecerim hoc, ut non adorarem Aman superbissimum,

13 (Libenter enim pro salute Israel etiam vestigia pedum eius deosculari paratus essem,)

14 sed timui ne honorem Dei mei transferrem ad hominem, et ne quemquam adorarem, excepto Deo meo.

15 Et nunc Domine rex Deus Abraham miserere populi tui, quia volunt nos inimici nostri perdere, et hereditatem tuam delere.

16 Ne despicias partem tuam, quam redemisti tibi de Ægypto.

17 Exaudi deprecationem meam, et propitius esto sorti et funiculo tuo, et converte luctum nostrum in gaudium, ut viventes laudemus nomen tuum Domine, et ne claudas ora te canentium.

18 Omnis quoque Israel pari mente et obsecratione clamavit ad Dominum, eo quod eis certa mors impenderet.

Explanations by Age Level

Explain Like I'm 5

A long, long time ago, there was nothing at all - no earth, no sky, no animals, no people. It was all dark and empty. But God was there! God is so powerful that He can make anything just by speaking. So God said "Let there be light!" and BOOM! There was light everywhere! God saw that the light was beautiful and good. He called the light "day" and the darkness "night." This was the very first day when God started making our wonderful world!

Explain Like I'm 10

Before anything existed - no planets, stars, or life - God decided to create the universe. The earth started out as a dark, empty place covered with water. But God's Spirit was there, ready to bring order and beauty to everything. When God spoke and said "Let there be light," light immediately appeared because God's words have incredible power. God looked at the light and was pleased with what He had made. He organized time by separating light (day) from darkness (night), creating the first 24-hour period. This shows us that God is organized and purposeful in everything He does.

Explain Like I'm 15

Genesis 1:1-5 establishes fundamental theological truths about God and creation. The Hebrew word "bara" (created) indicates creation from nothing (ex nihilo), demonstrating God's absolute sovereignty and power. The phrase "without form and void" (tohu wa-bohu) describes a state of chaos that God transforms into order. The Spirit of God "hovering" or "brooding" over the waters suggests active, caring involvement in creation. The creation of light before the sun (created on day 4) indicates that God Himself is the ultimate source of light and energy. The establishment of day and night creates the framework of time, showing that God operates within orderly patterns while transcending them. This passage refutes both atheistic materialism and pantheism, establishing that God is both transcendent (separate from creation) and immanent (actively involved in it).