seven: and there were among them two hundred singing men and singing women. Their horses were seven hundred thirty and six; their mules, two hundred forty and five; their camels, four hundred thirty and five; their asses, six thousand seven hundred and twenty.

And some of the chief of the fathers, when they came to the house of the Lord which is at Jerusalem, offered freely for the house of God to set it up in his place.

EZRA, 1, 2

"How the Prophet Isaiah Foretold that Cyrus Would Restore Israel and Rebuild Jerusalem," see Isaiah, chap. 44, verses 24– 28; and chap. 45, verses 1-13. Read also Nehemiah, about "The King's Cup-Bearer"

Stories of some who did not return

But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O`Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, "Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.

66

When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

66

For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour."

ISAIAH, 43

HOW QUEEN VASHTI WOULD NOT

D

ow it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces:) that in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace, in the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him. When he shewed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty many days, even an hundred and fourscore days.

And when these days were expired, the king made a feast unto all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both unto great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king's palace. Where were white, green, and blue, hangings, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble. The couches were of gold and silver, upon a pavement of porphyry, and white marble, and alabaster, and stone of blue colour. And they gave them drink in vessels of gold, (the vessels being diverse one from another,) and royal wine in

abundance, according to the state of the king. And the drinking was according to the law; none did compel: for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man's pleasure.

Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus.

On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded the seven chamberlains that served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king, to bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to shew the people and the princes her beauty: for she was fair to look on. But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king's commandment by his chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him.

Then the king said to the wise men, which knew the times, (for so was the king's manner toward all that knew law and judgment: and the next unto him was Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, which saw the king's face, and which sat the first in the kingdom;) "What shall we do unto the queen Vashti according to law, because she hath not performed the commandment of the king Ahasuerus by the chamberlains?"