Esther 8
Legacy Standard Bible
Esther Saves the Jews
8 On that day King Ahasuerus gave the house of Haman, (A)the adversary of the Jews, to Queen Esther; and Mordecai came before the king, for Esther had told (B)what he was to her. 2 (C)And the king removed 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 to the king, fell at his feet, wept, and implored him to [a]repeal the evil scheme of Haman the Agagite and his scheme which he had devised against the Jews. 4 (D)And the king extended the golden scepter to Esther. So Esther arose and stood before the king. 5 Then she said, “(E)If it seems good to the king, and if I have found favor before him and the matter seems proper to the king and I am good in his eyes, let it be written to turn back the (F)letters devised by Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to cause the Jews who are in all the king’s provinces to perish. 6 For (G)how can I endure to see the calamity which will befall my people, and how can I endure to see the perishing of my kinsmen?”
The King’s Decree Avenges the Jews
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 him they have hanged on the [b]gallows because he had sent forth his hand against the Jews. 8 Now you write to the Jews, according to what is good in your eyes, in the king’s name, and (I)seal it with the king’s signet ring; for a written decree which is written in the name of the king and sealed with the king’s signet ring (J)may not be turned back.”
9 (K)So the king’s scribes were called at that time in the third month (that is, the month Sivan), on the twenty-third [c]day; and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded to the Jews, the satraps, the governors, and the princes of the provinces which extended (L)from India to [d]Ethiopia, 127 provinces, to (M)every province according to its script, and to every people according to their tongue as well as to the Jews according to their script and their tongue. 10 And he wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed it with the king’s signet ring and sent letters by the hand of couriers on (N)horses, riding on steeds sired by the [e]royal stud. 11 [f]In them the king gave the Jews who were in each and every city the right (O)to assemble and to make a stand for their lives, (P)to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish the entire military force of any people or province which would act as their adversaries, including little ones and women, and (Q)to plunder their spoil, 12 on (R)one day in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month (that is, the month Adar). 13 (S)A copy of that which was written down to be given as law in each and every province was revealed to all the peoples, so that the Jews would be ready for this day to avenge themselves on their enemies. 14 The couriers, hurried and hastened by the king’s word, went out, riding on the royal steeds; and the law was given out at the citadel in Susa.
15 Then Mordecai went out from the presence of the king (T)in royal robes of [g]blue and fine white, with a large crown of gold and (U)a garment of fine linen and purple; and (V)the city of Susa cried aloud and was glad. 16 For the Jews there was (W)light and gladness and joy and honor. 17 And in each and every province and in each and every city, wherever the king’s word and his law reached, there was gladness and joy for the Jews, a feast and a [h](X)holiday. And (Y)many among the peoples of the land became Jews, for the dread of the Jews had fallen on them.
Footnotes
- Esther 8:3 Or take away, cf. 8:2; lit pass away
- Esther 8:7 Lit tree, cf. Deut 21:22-23
- Esther 8:9 Lit in it
- Esther 8:9 Or Cush, cf. Gen 10:6
- Esther 8:10 Lit offspring of swift mares
- Esther 8:11 Lit Which
- Esther 8:15 Or violet
- Esther 8:17 Lit good day
Esther 8
Revised Standard Version
8 On that day King Ahasu-e′rus gave to Queen Esther the house of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. And Mor′decai came before the king, for Esther had told what he was to her; 2 and the king took off his signet ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it to Mor′decai. And Esther set Mor′decai over the house of Haman.
Esther Saves the Jews
3 Then Esther spoke again to the king; she fell at his feet and besought him with tears to avert the evil design of Haman the Ag′agite and the plot which he had devised against the Jews. 4 And the king held out the golden scepter to Esther, 5 and Esther rose and stood before the king. And she said, “If it please the king, and if I have found favor in his sight, and if the thing seem right before the king, and I be pleasing in his eyes, let an order be written to revoke the letters devised by Haman the Ag′agite, the son of Hammeda′tha, which he wrote to destroy the Jews who are in all the provinces of the king. 6 For how can I endure to see the calamity that is coming to my people? Or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?” 7 Then King Ahasu-e′rus said to Queen Esther and to Mor′decai the Jew, “Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and they have hanged him on the gallows, because he would lay hands on the Jews. 8 And you may write as you please with regard to the Jews, in the name of the king, and seal it with the king’s ring; for an edict written in the name of the king and sealed with the king’s ring cannot be revoked.”
9 The king’s secretaries were summoned at that time, in the third month, which is the month of Sivan, on the twenty-third day; and an edict was written according to all that Mor′decai commanded concerning the Jews to the satraps and the governors and the princes of the provinces from India to Ethiopia, a hundred and twenty-seven provinces, to every province in its own script and to every people in its own language, and also to the Jews in their script and their language. 10 The writing was in the name of King Ahasu-e′rus and sealed with the king’s ring, and letters were sent by mounted couriers riding on swift horses that were used in the king’s service, bred from the royal stud. 11 By these the king allowed the Jews who were in every city to gather and defend their lives, to destroy, to slay, and to annihilate any armed force of any people or province that might attack them, with their children and women, and to plunder their goods, 12 upon one day throughout all the provinces of King Ahasu-e′rus, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar. 13 A copy of what was written was to be issued as a decree in every province, and by proclamation to all peoples, and the Jews were to be ready on that day to avenge themselves upon their enemies. 14 So the couriers, mounted on their swift horses that were used in the king’s service, rode out in haste, urged by the king’s command; and the decree was issued in Susa the capital.
15 Then Mor′decai went out from the presence of the king in royal robes of blue and white, with a great golden crown and a mantle of fine linen and purple, while the city of Susa shouted and rejoiced. 16 The Jews had light and gladness and joy and honor. 17 And in every province and in every city, wherever the king’s command and his edict came, there was gladness and joy among the Jews, a feast and a holiday. And many from the peoples of the country declared themselves Jews, for the fear of the Jews had fallen upon them.
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