以斯帖記 8
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Traditional)
猶太人獲拯救
8 當天，亞哈隨魯王把猶太人的仇敵哈曼的家產賜給以斯帖王后。末底改也來到王面前，因為以斯帖陳明了他們的親屬關係。 2 王摘下自己的戒指，就是從哈曼手中取回的，賜給末底改。以斯帖派末底改管理哈曼的家產。
3 以斯帖又俯伏在王的腳前，流淚哀求王廢掉亞甲人哈曼加害猶太人的陰謀。 4 王向以斯帖伸出金杖，以斯帖就起來站在王面前， 5 說：「王若願意，我若得到王的恩寵，王若認為好，並且喜悅我，就請王降旨，廢除亞甲人哈米大他的兒子哈曼陰謀滅絕各省猶太人的諭旨。 6 我怎能忍心看我本族的人受害？我怎能忍心看我的親族被殺？」 7 亞哈隨魯王對以斯帖王后和猶太人末底改說：「我已把哈曼的家產賜給以斯帖，並把他吊在木架上了，因為他想害猶太人。 8 現在，你們盡可奉王的名寫諭旨給猶太人，用王的戒指蓋印，因為奉王的名所寫、用王的戒指蓋印的諭旨是不可廢除的。」
9 三月，即西彎月二十三日，王的書記被召來，按照末底改的一切吩咐用各省的文字和各族的語言，包括猶太人的文字和語言寫諭旨，傳給從印度到古實的一百二十七省的猶太人、總督、省長和官員。 10 末底改奉亞哈隨魯王的名寫諭旨，用王的戒指蓋印，讓信差騎王室快馬送往各地。 11-12 諭旨上說，王准許各城的猶太人在十二月，即亞達月十三日，聚集起來自衛，剷除、殺光、滅盡各族各省攻擊他們的仇敵及其兒女、妻子，奪取仇敵的財物。 13 諭旨的抄本頒佈到各省，昭告各族，使猶太人在那天預備好向仇敵報仇。 14 信差接到王的命令，急忙騎上王室快馬上路。在書珊城也頒佈了諭旨。
15 末底改身穿藍色和白色朝服，頭戴大金冠，披著紫色細麻布外袍，從王那裡出來，書珊城的人都歡呼雀躍。 16 猶太人高興歡喜，感到快樂光榮。 17 各省各城，凡諭旨所到之處，猶太人都歡喜快樂，設宴慶祝。許多當地人因懼怕猶太人而入了猶太籍。
Esther 8
Expanded Bible
The King Helps the Jews
8 That same day King ·Xerxes [L Ahasuerus] gave Queen Esther ·everything belonging to [the estate of; L the house of] Haman, the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai came in to see the king, because Esther had ·told [disclosed/revealed to] the king how he was related to her. 2 Then the king took off his signet ring that he had taken back from Haman, and he gave it to Mordecai. Esther put Mordecai ·in charge of everything belonging to [L over the house of] Haman.
3 Once again Esther spoke to the king. She fell at the king’s feet and ·cried [wept] and ·begged [implored] him to stop the evil ·plan [plot] that Haman the Agagite had ·planned [devised] against the Jews [C Esther wisely did not implicate the king in the plan]. 4 The king ·held out [extended] the gold scepter to Esther. So Esther got up and stood in front of him.
5 She said, “My king, if ·you are pleased with me [L I have found favor in the king’s sight], and if it ·pleases [seems good to] you to do this, if you think it is the right thing to do, and if ·you are happy with me [I am pleasing/attractive to you], let an ·order [edict; decree] be written to ·cancel [revoke; rescind] the ·letters [dispatches; scrolls] Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite ·wrote [devised] to destroy the Jews in all of your ·kingdom [L provinces]. 6 ·I could not stand [L How could I endure…?] to see that ·terrible thing [calamity; disaster] ·happen to [L fall on] my people. ·I could not stand [L How could I endure…?] to see my ·family [relatives; L kindred] ·killed [destroyed].”
7 King ·Xerxes [L Ahasuerus] answered Queen Esther and Mordecai the Jew, “Because Haman was against the Jews, I have given his ·things [estate; property] to Esther, and my soldiers have ·hanged [impaled] him on the ·platform [gallows; pole]. 8 Now, in the king’s name, write another ·order [edict; decree] ·to [concerning] the Jews as seems ·best [appropriate] to you. Then seal the ·order [edict; decree] with the king’s signet ring, because no ·letter [dispatch] written in the king’s name and sealed with his signet ring can be ·canceled [revoked; rescinded].”
9 At that time the king’s ·secretaries [scribes] were called. This was the twenty-third day of the third month [C June 25], which is Sivan. The secretaries wrote out all of Mordecai’s ·orders [commands] ·to [concerning] the Jews, to the governors, to the ·captains of the soldiers [high officials] in each ·state [province], and to the ·important men [nobles] of the one hundred twenty-seven ·states [provinces] that reached from India to Cush [1:1]. They wrote in the ·writing [script] of each ·state [province] and in the language of each people. They also wrote to the Jews in their own ·writing [script] and language. 10 Mordecai wrote ·orders [edicts; decrees] in the name of King ·Xerxes [L Ahasuerus] and sealed the ·letters [dispatches; scrolls] with the king’s signet ring. Then he sent the king’s ·orders [edicts; decrees] by ·messengers [couriers] on fast horses, horses that were ·raised [bred] ·just [especially] for the king.
11 These were the king’s ·orders [edicts; decrees]: The Jews in every city have the right to ·gather together [assemble] to ·protect themselves [defend their lives]. They may destroy, kill, and ·completely wipe out [annihilate] the army of any ·state [province] or ·people [nation] who attack them [C the king could not cancel his previous unalterable decree, but he could allow the Jews to defend themselves and attack], including their women and children. They may also ·take by force [plunder; confiscate] the property of their enemies. 12 The one day set for the Jews to do this in all the ·empire [provinces] of King ·Xerxes [L Ahasuerus] was the thirteenth day of the twelfth month [C March 7, about twelve months after Haman devised his plot], the month of Adar. 13 A copy of the king’s ·order [edict; decree] was to be ·sent out [issued; presented] as a law in every ·state [province]. It was to be made known to ·the people of every nation living in the kingdom [L all the peoples] so the Jews would be ready on that set day to ·strike back at [avenge themselves on] their enemies.
14 The ·messengers [couriers] hurried out, riding on the royal horses, urged on by the king’s command. And the ·order [edict; decree] was also given in the ·palace [citadel; fortress; 1:2] at Susa.
15 Mordecai left the king’s presence wearing royal ·clothes [garments] of blue and white and a large gold crown. He also had a purple ·robe [mantle] made of the best linen. And the people of Susa shouted for joy. 16 It was a time of ·happiness [L light], joy, gladness, and honor for the Jews. 17 As the king’s ·order [edict; decree] went to every ·state [province] and city, there was joy and gladness among the Jews. In every ·state [province] and city to which the king’s ·order [edict; decree] went, they were having ·feasts [banquets] and ·celebrating [holidays]. And many ·people through all the empire [L peoples of the land] ·became [professed/pretended to be] Jews, because ·they were afraid of the Jews [L dread of the Jews had fallen on them].
Esther 8
Easy-to-Read Version
The King’s Order to Help the Jews
8 That same day King Xerxes gave Queen Esther everything that belonged to Haman, the enemy of the Jews. Esther told the king that Mordecai was her cousin. Then Mordecai came to see the king. 2 The king had gotten his ring back from Haman. The king took the ring off his finger and gave it to Mordecai. Then Esther put Mordecai in charge of everything that belonged to Haman.
3 Then Esther spoke to the king again. She fell at the king’s feet and began crying. She begged the king to cancel the evil plan of Haman the Agagite. Haman had thought up the plan to hurt the Jews.
4 Then the king held out the gold scepter to Esther. Esther got up and stood in front of the king. 5 Then she said, “King, if you like me and if it pleases you, please do this for me. Please do this if you think it is a good idea. If the king is happy with me, please write a command that would stop the command Haman sent out. Haman the Agagite thought of a plan to destroy the Jews in all the king’s provinces, and he sent out commands for this to happen. 6 I am begging the king because I could not bear to see these terrible things happen to my people. I could not bear to see my family killed.”
7 King Xerxes answered Queen Esther and Mordecai the Jew, “Because Haman was against the Jews, I have given his property to Esther. And my soldiers have hanged him on the hanging post. 8 Now write another command by the authority of the king. Write it to help the Jews in a way that seems best to you. Then seal the order with the king’s special ring. No official letter written by the authority of the king and sealed with the king’s ring can be canceled.”
9 Very quickly the king’s secretaries were called. This was done on the 23rd day of the third month, the month of Sivan. They wrote out all of Mordecai’s commands to the Jews, and to the satraps, the governors, and officials of the 127 provinces. These provinces reached from India to Ethiopia. The commands were written in the language of each province and translated into the language of each group of people. The commands were written to the Jews in their own language and alphabet. 10 Mordecai wrote commands by the authority of King Xerxes. Then he sealed the letters with the king’s ring and sent them by messengers on horses. The messengers rode fast horses, which were raised especially for the king.
11 The king’s commands in the letters said this: The Jews in every city have the right to gather together to protect themselves. They have the right to ruin, kill, and completely destroy any army from any group who might attack them and their women and children. And the Jews have the right to take and destroy the property of their enemies.
12 The day set for the Jews to do this was the 13th day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar. They were permitted to do this in all King Xerxes’ provinces. 13 A copy of the letter with the king’s command was to be sent out. It became a law in every province. They announced it to all the people of every nation living in the kingdom. They did this so that the Jews would be ready for that special day. They would be allowed to pay their enemies back. 14 The messengers hurried out, riding on the king’s horses. The king commanded them to hurry. And the command was also put in the capital city of Susa.
15 Mordecai left the king. He was wearing special clothes from the king. His clothes were blue and white, and he had on a large gold crown. He also had a purple robe made of the best linen. There was a special celebration in Susa. The people were very happy. 16 It was an especially happy day for the Jews, a day of great joy and happiness.
17 Wherever the king’s command went in every province and every city, there was joy and gladness among the Jews. They were having parties and celebrating. Many of the common people from other groups became Jews. They did this because they were very afraid of the Jews.
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