14 (A)And the elders of the Jews built and prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. They finished their building by decree of the God of Israel and (B)by decree of Cyrus and (C)Darius and (D)Artaxerxes king of Persia; 15 and this house was finished on the third day of the (E)month of Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.

16 And the people of Israel, the priests and the Levites, and the rest of the returned exiles, celebrated the (F)dedication of this house of God with joy. 17 They offered at the dedication of this house of God 100 bulls, 200 rams, 400 lambs, and as a sin offering for all Israel (G)12 male goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel. 18 And they set the priests (H)in their divisions and the Levites (I)in their divisions, for the service of God at Jerusalem, (J)as it is written in the Book of Moses.

Passover Celebrated

19 (K)On the fourteenth day of the first month, the returned exiles kept the Passover. 20 (L)For the priests and the Levites had purified themselves together; all of them were clean. (M)So they slaughtered the Passover lamb for all the returned exiles, for their fellow priests, and for themselves. 21 It was eaten by the people of Israel who had returned from exile, and (N)also by every one who had joined them and separated himself (O)from the uncleanness of the peoples of the land to worship the Lord, the God of Israel. 22 And they kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread (P)seven days with joy, for the Lord had made them joyful (Q)and had turned the heart of (R)the king of Assyria to them, so that he aided them in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.

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14 So the elders of the Jews continued to build and prosper under the preaching(A) of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah, a descendant of Iddo. They finished building the temple according to the command of the God of Israel and the decrees of Cyrus,(B) Darius(C) and Artaxerxes,(D) kings of Persia. 15 The temple was completed on the third day of the month Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.(E)

16 Then the people of Israel—the priests, the Levites and the rest of the exiles—celebrated the dedication(F) of the house of God with joy. 17 For the dedication of this house of God they offered(G) a hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred male lambs and, as a sin offering[a] for all Israel, twelve male goats, one for each of the tribes of Israel. 18 And they installed the priests in their divisions(H) and the Levites in their groups(I) for the service of God at Jerusalem, according to what is written in the Book of Moses.(J)

The Passover

19 On the fourteenth day of the first month, the exiles celebrated the Passover.(K) 20 The priests and Levites had purified themselves and were all ceremonially clean. The Levites slaughtered(L) the Passover lamb for all the exiles, for their relatives the priests and for themselves. 21 So the Israelites who had returned from the exile ate it, together with all who had separated themselves(M) from the unclean practices(N) of their Gentile neighbors in order to seek the Lord,(O) the God of Israel. 22 For seven days they celebrated with joy the Festival of Unleavened Bread,(P) because the Lord had filled them with joy by changing the attitude(Q) of the king of Assyria so that he assisted them in the work on the house of God, the God of Israel.

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Footnotes

  1. Ezra 6:17 Or purification offering

And in the reign of (A)Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.

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Later Opposition Under Xerxes and Artaxerxes

At the beginning of the reign of Xerxes,[a](A) they lodged an accusation against the people of Judah and Jerusalem.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. Ezra 4:6 Hebrew Ahasuerus

The King's Banquets

Now in the days of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who reigned (A)from India to Ethiopia over (B)127 provinces, in those days when King Ahasuerus (C)sat on his royal throne in (D)Susa, the citadel, in the third year of his reign (E)he gave a feast for all his officials and servants. The army of Persia and Media and the nobles and governors of the provinces were before him, while he showed the riches of his royal glory and the splendor and pomp of his greatness for many days, 180 days. And when these days were completed, the king gave for all the people present in Susa the citadel, both great and small, a feast lasting for seven days in the court of (F)the garden of the king's palace. There were white cotton curtains and violet hangings fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rods[a] and marble pillars, and also (G)couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and precious stones. Drinks were served in golden vessels, vessels of different kinds, and the royal wine was lavished according to the bounty of the king. And drinking was according to this edict: “There is no compulsion.” For the king had given orders to all the staff of his palace to do as each man desired. Queen Vashti also gave a feast for the women in the palace that belonged to King Ahasuerus.

Queen Vashti's Refusal

10 On the seventh day, (H)when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, (I)Harbona, (J)Bigtha and Abagtha, Zethar and Carkas, the seven eunuchs who served in the presence of King Ahasuerus, 11 to bring Queen Vashti before the king with (K)her royal crown,[b] in order to show the peoples and the princes her beauty, for she was lovely to look at. 12 But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king's command delivered by the eunuchs. At this the king became enraged, and his anger burned within him.

13 Then the king said to (L)the wise men (M)who knew the times (for this was the king's procedure toward all who were versed in law and judgment, 14 the men next to him being Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and (N)Memucan, (O)the seven princes of Persia and Media, (P)who saw the king's face, and sat first in the kingdom): 15 “According to the law, what is to be done to Queen Vashti, because she has not performed the command of King Ahasuerus delivered by the eunuchs?” 16 Then Memucan said in the presence of the king and the officials, “Not only against the king has Queen Vashti done wrong, but also against all the officials and all the peoples who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus. 17 For the queen's behavior will be made known to all women, causing them to look at their husbands with contempt,[c] since they will say, ‘King Ahasuerus commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him, and she did not come.’ 18 This very day the noble women of Persia and Media who have heard of the queen's behavior will say the same to all the king's officials, and there will be contempt and wrath in plenty. 19 If it please the king, let a royal order go out from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes so (Q)that it may not be repealed, that Vashti is never again to come before King Ahasuerus. And let the king give her royal position to another who is better than she. 20 So when the decree made by the king is proclaimed throughout all his kingdom, for it is vast, (R)all women will give honor to their husbands, high and low alike.” 21 This advice pleased the king and the princes, and the king did as Memucan proposed. 22 He sent letters to all the royal provinces, (S)to every province in its own script and to every people in its own language, that every man be master in his own household and speak according to the language of his people.

Esther Chosen Queen

After these things, (T)when the anger of King Ahasuerus had abated, he remembered Vashti (U)and what she had done and what had been decreed against her. Then the king's young men who attended him said, “Let beautiful young virgins be sought out for the king. And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom to gather all the beautiful young virgins to the harem in Susa the citadel, under custody of (V)Hegai, the king's eunuch, who is in charge of the women. (W)Let their cosmetics be given them. And let the young woman who pleases the king[d] be queen instead of Vashti.” This pleased the king, and he did so.

Now there was a Jew in Susa the citadel whose name was (X)Mordecai, the son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, a Benjaminite, (Y)who had been carried away from Jerusalem among the captives carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried away. He was bringing up Hadassah, that is Esther, (Z)the daughter of his uncle, for she had neither father nor mother. The young woman had a beautiful figure and was lovely to look at, and when her father and her mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter. So when the king's order and his edict were proclaimed, and (AA)when many young women were gathered in Susa the citadel in custody of (AB)Hegai, Esther also was taken into the king's palace and put in custody of Hegai, who had charge of the women. And the young woman pleased him and won his favor. And he quickly provided her (AC)with her cosmetics and her portion of food, and with seven chosen young women from the king's palace, and advanced her and her young women to the best place in the harem. 10 (AD)Esther had not made known her people or kindred, for Mordecai had commanded her not to make it known. 11 And every day Mordecai walked in front of the court of the harem to learn how Esther was and what was happening to her.

12 Now when the turn came for each young woman to go in to King Ahasuerus, after being twelve months under the regulations for the women, since this was the regular period of their beautifying, six months with oil of myrrh and six months with spices and ointments for women— 13 when the young woman went in to the king in this way, she was given whatever she desired to take with her from the harem to the king's palace. 14 In the evening she would go in, and in the morning she would return to the second harem in custody of Shaashgaz, the king's eunuch, who was in charge of the concubines. She would not go in to the king again, unless the king delighted in her and she was summoned by name.

15 When the turn came for Esther (AE)the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her as his own daughter, to go in to the king, she asked for nothing except what (AF)Hegai the king's eunuch, who had charge of the women, advised. Now Esther was winning favor in the eyes of all who saw her. 16 And when Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus, into his royal palace, in the tenth month, which is the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign, 17 the king loved Esther more than all the women, and she won grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins, so that he set (AG)the royal crown[e] on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. 18 Then the king (AH)gave a great feast for all his officials and servants; it was Esther's feast. He also granted a remission of taxes to the provinces and gave gifts with royal generosity.

Mordecai Discovers a Plot

19 Now when the virgins were gathered together (AI)the second time, Mordecai was sitting (AJ)at the king's gate. 20 (AK)Esther had not made known her kindred or her people, as Mordecai had commanded her, for Esther obeyed Mordecai just (AL)as when she was brought up by him. 21 In those days, as Mordecai was sitting at the king's gate, (AM)Bigthan and (AN)Teresh, two of the king's eunuchs, who guarded the threshold, became angry and sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. 22 And this came to the knowledge of Mordecai, (AO)and he told it to Queen Esther, and Esther told the king in the name of Mordecai. 23 When the affair was investigated and found to be so, the men were both hanged on the gallows.[f] And it was recorded in (AP)the book of the chronicles in the presence of the king.

Haman Plots Against the Jews

After these things King Ahasuerus (AQ)promoted Haman (AR)the Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, (AS)and advanced him and set his throne above all the officials who were with him. And all the king's servants who were at the king's gate bowed down and paid homage to Haman, for the king had so commanded concerning him. (AT)But Mordecai did not bow down or pay homage. Then the king's servants who were (AU)at the king's gate said to Mordecai, “Why do you transgress (AV)the king's command?” And when they spoke to him day after day and he would not listen to them, they told Haman, in order to see whether Mordecai's words would stand, for he had told them that he was a Jew. And when Haman saw that (AW)Mordecai did not bow down or pay homage to him, Haman was (AX)filled with fury. But he disdained[g] to lay hands on Mordecai alone. So, as they had made known to him the people of Mordecai, Haman sought to destroy[h] all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus.

In the first month, which is the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, (AY)they cast Pur (that is, they cast lots) before Haman day after day; and they cast it month after month till the twelfth month, which is (AZ)the month of Adar. Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom. (BA)Their laws are different from those of every other people, and they do not keep the king's laws, so that it is not to the king's profit to tolerate them. If it please the king, let it be decreed that they be destroyed, and I will pay 10,000 talents[i] of silver into the hands of those who have charge of the king's business, that they may put it into the king's treasuries.” 10 (BB)So the king took his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman (BC)the Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, (BD)the enemy of the Jews. 11 And the king said to Haman, “The money is given to you, the people also, to do with them as it seems good to you.”

12 (BE)Then the king's scribes were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month, and an edict, according to all that Haman commanded, was written to the king's (BF)satraps and to the governors over all the provinces and to the officials of all the peoples, (BG)to every province in its own script and every people in its own language. It was written (BH)in the name of King Ahasuerus (BI)and sealed with the king's signet ring. 13 Letters were sent (BJ)by couriers to all the king's provinces with instruction (BK)to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all Jews, young and old, women and children, (BL)in one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, (BM)and to plunder their goods. 14 (BN)A copy of the document was to be issued as a decree in every province by proclamation to all the peoples to be ready for that day. 15 (BO)The couriers went out hurriedly by order of the king, and the decree was issued in Susa the citadel. And the king and Haman sat down to drink, (BP)but the city of Susa was thrown into confusion.

Esther Agrees to Help the Jews

When Mordecai learned all that had been done, Mordecai tore his clothes (BQ)and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and he cried out with a loud and bitter cry. He went up to the entrance of the king's gate, for no one was allowed to enter the king's gate clothed in sackcloth. And in every province, wherever the king's command and his decree reached, there was great mourning among the Jews, (BR)with fasting and weeping and lamenting, and many of them (BS)lay in sackcloth and ashes.

When Esther's young women and her eunuchs came and told her, the queen was deeply distressed. She sent garments to clothe Mordecai, so that he might take off his sackcloth, but he would not accept them. Then Esther called for Hathach, one of the king's eunuchs, who had been appointed to attend her, and ordered him to go to Mordecai to learn what this was and why it was. Hathach went out to Mordecai in the open square of the city in front of the king's gate, and Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, (BT)and the exact sum of money that Haman had promised to pay into the king's treasuries for the destruction of the Jews. Mordecai also gave him (BU)a copy of the written decree issued in Susa for their destruction,[j] that he might show it to Esther and explain it to her and command her to go to the king to beg his favor and plead with him[k] on behalf of her people. And Hathach went and told Esther what Mordecai had said. 10 Then Esther spoke to Hathach and commanded him to go to Mordecai and say, 11 “All the king's servants and the people of the king's provinces know that if any man or woman goes to the king inside (BV)the inner court without being called, (BW)there is but one law—to be put to death, except the one (BX)to whom the king holds out the golden scepter so that he may live. But as for me, I have not been called to come in to the king these thirty days.”

12 And they told Mordecai what Esther had said. 13 Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not think to yourself that in the king's palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. 14 For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” 15 Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, 16 “Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for (BY)three days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, (BZ)and if I perish, I perish.”[l] 17 Mordecai then went away and did everything as Esther had ordered him.

Footnotes

  1. Esther 1:6 Or rings
  2. Esther 1:11 Or headdress
  3. Esther 1:17 Hebrew to disdain their husbands in their eyes
  4. Esther 2:4 Hebrew who is good in the eyes of the king
  5. Esther 2:17 Or headdress
  6. Esther 2:23 Or wooden beam or stake; Hebrew tree or wood. This Persian execution practice involved affixing or impaling a person on a stake or pole (compare Ezra 6:11)
  7. Esther 3:6 Hebrew disdained in his eyes
  8. Esther 3:6 Or annihilate
  9. Esther 3:9 A talent was about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms
  10. Esther 4:8 Or annihilation
  11. Esther 4:8 Hebrew and seek from before his face
  12. Esther 4:16 Hebrew if I am destroyed, then I will be destroyed

Queen Vashti Deposed

This is what happened during the time of Xerxes,[a](A) the Xerxes who ruled over 127 provinces(B) stretching from India to Cush[b]:(C) At that time King Xerxes reigned from his royal throne in the citadel of Susa,(D) and in the third year of his reign he gave a banquet(E) for all his nobles and officials. The military leaders of Persia and Media, the princes, and the nobles of the provinces were present.

For a full 180 days he displayed the vast wealth of his kingdom and the splendor and glory of his majesty. When these days were over, the king gave a banquet, lasting seven days,(F) in the enclosed garden(G) of the king’s palace, for all the people from the least to the greatest who were in the citadel of Susa. The garden had hangings of white and blue linen, fastened with cords of white linen and purple material to silver rings on marble pillars. There were couches(H) of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl and other costly stones. Wine was served in goblets of gold, each one different from the other, and the royal wine was abundant, in keeping with the king’s liberality.(I) By the king’s command each guest was allowed to drink with no restrictions, for the king instructed all the wine stewards to serve each man what he wished.

Queen Vashti also gave a banquet(J) for the women in the royal palace of King Xerxes.

10 On the seventh day, when King Xerxes was in high spirits(K) from wine,(L) he commanded the seven eunuchs who served him—Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona,(M) Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar and Karkas— 11 to bring(N) before him Queen Vashti, wearing her royal crown, in order to display her beauty(O) to the people and nobles, for she was lovely to look at. 12 But when the attendants delivered the king’s command, Queen Vashti refused to come. Then the king became furious and burned with anger.(P)

13 Since it was customary for the king to consult experts in matters of law and justice, he spoke with the wise men who understood the times(Q) 14 and were closest to the king—Karshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena and Memukan, the seven nobles(R) of Persia and Media who had special access to the king and were highest in the kingdom.

15 “According to law, what must be done to Queen Vashti?” he asked. “She has not obeyed the command of King Xerxes that the eunuchs have taken to her.”

16 Then Memukan replied in the presence of the king and the nobles, “Queen Vashti has done wrong, not only against the king but also against all the nobles and the peoples of all the provinces of King Xerxes. 17 For the queen’s conduct will become known to all the women, and so they will despise their husbands and say, ‘King Xerxes commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him, but she would not come.’ 18 This very day the Persian and Median women of the nobility who have heard about the queen’s conduct will respond to all the king’s nobles in the same way. There will be no end of disrespect and discord.(S)

19 “Therefore, if it pleases the king,(T) let him issue a royal decree and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media, which cannot be repealed,(U) that Vashti is never again to enter the presence of King Xerxes. Also let the king give her royal position to someone else who is better than she. 20 Then when the king’s edict is proclaimed throughout all his vast realm, all the women will respect their husbands, from the least to the greatest.”

21 The king and his nobles were pleased with this advice, so the king did as Memukan proposed. 22 He sent dispatches to all parts of the kingdom, to each province in its own script and to each people in their own language,(V) proclaiming that every man should be ruler over his own household, using his native tongue.

Esther Made Queen

Later when King Xerxes’ fury had subsided,(W) he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what he had decreed about her. Then the king’s personal attendants proposed, “Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king. Let the king appoint commissioners in every province of his realm to bring all these beautiful young women into the harem at the citadel of Susa. Let them be placed under the care of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, who is in charge of the women; and let beauty treatments be given to them. Then let the young woman who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.” This advice appealed to the king, and he followed it.

Now there was in the citadel of Susa a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin, named Mordecai son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish,(X) who had been carried into exile from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, among those taken captive with Jehoiachin[c](Y) king of Judah.(Z) Mordecai had a cousin named Hadassah, whom he had brought up because she had neither father nor mother. This young woman, who was also known as Esther,(AA) had a lovely figure(AB) and was beautiful. Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter when her father and mother died.

When the king’s order and edict had been proclaimed, many young women were brought to the citadel of Susa(AC) and put under the care of Hegai. Esther also was taken to the king’s palace and entrusted to Hegai, who had charge of the harem. She pleased him and won his favor.(AD) Immediately he provided her with her beauty treatments and special food.(AE) He assigned to her seven female attendants selected from the king’s palace and moved her and her attendants into the best place in the harem.

10 Esther had not revealed her nationality and family background, because Mordecai had forbidden her to do so.(AF) 11 Every day he walked back and forth near the courtyard of the harem to find out how Esther was and what was happening to her.

12 Before a young woman’s turn came to go in to King Xerxes, she had to complete twelve months of beauty treatments prescribed for the women, six months with oil of myrrh and six with perfumes(AG) and cosmetics. 13 And this is how she would go to the king: Anything she wanted was given her to take with her from the harem to the king’s palace. 14 In the evening she would go there and in the morning return to another part of the harem to the care of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the concubines.(AH) She would not return to the king unless he was pleased with her and summoned her by name.(AI)

15 When the turn came for Esther (the young woman Mordecai had adopted, the daughter of his uncle Abihail(AJ)) to go to the king,(AK) she asked for nothing other than what Hegai, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the harem, suggested. And Esther won the favor(AL) of everyone who saw her. 16 She was taken to King Xerxes in the royal residence in the tenth month, the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.

17 Now the king was attracted to Esther more than to any of the other women, and she won his favor and approval more than any of the other virgins. So he set a royal crown on her head and made her queen(AM) instead of Vashti. 18 And the king gave a great banquet,(AN) Esther’s banquet, for all his nobles and officials.(AO) He proclaimed a holiday throughout the provinces and distributed gifts with royal liberality.(AP)

Mordecai Uncovers a Conspiracy

19 When the virgins were assembled a second time, Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate.(AQ) 20 But Esther had kept secret her family background and nationality just as Mordecai had told her to do, for she continued to follow Mordecai’s instructions as she had done when he was bringing her up.(AR)

21 During the time Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, Bigthana[d] and Teresh, two of the king’s officers(AS) who guarded the doorway, became angry(AT) and conspired to assassinate King Xerxes. 22 But Mordecai found out about the plot and told Queen Esther, who in turn reported it to the king, giving credit to Mordecai. 23 And when the report was investigated and found to be true, the two officials were impaled(AU) on poles. All this was recorded in the book of the annals(AV) in the presence of the king.(AW)

Haman’s Plot to Destroy the Jews

After these events, King Xerxes honored Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite,(AX) elevating him and giving him a seat of honor higher than that of all the other nobles. All the royal officials at the king’s gate knelt down and paid honor to Haman, for the king had commanded this concerning him. But Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor.

Then the royal officials at the king’s gate asked Mordecai, “Why do you disobey the king’s command?”(AY) Day after day they spoke to him but he refused to comply.(AZ) Therefore they told Haman about it to see whether Mordecai’s behavior would be tolerated, for he had told them he was a Jew.

When Haman saw that Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor, he was enraged.(BA) Yet having learned who Mordecai’s people were, he scorned the idea of killing only Mordecai. Instead Haman looked for a way(BB) to destroy(BC) all Mordecai’s people, the Jews,(BD) throughout the whole kingdom of Xerxes.

In the twelfth year of King Xerxes, in the first month, the month of Nisan, the pur(BE) (that is, the lot(BF)) was cast in the presence of Haman to select a day and month. And the lot fell on[e] the twelfth month, the month of Adar.(BG)

Then Haman said to King Xerxes, “There is a certain people dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom who keep themselves separate. Their customs(BH) are different from those of all other people, and they do not obey(BI) the king’s laws; it is not in the king’s best interest to tolerate them.(BJ) If it pleases the king, let a decree be issued to destroy them, and I will give ten thousand talents[f] of silver to the king’s administrators for the royal treasury.”(BK)

10 So the king took his signet ring(BL) from his finger and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews. 11 “Keep the money,” the king said to Haman, “and do with the people as you please.”

12 Then on the thirteenth day of the first month the royal secretaries were summoned. They wrote out in the script of each province and in the language(BM) of each people all Haman’s orders to the king’s satraps, the governors of the various provinces and the nobles of the various peoples. These were written in the name of King Xerxes himself and sealed(BN) with his own ring. 13 Dispatches were sent by couriers to all the king’s provinces with the order to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews(BO)—young and old, women and children—on a single day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar,(BP) and to plunder(BQ) their goods. 14 A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued as law in every province and made known to the people of every nationality so they would be ready for that day.(BR)

15 The couriers went out, spurred on by the king’s command, and the edict was issued in the citadel of Susa.(BS) The king and Haman sat down to drink,(BT) but the city of Susa was bewildered.(BU)

Mordecai Persuades Esther to Help

When Mordecai learned of all that had been done, he tore his clothes,(BV) put on sackcloth and ashes,(BW) and went out into the city, wailing(BX) loudly and bitterly. But he went only as far as the king’s gate,(BY) because no one clothed in sackcloth was allowed to enter it. In every province to which the edict and order of the king came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping and wailing. Many lay in sackcloth and ashes.

When Esther’s eunuchs and female attendants came and told her about Mordecai, she was in great distress. She sent clothes for him to put on instead of his sackcloth, but he would not accept them. Then Esther summoned Hathak, one of the king’s eunuchs assigned to attend her, and ordered him to find out what was troubling Mordecai and why.

So Hathak went out to Mordecai in the open square of the city in front of the king’s gate. Mordecai told him everything that had happened to him, including the exact amount of money Haman had promised to pay into the royal treasury for the destruction of the Jews.(BZ) He also gave him a copy of the text of the edict for their annihilation, which had been published in Susa, to show to Esther and explain it to her, and he told him to instruct her to go into the king’s presence to beg for mercy and plead with him for her people.

Hathak went back and reported to Esther what Mordecai had said. 10 Then she instructed him to say to Mordecai, 11 “All the king’s officials and the people of the royal provinces know that for any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned(CA) the king has but one law:(CB) that they be put to death unless the king extends the gold scepter(CC) to them and spares their lives. But thirty days have passed since I was called to go to the king.”

12 When Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai, 13 he sent back this answer: “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. 14 For if you remain silent(CD) at this time, relief(CE) and deliverance(CF) for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”(CG)

15 Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: 16 “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast(CH) for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”(CI)

17 So Mordecai went away and carried out all of Esther’s instructions.

Footnotes

  1. Esther 1:1 Hebrew Ahasuerus; here and throughout Esther
  2. Esther 1:1 That is, the upper Nile region
  3. Esther 2:6 Hebrew Jeconiah, a variant of Jehoiachin
  4. Esther 2:21 Hebrew Bigthan, a variant of Bigthana
  5. Esther 3:7 Septuagint; Hebrew does not have And the lot fell on.
  6. Esther 3:9 That is, about 375 tons or about 340 metric tons