Esther 8

1 On that day did king Achashverosh give the house of Haman the adversary of the Jews unto Esther the queen: and Mordecai came before the king; for Esther had told what he was unto her.

On that day king Assuerus gave the house of Aman, the Jews’ enemy, to queen Esther, and Mardochai came in before the king. For Esther had confessed to him that he was her uncle.

2 And the king took off his signet-ring which he had taken away from Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai: and Esther appointed Mordecai over the house of Haman.

And the king took the ring which he had commanded to be taken again from Aman, and gave it to Mardochai. And Esther set Mardochai over her house.

3 And Esther spoke again before the king, and fell down at his feet, and wept, and besought him to do away the evil of Haman the Agagite, and his device which he had devised against the Jews.

And not content with these things, she fell down at the king’s feet and wept, and speaking to him besought him, that he would give orders that the malice of Aman the Agagite, and his most wicked devices which he had invented against the Jews, should be of no effect.

4 And the king held out toward Esther the golden sceptre; and Esther arose, and stood up before the king;

But he, as the manner was, held out the golden sceptre with his hand, which was the sign of clemency: and she arose up and stood before him,

5 And she said, If it be pleasing to the king, and if I have found grace before him, and the thing seem proper before the king, and I be pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to recall the letters, the device of Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he hath written to exterminate the Jews who are in all the provinces of the king.

And said: If it please the king, and if I have found favour in his sight, and my request be not disagreeable to him, I beseech thee, that the former letters of Aman the traitor and enemy of the Jews, by which he commanded that they should be destroyed in all the king’s provinces, may be reversed by new letters.

6 For how could I endure to look on the evil that is to befall my people? and how could I endure to look on the extermination of my kindred?

For how call I endure the murdering and slaughter of my people?

7 Then said king Achashverosh unto Esther the queen and to Mordecai the Jew, Behold, the house of Haman have I given to Esther, and him have they hanged on the gallows, because he had stretched out his hand against the Jews.

And king Assuerus answered Esther the queen, and Mardochai the Jew: I have given Aman’s house to Esther, and I have commanded him to be hanged on a gibbet, because he durst lay hands on the Jews.

8 But ye write yourselves concerning the Jews, as it may be good in your eyes, in the king's name, and seal it with the king's signet-ring; for a writing which is written in the king's name, and sealed with the king's signet-ring, cannot be recalled.

Write ye therefore to the Jews, as it pleaseth you, in the king’s name, and seal the letters with my ring. For this was the custom, that no man durst gainsay the letters which were sent in the king’s name, and were sealed with his ring.

9 Then were called the king's scribes at that time in the third month, that is, the month Sivan, on the three and twentieth day thereof; and it was written all just as Mordecai commanded to the Jews, and to the lieutenants, and the governors and the princes of the provinces who were from India unto Ethiopia, one hundred and twenty-seven provinces, unto every province according to its writing, and unto every people according to its language, and to the Jews according to their writing, and according to their language.

Then the king’s scribes and secretaries were called for (now it was the time of the third month which is called Siban) the three and twentieth day of the month, and letters were written, as Mardochai had a mind, to the Jews, and to the governors, and to the deputies, and to the judges, who were rulers over the hundred and twenty-seven provinces, from India even to Ethiopia: to province and province, to people and people, according to their languages and characters, and to the Jews, according as they could read and hear.

10 And he wrote in the name of king Achashverosh, and sealed it with the king's signet-ring, and he sent letters through means of the swift messengers on horseback, and riders on mules, camels, and young dromedaries:

And these letters which were sent in the king’s name, were sealed with his ring, and sent by posts: who were to run through all the provinces, to prevent the former letters with new messages.

11 That the king had granted to the Jews who were in every city to gather themselves together, and to stand forward for their life, to destroy, to slay, and to exterminate all the military strength of the people and province that would assault them, both little ones and women, and to plunder their property as spoil,

And the king gave orders to them, to speak to the Jews in every city, and to command them to gather themselves together, and to stand for their lives, and to kill and destroy all their enemies with their wives and children and all their houses, and to take their spoil.

12 On one day in all the provinces of king Achashverosh, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar.

And one day of revenge was appointed through all the provinces, to wit, the thirteenth of the twelfth month Adar.

13 A copy of the writing to be given out as a law in every province, was published unto all nations, and that the Jews should be ready against that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.

And this was the content of the letter, that it should be notified in all lands and peoples that were subject to the empire of king Assuerus, that the Jews were ready to be revenged of their enemies.

14 The swift messengers that rode upon mules and camels went out, being hastened and hurried forward with the command of the king: and the law was given out at Shushan the capital.

So the swift posts went out carrying the messages, and the king’s edict was hung up in Susan.

15 And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in a royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a cloak of fine linen and purple: and the city of Shushan was glad and joyful.

And Mardochai going forth out of the palace, and from the king’s presence, shone in royal apparel, to wit, of violet and sky colour, wearing a golden crown on his head, and clothed with a cloak of silk and purple. And all the city rejoiced and was glad.

16 For the Jews there was light, with joy and gladness, and honor.

But to the Jews a new light seemed to rise, joy, honour, and dancing.

17 And in every province, and in every city, whithersoever the king's command reached with his law, there were joy and gladness for the Jews, entertainments and a feast-day: and many of the people of the land became Jews; for the dread of the Jews had fallen upon them.

And in all peoples, cities, and provinces, whithersoever the king’s commandments came, there was wonderful rejoicing, feasts and banquets, and keeping holy day: insomuch that many of other nations and religion, joined themselves to their worship and ceremonies. For a great dread of the name of the Jews had fallen upon all.