Esther 8

1On that day King Ahasuerus gave Queen Esther the house of Haman, adversary of the Jews. Mordecai came before the king, for Esther had declared what he was to her.

2The king removed his ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai. Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.

3Esther spoke once more before the king, fell at his feet, wept, and pleaded with him to reverse the harm of Haman the Agagite and the scheme he had planned against the Jews.

4The king extended the golden scepter to Esther, and she arose and stood before the king.

5She said, "If it is good to the king, and if I have found favor before him, and the matter is proper before the king, and I am pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to revoke the letters devised by Haman, son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews who are in all the king's provinces."

6For how can I bear to see the calamity that befalls my people? Or how can I bear to see the destruction of my kin?

7King 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 stretched out his hand against the Jews."

8You write to the Jews as seems best to you, in the king's name, and seal it with the king's ring; for any writing issued in the king's name and sealed with the king's ring cannot be revoked.

9The king's scribes were called at that time, in the third month, Sivan, on its twenty-third day, and letters were written exactly as Mordecai ordered for the Jews, the satraps, governors, and rulers of the provinces from India to Cush—127 provinces—to every province in its script, every nation in its language, and the Jews in their script and their language.

10He wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed it with the king's ring, and sent letters by couriers on horses and riders on swift camels, offspring of dromedaries.

11The king granted the Jews who were in every city to assemble and stand for their lives, to annihilate, kill, and destroy every force of any people or province assaulting them—their children and women—and to plunder their spoil.

12On one day throughout every province of King Ahasuerus—the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar.

13A copy of the writing—for the decree to be issued in every province—was published to all peoples, so that the Jews would be ready on that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.

14The couriers riding royal steeds and camels set out, hurried and driven by the king's command, and the decree was issued in Susa the citadel.

15Mordecai emerged from before the king in royal blue-and-white clothing, with a great golden crown and a fine linen and purple garment; and the city of Susa cried aloud and rejoiced.

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

17In every province and every city, wherever the king's word and his decree reached, the Jews had gladness and joy, feasting and a good day. Many from the peoples of the land became Jews, for the fear of the Jews had fallen upon them.