Esther 8

1On that dayH3117 did the kingH4428 AhasuerusH325 giveH5414 the houseH1004 of HamanH2001 the Jews’H3064 enemy unto EstherH635 the queenH4436. And MordecaiH4782 cameH935 before the kingH4428; for EstherH635 had toldH5046 what he was unto her. 2And the kingH4428 took off his ringH2885, which he had taken from HamanH2001, and gaveH5414 it unto MordecaiH4782. And EstherH635 setH7760 MordecaiH4782 over the houseH1004 of HamanH2001.

3And EstherH635 spake yet again before the kingH4428, and fellH5307 downH5307 at his feetH7272, and besought him with tears to put away the mischief of HamanH2001 the AgagiteH91, and his device that he had devised against the JewsH3064. 4Then the kingH4428 held out to EstherH635 the golden sceptre. So EstherH635 aroseH6965, and stoodH5975 before the kingH4428. 5And she saidH559, If it please the kingH4428, and if I have foundH4672 favorH2580 in his sight, and the thingH1697 seem right before the kingH4428, and I be pleasing in his eyesH5869, let it be writtenH3789 to reverse the lettersH5612 devised by HamanH2001, the sonH1121 of Hammedatha the AgagiteH91, which he wroteH3789 to destroyH6 the JewsH3064 that are in all the king’sH4428 provincesH4082: 6for howH349 can I endure to seeH7200 the evilH7451 that shall comeH4672 unto my peopleH5971? or howH349 can I endure to seeH7200 the destruction of my kindredH4138? 7Then the kingH4428 AhasuerusH325 saidH559 unto EstherH635 the queenH4436 and to MordecaiH4782 the JewH3064, Behold, I have givenH5414 EstherH635 the houseH1004 of HamanH2001, and him they have hangedH8518 upon the gallowsH6086, because he laid his handH3027 upon the JewsH3064. 8WriteH3789 ye also to the JewsH3064, as it pleaseth you, in the king’sH4428 nameH8034, and sealH2856 it with the king’sH4428 ringH2885; for the writingH3789 which is writtenH3789 in the king’sH4428 nameH8034, and sealedH2856 with the king’sH4428 ringH2885, may no man reverse.

9Then were the king’sH4428 scribesH5608 calledH7121 at that timeH6256, in the thirdH7992 monthH2320, which is the monthH2320 Sivan, on the threeH7969 and twentiethday thereof; and it was writtenH3789 according to all that MordecaiH4782 commandedH6680 unto the JewsH3064, and to the satrapsH323, and the governorsH6346 and princesH8269 of the provincesH4082 which are from IndiaH1912 unto Ethiopia, a hundredH3967 twentyH6242 and sevenH7651 provincesH4082, unto every provinceH4082 according to the writingH3789 thereof, and unto every peopleH5971 after their languageH3956, and to the JewsH3064 according to their writingH3789, and according to their languageH3956. 10And he wroteH3789 in the nameH8034 of kingH4428 AhasuerusH325, and sealedH2856 it with the king’sH4428 ringH2885, and sentH7971 lettersH5612 by posts on horseback, ridingH7392 on swift steedsH7409 that were used in the king’sH4428 service, bred of the stud: 11wherein the kingH4428 granted the JewsH3064 that were in every cityH5892 to gather themselves together, and to standH5975 for their lifeH5315, to destroyH8045, to slayH2026, and to cause to perishH6, all the power of the peopleH5971 and provinceH4082 that would assault them, their littleH2945 onesH2945 and womenH802, and to takeH962 the spoilH7998 of them for a prey, 12upon oneH259 dayH3117 in all the provincesH4082 of kingH4428 AhasuerusH325, namely, upon the thirteenth dayH3117 of the twelfth monthH2320, which is the monthH2320 AdarH143. 13A copyH6572 of the writing, that the decree should beH1961 givenH5414 out in every provinceH4082, wasH1961 published unto all the peoplesH5971, and that the JewsH3064 should beH1961 ready against that dayH3117 to avengeH5358 themselves on their enemiesH341. 14So the posts that rodeH7392 upon swift steedsH7409 that were used in the king’sH4428 service wentH3318 out, being hastened and pressed on by the king’sH4428 commandment; and the decree was givenH5414 out in Shushan the palace.

15And MordecaiH4782 wentH3318 forthH3318 from the presenceH6440 of the kingH4428 in royal apparel of blueH8504 and whiteH2353, and with a greatH1419 crownH5850 of goldH2091, and with a robe of fineH948 linenH948 and purpleH713: and the cityH5892 of Shushan shouted and was gladH8055. 16The JewsH3064 had light and gladnessH8057, and joyH8057 and honorH3366. 17And in every provinceH4082, and in every cityH5892, whithersoever the king’sH4428 commandment and his decree came, the JewsH3064 had gladnessH8057 and joyH8057, a feastH4960 and a goodH2896 dayH3117. And manyH7227 from among the peoplesH5971 of the landH776 became JewsH3064; for the fearH6343 of the JewsH3064 was fallenH5307 upon them.