Beth Yeshua International: Berean Call Esther 2:5 There was in Shushan the capital a man who was a Jew, whose name was Mordekhai the son of Ya'ir, the son of Shim'i, the son of Kish, a Binyamini. 1 Samuel 9:1-2 There was a man from Binyamin named Kish the son of Avi'el, the son of Tz'ror, the son of B'khorat, the son of Afiach, the son of a man from Binyamin. He was a man of substance and brave as well. He had a son named Sha'ul who was young and good-looking; among the people of Isra'el there was no one better-looking than he; he stood head and shoulders taller than anyone else in Isra'el. 29 Sh'vat 5773 / 9 February 2013 Shabbat

Beth Yeshua International: Berean Call Esther 3:1 Some time later King Achashverosh began to single out Haman the son of Hamdata the Agagi for advancement; eventually he gave him precedence over all his fellow officers. 1 Samuel 15:1-3 Sh'mu'el said to Sha'ul, "ADONAI sent me to anoint you king over his people, over Isra'el. Now listen to what ADONAI has to say. Here is what ADONAI-Tzva'ot says: 'I remember what 'Amalek did to Isra'el, how they fought against Isra'el when they were coming up from Egypt. Now go and attack 'Amalek, and completely destroy everything they have. Don't spare them, but kill men and women, children and babies, cows and sheep, camels and donkeys.'" 29 Sh'vat 5773 / 9 February 2013 Shabbat

Beth Yeshua International: Berean Call 29 Sh'vat 5773 / 9 February 2013 1 Samuel 15:4-9 Sha'ul summoned the people and reviewed them in T'la'im – 200,000 foot soldiers, with another 10,000 men from Y'hudah. Sha'ul arrived at the city of 'Amalek and lay in wait in the valley. Sha'ul said to the Keni, "Go away, withdraw, leave your homes there with the 'Amaleki. Otherwise, I might destroy you along with them, even though you were kind to all the people of Isra'el when they came out of Egypt. So the Keni went away from among the 'Amaleki. Then Sha'ul attacked 'Amalek, starting at Havilah and continuing toward Shur, at the border of Egypt. He took Agag the king of 'Amalek alive; but he completely destroyed the people, putting them to the sword. However, Sha'ul and the people spared Agag, along with the best of the sheep and cattle, and even the second best, also the lambs, and everything that was good - they weren't inclined to destroy these things. But everything that was worthless or weak they completely destroyed. Shabbat

Beth Yeshua International: Berean Call Esther 3:2 All the king's servants at the King's Gate would kneel and bow down before Haman, because the king had so ordered. But Mordekhai would neither kneel nor bow down to him. 29 Sh'vat 5773 / 9 February 2013 Shabbat

Beth Yeshua International: Berean Call 29 Sh'vat 5773 / 9 February 2013 Exodus 20:1-3 Then God said all these words: "I am ADONAI your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the abode of slavery. You are to have no other gods before me." Deuteronomy 6:13-14 You are to fear ADONAI your God, serve him and swear by his name. You are not to follow other gods, chosen from the gods of the peoples around you… Matthew 4:8-10 Once more, the Adversary took him up to the summit of a very high mountain, showed him all the kingdoms of the world in all their glory, and said to him, "All this I will give you if you will bow down and worship me." "Away with you, Satan!" Yeshua told him, "For the Tanakh says, 'Worship ADONAI your God, and serve only him.'" Shabbat

Beth Yeshua International: Berean Call 29 Sh'vat 5773 / 9 February 2013 Esther 3:3-7 The king's servants at the King's Gate asked Mordekhai, "Why don't you obey the king's order?" But after they had confronted him a number of times without his paying attention to them, they told Haman, in order to find out whether Mordekhai's explanation that he was a Jew would suffice to justify his behavior. Haman was furious when he saw that Mordekhai was not kneeling and bowing down to him. However, on learning what people Mordekhai belonged to, it seemed to him a waste to lay hands on Mordekhai alone. Rather, he decided to destroy all of Mordekhai's people, the Jews, throughout the whole of Achashverosh's kingdom. In the first month, the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of Achashverosh, they began throwing pur (that is, they cast lots) before Haman every day and every month until the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar. Shabbat

Beth Yeshua International: Berean Call Proverbs 16:33 One can cast lots into one's lap, but the decision comes from ADONAI. 29 Sh'vat 5773 / 9 February 2013 Shabbat

Beth Yeshua International: Berean Call Lamentations 3:37 Who can say something and have it happen without Adonai's commanding it? 29 Sh'vat 5773 / 9 February 2013 Shabbat

Beth Yeshua International: Berean Call 29 Sh'vat 5773 / 9 February 2013 Esther 7:9-10 Harvonah, one of the king's attendants, said, "Look! The gallows seventy-five feet high that Haman made for Mordekhai, who spoke only good for the king, is standing at Haman's house." The king said, "Hang him on it." So they hanged Haman on the gallows he had prepared for Mordekhai. Then the king's anger subsided. Esther 8:1-2 That same day King Achashverosh gave the house of Haman, the enemy of the Jews, to Ester the queen. Also Mordekhai appeared before the king, for Ester had revealed his relationship to her. The king removed his signet ring, which he had taken back from Haman, and gave it to Mordekhai. Then Ester put Mordekhai in charge of Haman's house. Shabbat

Beth Yeshua International: Berean Call 29 Sh'vat 5773 / 9 February 2013 Esther 8:11-12; 9:1-3 The letters said that the king had granted the Jews in every city the right "to assemble and defend their lives by destroying, killing and exterminating any forces of any people or province that would attack them, their little ones or their women or would try to seize their goods as plunder on the designated day in any of the provinces of King Achashverosh, namely, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar." The time approached for the king's order and decree to be carried out, the day when the enemies of the Jews hoped to overpower them. But, as it turned out, the opposite took place - the Jews overpowered those who hated them. Thus, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, the Jews assembled in their cities throughout all the provinces of King Achashverosh to attack anyone who tried to do them harm; and no one was able to withstand them; because all the peoples were afraid of them. All the officials of the provinces, the army commanders, the governors and those occupied with the king's affairs helped the Jews; because they were afraid of Mordekhai. Shabbat

Beth Yeshua International: Berean Call Esther 8:15-16 Meanwhile, Mordekhai left the king's presence arrayed in royal blue and white, wearing a large gold crown and a robe of fine linen and purple; and the city of Shushan shouted for joy. For the Jews, all was light, gladness, joy and honor. 29 Sh'vat 5773 / 9 February 2013 Shabbat

Beth Yeshua International: Berean Call Esther 4:14 For if you fail to speak up now, relief and deliverance will come to the Jews from a different direction; but you and your father's family will perish. Who knows whether you didn't come into your royal position precisely for such a time as this. 29 Sh'vat 5773 / 9 February 2013 Shabbat

Beth Yeshua International: Berean Call Esther 10:3 For Mordekhai the Jew was second only to King Achashverosh; he was a great man among the Jews, popular with all his many countrymen. He sought the good of his people and interceded for the welfare of all their descendants. 29 Sh'vat 5773 / 9 February 2013 Shabbat

Esther 6:1 That night, the king couldn't sleep… Beth Yeshua International: Berean Call Esther 6:1 That night, the king couldn't sleep… 29 Sh'vat 5773 / 9 February 2013 Shabbat

Beth Yeshua International: Berean Call Psalm 121 If I raise my eyes to the hills, from where will my help come? My help comes from ADONAI, the maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip -your guardian is not asleep. No, the guardian of Isra'el never slumbers or sleeps. ADONAI is your guardian; at your right hand ADONAI provides you with shade the sun can't strike you during the day or even the moon at night. ADONAI will guard you against all harm; he will guard your life. ADONAI will guard your coming and going from now on and forever. 29 Sh'vat 5773 / 9 February 2013 Shabbat