On that day King
Ahasuerus
gave
the house
of Haman
, athe enemy
of the Jews
, to Queen
Esther
; and Mordecai
came
before
the king
, for Esther
had disclosed
bwhat
he was to her.
aThe king took
off
his signet
ring
which
he had taken
away
from Haman
, and gave
it to Mordecai
. And Esther
set
Mordecai
over
the house
of Haman
.
Then Esther spoke
again
to the king
, fell
at his feet
, wept
and implored
him to avert
the evil
scheme of Haman
the Agagite
and his plot
which
he had devised
against
the Jews
.
aThe king extended
the golden
scepter
to Esther
. So Esther
arose
and stood
before
the king
.
Then she said, " aIf
it pleases
the king
and if
I have found
favor
before
him and the matter
seems proper
to the king
and I am pleasing
in his sight
, let it be written
to revoke
the bletters
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 ahow can
I endure
to see
the calamity
which
will befall
my people
, and how
can
I endure
to see
the destruction
of my kindred
?"
So King Ahasuerus
said
to Queen
Esther
and to Mordecai
the Jew
, "Behold
, aI have given
the house
of Haman
to Esther
, and him they have hanged
on the gallows
because
he had stretched
out his hands
against the Jews
.
"Now you write to the Jews
1as you see
fit
, in the king's
name
, and aseal
it with the king's
signet
ring
; for a decree
which
is written
in the name
of the king
and sealed
with the king's
signet
ring
bmay not be revoked
."
aSo the king's scribes
were called
at that time
in the third
month
(that is, the month
Sivan
), on the twenty-third
1day; and it was written
according to all
that Mordecai
commanded
to the Jews
, the satraps
, the governors
and the princes
of the provinces
which
extended bfrom India
to 2Ethiopia
, 127
provinces
, to cevery
province
according to its script
, and to every
people
according to their language
as well as to the Jews
according to their script
and their language
.
He wrote in the name
of King
Ahasuerus
, and sealed
it with the king's
signet
ring
, and sent
letters
by couriers
on ahorses
, riding
on steeds
sired
by the royal
stud
.
1In them the king granted
the Jews
who
were in each
and every
city
the right ato assemble
and to defend
their lives
, bto destroy
, to kill
and to annihilate
the entire
army
of any people
or province
which might attack
them, including
children
and women
, and cto plunder
their spoil
,
on aone day
in all
the provinces
of King
Ahasuerus
, the thirteenth
day of the twelfth
month
(that is, the month
Adar
).
aA copy of the edict
to be 1issued
as law
in each
and every
province
was published
to all
the peoples
, so that the Jews
would be ready
for this
day
to avenge
themselves on their enemies
.
The couriers, hastened
and impelled
by the king's
command
, went
out, riding
on the royal
steeds
; and the decree
was given
out at the citadel
in Susa
.
Then Mordecai went
out from the presence
of the king
ain royal
robes
of 1blue
and white
, with a large
crown
of gold
and ba garment
of fine
linen
and purple
; and cthe city
of Susa
shouted
and rejoiced
.
For the Jews there was alight
and gladness
and joy
and honor
.
In each and every
province
and in each
and every
city
, wherever
the king's
commandment
and his decree
arrived
, there was gladness
and joy
for the Jews
, a feast
and a 1 aholiday
. And bmany
among
the peoples
of the land
became
Jews
, for the dread
of the Jews
had fallen
on them.