Esther 8

Mordecai Receives Haman’s House

1On that day King Ahasuerus gave Queen Esther the house of Haman, enemy of the Judeans. Mordecai came before the king, for Esther had told what he was to her. 2The king removed his signet ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai. Esther appointed Mordecai over the house of Haman.

Esther Pleads Again for Her People

3Esther spoke again before the king. She fell before his feet, wept, and sought his favor to turn away the evil of Haman the Agagite and the plan that he had devised against the Judeans. 4The king extended the gold scepter to Esther, and Esther arose and stood before the king. 5She said, “If it is good to the king, and if I have found favor before him, and if the matter is right before the king, and I am good in his eyes, let it be written to revoke the letters devised by Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Judeans who are in all the king’s provinces. 6For how can I bear to see the evil that will come upon my people? And how can I bear to see the destruction of my kindred?”

The King Authorizes a New Decree

7Then King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and Mordecai the Judean, “Look, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and they have hanged him on the tree because he stretched out his hand against the Judeans. 8Now you yourselves write concerning the Judeans as is good in your eyes, in the king’s name, and seal it with the king’s signet ring. For a document written in the king’s name and sealed with the king’s signet ring cannot be revoked.”

Mordecai’s Decree Is Written

9Then the king’s scribes were called at that time, in the third month, which is the month of Sivan, on the twenty-third day. It was written according to all that Mordecai commanded concerning the Judeans, to the satraps, governors, and officials of the provinces from India to Cush, one hundred twenty-seven provinces, to each province in its script and to each people in its language, and to the Judeans in their own script and their own language. 10He wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus, sealed it with the king’s signet ring, and sent letters by the hand of mounted couriers riding on swift royal horses bred from the royal stud. 11In them the king granted the Judeans who were in every city permission to gather together and stand for their lives, to destroy, kill, and annihilate every armed force of any people or province that attacked them, including children and women, and to plunder their possessions, 12on one day throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar. 13A copy of the document was to be issued as law in every province, publicly displayed to all peoples, so that the Judeans would be ready on that day to take vengeance on their enemies. 14The couriers mounted on the swift royal horses went out hurried and pressed by the king’s command, and the law was issued in the citadel of Susa.

Mordecai Goes Out from the King

15Mordecai went out from before the king in royal garments of blue and white, with a great crown of gold and a robe of fine linen and purple. And the city of Susa shouted and rejoiced. 16For the Judeans there was light and gladness, joy and honor. 17In every province and in every city, wherever the king’s command and his law reached, there was gladness and joy among the Judeans, a feast and a good day. And many from the peoples of the land became Judeans, for fear of the Judeans had fallen upon them.