The Book of Esther

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- Chapter 8 -

Esther saves the Jews

On that day King Ahasuerus gave Queen Esther the property of Haman, the enemy of the Jews, and Mordecai began to serve before the king, for Esther told the king how Mordecai was related to her.

The king took off his signet ring, which he had taken back from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai. Esther designated Mordecai to be in charge of Haman’s estate.

Then Esther spoke again to the king. She lay facedown on the ground and wept as she pleaded with him to put an end to the evil plan of Haman the Agagite, to the scheme that he had devised against the Jews.

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

She said, “If it pleases the king, and if I have found favor in your sight, if the thing seems right before the king, and I am pleasing in your eyes, let a decree be written to revoke the letters written by Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the letters that he wrote to destroy the Jews who are in all the king’s provinces.

For how could I bear to see disaster fall on my people? How could I endure watching the destruction of my relatives?”

King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, “Look, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and they have hanged him on the gallows, because he was going to attack the Jews.

Write another decree for the Jews in the name of the king and seal it with the king’s ring. For the decree that has already been written in the king’s name and sealed with the king’s ring cannot be revoked.”

Then the king’s scribes were called at that time, in the third month, which is the month of Sivan, on the twenty-third day of the month. A decree was written containing all that Mordecai was commanding concerning the Jews. It was written to the provincial governors, the governors and officials of the provinces that were located from India to Ethiopia, 127 provinces, to every province written in their own writing, and to every people in their language, and to the Jews in their writing and language.

Mordecai wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed it with the king’s signet ring. He sent the documents by couriers riding on the fast horses that were used in the king’s service, bred from the royal stud.

The king gave to the Jews who were in every city permission to gather together and to make a stand to protect their lives: To annihilate, to kill, and to destroy any armed force from any people or province that might attack them, children and women included, or to plunder their possessions.

This was to be in effect in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar.

A copy of the decree was to be issued as a law and publicly displayed to all the peoples. The Jews were to be ready on that day to take vengeance on their enemies.

So the couriers rode on the royal horses that were used in the king’s service. They went without delay. The king’s decree was also issued from the palace in Susa.

Then Mordecai left the king’s presence wearing royal clothes of blue and white, with a great crown of gold and a purple robe of fine linen, and the city of Susa shouted and rejoiced.

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

In every province and in every city, wherever the king’s decree reached, there was gladness and joy among the Jews, a feast and a holiday. Many from among the variety of peoples of the land became Jews, because the fear of the Jews had fallen on them.

Esther saves the Jews

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

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

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

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

She said, “ If it pleases the king, and if I have found favor in his sight, and the thing seems right to the king, and I am 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 who are in all the king’s provinces.

For how can I endure to see the evil that would come to my people? How can I endure to see the destruction of my relatives?”

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

Write 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 not be reversed by any man.”

Then the king’s scribes were called at that time, in the third month, which is the month Sivan, on the twenty-third day of the month; and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded to the Jews, and to the local governors, and the governors and princes of the provinces which are from India to Ethiopia, one hundred twenty-seven provinces, to every province according to its writing, and to every people in their language, and to the Jews in their writing, and in their language.

He wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus, and sealed it with the king’s ring, and sent letters by courier on horseback, riding on royal horses that were bred from swift steeds.

In those letters, the king granted the Jews who were in every city to gather themselves together and to defend their lives— to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish all the power of the people and province that would assault them, their little ones and women, and to plunder their possessions,

on one day in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar.

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

So the couriers who rode on royal horses went out, hastened and pressed on by the king’s commandment. The decree was given out in the citadel of Susa.

Mordecai went out of the presence of the king in royal clothing of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a robe of fine linen and purple; and the city of Susa shouted and was glad.

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

In every province and in every city, wherever the king’s commandment and his decree came, the Jews had gladness, joy, a feast and a holiday. Many from among the peoples of the land became Jews, for the fear of the Jews had fallen on them.