Esther 8

1. 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. 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. And Esther spoke yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet, and begged him with tears to put away the evil of Haman the Agagite, and his plot which he had devised against the Jews.

4. Then the king held out the golden scepter toward Esther. And Esther arose and stood before the king,

5. And said, “If it please the king, and if I have found favor in his sight, and if the thing seems right before the king, and if 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 in all the king’s provinces.

6. For how can I bear to see the evil that shall come upon my people? Or how can I endure to see the slaughter of my kindred?”

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

8. And you write for 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, no man may revoke.”

9. Then the king’s scribes were called at that time in the third month, the 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 lieutenants and the governors and rulers of the provinces from India to Ethiopia, a hundred and twenty-seven provinces, to every province according to the writing of it, and to every people in their language, and to the Jews according to their writing and according to their language.

10. And he wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed it with the king’s ring. Then he sent letters by riders on horseback, riders on royal steeds, stallions, even sons of royal mares.

11. In these letters the king granted the Jews 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 desired to attack them, little ones and women, and to plunder their property,

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

13. A copy of the writing for a command to be given in every province was announced to all people, even that the Jews should be ready against that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.

14. The couriers, riding on stallions and royal steeds, went out, being hurried and pressed on by the king’s command. And the order was given at Shushan the palace.

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

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

17. And in every province, and in every city where the king’s command and his order came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a good day. And many of the people of the land became Jews, for the fear of the Jews fell upon them.