Esther Saves the Jews

¹ On that day King Ahasuerus gave to Queen Esther the house of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai came before the king, for Esther had told what he was to her.

² And the king took off his signet ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.

³ Then Esther spoke again to the king. She fell at his feet and wept and pleaded with him to avert the evil plan of Haman the Agagite and the plot that he had devised against the Jews.

⁴ When the king held out the golden sceptre to Esther, Esther rose and stood before the king.

⁵ And she said, “If it please the king, and if I have found favour in his sight, and if the thing seems right before the king, and I am pleasing in his eyes, let an order be written to revoke the letters devised by Haman the Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, which he wrote to destroy the Jews who are in all the provinces of the king.

⁶ For how can I bear to see the calamity that is coming to my people? Or how can I bear to see the destruction of my kindred?”

⁷ Then King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, “Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and they have hanged him on the gallows, because he intended to lay hands on the Jews.

⁸ But you may write as you please with regard to the Jews, in the name of the king, and seal it with the king’s ring, for an edict written in the name of the king and sealed with the king’s ring cannot be revoked.”

⁹ The king’s scribes were summoned at that time, in the third month, which is the month of Sivan, on the twenty-third day. And an edict was written, according to all that Mordecai commanded concerning the Jews, to the satraps and the governors and the officials of the provinces from India to Ethiopia, one hundred twenty-seven provinces, to each province in its own script and to each people in its own language, and also to the Jews in their script and their language.

¹⁰ And he wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed it with the king’s signet ring. Then he sent the letters by mounted couriers riding on swift horses that were used in the king’s service, bred from the royal stud,

¹¹ saying that the king allowed the Jews who were in every city to gather and defend their lives, to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate any armed force of any people or province that might attack them, children and women included, and to plunder their goods,

¹² on one day throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar.

Decree of Artaxerxes

^12a The following is a copy of this letter: “The great king, Artaxerxes, to the rulers of the provinces from India to Ethiopia, 127 satrapies, and to those who are loyal to our government, greeting.

^12b “The more often they are honored by the too great kindness of their benefactors, the prouder do many become.

^12c They not only seek to injure our subjects, but in their inability to stand prosperity they even undertake to scheme against their own benefactors.

^12d They not only take away thankfulness from among people, but, carried away by the boasts of those who know nothing of goodness, they suppose that they will escape the evil-hating justice of God, who always sees everything.

^12e And often many of those who are set in places of authority have been made in part responsible for the shedding of innocent blood and have been involved in irremediable calamities, by the persuasion of friends who have been entrusted with the administration of public affairs,

^12f when these people by the false trickery of their evil natures beguile the sincere good will of their sovereigns.

^12g “What has been wickedly accomplished through the pestilent behavior of those who exercise authority unworthily can be seen not so much from the more ancient records that we hand on as from investigation of matters close at hand.

^12h For the future we will take care to render our kingdom quiet and peaceable for all people,

¹²ⁱ by changing our methods and always judging what comes before our eyes with more equitable consideration.

^12k For Haman son of Hamadathos, a Macedonian (really an alien to the Persian blood and quite devoid of our kindliness), having become our guest,

^12l so far enjoyed the good will that we have for every nation that he was publicly proclaimed our father and was continually bowed down to by all as the person second to the royal throne.

^12m But, unable to restrain his arrogance, he undertook to deprive us of our kingdom and our life

¹²ⁿ and with intricate craft and deceit asked for the destruction of Mordecai, our savior and perpetual benefactor, and of Esther, the blameless partner of our kingdom, together with their whole nation.

^12o He thought that in this way he would find us undefended and would transfer the kingdom of the Persians to the Macedonians.

^12p “But we find that the Jews, who were con signed to annihilation by this thrice-accursed man, are not evildoers but are governed by most righteous laws

^12q and are sons of the Most High, the mightiest living God, who has directed the kingdom both for us and for our ancestors in the most excellent order.

^12r “You will therefore do well not to put in execution the letters sent by Haman son of Hamadathos,

^12s because the man himself who did these things has been hanged at the gates of Susa, with all his household. For God, who rules over all things, has speedily inflicted on him the punishment he deserved.

^12t “Therefore post a copy of this letter publicly in every place and permit the Jews to live under their own laws.

^12u And give them reinforcements, so that on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, Adar, on that very day they may defend themselves against those who attack them at the time of their affliction.

^12v For God, who rules over all things, has made this day to be a joy to his chosen people instead of a day of destruction for them.

^12w “Therefore you shall observe this with all good cheer as a notable day among your commemorative festivals,

^12x so that both now and hereafter it may mean salvation for us and the loyal Persians, but that for those who plot against us it may be a reminder of destruction.

^12y “Every city and country, without exception, which does not act accordingly, shall be destroyed in wrath with spear and fire. It shall be made not only impassable for people, but also most hateful for all time to beasts and birds.”

¹³ A copy of what was written was to be issued as a decree in every province, being publicly displayed to all peoples, and the Jews were to be ready on that day to take vengeance on their enemies.

¹⁴ So the couriers, mounted on their swift horses that were used in the king’s service, rode out hurriedly, urged by the king’s command. And the decree was issued in Susa the citadel.

¹⁵ Then Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal robes of blue and white, with a great golden crown and a robe of fine linen and purple, and the city of Susa shouted and rejoiced. ¹⁶ The Jews had light and gladness and joy and honour.

¹⁷ And in every province and in every city, wherever the king’s command and his edict reached, there was gladness and joy among the Jews, a feast and a holiday. And many from the peoples of the country declared themselves Jews, for fear of the Jews had fallen on them.