Esther 8
New King James Version
Esther Saves the Jews
8 On that day King Ahasuerus gave Queen Esther the house of Haman, the (A)enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai came before the king, for Esther had told (B)how he was related to her. 2 So the king took off (C)his signet ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai; and Esther appointed Mordecai over the house of Haman.
3 Now Esther spoke again to the king, fell down at his feet, and implored him with tears to counteract the evil of Haman the Agagite, and the scheme which he had devised against the Jews. 4 And (D)the king held out the golden scepter toward Esther. So Esther arose and stood before the king, 5 and said, “If it pleases the king, and if I have found favor in his sight and the thing seems right to the king and I am pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to revoke the (E)letters devised by Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to annihilate the Jews who are in all the king’s provinces. 6 For how can I endure to see (F)the evil that will come to my people? Or how can I endure to see the destruction of my countrymen?”
7 Then King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and Mordecai the Jew, “Indeed, (G)I have given Esther the house of Haman, and they have hanged him on the gallows because he tried to lay his hand on the Jews. 8 You yourselves write a decree concerning the Jews, [a]as you please, in the king’s name, and seal it with the king’s signet ring; for whatever is written in the king’s name and sealed with the king’s signet ring (H)no one can revoke.”
9 (I)So the king’s scribes were called at that time, in the third month, which is the month of Sivan, on the twenty-third day; and it was written, according to all that Mordecai commanded, to the Jews, the satraps, the governors, and the princes of the provinces (J)from India to Ethiopia, one hundred and twenty-seven provinces in all, to every province (K)in its own script, to every people in their own language, and to the Jews in their own script and language. 10 (L)And he wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus, sealed it with the king’s signet ring, and sent letters by couriers on horseback, riding on royal horses [b]bred from swift steeds.
11 By these letters the king permitted the Jews who were in every city to (M)gather together and protect their lives—to (N)destroy, kill, and annihilate all the forces of any people or province that would assault them, both little children and women, and to plunder their possessions, 12 (O)on one day in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of [c]Adar. 13 (P)A copy of the document was to be issued as a decree in every province and published for all people, so that the Jews would be ready on that day to avenge themselves on their enemies. 14 The couriers who rode on royal horses went out, hastened and pressed on by the king’s command. And the decree was issued in [d]Shushan the [e]citadel.
15 So Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of [f]blue and white, with a great crown of gold and a garment of fine linen and purple; and (Q)the city of [g]Shushan rejoiced and was glad. 16 The Jews had (R)light and gladness, joy and honor. 17 And in every province and city, wherever the king’s command and decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast (S)and a holiday. Then many of the people of the land (T)became Jews, because (U)fear of the Jews fell upon them.
Footnotes
- Esther 8:8 Lit. as is good in your eyes
- Esther 8:10 Lit. sons of the swift horses
- Esther 8:12 LXX adds the text of the letter here
- Esther 8:14 Or Susa
- Esther 8:14 palace
- Esther 8:15 violet
- Esther 8:15 Or Susa
Esther 8
King James Version
8 On that day did the king Ahasuerus give the house of Haman the Jews' enemy unto Esther the queen. And Mordecai came before the king; for Esther had told what he was unto her.
2 And the king took off his ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.
3 And Esther spake yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet, and besought him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his device that he had devised against the Jews.
4 Then the king held out the golden sceptre toward Esther. So Esther arose, and stood before the king,
5 And said, If it please the king, and if I have favour in his sight, and the thing seem right before the king, and I be pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to reverse the letters devised by Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews which are in all the king's provinces:
6 For how can I endure to see the evil that shall come unto my people? or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?
7 Then the king Ahasuerus said unto Esther the queen and to Mordecai the Jew, Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and him they have hanged upon the gallows, because he laid his hand upon the Jews.
8 Write ye also for the Jews, as it liketh you, in the king's name, and seal it with the king's ring: for the writing which is written in the king's name, and sealed with the king's ring, may no man reverse.
9 Then were the king's scribes called at that time in the third month, that is, the month Sivan, on the three and twentieth day thereof; and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded unto the Jews, and to the lieutenants, and the deputies and rulers of the provinces which are from India unto Ethiopia, an hundred twenty and seven provinces, unto every province according to the writing thereof, and unto every people after their language, and to the Jews according to their writing, and according to their language.
10 And he wrote in the king Ahasuerus' name, and sealed it with the king's ring, and sent letters by posts on horseback, and riders on mules, camels, and young dromedaries:
11 Wherein the king granted the Jews which were in every city to gather themselves together, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to slay and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province that would assault them, both little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey,
12 Upon one day in all the provinces of king Ahasuerus, namely, upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar.
13 The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given in every province was published unto all people, and that the Jews should be ready against that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.
14 So the posts that rode upon mules and camels went out, being hastened and pressed on by the king's commandment. And the decree was given at Shushan the palace.
15 And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a garment of fine linen and purple: and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad.
16 The Jews had light, and gladness, and joy, and honour.
17 And in every province, and in every city, whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a good day. And many of the people of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews fell upon them.
Ester 8
Nueva Biblia Viva
Edicto real en favor de los judíos
8 Aquel mismo día, el rey Asuero entregó a la reina Ester las propiedades de Amán, el enemigo de los judíos. Mardoqueo fue llevado a la presencia del rey, porque Ester le había dicho al rey que era su primo y padre adoptivo. 2 El rey entonces se sacó el anillo, el que antes le había dado a Amán, y se lo entregó a Mardoqueo. Ester, por su parte, encargó a Mardoqueo de la administración de las propiedades de Amán.
3 Entonces, una vez más, la reina Ester se presentó delante del rey, se postró a sus pies y le rogó con lágrimas que detuviera el plan de Amán contra los judíos. 4 El rey, al verla, le extendió el cetro de oro. Ester se puso de pie delante de él, 5 y le dijo:
―Si a Su Majestad le parece bien, y si en verdad me ama, le ruego que saque otro decreto, por medio del cual anule la orden que Amán dio de exterminar a los judíos que viven en todas las provincias del reino. 6 ¿Cómo podría yo quedarme tranquila viendo que la desgracia cae sobre mi pueblo? ¿Cómo podría quedarme quieta viendo la destrucción de mi gente?
7 Entonces el rey Asuero les dijo a la reina Ester y a Mardoqueo el judío:
―Le he dado a Ester el palacio de Amán y él ha sido colgado en la horca, porque trató de destruirlos. 8 Ahora escriban, en mi nombre, un mensaje y envíenlo a los judíos. Redáctenlo en los términos que a ustedes mejor les parezca, y séllenlo con el anillo del rey, para que no pueda ser revocado.
9-10 Inmediatamente fueron convocados los secretarios del rey. Era el día veintitrés del mes tercero, es decir, del mes de Siván. Los secretarios escribieron el edicto que Mardoqueo les dictó, para ser enviado a los judíos, a los oficiales, a los gobernadores y príncipes de las ciento veintisiete provincias, desde la India hasta Etiopía. El edicto fue traducido a los idiomas y dialectos de todos los pueblos del reino. Mardoqueo lo escribió en nombre del rey Asuero, lo selló con el anillo del rey y envió las cartas por medio de mensajeros del rey, que montaban los caballos más veloces que el rey tenía. 11 Este edicto daba a los judíos, que vivían en todas las provincias del reino de Asuero, permiso para defender sus vidas y sus familias, y para destruir a todas las fuerzas que se les opusieran, y apoderarse de las propiedades de sus enemigos. 12 El día escogido para ello a través de todas las provincias del rey Asuero, era el día trece del mes doce, es decir, el mes de Adar. 13 Además establecía, que este edicto, que debía ser reconocido en todo lugar como decreto, debía ser proclamado en alta voz delante del pueblo, para que los judíos pudieran prepararse y vencer a sus enemigos. 14 Los mensajeros, por orden directa del rey, salieron rápidamente montados sobre los veloces caballos del rey. El mismo decreto también fue promulgado en el palacio de Susa.
15 Mardoqueo se puso las vestiduras reales de azul y blanco y la gran corona de oro, con un manto de lino y púrpura, y salió de la presencia del rey por todas las calles de la ciudad, que estaban llenas de gente que le aclamaba. 16 Los judíos sintieron gozo y alegría, y fueron honrados en todo lugar. 17 En todas las ciudades y provincias a donde llegaba el decreto del rey, se producía una gran alegría entre los judíos, hasta el punto que hacían una gran celebración y declaraban día festivo. Muchos se hacían pasar por judíos, por temor a lo que los judíos pudieran hacerles.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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