The Daily Audio Bible

Esther Saves the Jews

8 On that day King Ahasuerus gave Queen Esther the house of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. Mordecai came before the king because Esther disclosed who he was to her. ² The king took off his signet ring, which he had taken away from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai. Esther appointed Mordecai over the house of Haman.

³ Then Esther spoke again to the king and fell down at his feet and begged him with tears to avert the evil of Haman the Agagite, and the scheme that he had devised against the Jews. ⁴ When the king held out the golden scepter to Esther, she rose and stood before the king, ⁵ and said, “If it pleases the king, and if I have found favor in his sight, and the idea seems right before the king, and I have his approval, then let it be written to reverse the letters, devised by Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews in all the king’s provinces. ⁶ For how am I able to watch the evil that will unfold against my people? How can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?”

⁷ Then King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, “See, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and they have hanged him on the gallows because he threatened violence against the Jews. ⁸ Now, as it suits you, write in the king’s name on behalf of the Jews and seal it with the king’s signet ring, because a document written in the king’s name and sealed with the king’s signet ring cannot be repealed.”

⁹ The king’s scribes were summoned at that time, in the third month, which is the month of Sivan, on the twenty-third day; and everything was written, according to all that Mordecai commanded, to the Jews, to the satraps, the governors, and the princes of the provinces from India to Ethiopia, one hundred and twenty-seven provinces, to every province in its own script, to every people in their own language, and to the Jews in their script and language. ¹⁰ He wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus, sealed it with the king’s signet ring, sent letters by couriers on horseback, riding steeds bred from mares from the royal stables.

¹¹ What the king granted to the Jews in each and every city was the right to assemble and to defend their lives by annihilating, slaying, and destroying any army of any people or any province that would assault them, the little children and women included, and to plunder their possessions. ¹² This would happen on one day in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, namely, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month (which is the month Adar). ¹³ A copy of the edict being issued as law in each and every province was published to all people, so that the Jews could be ready for this day to avenge themselves on their enemies.

¹⁴ So the couriers riding on royal steeds went out with haste and urgency by the king’s edict. The decree was given at the citadel of Susa.

¹⁵ Mordecai went out from the king’s presence in royal apparel of blue and white, with a large crown of gold, and with a garment of fine linen and purple. The city of Susa erupted with shouts of rejoicing. ¹⁶ To the Jews belonged light, gladness, joy, and honor. ¹⁷ In each and every province as well as in each and every city, wherever the king’s edict and his decree reached, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast, and a holiday. Furthermore, many of the people of the land professed to be Jews because the dread of the Jews fell on them.

The Jews Destroy Their Enemies

9 Now in the twelfth month (that is, the month Adar), on the thirteenth day, when the king’s edict and his decree were to be carried out on the day that the enemies of the Jews had hoped to have power over them, things were turned around. The Jews gained power over those who hated them. ² The Jews had assembled in their cities throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus in order to forcibly assault those seeking their injury. No man could stand before them because the dread of them had fallen on all people. ³ All the rulers of the provinces, and the satraps, and the governors, and all those doing the work of the king were helping the Jews, because the fear of Mordecai had fallen on them. ⁴ For Mordecai had become great in the king’s house, and his fame went out throughout all the provinces because Mordecai grew more powerful.

⁵ So the Jews struck all their enemies by sword, slaughtering and destroying them, and doing to those who hated them as they pleased. ⁶ In the citadel of Susa, the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men, ⁷ along with Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, ⁸ Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, ⁹ Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai, and Vaizatha. ¹⁰ These were the ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews, whom they killed, but on their plunder none of the Jews attempted to take it.

¹¹ On that day the number of those who were killed in the citadel of Susa was reported before the king. ¹² The king said to Queen Esther, “The Jews have slain and destroyed five hundred men in the citadel of Susa and the ten sons of Haman. What have they done in the rest of the king’s provinces? Now what is your petition? It shall be granted you! What is your request further? It shall be done!”

¹³ Then Esther said, “If it pleases the king, let it be granted to the Jews in Susa to do again tomorrow according to this day’s decree. Let the ten sons of Haman be hanged on the gallows.”

¹⁴ So the king commanded that it be so done, and the decree was given at Susa, and they hanged the ten sons of Haman.

¹⁵ The Jews in Susa assembled again on the fourteenth day of the month Adar and killed three hundred more there, but on the plunder no one attempted to take it.

¹⁶ But the rest of the Jews in the king’s provinces assembled to defend their lives. Some had rest from their enemies, while others killed seventy-five thousand of those who hated them, but no one took from the plunder. ¹⁷ Because this occurred on the thirteenth day of the month Adar, they rested on the fourteenth day and made it a day of feasting and rejoicing.

The Feast of Purim Established

¹⁸ Because the Jews in Susa had assembled on the thirteenth day and the fourteenth day of Adar, then on the fifteenth day they rested and made it a day of feasting and rejoicing.

¹⁹ Therefore, the Jews of the rural areas, who were living in the villages, made the fourteenth day of the month Adar a day of rejoicing and feasting and a special day for sending portions of food to one another.

²⁰ Mordecai recorded these events and sent letters to all the Jews throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, both near and far, ²¹ in order to institute for them the celebration for the fourteenth day and the fifteenth day of the month of Adar, each and every year, ²² like the days when the Jews had rest from their enemies, and like the month when things turned around for them—changing from sorrow to joy and from mourning into a favorable day—so that they could celebrate a season of feasting and rejoicing and sending food portions to one another and gifts to the poor.

²³ So the Jews accepted what had begun as tradition as Mordecai had written to them. ²⁴ Haman, the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast Pur (that is, cast lots), to crush and destroy them. ²⁵ But when Esther came before the king, he ordered by letter that the wicked plot which Haman had devised against the Jews should come upon his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows. ²⁶ Therefore, they call these days Purim on the basis of the name Pur. Furthermore, based on all the information of this letter, along with what they had seen in this regard and what had happened to them, ²⁷ the Jews instituted and accepted as tradition for themselves, for their descendants, and for all joining with them not to fail in observing the celebration of these two days as prescribed and as specified in each and every year. ²⁸ These days should be remembered and celebrated throughout every generation, every family, province, and city, so that these days of Purim will not lose their significance among the Jews, and the commemoration of these days will not cease among their descendants.

²⁹ Then Queen Esther, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew wrote with all authority, to confirm this second letter about Purim. ³⁰ He sent the letters to all the Jews, to the one hundred and twenty-seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, with instructions for peace and truth ³¹ in order to confirm these days of Purim at their appointed times, as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had instituted for themselves and for their offspring, with the instructions for their times of fasting and their lamenting. ³² The command of Esther confirmed these traditions of Purim, and it was written in the book.

Mordecai’s Greatness

10 Then King Ahasuerus charged a tribute on the land and on the coastal lands of the sea. ² All the deeds of his power and of his might, and the detailed record of the greatness of Mordecai, after the king promoted him, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia? ³ Indeed, Mordecai the Jew was second in power to King Ahasuerus. He was great among the Jews and popular with many of his countrymen, for he sought favor for his people, and spoke of peace and prosperity for all of his posterity.

²⁷ Now you are the body of Christ and members individually. ²⁸ God has put these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, and various tongues. ²⁹ Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? ³⁰ Do all have the gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? ³¹ But earnestly covet the greater gifts.

Love

Yet I show you a more excellent way.

13 If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I have become as sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing. ³ If I give all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, and have not love, it profits me nothing.

⁴ Love suffers long and is kind; love envies not; love flaunts not itself and is not puffed up, ⁵ does not behave itself improperly, seeks not its own, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil; ⁶ rejoices not in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; ⁷ bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.

⁸ Love never fails. But if there are prophecies, they shall fail; if there are tongues, they shall cease; and if there is knowledge, it shall vanish. ⁹ For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. ¹⁰ But when that which is perfect comes, then that which is imperfect shall pass away. ¹¹ When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, and I thought as a child. But when I became a man, I put away childish things. ¹² For now we see as through a glass, dimly, but then, face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know, even as I also am known.

¹³ So now abide faith, hope, and love, these three. But the greatest of these is love.

Psalm 37

A Psalm of David.