Esther 8

Esther Appeals for the Jews

1That sameH1931 dayH3117 KingH4428 XerxesH325 awardedH5414 QueenH4436 EstherH635 the estateH1004 of HamanH2001, the enemyH6887 of the JewsH3064. And MordecaiH4782 enteredH935 the king’sH4428 presenceH6440 becauseH3588 EstherH635H4100 had revealedH5046 his relationH1931 to her. 2The kingH4428 removedH5493 the signet ringH2885 he had recoveredH5674 from HamanH2001 and presented itH5414 to MordecaiH4782. And EstherH635 appointedH7760 MordecaiH4782 overH5921 the estateH1004 of HamanH2001.

3And once againH3254, EstherH635 addressedH1696 the kingH4428. She fellH5307H6440 atH6440 his feetH7272 weepingH1058 and beggedH2603 him to revokeH5674 the evilH7451 schemeH4284 of HamanH2001 the AgagiteH91, whichH834 he had devisedH2803 againstH5921 the JewsH3064.

4The kingH4428 extendedH3447 the goldH2091 scepterH8275 toward EstherH635, andH635 she aroseH6965 and stoodH5975 beforeH6440 the kingH4428.

5“IfH518 it pleasesH5921H2896H518 the kingH4428,” she saidH559, “and if I have foundH4672 favorH2580 in his sightH6440, and the matterH1697 seems properH3787 toH6440 the kingH4428, and IH589 am pleasingH2896 in his sightH5869, may an order be writtenH3789 to revokeH7725 the lettersH5612 that the schemingH4284 HamanH2001 sonH1121 of HammedathaH4099, the AgagiteH91, wroteH3789 to destroyH6 the JewsH3064 in allH3605 the king’sH4428 provincesH4082. 6ForH3588 howH349 could I bearH3201 to seeH7200 the disasterH7451 thatH834 would befallH4672 my peopleH5971? HowH349 could I bearH3201 to seeH7200 the destructionH13 of my kindredH4138?”

The Decree of Xerxes

7So KingH4428 XerxesH325 saidH559 to EstherH635 the QueenH4436 and MordecaiH4782 the JewH3064, “BeholdH2009, I have givenH5414 Haman’sH2001 estateH1004 to EstherH635, and he was hangedH8518 onH5921 the gallowsH6086 becauseH5921 he attackedH7971H3027 the JewsH3064. 8Now youH859 may writeH3789 in the king’sH4428 nameH8034 asH2896 you pleaseH5869 regardingH5921 the JewsH3064, and seal itH2856 with the royalH4428H3588 signet ringH2885. For a decreeH3791 thatH834 is writtenH3789 in the nameH8034 of the kingH4428 and sealedH2856 with the royalH4428 signet ringH2885 cannotH369 be revokedH7725.”

9At onceH6256 the royalH4428 scribesH5613 were summonedH7121, and on the twenty-thirdH7969H6242 day of the thirdH7992H1931 monthH2320 (the monthH1931H2320 of SivanH55101), they recordedH3789 all ofH3605 Mordecai’sH4782 ordersH6680 toH413 the JewsH3064 and toH413 the satrapsH323, governorsH6346, and princesH8269 of the 127H7651H6242H3967 provincesH4082 from IndiaH1912 toH5704 CushH35682—writing to each provinceH4082 in its own scriptH4082H3791, to every peopleH5971 in their own languageH3956, and toH413 the JewsH3064 in their own scriptH3791 and languageH3956.

10Mordecai wroteH3789 in the nameH8034 of KingH4428 XerxesH325 and sealed itH2856 with the royalH4428 signet ringH2885. He sentH7971 the documentsH5612 byH3027 mountedH5483 couriersH7323 riding onH7392 swift horsesH7409 bredH1121 from the royalH327 maresH7424.

11By these lettersH834 the kingH4428 permittedH5414 the JewsH3064 in eachH3605 and every cityH5892 the right to assembleH6950 and defendH5921H5975 themselvesH5315, to destroyH8045, killH2026, and annihilateH6 allH3605 the forcesH2428 of any peopleH5971 or provinceH4082 hostile to themH6696, including womenH802 and childrenH2945, and to plunderH7998 their possessionsH962. 12The singleH259 dayH3117 appointed throughout allH3605 the provincesH4082 of KingH4428 XerxesH325 was the thirteenthH7969H6240 day of the twelfthH8147H6240H1931 monthH2320, the monthH2320 of AdarH143.3

13A copyH6572 of the textH3791 of the edictH1881 was to be issuedH5414 in everyH3605 provinceH4082 and publishedH1540 to allH3605 the peopleH5971, so that the JewsH3064 would beH1961 readyH6259 on thatH2088 dayH3117 to avenge themselvesH5358 on their enemiesH341. 14The couriersH7323 rodeH7392 outH3318 in hasteH926 on their royalH327 horsesH7409, pressed onH1765 by the commandH1697 of the kingH4428. And the edictH1881 was also issuedH5414 in the citadelH1002 of SusaH7800.

15MordecaiH4782 went outH3318 from the presenceH6440 of the kingH4428 in royal garmentsH3830H4438 of blueH8504 and whiteH2353, with a largeH1419 goldH2091 crownH5850 and a purpleH713 robeH8509 of fine linenH948. And the cityH5892 of SusaH7800 shoutedH6670 and rejoicedH8055.

16For the JewsH3064 it was a time ofH1961 lightH219 and gladnessH8057, of joyH8342 and honorH3366. 17In everyH3605 provinceH4082 and everyH3605 cityH5892, whereverH4725 the king’sH4428 edictH1697 and decreeH1881 reachedH5060, there was joyH8057 and gladnessH8342 among the JewsH3064, with feastingH4960 and celebratingH3117H2896. And manyH7227 of the peopleH5971 of the landH776 themselves became JewsH3054, becauseH3588 the fearH6343 of the JewsH3064 had fallenH5307 upon themH5921.