Esther 8:3-14

3Then EstherH635 spokeH1696 againH3254 to the kingH4428, fellH5307 at his feetH7272, weptH1058 and imploredH2603 him to avertH5674 the evilH7463 scheme of HamanH2001 the AgagiteH91 and his plotH4284 whichH834 he had devisedH2803 againstH5921 the JewsH3064. 41The kingH4428 extendedH3447 the goldenH2091 scepterH8275 to EstherH635. So EstherH635 aroseH6965 and stoodH5975 beforeH6440 the kingH4428. 5Then she saidH559, “2IfH518 it pleasesH5921H2895 the kingH4428 and ifH518 I have foundH4672 favorH2580 beforeH6440 him and the matterH1697 seems properH3787 to the kingH4428 and I am pleasingH2896 in his sightH5869, let it be writtenH3789 to revokeH7725 the 3lettersH5612 devisedH4284 by HamanH2001, the sonH1121 of HammedathaH1992 the AgagiteH91, whichH834 he wroteH3789 to destroyH6 the JewsH3064 whoH834 are in allH3605 the king’sH4428 provincesH4082. 6For 4howH351 canH3201 I endureH3201 to seeH7200 the calamityH7463 whichH834 will befallH4672 my peopleH5971, and howH351 canH3201 I endureH3201 to seeH7200 the destructionH12 of my kindredH4138?” 7So KingH4428 AhasuerusH325 saidH559 to QueenH4436 EstherH635 and to MordecaiH4782 the JewH3064, “BeholdH2009, 5I have givenH5414 the houseH1004 of HamanH2001 to EstherH635, and him they have hangedH8518 on the gallowsH6086 becauseH5921H834 he had stretchedH7971 out his handsH3027 against the JewsH3064. 8Now you writeH3789 to the JewsH3064 6as you seeH5869 fitH2896, in the king’sH4428 nameH8034, and 7sealH2856 it with the king’sH4428 signetH2885 ringH2885; for a decreeH3791 whichH834 is writtenH3789 in the nameH8034 of the kingH4428 and sealedH2856 with the king’sH4428 signetH2885 ringH2885 8may not be revokedH7725.”

99So the king’sH4428 scribesH5613 were calledH7121 at that timeH6256 in the thirdH7992 monthH2320 (that is, the monthH2320 SivanH5510), on the twenty-thirdH6242H7969 10day; and it was writtenH3789 according to allH3605 that MordecaiH4782 commandedH6680 to the JewsH3064, the satrapsH323, the governorsH6346 and the princesH8269 of the provincesH4082 whichH834 extended 11from IndiaH1912 to 12EthiopiaH3568, 127H7651H6242H3967 provincesH4082, to 13everyH4082 provinceH4082 according to its scriptH3791, and to everyH5971 peopleH5971 according to their languageH3956 as well as to the JewsH3064 according to their scriptH3791 and their languageH3956. 10He wroteH3789 in the nameH8034 of KingH4428 AhasuerusH325, and sealedH2856 it with the king’sH4428 signetH2885 ringH2885, and sentH7971 lettersH5612 by couriersH7323 on 14horsesH5483, ridingH7392 on steedsH7409 siredH1121 by the royalH7424 studH7424. 1115In them the kingH4428 grantedH5414 the JewsH3064 whoH834 were in eachH5892 and everyH3605 cityH5892 the right 16to assembleH6950 and to defendH5975 their livesH5315, 17to destroyH8045, to killH2026 and to annihilateH6 the entireH3605 armyH2428 of any peopleH5971 or provinceH4082 which might attackH6696 them, includingH854 childrenH2945 and womenH802, and 18to plunderH962 their spoilH7998, 12on 19oneH259 dayH3117 in allH3605 the provincesH4082 of KingH4428 AhasuerusH325, the thirteenthH7969H6240 day of the twelfthH8147H6240 monthH2320 (that is, the monthH2320 AdarH143). 1320A copyH6572 of the edictH3791 to be 21issuedH5414 as lawH1881 in eachH4082 and everyH3605 provinceH4082 was publishedH1540 to allH3605 the peoplesH5971, so that the JewsH3064 would be readyH6264 for thisH2088 dayH3117 to avengeH5358 themselves on their enemiesH340. 14The couriersH7323, hastenedH926 and impelledH1765 by the king’sH4428 commandH1697, wentH3318 out, ridingH7392 on the royalH327 steedsH7409; and the decreeH1881 was givenH5414 out at the citadelH1002 in SusaH7800.