⁵¹ “Does our law condemn a man without first hearing him to find out what he has been doing?”

¹⁴ then you must inquire, probe and investigate it thoroughly.^(A) And if it is true and it has been proved that this detestable thing has been done among you,^(B)

⁵ “If it pleases the king,” she said, “and if he regards me with favor^(A) 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?”^(B)

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

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](H) 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.^{(I) 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^(J) 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.^{(K) 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^(L) 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.^(M)

The Triumph of the Jews

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

²⁴ Mephibosheth,^(A) Saul’s grandson, also went down to meet the king. He had not taken care of his feet or trimmed his mustache or washed his clothes from the day the king left until the day he returned safely. ²⁵ When he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king asked him, “Why didn’t you go with me,^(B) Mephibosheth?”

²⁶ He said, “My lord the king, since I your servant am lame,^(C) I said, ‘I will have my donkey saddled and will ride on it, so I can go with the king.’ But Ziba^(D) my servant betrayed me. ²⁷ And he has slandered your servant to my lord the king. My lord the king is like an angel^(E) of God; so do whatever you wish. ²⁸ All my grandfather’s descendants deserved nothing but death^(F) from my lord the king, but you gave your servant a place among those who eat at your table.^(G) So what right do I have to make any more appeals to the king?”

²⁹ The king said to him, “Why say more? I order you and Ziba to divide the land.”

³⁰ Mephibosheth said to the king, “Let him take everything, now that my lord the king has returned home safely.”

⁴ Then the king said to Ziba, “All that belonged to Mephibosheth^(A) is now yours.”

“I humbly bow,” Ziba said. “May I find favor in your eyes, my lord the king.”

¹⁴ When the king heard this, he was greatly distressed;^(A) he was determined to rescue Daniel and made every effort until sundown to save him.