30
But at these words he was filled with an overpowering wrath, because by the providence of God his whole mind had been deranged in regard to these matters; and with a threatening look he said,
31
"Were your parents or children present, I would have prepared them to be a rich feast for the savage beasts instead of the Jews, who give me no ground for complaint and have exhibited to an extraordinary degree a full and firm loyalty to my ancestors.
32
In fact you would have been deprived of life instead of these, were it not for an affection arising from our nurture in common and your usefulness."
33
So Hermon suffered an unexpected and dangerous threat, and his eyes wavered and his face fell.
34
The king's friends one by one sullenly slipped away and dismissed the assembled people, each to his own occupation.
35
Then the Jews, upon hearing what the king had said, praised the manifest Lord God, King of kings, since this also was his aid which they had received.
36
The king, however, reconvened the party in the same manner and urged the guests to return to their celebrating.
37
After summoning Hermon he said in a threatening tone, "How many times, you poor wretch, must I give you orders about these things?
38
Equip the elephants now once more for the destruction of the Jews tomorrow!"
39
But the officials who were at table with him, wondering at his instability of mind, remonstrated as follows:
40
"O king, how long will you try us, as though we are idiots, ordering now for a third time that they be destroyed, and again revoking your decree in the matter?