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, Artaxerxes gave the house of Haman, the adversary of the Jews, to queen Esther, and Mordecai entered before the king. For Esther had confessed to him that he was her paternal uncle.

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 the ring, which he had ordered to be taken from Haman, and he handed it to Mordecai. And Esther appointed Mordecai over her house.

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.

Not content with these things, she threw herself down at the king’s feet and wept, and, speaking to him, pleaded that he would give orders that the malice of Haman the Agagite, and his most wicked schemes, which he had contrived against the Jews, would be made ineffective.

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

But he, as was the custom, extended the golden scepter with his hand, which was the sign of clemency, and she rose up and stood before him.

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 pleases the king, and if I have found favor in his eyes, and my request is not seen to be disagreeable to him, I beg you that the former letters of Haman, the traitor and enemy of the Jews, by which he instructed them to be destroyed in all the king’s provinces, may be corrected by new letters.

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 will I be able to endure the murder and execution of my people?”

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.

And king Artaxerxes answered Esther the queen and Mordecai the Jew, “I have granted Haman’s house to Esther, and I have ordered him to be fastened to a cross, because he dared to lay hands on 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.”

Therefore, write to the Jews, just as it pleases you, in the king’s name, sealing the letters with my ring.” For this was the custom, that letters which were sent in the king’s name and were sealed with his ring, no one would dare to contradict.

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 scribes and copyists were brought in, (now it was the time of the third month which is called Sivan, ) on the twenty-third day of the month, and letters were written, as Mordecai wanted, to the Jews, and to the governors, and procurators, and judges, who presided over the one hundred twenty-seven provinces, from India all the way to Ethiopia: to one province and another, to one people and another, in accordance with their languages and letters, and to the Jews, exactly as they were able to read and hear.

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 these letters, which were sent in the king’s name, had been signed with his ring, and were sent by swift couriers who were to rush in every direction, through all the provinces, so as to prevent the former letters with new messages.

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.

The king commanded them to bring together the Jews throughout each city, and to instruct them to join together, so as to make a stand for their lives, and to execute and destroy all their enemies, with their wives and children and their entire houses, and to plunder their spoil.

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.

And one day of retribution was established throughout all the provinces, namely, the thirteenth of the twelfth 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.

And such was the content of the letter, so that it would be made known in all lands and nations, which are subject to the authority of king Artaxerxes, that the Jews have been made ready to be vindicated of 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.

And so the swift couriers departed in haste, carrying through the announcement, and the king’s edict was hung up in Susa.

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.

But Mordecai, going forth from the palace and from the king’s presence, shone in royal apparel the color of hyacinth and of the sky, wearing a golden crown on his head, and clothed with a cloak of silk and purple. And all the city rejoiced and was joyful.

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

But for the Jews, a new light seemed to rise; there was joy, honor, and dancing.

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.

With all the peoples, cities, and provinces, wherever the king’s orders arrived, there was wonderful rejoicing, banquets and feasts, and a solemn holy day, so much so that many of the other nations joined themselves to their religious practices and ceremonies. For a great fear of the name of the Jews had overcome them all.