Chapter 8

On that day did the king Ahasuerus give¹ the house of Haman the Jews' enemy⁶ unto Esther the queen. And Mordecai came¹ before the king; for Esther had told⁵² what he [was] unto her.

And the king took off⁵⁵ his ring, which he had taken⁵² from Haman, and gave⁴ it unto Mordecai. And Esther set⁴ Mordecai over the house of Haman.

And Esther spake¹⁷ yet again⁵⁵ before the king, and fell down⁴ at his feet, and besought¹⁰¹ him with tears⁴ to put away⁵³ the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his device that he had devised¹ against the Jews.

Then the king held out⁵⁵ the golden sceptre toward Esther. So Esther arose,⁴ and stood⁴ before the king,

And said,⁴ If it please the king, and if I have found¹ favour in his sight, and the thing [seem] right¹ before the king, and I [be] pleasing in his eyes, let it be written¹¹ to reverse⁵³ the letters devised by Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote¹ to destroy¹⁵ the Jews which [are] in all the king's provinces:

For how can I endure⁴ to see¹ the evil that shall come unto⁴ my people? or how can I endure⁴ to see¹ the destruction of my kindred?

Then the king Ahasuerus said⁴ unto Esther the queen and to Mordecai the Jew, Behold, I have given¹ Esther the house of Haman, and him they have hanged¹ upon the gallows, because he laid¹ his hand upon the Jews.

Write³ ye also for the Jews, as it liketh you, in the king's name, and seal³ [it] with the king's ring: for the writing which is written¹² in the king's name, and sealed¹² with the king's ring, may no man reverse.⁵³

Then were the king's scribes⁶ called¹¹ at that time in the third month, that [is], the month Sivan, on the three and twentieth [day] thereof; and it was written¹¹ according to all that Mordecai commanded¹⁴ 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 ⁴⁰⁸² according to the writing thereof, and unto every people ⁵⁹⁷¹ after their language, and to the Jews according to their writing, and according to their language.

And he wrote⁴ in the king Ahasuerus' name, and sealed⁴ [it] with the king's ring, and sent⁴ letters by posts⁵ on horseback, [and] riders⁶ on mules, camels, [and] young dromedaries:

Wherein the king granted¹ the Jews which [were] in every city ⁵⁸⁹² to gather themselves together,⁹ and to stand² for their life, to destroy,⁵³ to slay,² and to cause to perish,¹⁵ all the power of the people and province that would assault⁶ them, [both] little ones and women, and [to take] the spoil of them for a prey,²

Upon one day in all the provinces of king Ahasuerus, [namely], upon the thirteenth ⁶²⁴⁰ [day] of the twelfth ⁶²⁴⁰ month, which [is] the month Adar.

The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given⁹ in every province ⁴⁰⁸² [was] published⁷ unto all people, and that the Jews should be ready ⁶²⁵⁹ against that day to avenge⁹ themselves on their enemies.⁶

[So] the posts⁵ that rode⁶ upon mules [and] camels went out,¹ being hastened³⁰ and pressed on⁷ by the king's commandment. And the decree was given⁸ at Shushan the palace.

And Mordecai went out¹ 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 rejoiced¹ and was glad.

The Jews had light, and gladness, and joy, and honour.

And in every province, ⁴⁰⁸² and in every city, ⁵⁸⁹² whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came,⁵⁶ the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a good day. And many of the people of the land became Jews;¹⁰² for the fear of the Jews fell¹ upon them.