Esther 8:3-17
Expanded Bible
3 Once again Esther spoke to the king. She fell at the king’s feet and ·cried [wept] and ·begged [implored] him to stop the evil ·plan [plot] that Haman the Agagite had ·planned [devised] against the Jews [C Esther wisely did not implicate the king in the plan]. 4 The king ·held out [extended] the gold scepter to Esther. So Esther got up and stood in front of him.
5 She said, “My king, if ·you are pleased with me [L I have found favor in the king’s sight], and if it ·pleases [seems good to] you to do this, if you think it is the right thing to do, and if ·you are happy with me [I am pleasing/attractive to you], let an ·order [edict; decree] be written to ·cancel [revoke; rescind] the ·letters [dispatches; scrolls] Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite ·wrote [devised] to destroy the Jews in all of your ·kingdom [L provinces]. 6 ·I could not stand [L How could I endure…?] to see that ·terrible thing [calamity; disaster] ·happen to [L fall on] my people. ·I could not stand [L How could I endure…?] to see my ·family [relatives; L kindred] ·killed [destroyed].”
7 King ·Xerxes [L Ahasuerus] answered Queen Esther and Mordecai the Jew, “Because Haman was against the Jews, I have given his ·things [estate; property] to Esther, and my soldiers have ·hanged [impaled] him on the ·platform [gallows; pole]. 8 Now, in the king’s name, write another ·order [edict; decree] ·to [concerning] the Jews as seems ·best [appropriate] to you. Then seal the ·order [edict; decree] with the king’s signet ring, because no ·letter [dispatch] written in the king’s name and sealed with his signet ring can be ·canceled [revoked; rescinded].”
9 At that time the king’s ·secretaries [scribes] were called. This was the twenty-third day of the third month [C June 25], which is Sivan. The secretaries wrote out all of Mordecai’s ·orders [commands] ·to [concerning] the Jews, to the governors, to the ·captains of the soldiers [high officials] in each ·state [province], and to the ·important men [nobles] of the one hundred twenty-seven ·states [provinces] that reached from India to Cush [1:1]. They wrote in the ·writing [script] of each ·state [province] and in the language of each people. They also wrote to the Jews in their own ·writing [script] and language. 10 Mordecai wrote ·orders [edicts; decrees] in the name of King ·Xerxes [L Ahasuerus] and sealed the ·letters [dispatches; scrolls] with the king’s signet ring. Then he sent the king’s ·orders [edicts; decrees] by ·messengers [couriers] on fast horses, horses that were ·raised [bred] ·just [especially] for the king.
11 These were the king’s ·orders [edicts; decrees]: The Jews in every city have the right to ·gather together [assemble] to ·protect themselves [defend their lives]. They may destroy, kill, and ·completely wipe out [annihilate] the army of any ·state [province] or ·people [nation] who attack them [C the king could not cancel his previous unalterable decree, but he could allow the Jews to defend themselves and attack], including their women and children. They may also ·take by force [plunder; confiscate] the property of their enemies. 12 The one day set for the Jews to do this in all the ·empire [provinces] of King ·Xerxes [L Ahasuerus] was the thirteenth day of the twelfth month [C March 7, about twelve months after Haman devised his plot], the month of Adar. 13 A copy of the king’s ·order [edict; decree] was to be ·sent out [issued; presented] as a law in every ·state [province]. It was to be made known to ·the people of every nation living in the kingdom [L all the peoples] so the Jews would be ready on that set day to ·strike back at [avenge themselves on] their enemies.
14 The ·messengers [couriers] hurried out, riding on the royal horses, urged on by the king’s command. And the ·order [edict; decree] was also given in the ·palace [citadel; fortress; 1:2] at Susa.
15 Mordecai left the king’s presence wearing royal ·clothes [garments] of blue and white and a large gold crown. He also had a purple ·robe [mantle] made of the best linen. And the people of Susa shouted for joy. 16 It was a time of ·happiness [L light], joy, gladness, and honor for the Jews. 17 As the king’s ·order [edict; decree] went to every ·state [province] and city, there was joy and gladness among the Jews. In every ·state [province] and city to which the king’s ·order [edict; decree] went, they were having ·feasts [banquets] and ·celebrating [holidays]. And many ·people through all the empire [L peoples of the land] ·became [professed/pretended to be] Jews, because ·they were afraid of the Jews [L dread of the Jews had fallen on them].
Read full chapter
Esther 8:3-17
New American Standard Bible
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 (A)the king extended the golden scepter to Esther. So Esther got up and stood before the king. 5 Then she said, “(B)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 (C)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 (D)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, (E)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 (F)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 (G)may not be revoked.”
9 (H)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 (I)from India to [d]Cush, 127 provinces, to (J)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 (K)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 (L)to assemble and to defend their lives, (M)to destroy, kill, and eliminate the entire army of any people or province which was going to attack them, including children and women, and (N)to plunder their spoils, 12 on (O)one day in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month (that is, the month Adar). 13 (P)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 (Q)in a royal robe of violet and white, with a large crown of gold and (R)a garment of fine linen and purple; and (S)the city of Susa shouted and rejoiced. 16 For the Jews there was (T)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](U)holiday. And (V)many among the peoples of the land [h]became Jews, because the dread of the Jews had fallen on them.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Esther 8:3 Lit before
- Esther 8:8 Lit according to the good in your eyes
- Esther 8:9 Lit in it
- Esther 8:9 Or Ethiopia
- Esther 8:11 Lit Which the king
- Esther 8:13 Lit given
- Esther 8:17 Lit good day
- Esther 8:17 Or posed as Jews
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
