Esther 08 The King Gives Mordecai an Edict in Favor of the Jews

 Esther 08

The King Gives Mordecai an Edict in Favor of the Jews

1 That same day King Ahasuerus gave Queen Esther the house of Haman, the enemy of the Jews; and Mordecai came before the king, because Esther had declared what was his.

2 Then the king took off his signet ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai. And Esther put Mordecai in charge of Haman's house.

3 Then Esther spoke before the king, and fell at his feet, and wept, and begged him to reverse the evil of Haman the Agagite, and his plan which he had devised against the Jews.

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

 5 and said, "If it pleases the king, and if I have found favor in his eyes, and if the matter is right in the king's eyes, and if I please him, let it be written to revoke the letters and the plan of 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 see the evil that will come upon my people? And how can I see the destruction of my generation?" 

7 Then King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, "Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and they have hanged him on a gallows, because he wanted to lay hands on the Jews.

 8 I will therefore write to the Jews as it pleases you, in the king's name, and seal it with the king's ring; For a writing that is written in the king's name and sealed with the king's ring cannot be revoked.

9 Then the king's scribes were called at that time, in the third month (that is, the month of Sivan), on the twenty-third day of the same month, and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded the Jews, and the satraps, and the governors, and the princes of the provinces that extend from India to Ethiopia, one hundred and twenty-seven provinces, to each province according to its writing, and to each people according to their language, and to the Jews according to their writing, and according to their language.

10 And it was written in the name of King Ahasuerus, and it was sealed with the king's ring; and the letters were sent by the hand of couriers on horseback, riding on horseback, which were the king's stables. 

11 In it the king gave orders to the Jews who were in every city to assemble and stand ready to defend their lives, and to destroy, kill and lay waste all the forces of the people and provinces that pressed against them, children and women, and to plunder their spoils, 

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

13 And a copy of the letter, that an order should be announced in all the provinces, was sent to all the people, so that the Jews would be ready against that day to take revenge on their enemies. 

14 The couriers on horseback from the king's stables went out in haste, urged by the king's word: and this order was published in the citadel of Susa. 

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

16 And there was light, and gladness, and joy, and honour, for the Jews. 

17 And in every province, and in every city, wherever the king's word and his command came, there was joy and gladness among the Jews, feasting and days of rejoicing; and many of the people of the land became Jews, for the fear of the Jews had fallen upon them.