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1 On
that day did the king Ahasuerus give 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. 2 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. 3 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 device that
he had devised against the Jews. 4 Then
the king held out to Esther the golden scepter. So Esther arose, and stood
before the king. 5 She
said, If it please the king, and if I have found favor in his sight, and the
thing seem right before the king, and I be 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: 6 for
how can I endure to see the evil that shall come to my people? or how can I
endure to see the destruction of my relatives?
7 Then
the king Ahasuerus said to Esther the queen and to Mordecai the Jew, See, I
have given Esther the house of Haman, and him they have hanged on the gallows,
because he laid his hand on the Jews. 8 Write
you 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 no man reverse. 9 Then
were the king’s scribes called at that time, in the third month Sivan, on
the three and twentieth
day of it; and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded
to the Jews, and to the satraps, and the governors and princes of the
provinces which are from India to Ethiopia, one hundred twenty-seven
provinces, to every province according to the writing of it, and to every
people after their language, and to the Jews according to their writing, and
according to their language. 10 He
wrote the name of king Ahasuerus, and sealed it with the king’s ring, and
sent letters by post on horseback, riding on swift steeds that were used in
the king’s service, bred of the stud:
11 in
which the king granted the Jews who were 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 that would assault them, their
little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey, 12 on
one day in all the provinces of king Ahasuerus,
namely, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the
month Adar. 13 A
copy of the writing, that the decree should be given out in every province,
was published to all the peoples, and that the Jews should be ready against
that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.
14 So
the posts who rode on swift steeds that were used in the king’s service went
out, being hurried and pressed on by the king’s commandment; and the decree
was given out in Shushan the palace. 15 Mordecai
went forth from 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 Shushan shouted and was glad. 16 The
Jews had light and gladness, and joy and honor. 17 In
every province, and in every city, wherever the king’s commandment and his
decree came, the Jews had gladness and joy, a feast and a good day. Many from
among the peoples of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews was fallen
on them.
Other Chapters: Main
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