Esther 8:10-17

English Standard Version

^10 (A)And he wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus ^(B)and sealed it with the king's signet ring. Then he sent the letters by mounted couriers riding on ^(C)swift horses that were used in the king's service, bred from the royal stud, ¹¹ saying that the king allowed the Jews who were in every city ^(D)to gather and defend their lives, ^(E)to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate any armed force of any people or province that might attack them, children and women included, ^(F)and to plunder their goods, ^12 (G)on one day throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar. ^13 (H)A copy of what was written was to be issued as a decree in every province, being publicly displayed to all peoples, and the Jews were to be ready on that day to take vengeance on their enemies. ¹⁴ So the couriers, mounted on their ^(I)swift horses that were used in the king's service, rode out hurriedly, urged by the king's command. And the decree was issued in Susa the citadel.

¹⁵ Then Mordecai went out from the presence of the king ^(J)in royal robes of blue and white, with a great golden crown^[a] and ^(K)a robe of fine linen and purple, ^(L)and the city of Susa shouted and rejoiced. ¹⁶ The Jews had ^(M)light and gladness and joy and honor. ¹⁷ And in every province and in every city, wherever the king's command and his edict reached, there was gladness and joy among the Jews, a feast and ^(N)a holiday. ^(O)And many from the peoples of the country declared themselves Jews, ^(P)for fear of the Jews had fallen on them.