The Bible In Paintings, #172: ESTHER'S BANQUETS

Bing Images ^ | c.2200 BC - c.95 AD | by the Father, Son & Holy Spirit

[Hebrews 11:6]

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E S T H E R ' S

B A N Q U E T

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ESTHER
6 - 7
New International Version, emphases added
Abrdgd: the complete text is in your Bible


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C L I C K :

To read ESTHER 6-7 in full
To hear MAX McLEAN reading it
To hear a DRAMATIZATION of it
HIGHLY recommended by Maudeen!
To see an ANIMATION of Esther

4 8 3
B. C.

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CHAPTER 6

12 Afterward Mordecai returned to the king’s gate. But Haman rushed home, with his head covered in grief, 13 and told Zeresh his wife and all his friends everything that had happened to him.

His advisers and his wife Zeresh said to him, “Since Mordecai, before whom your downfall has started, is of Jewish origin, you cannot stand against him—you will surely come to ruin!” 14 While they were still talking with him, the king’s eunuchs arrived and hurried Haman away to the banquet Esther had prepared.

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CHAPTER 7

1 So the king and Haman went to Queen Esther’s banquet, 2 and as they were drinking wine on the second day, the king again asked, “Queen Esther, what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be granted.”

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1 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by JEAN FRANÇOIS DE TROY
"Esther and Assuérus' Meal"

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1A mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by GERBRAND VAN DEN EECKHOUT
"The Wrath of Ahasuerus"

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2 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by REMBRANDT
"Ahasuerus and Haman at Esther's Feast"

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3 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by CAROLYN CAMBRONNE
"If It Please the King"

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4 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
"Feast of Esther" – Tapestry, 1764

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3 Then Queen Esther answered, “If I have found favor with you, Your Majesty, and if it pleases you, grant me my life—this is my petition. And spare my people—this is my request. 4 For I and my people have been sold to be destroyed, killed and annihilated. If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet, because no such distress would justify disturbing the king.”

5 King Xerxes asked Queen Esther, “Who is he? Where is he—the man who has dared to do such a thing?”

6 Esther said, “An adversary and enemy! This vile Haman!”

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5 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by JAN LIEVENS, 1625
"The Feast of Esther"

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6 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by JAN VICTORS, 1645
"The Banquet of Esther and Ahasuerus"

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7 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by JAN STEEN, 1668
"Esther, Ahasuerus and Haman"

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8 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by JAN VICTORS, 1640
"Esther and Haman before Ahasuerus"

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9 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by ERNEST NORMAND, 1888
"Esther Denouncing Haman"

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10 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by PIETER DE GREBBER, 1628
"Esther, Ahasuerus and Haman"

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11 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by SALOMON KONINCK
"Esther's Banquet"

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12 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by GUSTAVE DORÉ
"Esther Accusing Haman"

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13 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by JAN VICTORS, 1651
"Esther Accusing Haman"

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14 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by JAN VICTORS:
"Esther Accuses Haman before Ahasveros"

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15 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source

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16 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by FRANS FRANCKEN II
"The Banquet Of Esther"

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17 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by FRANS FRANCKEN THE YOUNGER
"Ahasver and Haman at the Banquet of Esther"

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18 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by FRANS FRANCKEN II
"Feast of Esther"

Then Haman was terrified before the king and queen. 7 The king got up in a rage, left his wine and went out into the palace garden. But Haman, realizing that the king had already decided his fate, stayed behind to beg Queen Esther for his life.

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8 Just as the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet hall, Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was reclining.

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19 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by EDWARD ARMITAGE
"Haman Pleading for His Life"

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20 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by CECCO BRAVO
"Esther Standing before Haman,
behind Them King Ahasuerus"

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21 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by EDWARD ARMITAGE
"The Banquet of Esther"

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22 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by PIETRO PAOLINI, 1625
" The Intercession of Esther
with King Ahasuerus and Haman "

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23 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by PIETER LASTMAN, 1618
"Haman Begging Esther for Mercy"

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24 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by JOHANN HEISS
"Esther's Banquet"

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25 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by REMBRANDT, 1660
"Haman Begs Esther for His Life"

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26 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by JAN VICTORS
"Esther & Haman"

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The king exclaimed, “Will he even molest the queen while she is with me in the house?”

As soon as the word left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face. 9 Then Harbona, one of the eunuchs attending the king, said, “A pole reaching to a height of fifty cubits stands by Haman’s house. He had it set up for Mordecai, who spoke up to help the king.”

The king said, “Impale him on it!”

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27 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by JAN STEEN, 1672
"The Wrath of Ahasuerus"

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28 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by JEAN BONVOISIN
"Haman Condemned before Esther"

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29 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by JAN STEEN
"The Wrath of Ahasuerus"

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30 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by ANTON PETTER
"King Ahasuerus Sentences Haman to Death"

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31 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by REMBRANDT -
"Haman Recognizes His Fate"

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32 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
"The King Condemns Haman"

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33 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by JAN STEEN
"The Wrath of Ahasuerus"

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34 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by J-F DE TROY
"Haman's Condemnation"

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35 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
"Denunciation of Haman" – Tapestry, 1759

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10 So they impaled Haman on the pole he had set up for Mordecai. Then the king’s fury subsided.

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36 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by ARTHUR SZYK, 1950
"Haman Hanging on the Gallows"

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37 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by ANTHUENIS CLAEISSENS
"Esther before King Ahasuerus with
Haman Being Sent to the Gallows beyond"

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38 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
"The Hanging of Haman"

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→ a n d…. f i n a l l y ←

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39 mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Image Source
by MICHELANGELO
"Punishment of Haman"
Fresco, Sistine Chapel Ceiling

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֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎
֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎

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Preview of
COMING
ATTRACTIONS

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SNEAK PEEK: Next time,
ESTHER
FAINTS

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֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎
֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎ ֎

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R E S O U R C E S

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If you'd like to see for yourself the Bing page
which yielded most of the works above, here is the link:

Esther's Banquet

Image Sources are provided for most individual works.
Where no attribution appears below a work,
the source did not provide the artist's name.
Works are numbered to facilitate your commenting.

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Links to three masters who painted Biblical scenes prolifically:

REMBRANDT HARMENSZOON van RIJN

GUSTAV DORÉ
241 wood engravings for
La Grande Bible de Tours

JAMES TISSOT
180 watercolors depicting Bible scenes

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Links to two Bibles with comprehensive illustrations:

The Art Bible (1896)

The Maciejowski-Morgan Bible (c.1245)

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This series keeps moving from one Bible passage to another,
so here is a fascinating and enjoyable link to assist in following along:
BIBLE TIMELINE

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Here are links to the
PREVIOUS 171 POSTS IN THIS SERIES
with descriptive titles to assist you in finding those which interest you

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Finally, what God did to initiate The Bible In Paintings:
HOW GOD STARTED THIS SERIES
BY SHOWING ME JUST ONE PICTURE

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SPECIAL THANKS
to FReeper left that other site,
who allowed God to make her His conduit
for incomparable enthusiasm, encouragement,
education, advice and technical assistance!

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NOTES ON MY SELECTION CRITERIA

A r t Q u a l i t y

The Bible and its Author are my focus, not the art: this is The Bible in Paintings, not "Great Paintings" nor even "Good Paintings." So, works need not be masterpieces to qualify for inclusion here—they don't need to be housed at the Louvre nor auctioned by Sotheby's. They only need to illustrate successfully some aspect of the Biblical text or, frankly, just tickle my fancy, which I'm always asking the Holy Spirit to guide.

Often, artists misrepresent the Scripture, but unless the error is material, licentious or heretical I usually include the artwork, trusting that the Spirit is perfectly capable of defending Himself. So, with such forgiving filters, it means that you're seeing practically everything I'm finding.

T e x t S e q u e n c i n g

The Protestant Canon does not (for several reasons) follow a strictly chronological sequence. There are many examples where, for God's good purposes, stories are told out-of-order. Nevertheless, for the sake of simplicity, clarity, and my sanity, I have chosen to proceed linearly and methodically from Genesis onward, illustrating each Bible passage as we come to it. Where two passages cover the same incident I omit the second telling, excepting the four Gospels which I will treat synoptically. Now, onward!

P a c i n g

The pace here may seem appallingly snail-like to those eager to see their favorite events illustrated. My commission is to search for art on each Bible passage in sequence: if I find enough, then it becomes the next installment, even if undramatic (but where there is little or no art, that Bible passage goes untold here).

Then, there is the human element: this is not actually a daily series, because I can only research, compose, edit and post five or six of these installments weekly. And because I only get to do this series once, I'm taking my time, chiefly by posting everything; if I find lots of art, I don't cherry-pick some and discard the rest. Rather, I line up all of them and then sort them into manageable bunches, often resulting in multiple days' episodes of the same story. Obviously, I like being thorough. Were you in a big hurry?

The Bible is a thick book, as you know; but we'll get there eventually, Lord willing—this is His project, after all. And always remember:
love, joy, peace, patience kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness & self-control is a fruit of the Spirit!

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Art is merely the Toy Department of Bible study,
so I'm just having fun here—I hope you are, too!
Thank you for your understanding.

Hebrews 11:6
Dan Lewis
DodgerDan
'55 '59 '63 '65 '81 '88 '20

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either reply here or FRmail me.

No contracts, startup charges or monthly fees;
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[Hebrews 11:6]

At the Holy Spirit's prompting, I am surveying "Bible art" to give God glory, as many of these artists have done, and for my own amusement and learning; and I thought others might enjoy it and be blessed by it, too. My plan is to proceed methodically from left-to-right, Genesis to Revelation, as the Lord wills. Back soon with another.

The Bible encourages us to meditate on it (Ps. 1:1-3, 119:11-16, etc.); these artists have done so, and their works can assist us and enrich our own thoughts about biblical characters, incidents and concepts, and increase our faith in He who is behind it all. As you encounter and consider these images and the related Scriptures and the Spirit enlightens your understanding, please share it with us!

But it is not only oil-on-canvas that can so help us; I refer to the astonishing video series The Chosen, which strolls through the four Gospels at the most leisurely pace. The eight episodes of Season 1 are finished, and the second of a planned seven seasons is being filmed right now. I say "leisurely" because after an entire year's viewing Jesus still has only seven of the apostles (although He's preparing to call up Thomas from the minor leagues--but Thomas is skeptical, of course). Anticipating a canvas of fifty-plus hours instead of a movie's paltry two hours, The Chosen turns the characters (especially including Jesus!) into three-dimensional humans and brings the Gospels alive--you have never seen anything even remotely like it! Here is the Official Trailer.

Here is a link for free viewing of The Chosen: "Works with your phone, tablet, and you can cast to your Roku or Chromecast." Last fall I paid $34.98 for DVDs and ongoing internet access—best 35 bucks I've ever spent (I don't recall how much our marriage license cost, but then it was 43 years ago).

[Hebrews 11:6]

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P r e s e n t e d . . F o r . . Y o u r

CONSIDERATION

ENJOYMENT

& BLESSING

[sauropod]

Ty for posting, Dan.

[Hebrews 11:6]

My pleasure, ‘Pod.

[etabeta]

Among some very fine pictures, the one that jumps at me is #21 by Edward Armitage, a Victorian-age artist whose work was in part dedicated to biblical stories.
The moment when the King orders Aman to be taken away, his fury well expressed in his clenched hand and rigid arm; the effort of the guards to hold back a pleading Aman, in the struggle the wine goblet overturns on the carpet; the blinding light coming in to bathe Esther in righteous triumph...a very measured drama. Brilliant!

[Hebrews 11:6]

It is lovely, so much so that I posted it twice—see #19. Your description of it is very helpful, drawing us to its capture of important details. I’ll add only the very prominent blanket about to be thrown over Haman’s face—and fate, an important textual detail Armitage was careful to include.

[left that other site]

Good Morning, Dan!

[Hebrews 11:6]

♫Good morning to you!♫
♫Good morning to you!♫
♫We're all in our places♫
♫With sun-shiny faces!♫
♫Good morning to you!♫
♫Good morning to you!♫

[Forgiven_Sinner]

Good morning, or afternoon by now. Just a small observation: the 19th-century paintings were more dramatic with bigger gestures than the 17th-century ones. They also had brighter colors and more light.

A small biblical note: the ‘gallows’ was probably an impaling stand. Gallows would be more familiar to 17th readers when the KJV was translated.

[Hebrews 11:6]

I was curious about impaling vs. hanging, so I checked Strong’s, which translates it as “hanging”; but the NIV is resolute in using “impaled.” It’s why I ended with Michelangelo’s which, while not explicit, at least seems to imply impalement.

[doubled]

I appreciate the work you are doing here. My biblical knowledge is very lacking and you are inspiring me to learn more.

A whimsical question, how many kings did Esther impress? There are a lot of different spellings for the name.

Also, impalement on a pole 50 cubits high, how did they get him up there? That is like almost 70 feet in the air and it was already erected.

[Hebrews 11:6]

inspiring me to learn more

Music to my ears! I have no doubt at all that God has two main goals for this series: to draw me closer to Him, and to draw everyone else closer to him.

how many kings

Just the one, I believe. Probably most of these artists were Italian, with several other nationalities as well (Alba may wish to instruct us), so there are variant spellings of Ahasuerus depending on the language; being inherently lazy, I just copied and pasted whatever the image source reported, mostly to lend an air of authenticity. Sorry that it became confusing instead! However, "Xerxes" was below a painting on one of these episodes; I gather that was more of a title, used by several kings in various forms, including Artaxerxes.

how did they get him up there?

Beats me. Picture #37 shows a huge framework with a ladder propped against it, although how you get a condemned man to climb it remains unexplained. Must be the eighth wonder of the world. If you ever saw The Dirty Dozen and how Lee Marvin got Trini Lopez to climb that rope....

[etabeta]

Ahasuerus is the Latin form of the Hebrew name Ahashwerosh. It’s interesting to me to see the name of this King in different languages. For example, in my Italian Bible he is Assuero, while in French Assuérus, in Dutch Ahasveros.
Ahasuerus is also believed to be Xerses I, the son of Darius the great.

[Hebrews 11:6]

We're the winning contestants in today's episode of the award-winning hit show, ASK ETABETA!

As a bonus, here is the rope-climbing scene.

[etabeta]

Ahahah! Great scene. Thanks for the laugh.

[Hebrews 11:6]

I’m guessing that King Whathisname didn’t have Lee Marvin’s machine gun, so I suppose they hoisted him up with block-and-tackle.

[etabeta]

If you want to lose your supper, read this:

https://historycollection.com/18-examples-of-crime-and-punishment-in-the-ancient-persian-empire/12/

[Hebrews 11:6]

Since I was a small child, I’ve had a visceral sensitivity to others’ pain which is nearly disabling. Dutifully, I read Foxe’s Book of Martyrs and consider thereby that I’ve met my lifetime quota of investigating torture. To the extent I’m able, I’ve decided to keep my sights on our glorious future, in the spirit of Philippians 4:9. (I won’t even watch “horror” movies.)

[etabeta]

I am reading that book now, I can emotionally take only few pages at a time, then I have to switch to something else, something that lifts my spirit.

As an emotional Italian, I had to work hard to tame my emotions. But now I am tearing seeing our President speak.

[Hebrews 11:6]

I won't ask why you're reading such a gut-wrenching book, because you're a big girl. Gives me the heebie-jeebies.