On that
day did the king Ahasuerus give the house of
Haman the Jews' enemy unto Esther the queen. And
Mordecai came before the king; for Esther had
told what he was unto her.
02 And the king took off his ring, which he had
taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai. And
Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.
03 And Esther spake yet again before the king,
and fell down at his feet, and besought him with
tears to put away the mischief of Haman the
Agagite, and his device that he had devised
against the Jews.
04 Then the king held out the golden sceptre
toward Esther. So Esther arose, and stood before
the king,
05 And said, If it please the king, and if I have
favour in his sight, and the thing seem right
before the king, and I be pleasing in his eyes,
let it be written to reverse the letters devised
by Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which
he wrote to destroy the Jews which are in all the
king's provinces:
06 For how can I endure to see the evil that
shall come unto my people? or how can I endure to
see the destruction of my kindred?
07 Then the king Ahasuerus said unto Esther the
queen and to Mordecai the Jew, Behold, I have
given Esther the house of Haman, and him they
have hanged upon the gallows, because he laid his
hand upon the Jews.
08 Write ye also for the Jews, as it liketh you,
in the king's name, and seal it with the king's
ring: for the writing which is written in the
king's name, and sealed with the king's ring, may
no man reverse.
09 Then were the king's scribes called at that
time in the third month, that is, the month
Sivan, on the three and twentieth day thereof;
and it was written according to all that Mordecai
commanded 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
according to the writing thereof, and unto every
people after their language, and to the Jews
according to their writing, and according to
their language.
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10 And he wrote in the king Ahasuerus' name, and
sealed it with the king's ring, and sent letters
by posts on horseback, and riders on mules,
camels, and young dromedaries:
11 Wherein the king granted the Jews which were
in every city to gather themselves together, and
to stand for their life, to destroy, to slay and
to cause to perish, all the power of the people
and province that would assault them, both little
ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for
a prey,
12 Upon one day in all the provinces of king
Ahasuerus, namely, upon the thirteenth day of the
twelfth month, which is the month Adar.
13 The copy of the writing for a commandment to
be given in every province was published unto all
people, and that the Jews should be ready against
that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.
14 So the posts that rode upon mules and camels
went out, being hastened and pressed on by the
king's commandment. And the decree was given at
Shushan the palace.
15 And Mordecai went out 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
rejoiced and was glad.
16 The Jews had light, and gladness, and joy, and
honour.
17 And in every province, and in every city,
whithersoever the king's commandment and his
decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a
feast and a good day. And many of the people of
the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews
fell upon them.
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