EstherChapter 8

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¹That same day King Xerxes gave Queen Esther all of Haman's property. Haman had been the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai came in to see the king. For Esther had told the king how Mordecai was related to her. ²The king had taken back his signet ring from Haman. Now he took it off and gave it to Mordecai. And Esther put Mordecai in charge of Haman's property. ³Once again Esther spoke to the king. She fell at his feet and cried. She begged him to stop the evil plan of Haman the Agagite. Haman had made this plan against the Jews. ⁴The king held out the gold scepter toward Esther. So she got up and stood in front of the king. ⁵"If it pleases the king," she said, "and if he is kind to me, please do this. If the king thinks it is right, and if he is pleased with me, let an order be written. Let it cancel the letters that Haman wrote with his evil plan. Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, wrote them to destroy the Jews in all the king's provinces. ⁶For how can I stand to watch the disaster that would come on my people? How can I stand to see my family destroyed?" ⁷So King Xerxes spoke to Queen Esther and Mordecai the Jew. "Look," he said, "I have given Haman's property to Esther. And Haman has been hanged on the pole because he attacked the Jews. ⁸Now you may write whatever you want about the Jews in the king's name. Seal it with the king's signet ring. For an order written in the king's name and sealed with his signet ring cannot be canceled." ⁹Right away the king's scribes were called in. It was the twenty-third day of the third month, the month of Sivan. They wrote down all of Mordecai's orders. The orders went to the Jews, and to the satraps, governors, and princes of the 127 provinces from India to Cush. They wrote to each province in its own writing. They wrote to each people in their own language. They wrote to the Jews in their own writing and language. ¹⁰Mordecai wrote in the name of King Xerxes. He sealed the letters with the king's signet ring. He sent them by riders on fast horses. The horses came from the king's own herds. ¹¹In these letters the king gave the Jews in every city the right to gather and defend themselves. They could destroy, kill, and wipe out any army of any people or province that attacked them. That included their women and children. And they could take what their enemies owned. ¹²One day was set for this in all of King Xerxes' provinces. It was the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar. ¹³A copy of the order was to be given out as law in every province. It was to be read to all the people. Then the Jews would be ready on that day to pay back their enemies. ¹⁴The riders rushed out on the king's horses. The king's order made them hurry. And the order was also given in the fortress city of Susa. ¹⁵Mordecai left the king wearing royal clothes of blue and white. He wore a large gold crown and a purple robe of fine linen. And the city of Susa shouted for joy. ¹⁶For the Jews it was a time of light and gladness, of joy and honor. ¹⁷The king's order and law reached every province and every city. Wherever it came, the Jews were glad and full of joy. They held feasts and celebrated. And many people of the land became Jews, because fear of the Jews had come on them.