ABOUT KING AHASUERUS AND THE JEWS.

THE captivity of the Jews lasted seventy years, when they were sent back to their country by Cyrus, king of Persia, who gave out a command that all who were of Judah should go up to Jerusalem, because the Lord had told him to build a temple there to His name.

Here we again see the power of that God who rules the world. He made Nebuchadnezzar the means of punishing His people for their sins, by laying waste their country, and carrying them into bondage; but, when the time of His wrath was over, He caused Cyrus to turn his thoughts towards this people, and restore them to their country.

This prince helped the poorer sort on their journey, and gave to the people all the vessels which had been taken from Solomon's temple.

They were to be governed by their own laws, and in the second year after their return, they began to build a house to the Lord God of Israel: but how unlike the raising of the first temple by Solomon, which took place in a time of peace and joy, when their country was under the reign of a wise and mighty prince, and they were favored with the approbation of the King of kings!

Now they were a poor remnant of those who had left their once happy country, subject to the more powerful nations around them, and troubled by the Samaritans, who tried to prevent their work by sending a letter to king Artaxerxes, who forbade them to go on. But after a while, their prophets persuaded them to begin again.

After the temple was finished, Nehemiah caused the people to rebuild the wall of the city; but they had to work with their tools in one hand and a weapon in the other, to protect them from their enemies. When this was done, the people made a solemn fast, humbled themselves before the Lord, and owned Him for their God, saying, Thou, even Thou, art God alone.'

They praised Him who chose their father Abraham; who made him faithful; who had pity upon the afflictions of their fathers in Egypt; who led them, by the pillar of cloud and fire, through the desert; who fed them from heaven; who gave them water to drink; who brought them into the promised land, and forgave them many times, when they sinned against Him.

The people at this time prayed Him, who had given their enemies power over them, that He would once more be with them, and have pity on His servants.

The Jews were for many years subject to the Persians, during which time the whole nation were very near being

cut off, by the power of a man named Haman, who was in great favor with the king. But He who had so often cared for His people, miraculously prevented it.

The king's wife, queen Esther, was a Jewess, and she had a relation named Mordecai, who sat in the king's gate,* and had been the means of saving the life of Ahasuerus.

Now this man was not liked by Haman, because he did not bow to him, and did not do him honor whenever he went in and out before the king. His vanity was hurt, and he wished for revenge; but he did not care to have it upon Mordecai alone, but made up his mind that all his nation should suffer, for he had found out that he was a Jew.

For this purpose, he spoke evil of them to the king, and begged that they might all be put to death. To this Ahasuerus. agreed, for he did not know that the queen his wife was one of this despised people. Think what a hard-hearted, cruel man Haman must have been, who, because one man refused to flatter his vanity, sought to kill and destroy a whole nation.

When Mordecai heard what had been done, he sent word to Esther, who commanded that all her people should fast three days, and she said she would go to the king, and

*Sat in the king's gate.-He sat in the public gate of the palace, through which all must pass who would go to the king, and where in eastern nations all public affairs were settled.

speak for them. The queen did not, at first, tell Ahasuerus what her errand was; but when he spake kindly to her, she invited him and Haman to a feast which she had prepared for them.

They went, and the king then wished to know what her request was, telling her that it should be granted, even unto the half of his kingdom; but even then she said nothing of the matter, but asked them to come again the next day.

Then was Haman lifted up in his heart, because he thought himself in such favor with the king and queen. But when, in going home, he passed Mordecai, who stood not up nor moved for him, he told his wife and her friends that he could never be happy while this man sat at the king's gate. His wife seems to have been as cruel as himself; for she advised him to have a gallows made, and then to speak to Ahasuerus that Mordecai might be hung thereon.

On that night the king could not sleep, and he called for the book in which was kept an account of all the events which took place in the kingdom, that it might be read before him. There he found that Mordecai the Jew had saved his life, and he asked what had been done to him for this.

When he found that no notice had been taken of it, the king sent to know who was in the court. Now Haman

was found there, who was coming to ask that Mordecai might be hung upon the gallows which he had made. Then was Haman brought in before Ahasuerus, who said unto him, 'What shall be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honor ?'

Now Haman thought in his heart, 'To whom would the king delight to do honor more than to myself?' Then Haman proposed, that whoever it might be, should be set upon the king's own horse, clothed in his robes of state, having upon his head the crown royal, and be thus led through the city by one of the nobles of the land, who should say before him, 'Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honor.'

He thought, in his vanity, that this would certainly be done unto himself: but what must have been his surprise, when he was told to do as he had said even unto ' Mordecai the Jew, that sitteth at the king's gate!'

The same day he went to the feast with the king, who, whilst there, again wished to know what was Esther's request. The queen then made known to Ahasuerus all that Haman had done; at which he was very angry, and commanded that Haman should be hung on the gallows which he had prepared for the Jew.

Then was Mordecai made a great man in the nation, and