Ester 8
Nueva Biblia de las Américas
Decreto a favor de los judíos
8 Aquel mismo día el rey Asuero dio a la reina Ester la casa de Amán, enemigo de los judíos(A); y Mardoqueo vino delante del rey, porque Ester le había revelado lo que era él para ella(B). 2 Entonces el rey se quitó el anillo que había recobrado de Amán(C), y se lo dio a Mardoqueo. Y Ester puso a Mardoqueo sobre la casa de Amán.
3 Ester habló de nuevo delante del rey, cayó a sus pies, y llorando, le imploró que impidiera los propósitos perversos de Amán el agagueo y el plan que había tramado contra los judíos. 4 El rey extendió hacia Ester el cetro de oro(D), y Ester se levantó y se puso delante del rey, 5 y dijo: «Si le place al rey, y si he hallado gracia delante de él(E), si el asunto le parece bien al rey y yo soy grata ante sus ojos, que se escriba para revocar las cartas concebidas por Amán, hijo de Hamedata, el agagueo, las cuales escribió para destruir a los judíos que están en todas las provincias del rey(F). 6 Porque ¿cómo podría yo ver la calamidad que caería sobre mi pueblo? ¿Cómo podría yo ver la destrucción de mi gente(G)?».
7 Entonces el rey Asuero dijo a la reina Ester y al judío Mardoqueo: «Miren, he dado a Ester la casa de Amán(H), y a él lo han colgado en la horca porque extendió su mano contra los judíos. 8 Ustedes, pues, escriban acerca de los judíos como les parezca bien[a], en nombre del rey, y séllenlo con el anillo del rey(I). Porque un decreto que está escrito en nombre del rey y sellado con el anillo del rey no puede ser revocado(J)».
9 Así que fueron llamados los escribas del rey en aquel momento en el mes tercero (es decir, el mes de Siván), en el día veintitrés[b]; y conforme a todo lo que ordenó Mardoqueo se escribió a los judíos, a los sátrapas, a los gobernadores y a los príncipes de las provincias que se extendían desde la India hasta Etiopía[c], 127 provincias(K), a cada provincia conforme a su escritura, y a cada pueblo conforme a su lengua(L), y a los judíos conforme a su escritura y a su lengua. 10 Mardoqueo escribió en nombre del rey Asuero y sellaron las cartas con el anillo del rey, y se enviaron por medio[d] de correos a caballo(M), que montaban en corceles engendrados por caballos reales.
11 En ellas[e] el rey concedía a los judíos que estaban en cada ciudad el derecho de reunirse y defender su vida(N), de destruir, de matar y de exterminar(O) al ejército de cualquier pueblo o provincia que los atacara, incluso a niños y mujeres, y de saquear sus bienes(P), 12 en un mismo día en todas las provincias del rey Asuero, el día trece del mes doce (es decir, el mes de Adar(Q)).
13 Una copia del edicto que había de promulgarse[f] como ley en cada provincia fue publicado a todos los pueblos, para que los judíos estuvieran listos para ese día a fin de vengarse de sus enemigos(R). 14 Los correos, apresurados y apremiados por la orden del rey, salieron montados en los corceles reales; y el decreto fue promulgado[g] en la fortaleza de Susa.
15 Entonces Mardoqueo salió de la presencia del rey en vestiduras reales de azul[h] y blanco, con una gran corona de oro y un manto de lino fino y púrpura(S). La ciudad de Susa dio vivas y se regocijó(T). 16 Para los judíos fue día de luz y alegría(U), de gozo y gloria. 17 En cada provincia, en cada ciudad y en todo lugar adonde llegaba el mandato del rey y su decreto había alegría y gozo para los judíos, banquete y día festivo[i](V). Y muchos de entre los pueblos de la tierra se hicieron judíos(W), porque había caído sobre ellos el temor de los judíos.
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
Contemporary English Version
A Happy Ending for the Jews
8 Before the end of the day, King Xerxes gave Esther everything that had belonged to Haman, the enemy of the Jews. Esther told the king that Mordecai was her cousin. So the king made Mordecai one of his highest officials 2 and gave him the royal ring that Haman had worn. Then Esther put Mordecai in charge of Haman's property.
3 Once again Esther went to speak to the king. This time she fell down at his feet, crying and begging, “Please stop Haman's evil plan to have the Jews killed!” 4 King Xerxes held out the golden scepter to Esther, 5 and she got up and said, “Your Majesty, I know that you will do the right thing and that you really love me. Please stop what Haman has planned. He has already sent letters demanding that the Jews in all your provinces be killed, 6 and I can't bear to see my people and my own relatives destroyed.”
7 King Xerxes then said to Esther and Mordecai, “I have already ordered Haman to be hanged and his house given to Esther, because of his evil plans to kill the Jews. 8 (A) I now give you permission to make a law that will save the lives of your people. You may use my ring to seal the law, so that it can never be changed.”
9 On the twenty-third day of Sivan,[a] the third month, the king's secretaries wrote the law. They obeyed Mordecai and wrote to the Jews, the rulers, the governors, and the officials of all 127 provinces from India to Ethiopia.[b] The letters were written in every language used in the kingdom, including the Jewish language. 10 They were written in the name of King Xerxes and sealed with his ring. Then they were taken by messengers who rode the king's finest and fastest horses.
11-13 In these letters the king said:
On the thirteenth day of Adar,[c] the twelfth month, the Jews in every city and province will be allowed to get together and defend themselves. They may destroy any army that attacks them, and they may kill all of their enemies, including women and children. They may also take everything that belongs to their enemies.
A copy of this law is to be posted in every province and read by everyone.
14-15 Then the king ordered his messengers to take their fastest horses and deliver the law as quickly as possible to every province. When Mordecai left, he was wearing clothes fit for a king. He wore blue and white robes, a large gold crown, and a cape made of fine linen and purple cloth.
After the law was announced in Susa, everyone shouted and cheered, 16 and the Jews were no longer afraid. In fact, they were very happy and felt that they had won a victory.
17 In every province and city where the law was sent, the Jews had parties and celebrated. Many of the people in the provinces accepted the Jewish religion, because they were now afraid of the Jews.
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