The Book of Esther

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- Kapitel 8 -

Esther saves the Jews

Later on that same day, King Ahasuerus gave Queen Esther all the possessions of Haman, who had been the Jews’ enemy. Mordecai served the king because Esther had by now told the king how she was related to him.

When Mordecai came in, the king took off the ring that had his official seal on it, the ring that he had recovered from Haman, and he gave it to Mordecai. Esther appointed Mordecai to be in charge of Haman’s property.

Esther again came to talk to the king. She prostrated herself at his feet and pleaded with him with tears. She asked that the king stop the evil plan that Haman had developed to kill the Jews.

The king held out his gold scepter toward Esther, so Esther arose and stood before the king.

She said, “Your Majesty, if it pleases you, and if I have found grace in your eyes, make a new law to cancel out what Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite decreed, that all the Jews in all the provinces in your empire should be killed.

How can I bear to see disaster come on my people? How can I endure seeing the destruction of all my relatives?”

King Ahasuerus replied to Queen Esther and Mordecai the Jew, “Because Haman tried to get rid of all the Jews, I have given to Esther everything that belonged to Haman, and they have hanged him on the gallows.

So now I am also permitting you to write another letter with a new decree in it, so that you may save your people. You may put my name on the letters and use my ring to seal them. This is because no letter that has my name on it and that is sealed with my ring can ever be revoked.”

Then the king’s scribes were called at that time (in the third month, which is the month of Sivan, on the twenty-third day of the month). Mordecai dictated to them a new decree in order to protect the Jews. It was written to the provincial governors, the governors and officials of the provinces that are from India all the way to Ethiopia, in total, 127 provinces. The letter was written to every province in the way that every language was written. It was also written to the Jews in their writing and language.

Mordecai wrote the decree in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed it with the king’s signet ring. He sent the documents by couriers riding on the fast horses that were used in the king’s service, bred in the king’s stables.

The king gave to the Jews living in every city permission to gather together and to fight together to protect their lives. He allowed them to kill any armed men in any province, belonging to any people group, who might attack them or their families, or who might try to take their possessions.

This was to be in effect in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which was the month of Adar.

The king ordered them to make copies of this decree and to show them to all the people groups. With this decree, he allowed the Jews to get ready to take revenge on their enemies.

The king commanded the men who took these letters to all the provinces to ride quickly on the king’s horses. And copies of the letter were also posted and read to the people who lived and worked in the palace in Susa.

Mordecai left the palace, wearing the blue and white robe and a large gold crown that the king gave him. He also put on a robe of fine purple cloth. When the people in Susa heard the new law, they all shouted and cheered.

The Jews in Susa were now happy, instead of being afraid. They rejoiced instead of fearing, and other people honored them.

When the new decree arrived in every city and province, the Jews there celebrated and prepared feasts and were very joyful. And many people throughout the empire became Jews, because they had become very afraid of the Jews.

Esther saves the Jews

On that day, King Ahasuerus gave the house of Haman, the Jews’ enemy, to Esther the queen. Mordecai came before the king; for Esther had told what he was to her.

The king took off his ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai. Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.

Esther spoke yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet and begged him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his plan that he had planned against the Jews.

Then the king held out to Esther the golden scepter. So Esther arose, and stood before the king.

She said, “ If it pleases the king, and if I have found favor in his sight, and the thing seems right to the king, and I am 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 who are in all the king’s provinces.

For how can I endure to see the evil that would come to my people? How can I endure to see the destruction of my relatives?”

Then King Ahasuerus said to Esther the queen and to Mordecai the Jew, “ See, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and they have hanged him on the gallows because he laid his hand on the Jews.

Write also to the Jews as it pleases 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 not be reversed by any man.”

Then the king’s scribes were called at that time, in the third month, which is the month Sivan, on the twenty-third day of the month; and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded to the Jews, and to the local governors, and the governors and princes of the provinces which are from India to Ethiopia, one hundred twenty-seven provinces, to every province according to its writing, and to every people in their language, and to the Jews in their writing, and in their language.

He wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus, and sealed it with the king’s ring, and sent letters by courier on horseback, riding on royal horses that were bred from swift steeds.

In those letters, the king granted the Jews who were in every city to gather themselves together and to defend their lives— to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish all the power of the people and province that would assault them, their little ones and women, and to plunder their possessions,

on one day in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar.

A copy of the letter, that the decree should be given out in every province, was published to all the peoples, that the Jews should be ready for that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.

So the couriers who rode on royal horses went out, hastened and pressed on by the king’s commandment. The decree was given out in the citadel of Susa.

Mordecai went out of the presence of the king in royal clothing of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a robe of fine linen and purple; and the city of Susa shouted and was glad.

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

In every province and in every city, wherever the king’s commandment and his decree came, the Jews had gladness, joy, a feast and a holiday. Many from among the peoples of the land became Jews, for the fear of the Jews had fallen on them.