Esther 8

1 That very day King Xerxes gave Queen Esther the property that had belonged to Haman, the enemy of the Jews. Also, Mordecai came before the king, because Esther had explained who he was to her.

On that day king Ahasuerus gave the house of Haman the Jews' enemy to Esther the queen. And Mordecai came before the king, for Esther had told what he was to her.

2 The king removed his signet ring which he had taken back from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai. Esther put Mordecai in charge of Haman's property.

And the king took off his ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.

3 Esther went to speak to the king again, falling down at his feet and weeping, pleading with him to do away with the evil scheme of Haman the Agagite that he had thought up to destroy the Jews.

And Esther spoke yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet, and besought him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his device that he had devised against the Jews.

4 Once again the king held out the golden scepter to Esther. She got up and stood before him.

Then the king held out to Esther the golden scepter. So Esther arose, and stood before the king.

5 Esther said, “If it please Your Majesty, and if he looks on me favorably, and if the king believes it is the right thing to do, and if he is pleased with me, let an order be issued that revokes the letters sent out by Haman, son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, with his devious scheme to destroy the Jews in all the provinces of the king.

And she said, If it please the king, and if I have found favor in his sight, and the thing seem right before the king, and I be pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to reverse the letters devised by Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews that are in all the king's provinces.

6 For how can I bear to see the disaster about to fall on my people? How can I bear to see the destruction of my family?”

For how can I endure to see the evil that shall come to my people? Or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?

7 King Xerxes said to Esther the Queen and Mordecai the Jew, “Notice that I have given Haman's estate to Esther, and he was impaled on a pole because he wanted to kill the Jews.

Then the king Ahasuerus said to Esther the queen and to Mordecai the Jew, Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and him they have hanged upon the gallows, because he laid his hand upon the Jews.

8 Now you may write an order regarding the Jews in whatever way you want, in the king's name, and seal it with the king's signet ring. For no decree written in the king's name and sealed with his signet ring can be revoked.”

Write ye also to the Jews, as it pleases you, in the king's name, and seal it with the king's ring, for the writing which is written in the king's name, and sealed with the king's ring, may no man reverse.

9 The king's secretaries were summoned, and on the twenty-third day of the third month, the month of Sivan, they wrote a decree of all of Mordecai's orders to the Jews and to the king's chief officers, the governors, and the nobles of the 127 provinces from India to Ethiopia. They wrote to every province in its own script, to every people in their own language, and to the Jews in their own script and language.

Then the king's scribes were called at that time, in the third month Sivan, on the twenty-third day of it. And it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded to the Jews, and to the satraps, and the governors and rulers of the provinces which are from India to Ethiopia, a hundred twenty-seven provinces, to every province according to the writing of it, and to every people after their language, and to the Jews according to their writing, and according to their language.

10 He wrote in the name of King Xerxes and sealed it with the king's signet ring. He sent the letters by messenger on horseback, who rode fast thoroughbred horses of the king.

And he wrote the name of king Ahasuerus, and sealed it with the king's ring, and sent letters by post on horseback, riding on swift steeds that were used in the king's service bred of the stud,

11 The letters from the king authorized the Jews in every city to gather together in self-defense, and to destroy, kill, and annihilate any armed group of a people or province that might attack them, including women and children, and to confiscate their possessions.

in which the king granted the Jews that were in every city to gather themselves together, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province who would assault them, their little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey,

12 This was to happen on one day throughout all the provinces of King Xerxes, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar.

upon one day in all the provinces of king Ahasuerus, namely, upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar.

13 A copy of the decree was to be issued as law in every province and publicized to the people so that the Jews would be ready on that day to pay back their enemies.

A copy of the writing, that the decree should be given out in every province, was published to all the peoples, and that the Jews should be ready against that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.

14 By order of the king, the messengers riding the king's relay horses rushed out, hurrying on their way. The decree was also issued in the fortress of Susa.

So the posts that rode upon swift steeds that were used in the king's service went out, being hastened and pressed on by the king's commandment, and the decree was given out in Shushan the palace.

15 Then Mordecai left the king, wearing royal clothes of blue and white, with a large golden crown and a purple robe made of fine linen. The city of Susa shouted with joy.

And Mordecai went forth from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a robe of fine linen and purple. And the city of Shushan shouted and was glad.

16 For the Jews it was a bright time of happiness, joy, and respect.

The Jews had light and gladness, and joy and honor.

17 In every province and in every city, wherever the king's order and decree had reached, the Jews were joyful and happy—they feasted and celebrated. Many people became Jews, because they had become afraid of them.

And in every province, and in every city, wherever the king's commandment and his decree came, the Jews had gladness and joy, a feast and a good day. And many from among the peoples of the land became Jews, for the fear of the Jews was fallen upon them.