Esther 8:7-14

7So King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, “Behold, 1I have given the house of Haman to Esther, and they have hanged him on the wooden gallows because he had reached out with his hand against the Jews. 8Now you write to the Jews 2as you see fit, in the king’s name, and 3seal it with the king’s signet ring; for a decree which is written in the name of the king and sealed with the king’s signet ring 4may not be revoked.”

95So the king’s scribes were summoned at that time in the third month (that is, the month Sivan), on the twenty-third 6day; and it was written in accordance with everything that Mordecai commanded the Jews, the satraps, the governors, and the officials of the provinces which extended 7from India to 8Cush, 127 provinces, to 9every province according to its script, and to every people according to their language, as well as to the Jews according to their script and their language. 10He wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus, and sealed it with the king’s signet ring, and sent letters by couriers on 10horses, riding on royal relay horses, offspring of racing mares. 1111In the letters the king granted the Jews who were in each and every city the right 12to assemble and to defend their lives, 13to destroy, kill, and eliminate the entire army of any people or province which was going to attack them, including children and women, and 14to plunder their spoils, 12on 15one day in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month (that is, the month Adar). 1316A copy of the edict to be 17issued as law in each and every province was published to all the peoples, so that the Jews would be ready for this day to avenge themselves on their enemies. 14The couriers, hurrying and speeded by the king’s command, left, riding on the royal relay horses; and the decree was issued at the citadel in Susa.