Esther 6

For various reasons, I don't read in sequence. In this case I noticed several days ago that several parts of chapter 6 were already done by automation, so I worked on that one first. It is the nature of story that repetition occurs in the telling and is in all these short stories carefully controlled. This is a story of consequences. It seems also in retrospect that God needed the help of a particular people to get the message across to us who are to learn from them both about what is good and and about what is not good.

Sermon: There are many who think of themselves as good, but they are in a cocoon of protective ignorance and there is no one who does not suffer this at some point. Cocoons are necessary in the early stages of life but they are not meant to be our home in our maturity. How will we mature? Or will we simply persist in immaturity? There are today, unfortunately, many who chose to persist in immaturity and the result is not always trouble for them, but for others.

Enough of that. I could delete the above, but maybe someone will read it and say - Hmmm, does that apply to me? Should I stop pretending I know anything about the lies being shoved down my throat? I am not going to name names. If you can't figure out who you are, I can't help you. As Satchmo once said: Man, If I've gotta tell you that, you'll never know.

Confusion: I remain confused by the verbs of the last verse. The eunuchs did not 'come' anywhere, they were 'touched' or maybe 'contagious'. And I don't know if a gloss for 'hurrying' will ever touch me for בהל. We have yet to see if I will come to some more crushing compromises as I learn to read. I think those eunuchs knew more than the King James' translators gave them credit for.

There is also of course a metaphor in this story, but I am not yet convinced that I get it. So enough of that too, for now.

Status: With a broad brush, I have read 18.7% of Torah - not much, 66 weeks estimated remaining work for Torah alone. Of the former prophets, 13.6%, 51 weeks remaining. Of the later prophets, 13.3%, 49 weeks remaining. Of the 12, 91% complete, 1.2 weeks effort left. Of the Poetry, 87% complete, 12 weeks left. Of the Scrolls, 84.6% complete, 1.5 weeks left. Of the other books, 14% complete, 34 weeks left.

My work week is supposed to be only 9 hours long. So I could run faster. If I doubled my effort, I would halve the elapsed time remaining to 106 weeks total. But I probably won't. Got lots of chores around the house, lots of chauffeuring, lots of visiting, walk every day, play a little bridge, do work with a few refugee families, and garden planning - growing herbs and spices, Oh and writing books. Used to play tennis and golf, but not possible for the foreseeable future - maybe next summer.

I could just stop. I've made my point. But there's things to discover that are too good to pass up so easily. And I would not thrive without the challenge or the gifts.

Esther 6		Fn		Min	Max	Syll
בַּלַּ֣יְלָה הַה֔וּא נָדְדָ֖ה שְׁנַ֣ת הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַיֹּ֗אמֶר לְהָבִ֞יא אֶת־סֵ֤פֶר הַזִּכְרֹנוֹת֙ דִּבְרֵ֣י הַיָּמִ֔ים וַיִּהְי֥וּ נִקְרָאִ֖ים לִפְנֵ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ	1		In that night, sleep fled the king, and he said to bring the record of the memorials of the words of the days, and they were recited in the presence of the king.	3e	4C	12 29
וַיִּמָּצֵ֣א כָת֗וּב אֲשֶׁר֩ הִגִּ֨יד מָרְדֳּכַ֜י עַל־בִּגְתָ֣נָא וָתֶ֗רֶשׁ שְׁנֵי֙ סָרִיסֵ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ מִשֹּׁמְרֵ֖י הַסַּ֑ף אֲשֶׁ֤ר בִּקְשׁוּ֙ לִשְׁלֹ֣חַ יָ֔ד בַּמֶּ֖לֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵרֽוֹשׁ	2		And it was found inscribed that Mordecai had made it clear concerning Bigthan and Teresh, two of the eunuchs of the king who kept the doorway, who sought to reach out a hand against the king Ahasuerus.	3e	4C	33 15
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ מַֽה־נַּעֲשָׂ֞ה יְקָ֧ר וּגְדוּלָּ֛ה לְמָרְדֳּכַ֖י עַל־זֶ֑ה וַיֹּ֨אמְר֜וּ נַעֲרֵ֤י הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ מְשָׁ֣רְתָ֔יו לֹא־נַעֲשָׂ֥ה עִמּ֖וֹ דָּבָֽר	3		And the king said, What esteem or privilege was done for Mordecai about this? And the lads of the king ministering to him said, Nothing was done with him.	3c	4C	21 19
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ מִ֣י בֶחָצֵ֑ר וְהָמָ֣ן בָּ֗א לַחֲצַ֤ר בֵּית־הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ הַחִ֣יצוֹנָ֔ה לֵאמֹ֣ר לַמֶּ֔לֶךְ לִתְלוֹת֙ אֶֽת־מָרְדֳּכַ֔י עַל־הָעֵ֖ץ אֲשֶׁר־הֵכִ֥ין לֽוֹ	4		And the king said, Who is in the court? And Haman came into the court of the house of the king towards the outside to say to the king to hang Mordecai on the tree which he had prepared for him.	3e	4C	10 34
וַיֹּ֨אמְר֜וּ נַעֲרֵ֤י הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ אֵלָ֔יו הִנֵּ֥ה הָמָ֖ן עֹמֵ֣ד בֶּחָצֵ֑ר וַיֹּ֥אמֶר הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ יָבֽוֹא	5		And the lads of the king said to him, Behold Haman stands in the court. And the king said, Let him come in.	3e	4C	20 8
וַיָּבוֹא֮ הָמָן֒ וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לוֹ֙ הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ מַה־לַעֲשׂ֕וֹת בָּאִ֕ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֥ר הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ חָפֵ֣ץ בִּיקָר֑וֹ וַיֹּ֤אמֶר הָמָן֙ בְּלִבּ֔וֹ לְמִ֞י יַחְפֹּ֥ץ הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת יְקָ֖ר יוֹתֵ֥ר מִמֶּֽנִּי	6		And Haman came in. And to him the king said, What is to be done for each whom the king delights in for esteem? And Haman said in his heart, For whom is the king's delight to do leftover esteem than to me?	3d	4C	28 25
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר הָמָ֖ן אֶל־הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ אִ֕ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֥ר הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ חָפֵ֥ץ בִּיקָרֽוֹ	7		And Haman said to the king, Each whom the king delights in for esteem,	3e	4A	9 11
יָבִ֙יאוּ֙ לְב֣וּשׁ מַלְכ֔וּת אֲשֶׁ֥ר לָֽבַשׁ־בּ֖וֹ הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וְס֗וּס אֲשֶׁ֨ר רָכַ֤ב עָלָיו֙ הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר נִתַּ֛ן כֶּ֥תֶר מַלְכ֖וּת בְּרֹאשֽׁוֹ	8		Let be brought royal clothing that the king clothed himself with, and a horse that the king rode upon, and that was assigned a royal diadem on its head.	3d	4C	15 23
וְנָת֨וֹן הַלְּב֜וּשׁ וְהַסּ֗וּס עַל־יַד־אִ֞ישׁ מִשָּׂרֵ֤י הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ הַֽפַּרְתְּמִ֔ים וְהִלְבִּ֙ישׁוּ֙ אֶת־הָאִ֔ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֥ר הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ חָפֵ֣ץ בִּֽיקָר֑וֹ וְהִרְכִּיבֻ֤הוּ עַל־הַסּוּס֙ בִּרְח֣וֹב הָעִ֔יר וְקָרְא֣וּ לְפָנָ֔יו כָּ֚כָה יֵעָשֶׂ֣ה לָאִ֔ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֥ר הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ חָפֵ֥ץ בִּיקָרֽוֹ	9		And let the clothing and the horse be given by the hand of someone of the nobility of the king, the patricians, and let him clothe the person whom the king delights in for esteem, and have him ride on the horse in the plaza of the city and proclaim before him, Thus it will be done for each whom the king delights in for esteem.	3e	4C	38 35
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ לְהָמָ֗ן מַ֠הֵר קַ֣ח אֶת־הַלְּב֤וּשׁ וְאֶת־הַסּוּס֙ כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבַּ֔רְתָּ וַֽעֲשֵׂה־כֵן֙ לְמָרְדֳּכַ֣י הַיְּהוּדִ֔י הַיּוֹשֵׁ֖ב בְּשַׁ֣עַר הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ אַל־תַּפֵּ֣ל דָּבָ֔ר מִכֹּ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבַּֽרְתָּ	10		And the king said to Haman, Swiftly take the clothing and the horse, as you spoke, and do so for Mordecai the Judean, the one sitting at the gate of the king. Let nothing fall from all that you spoke.	3e	4C	45 12
וַיִּקַּ֤ח הָמָן֙ אֶת־הַלְּב֣וּשׁ וְאֶת־הַסּ֔וּס וַיַּלְבֵּ֖שׁ אֶֽת־מָרְדֳּכָ֑י וַיַּרְכִּיבֵ֙הוּ֙ בִּרְח֣וֹב הָעִ֔יר וַיִּקְרָ֣א לְפָנָ֔יו כָּ֚כָה יֵעָשֶׂ֣ה לָאִ֔ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֥ר הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ חָפֵ֥ץ בִּיקָרֽוֹ	11		And Haman took the clothing and the horse and he clothed Mordecai, and he had him ride in the plaza of the city and he proclaimed before him, Thus it will be done for each whom the king delights in for esteem.	3e	4C	19 32
וַיָּ֥שָׁב מָרְדֳּכַ֖י אֶל־שַׁ֣עַר הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וְהָמָן֙ נִדְחַ֣ף אֶל־בֵּית֔וֹ אָבֵ֖ל וַחֲפ֥וּי רֹֽאשׁ	12		And Mordecai returned to the gate of the king, and Haman sped to his house lamenting with head hooded.	3e	4B	12 14
וַיְסַפֵּ֨ר הָמָ֜ן לְזֶ֤רֶשׁ אִשְׁתּוֹ֙ וּלְכָל־אֹ֣הֲבָ֔יו אֵ֖ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר קָרָ֑הוּ וַיֹּ֩אמְרוּ֩‬ ל֨וֹ חֲכָמָ֜יו וְזֶ֣רֶשׁ אִשְׁתּ֗וֹ אִ֣ם מִזֶּ֣רַע הַיְּהוּדִ֡ים מָרְדֳּכַ֞י אֲשֶׁר֩ הַחִלּ֨וֹתָ לִנְפֹּ֤ל לְפָנָיו֙ לֹא־תוּכַ֣ל ל֔וֹ כִּֽי־נָפ֥וֹל תִּפּ֖וֹל לְפָנָֽיו	13		And Haman recounted to Zeresh his wife and to all who loved him all that had befallen him. And they said to him, his wise men and Zeresh his wife, If from the seed of the Judeans Mordecai is, in whose presence you have started to fall, you will not endure for him, for falling you will fall, in his presence.	3e	4C	22 43
עוֹדָם֙ מְדַבְּרִ֣ים עִמּ֔וֹ וְסָרִיסֵ֥י הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ הִגִּ֑יעוּ וַיַּבְהִ֙לוּ֙ לְהָבִ֣יא אֶת־הָמָ֔ן אֶל־הַמִּשְׁתֶּ֖ה אֲשֶׁר־עָשְׂתָ֥ה אֶסְתֵּֽר	14		While they were speaking with him, the eunuchs of the king were touched, and were brash to bring Haman to the party that Esther had made.	3e	4B	17 20