³ Esther again pleaded with the king, falling at his feet and weeping. She begged him to put an end to the evil plan of Haman the Agagite,^(A) which he had devised against the Jews.

⁶ For how can I bear to see disaster fall on my people? How can I bear to see the destruction of my family?”^(A)

⁷ King Xerxes replied to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, “Because Haman attacked the Jews, I have given his estate to Esther, and they have impaled^(B) him on the pole he set up. ⁸ Now write another decree^(C) in the king’s name in behalf of the Jews as seems best to you, and seal^(D) it with the king’s signet ring^(E)—for no document written in the king’s name and sealed with his ring can be revoked.”^(F)

¹¹ The king’s edict granted the Jews in every city the right to assemble and protect themselves; to destroy, kill and annihilate the armed men of any nationality or province who might attack them and their women and children,^[a] and to plunder^(A) the property of their enemies.