Esther 8
Christian Standard Bible
Esther Intervenes for the Jews
8 That same day King Ahasuerus awarded Queen Esther the estate(A) of Haman, the enemy of the Jews.(B) Mordecai entered the king’s presence because Esther had revealed her relationship to Mordecai.(C) 2 The king removed his signet ring he had recovered from Haman(D) and gave it to Mordecai, and Esther put him in charge of Haman’s estate.
3 Then Esther addressed the king again.(E) She fell at his feet, wept, and begged(F) him to revoke the evil of Haman the Agagite(G) and his plot he had devised against the Jews.(H) 4 The king extended the gold scepter(I) toward Esther, so she got up and stood before the king.
5 She said, “If it pleases the king and I have found favor with him, if the matter seems right to the king and I am pleasing in his eyes,(J) let a royal edict be written. Let it revoke the documents the scheming Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite wrote to destroy the Jews who are in all the king’s provinces.(K) 6 For how could I bear to see the disaster that would come on my people?(L) How could I bear to see the destruction of my relatives?” (M)
7 King Ahasuerus said to Esther the queen and to Mordecai the Jew, “Look, I have given Haman’s estate to Esther,(N) and he was hanged on the gallows because he attacked[a] the Jews.(O) 8 Write in the king’s name whatever pleases you(P) concerning the Jews, and seal it with the royal signet ring.(Q) A document written in the king’s name and sealed with the royal signet ring cannot be revoked.”(R)
9 On the twenty-third day of the third month(S)—that is, the month Sivan—the royal scribes were summoned. Everything was written exactly as Mordecai(T) commanded for the Jews, to the satraps,(U) the governors, and the officials of the 127 provinces from India to Cush.(V) The edict was written for each province in its own script, for each ethnic group in its own language,(W) and to the Jews in their own script and language.
10 Mordecai wrote in King Ahasuerus’s name and sealed the edicts with the royal signet ring. He sent the documents by mounted couriers,(X) who rode fast horses(Y) bred in the royal stables.
11 The king’s edict gave the Jews in each and every city the right to assemble and defend themselves, to destroy, kill, and annihilate every ethnic and provincial army hostile to them, including women and children, and to take their possessions as spoils of war.(Z) 12 This would take place on a single day throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month Adar.(AA)
13 A copy of the text, issued as law throughout every province, was distributed to all the peoples(AB) so the Jews could be ready to avenge themselves against their enemies on that day. 14 The couriers rode out in haste on their royal horses at the king’s urgent command. The law was also issued in the fortress of Susa.(AC)
15 Mordecai went from the king’s presence clothed in royal blue and white, with a great gold crown and a purple robe of fine linen.(AD) The city of Susa shouted and rejoiced,(AE) 16 and the Jews celebrated[b] with gladness, joy, and honor.(AF) 17 In every province and every city where the king’s command and edict reached, gladness and joy took place among the Jews. There was a celebration and a holiday.[c](AG) And many of the ethnic groups of the land professed themselves to be Jews because fear of the Jews(AH) had overcome them.
Esther 8
International Children’s Bible
The King Helps the Jews
8 That same day King Xerxes gave Queen Esther everything Haman had left when he died. Haman had been the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai came in to see the king. He came because Esther had told the king how he was related to her. 2 Then the king took off his signet ring, which he had taken back from Haman. And he gave it to Mordecai. Then Esther put Mordecai in charge of everything Haman had left when he died.
3 Once again Esther spoke to the king. She fell at the king’s feet and cried. She begged the king to stop the evil plan of Haman the Agagite. Haman had thought up the plan against the Jews. 4 The king held out the gold scepter to Esther. Esther got up and stood in front of the king.
5 She said, “My king, I hope you are pleased with me. And maybe it will please you to do this. You might think it is the right thing to do. And maybe you are happy with me. If so, let an order be written to cancel the letters Haman wrote. 6 I could not stand to see that terrible thing happen to my people. I could not stand to see my family killed.”
7 King Xerxes answered Queen Esther and Mordecai the Jew. He said, “Because Haman was against the Jews, I have given his things to Esther. And my soldiers have hanged him. 8 Now write another order in the king’s name. Write it to the Jews as it seems best to you. Then seal the order with the king’s signet ring. No letter written in the king’s name and sealed with his signet ring can be canceled.”
9 At that time the king’s secretaries were called. This was done on the twenty-third day of the third month, which is Sivan. The secretaries wrote out all of Mordecai’s orders. They wrote to the Jews and to the governors and to the captains of the soldiers in each area. And they wrote to the important men of the 127 areas which reached from India to Cush. They wrote to each area in its own form of writing. And they wrote to each group of people in their own language. They also wrote to the Jews in their own form of writing and their own language. 10 Mordecai wrote orders in the name of King Xerxes. And he sealed the letters with the king’s signet ring. Then he sent the king’s orders by messengers on horses. The messengers rode fast horses, which were raised just for the king.
11 These were the king’s orders: The Jews in every city have the right to gather together to protect themselves. They have the right to destroy, kill and completely wipe out the army of any area or people who attack them. And they are to do the same to the women and children of that army. The Jews also have the right to take by force the property of the enemies. 12 The one day set for the Jews to do this was the thirteenth day of the twelfth month. This was the month of Adar. They were allowed to do this in all the empire of King Xerxes. 13 A copy of the king’s order was to be sent out as a law in every area. It was to be made known to the people of every nation living in the kingdom. This was so the Jews would be ready on that set day. The Jews would be allowed to pay back their enemies.
14 The messengers hurried out, riding on the royal horses. The king commanded those messengers to hurry. And the order was also given in the palace at Susa.
15 Mordecai left the king’s presence wearing royal clothes. They were blue and white. And he had on a large gold crown. He also had a purple robe made of the best linen. And the people of Susa shouted for joy. 16 It was a time of happiness, joy, gladness and honor for the Jews. 17 The king’s order went to every area and city. And there was joy and gladness among the Jews. This happened in every area and city to which the king’s order went. The Jews were having feasts and celebrating. And many people through all the empire became Jews. They did that because they were afraid of the Jews.
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