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Esther 8-10
New American Standard Bible

Mordecai Promoted

8 On that day King Ahasuerus gave the house of Haman, (A)the enemy of the Jews, to Queen Esther; and Mordecai came before the king, because Esther had disclosed (B)what he was to her. 2 Then (C)the king took off his signet ring, which he had taken away from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.

3 Then Esther spoke again [a]to the king, fell at his feet, wept, and pleaded for his compassion to avert the evil scheme of Haman the Agagite and his plot which he had devised against the Jews. 4 And (D)the king extended the golden scepter to Esther. So Esther got up and stood before the king. 5 Then she said, “(E)If it pleases the king and if I have found favor before him, and the matter seems proper to the king and I am pleasing in his sight, let it be written to revoke the (F)letters devised by Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to eliminate the Jews who are in all the king’s provinces. 6 For (G)how can I endure to see the disaster which will happen to my people, and how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?” 7 So King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, “Behold, (H)I have given the house of Haman to Esther, and they have hanged him on the wooden gallows because he had reached out with his hand against the Jews.

The King’s Decree Avenges the Jews

8 Now you write to the Jews [b]as you see fit, in the king’s name, and (I)seal it with the king’s signet ring; for a decree which is written in the name of the king and sealed with the king’s signet ring (J)may not be revoked.”

9 (K)So the king’s scribes were summoned at that time in the third month (that is, the month Sivan), on the twenty-third [c]day; and it was written in accordance with everything that Mordecai commanded the Jews, the satraps, the governors, and the officials of the provinces which extended (L)from India to [d]Cush, 127 provinces, to (M)every province according to its script, and to every people according to their language, as well as to the Jews according to their script and their language. 10 He wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus, and sealed it with the king’s signet ring, and sent letters by couriers on (N)horses, riding on royal relay horses, offspring of racing mares. 11 [e]In the letters the king granted the Jews who were in each and every city the right (O)to assemble and to defend their lives, (P)to destroy, kill, and eliminate the entire army of any people or province which was going to attack them, including children and women, and (Q)to plunder their spoils, 12 on (R)one day in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month (that is, the month Adar). 13 (S)A copy of the edict to be [f]issued as law in each and every province was published to all the peoples, so that the Jews would be ready for this day to avenge themselves on their enemies. 14 The couriers, hurrying and speeded by the king’s command, left, riding on the royal relay horses; and the decree was issued at the citadel in Susa.

15 Then Mordecai went out from the presence of the king (T)in a royal robe of violet and white, with a large crown of gold and (U)a garment of fine linen and purple; and (V)the city of Susa shouted and rejoiced. 16 For the Jews there was (W)light, joy, jubilation, and honor. 17 In each and every province and in each and every city, wherever the king’s commandment and his decree arrived, there was joy and jubilation for the Jews, a feast and a [g](X)holiday. And (Y)many among the peoples of the land [h]became Jews, because the dread of the Jews had fallen on them.

The Jews Destroy Their Enemies

9 Now (Z)in the twelfth month (that is, the month Adar), on (AA)the thirteenth [i]day, (AB)when the king’s command and edict were to be put into effect, on the day when the enemies of the Jews hoped to gain the mastery over them, it turned out to the contrary so that the Jews themselves gained mastery over those who hated them. 2 (AC)The Jews assembled in their cities throughout the provinces of King Ahasuerus to [j]attack those who sought [k]to harm them; and no one could stand against them, (AD)because the dread of them had fallen on all the peoples. 3 Even all the officials of the provinces, (AE)the satraps, the governors, and those who were doing the king’s business were supporting the Jews, because the dread of Mordecai had fallen on them. 4 For Mordecai was great in the king’s house, and the news about him spread throughout the provinces; for the man Mordecai (AF)became greater and greater. 5 So (AG)the Jews struck all their enemies with [l]the sword, killing and destroying; and they did as they pleased to those who hated them. 6 At the citadel in Susa the Jews killed and eliminated five hundred men, 7 and they killed Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, 8 Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, 9 Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai, and Vaizatha, 10 (AH)the ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Jews’ enemy; but (AI)they did not lay their hands on the plunder.

11 On that day the number of those who were killed at the citadel in Susa [m]was reported to the king. 12 And the king said to Queen Esther, “The Jews have killed and eliminated five hundred men and the ten sons of Haman at the citadel in Susa. What have they done in the rest of the king’s provinces! (AJ)Now what is your request? It shall also be granted you. And what is your further wish? It shall also be done.” 13 Then Esther said, “If it pleases the king, (AK)let tomorrow also be granted to the Jews who are in Susa to do according to the edict of today; and let Haman’s ten sons be hanged on the wooden gallows.” 14 So the king commanded that it was to be done so; and an edict was issued in Susa, and Haman’s ten sons were hanged. 15 The Jews who were in Susa assembled also on the fourteenth day of the month Adar and killed (AL)three hundred men in Susa, but (AM)they did not lay their hands on the plunder.

16 Now (AN)the rest of the Jews who were in the king’s provinces (AO)assembled, to defend their lives and [n]rid themselves of their enemies, and to kill seventy-five thousand of those who hated them; but they did not lay their hands on the plunder. 17 This was done on (AP)the thirteenth day of the month Adar, and (AQ)on the fourteenth [o]day they rested and made it a day of feasting and rejoicing.

18 But the Jews who were in Susa (AR)assembled on the thirteenth and (AS)the fourteenth [p]of the same month, and they rested on the fifteenth [q]day and made it a day of feasting and rejoicing. 19 Therefore the Jews of the rural areas, who live in (AT)the rural towns, make the fourteenth day of the month Adar a [r](AU)holiday for rejoicing and feasting and (AV)sending portions of food to one another.

The Feast of Purim Instituted

20 Then Mordecai recorded these events, and he sent letters to all the Jews who were in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, both near and far, 21 obliging them to celebrate the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day [s]of the same month, annually, 22 because on those days the Jews [t]rid themselves of their enemies, and it was a month which was (AW)turned for them from grief into joy, and from mourning into a [u]holiday; that they were to make them days of feasting and rejoicing, and (AX)sending portions of food to one another, and gifts to the poor.

23 So the Jews undertook what they had started to do, and what Mordecai had written to them. 24 For Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the adversary of all the Jews, had schemed against the Jews to eliminate them, and (AY)had cast Pur, that is the lot, to disturb them and eliminate them. 25 But (AZ)when it came [v]to the king’s attention, he commanded by letter (BA)that his wicked scheme which he had devised against the Jews (BB)was to return on his own head, and that he and his sons were to be hanged on the wooden gallows. 26 Therefore they called these days Purim after the name of [w]Pur. [x]And (BC)because of the instructions in this letter, both what they had seen in this regard and what had happened to them, 27 the Jews established and [y]made a custom for themselves, their [z]descendants, and for (BD)all those who allied themselves with them, so that [aa]they would not fail (BE)to celebrate these two days according to their [ab]regulation and according to their appointed time annually. 28 So these days were to be remembered and celebrated throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city; and these days of Purim were not to [ac]be neglected by the Jews, or their memory [ad]fade from their [ae]descendants.

29 Then Queen Esther, (BF)daughter of Abihail, with Mordecai the Jew, wrote with full authority to confirm (BG)this second letter about Purim. 30 He sent letters to all the Jews, (BH)to the 127 provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, namely, words of peace and truth, 31 to establish these days of Purim at their appointed times, just as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had established for them, and just as they had established for themselves and for their [af]descendants, with [ag]instructions (BI)for their times of fasting and their mourning. 32 The command of Esther established these [ah]customs for (BJ)Purim, and it was written in the book.

Mordecai’s Greatness

10 Now King Ahasuerus imposed a tax on the land and the (BK)coastlands of the sea. 2 And every accomplishment of his authority and power, and the full account of the greatness of Mordecai (BL)with which the king honored him, are they not written in (BM)the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Media and Persia? 3 For Mordecai the Jew was (BN)second only to King Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews and in favor with his many kinsmen, (BO)one who sought the good of his people and one who spoke for the welfare of his entire [ai]nation.

Footnotes

  1. Esther 8:3 Lit before
  2. Esther 8:8 Lit according to the good in your eyes
  3. Esther 8:9 Lit in it
  4. Esther 8:9 Or Ethiopia
  5. Esther 8:11 Lit Which the king
  6. Esther 8:13 Lit given
  7. Esther 8:17 Lit good day
  8. Esther 8:17 Or posed as Jews
  9. Esther 9:1 Lit day in it
  10. Esther 9:2 Lit put out a hand against
  11. Esther 9:2 Lit their harm
  12. Esther 9:5 Lit the stroke of the
  13. Esther 9:11 Lit came before
  14. Esther 9:16 Lit have rest from
  15. Esther 9:17 Lit in it
  16. Esther 9:18 Lit in it
  17. Esther 9:18 Lit in it
  18. Esther 9:19 Lit rejoicing and feasting and a good day and sending
  19. Esther 9:21 Lit in it
  20. Esther 9:22 Lit had rest from
  21. Esther 9:22 Lit good day
  22. Esther 9:25 Lit before the king, he
  23. Esther 9:26 Akkadian for lot
  24. Esther 9:26 Lit Therefore because of all the words
  25. Esther 9:27 Lit received
  26. Esther 9:27 Lit seed
  27. Esther 9:27 Lit it would not pass away
  28. Esther 9:27 Lit writing
  29. Esther 9:28 Lit pass from the midst of
  30. Esther 9:28 Lit end
  31. Esther 9:28 Lit seed
  32. Esther 9:31 Lit seed
  33. Esther 9:31 Lit words
  34. Esther 9:32 Lit words
  35. Esther 10:3 Lit seed
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Esther 8-10
New International Version

The King’s Edict in Behalf of the Jews

8 That same day King Xerxes gave Queen Esther the estate of Haman,(A) the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai came into the presence of the king, for Esther had told how he was related to her. 2 The king took off his signet ring,(B) which he had reclaimed from Haman, and presented it to Mordecai. And Esther appointed him over Haman’s estate.(C)

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,(D) which he had devised against the Jews. 4 Then the king extended the gold scepter(E) to Esther and she arose and stood before him.

5 “If it pleases the king,” she said, “and if he regards me with favor(F) and thinks it the right thing to do, and if he is pleased with me, let an order be written overruling the dispatches that Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, devised and wrote to destroy the Jews in all the king’s provinces. 6 For how can I bear to see disaster fall on my people? How can I bear to see the destruction of my family?”(G)

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(H) him on the pole he set up. 8 Now write another decree(I) in the king’s name in behalf of the Jews as seems best to you, and seal(J) it with the king’s signet ring(K)—for no document written in the king’s name and sealed with his ring can be revoked.”(L)

9 At once the royal secretaries were summoned—on the twenty-third day of the third month, the month of Sivan. They wrote out all Mordecai’s orders to the Jews, and to the satraps, governors and nobles of the 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush.[a](M) These orders were written in the script of each province and the language of each people and also to the Jews in their own script and language.(N) 10 Mordecai wrote in the name of King Xerxes, sealed the dispatches with the king’s signet ring, and sent them by mounted couriers, who rode fast horses especially bred for the king.

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,[b] and to plunder(O) the property of their enemies. 12 The day appointed for the Jews to do this in all the provinces of King Xerxes was the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar.(P) 13 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 that the Jews would be ready on that day(Q) to avenge themselves on their enemies.

14 The couriers, riding the royal horses, went out, spurred on by the king’s command, and the edict was issued in the citadel of Susa.(R)

The Triumph of the Jews

15 When Mordecai(S) left the king’s presence, he was wearing royal garments of blue and white, a large crown of gold(T) and a purple robe of fine linen.(U) And the city of Susa held a joyous celebration.(V) 16 For the Jews it was a time of happiness and joy,(W) gladness and honor.(X) 17 In every province and in every city to which the edict of the king came, there was joy(Y) and gladness among the Jews, with feasting and celebrating. And many people of other nationalities became Jews because fear(Z) of the Jews had seized them.(AA)

9 On the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar,(AB) the edict commanded by the king was to be carried out. On this day the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, but now the tables were turned and the Jews got the upper hand(AC) over those who hated them.(AD) 2 The Jews assembled in their cities(AE) in all the provinces of King Xerxes to attack those determined to destroy them. No one could stand against them,(AF) because the people of all the other nationalities were afraid of them. 3 And all the nobles of the provinces, the satraps, the governors and the king’s administrators helped the Jews,(AG) because fear of Mordecai had seized them.(AH) 4 Mordecai(AI) was prominent(AJ) in the palace; his reputation spread throughout the provinces, and he became more and more powerful.(AK)

5 The Jews struck down all their enemies with the sword, killing and destroying them,(AL) and they did what they pleased to those who hated them. 6 In the citadel of Susa, the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men. 7 They also killed Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, 8 Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, 9 Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai and Vaizatha, 10 the ten sons(AM) of Haman son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews.(AN) But they did not lay their hands on the plunder.(AO)

11 The number of those killed in the citadel of Susa was reported to the king that same day. 12 The king said to Queen Esther, “The Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men and the ten sons of Haman in the citadel of Susa. What have they done in the rest of the king’s provinces? Now what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request? It will also be granted.”(AP)

13 “If it pleases the king,” Esther answered, “give the Jews in Susa permission to carry out this day’s edict tomorrow also, and let Haman’s ten sons(AQ) be impaled(AR) on poles.”

14 So the king commanded that this be done. An edict was issued in Susa, and they impaled(AS) the ten sons of Haman. 15 The Jews in Susa came together on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar, and they put to death in Susa three hundred men, but they did not lay their hands on the plunder.(AT)

16 Meanwhile, the remainder of the Jews who were in the king’s provinces also assembled to protect themselves and get relief(AU) from their enemies.(AV) They killed seventy-five thousand of them(AW) but did not lay their hands on the plunder.(AX) 17 This happened on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar, and on the fourteenth they rested and made it a day of feasting(AY) and joy.

18 The Jews in Susa, however, had assembled on the thirteenth and fourteenth, and then on the fifteenth they rested and made it a day of feasting and joy.

19 That is why rural Jews—those living in villages—observe the fourteenth of the month of Adar(AZ) as a day of joy and feasting, a day for giving presents to each other.(BA)

Purim Established

20 Mordecai recorded these events, and he sent letters to all the Jews throughout the provinces of King Xerxes, near and far, 21 to have them celebrate annually the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar 22 as the time when the Jews got relief(BB) from their enemies, and as the month when their sorrow was turned into joy and their mourning into a day of celebration.(BC) He wrote them to observe the days as days of feasting and joy and giving presents of food(BD) to one another and gifts to the poor.(BE)

23 So the Jews agreed to continue the celebration they had begun, doing what Mordecai had written to them. 24 For Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite,(BF) the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them and had cast the pur(BG) (that is, the lot(BH)) for their ruin and destruction.(BI) 25 But when the plot came to the king’s attention,[c] he issued written orders that the evil scheme Haman had devised against the Jews should come back onto his own head,(BJ) and that he and his sons should be impaled(BK) on poles.(BL) 26 (Therefore these days were called Purim, from the word pur.(BM)) Because of everything written in this letter and because of what they had seen and what had happened to them, 27 the Jews took it on themselves to establish the custom that they and their descendants and all who join them should without fail observe these two days every year, in the way prescribed and at the time appointed. 28 These days should be remembered and observed in every generation by every family, and in every province and in every city. And these days of Purim should never fail to be celebrated by the Jews—nor should the memory of these days die out among their descendants.

29 So Queen Esther, daughter of Abihail,(BN) along with Mordecai the Jew, wrote with full authority to confirm this second letter concerning Purim. 30 And Mordecai sent letters to all the Jews in the 127 provinces(BO) of Xerxes’ kingdom—words of goodwill and assurance— 31 to establish these days of Purim at their designated times, as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had decreed for them, and as they had established for themselves and their descendants in regard to their times of fasting(BP) and lamentation.(BQ) 32 Esther’s decree confirmed these regulations about Purim, and it was written down in the records.

The Greatness of Mordecai

10 King Xerxes imposed tribute throughout the empire, to its distant shores.(BR) 2 And all his acts of power and might, together with a full account of the greatness of Mordecai,(BS) whom the king had promoted,(BT) are they not written in the book of the annals(BU) of the kings of Media and Persia? 3 Mordecai the Jew was second(BV) in rank(BW) to King Xerxes,(BX) preeminent among the Jews, and held in high esteem by his many fellow Jews, because he worked for the good of his people and spoke up for the welfare of all the Jews.(BY)

Footnotes

  1. Esther 8:9 That is, the upper Nile region
  2. Esther 8:11 Or province, together with their women and children, who might attack them;
  3. Esther 9:25 Or when Esther came before the king
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