Esther 8

Mordecai Promoted

1On that dayH3117 KingH4428 AhasuerusH325 gaveH5414 the houseH1004 of HamanH2001, 1the enemyH6887 of the JewsH3064, to QueenH4436 EstherH635; and MordecaiH4782 cameH935 beforeH6440 the kingH4428, becauseH3588 EstherH635 had disclosedH5046 2whatH4100 he was to her. 2Then 3the kingH4428 tookH5493 offH5493 his signetH2885 ringH2885, whichH834 he had takenH5674 awayH5674 from HamanH2001, and gaveH5414 it to MordecaiH4782. And EstherH635 setH7760 MordecaiH4782 overH5921 the houseH1004 of HamanH2001.

3Then EstherH635 spokeH1696 againH3254 4to the kingH4428, fellH5307 at his feetH7272, weptH1058, and pleadedH2603 forH2603 his compassionH2603 to avertH5674 the evilH7463 scheme of HamanH2001 the AgagiteH91 and his plotH4284 whichH834 he had devisedH2803 againstH5921 the JewsH3064. 4And 5the kingH4428 extendedH3447 the goldenH2091 scepterH8275 to EstherH635. So EstherH635 gotH6965 upH6965 and stoodH5975 beforeH6440 the kingH4428. 5Then she saidH559, “6IfH518 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 7lettersH5612 devisedH4284 by HamanH2001, the sonH1121 of HammedathaH1992 the AgagiteH91, whichH834 he wroteH3789 to eliminateH6 the JewsH3064 whoH834 are in allH3605 the king’sH4428 provincesH4082. 6For 8howH351 can I endureH3201 to seeH7200 the disasterH7463 whichH834 will happenH4672 toH4672 my peopleH5971, and howH351 can I endureH3201 to seeH7200 the destructionH12 of my kindredH4138?” 7So KingH4428 AhasuerusH325 saidH559 to QueenH4436 EstherH635 and to MordecaiH4782 the JewH3064, “BeholdH2009, 9I have givenH5414 the houseH1004 of HamanH2001 to EstherH635, and they have hangedH8518 him on the woodenH6086 gallows becauseH5921H834 he had reachedH7971 outH7971 with his handH3027 against the JewsH3064.

The King’s Decree Avenges the Jews

8Now you writeH3789 to the JewsH3064 10as you seeH5869 fitH2896, in the king’sH4428 nameH8034, and 11sealH2856 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 12may not be revokedH7725.”

913So the king’sH4428 scribesH5613 were summonedH7121 at that timeH6256 in the thirdH7992 monthH2320 (that is, the monthH2320 SivanH5510), on the twenty-thirdH6242H7969 14day; and it was writtenH3789 in accordance with everythingH3605 that MordecaiH4782 commandedH6680 the JewsH3064, the satrapsH323, the governorsH6346, and the officialsH8269 of the provincesH4082 whichH834 extended 15from IndiaH1912 to 16CushH3568, 127H7651H6242H3967 provincesH4082, to 17everyH4082 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 18horsesH5483, ridingH7392 on royalH327 relayH7409 horsesH7409, offspringH1121 of racingH7424 maresH7424. 1119In the letters the kingH4428 grantedH5414 the JewsH3064 whoH834 were in eachH5892 and everyH3605 cityH5892 the right 20to assembleH6950 and to defendH5975 their livesH5315, 21to destroyH8045, killH2026, and eliminateH6 the entireH3605 armyH2428 of any peopleH5971 or provinceH4082 which was going to attackH6696 them, including childrenH2945 and womenH802, and 22to plunderH962 their spoilsH7998, 12on 23oneH259 dayH3117 in allH3605 the provincesH4082 of KingH4428 AhasuerusH325, on the thirteenthH7969H6240 day of the twelfthH8147H6240 monthH2320 (that is, the monthH2320 AdarH143). 1324A copyH6572 of the edictH3791 to be 25issuedH5414 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, hurryingH926 and speededH1765 by the king’sH4428 commandH1697, leftH3318, ridingH7392 on the royalH327 relayH7409 horsesH7409; and the decreeH1881 was issuedH5414 at the citadelH1002 in SusaH7800.

15Then MordecaiH4782 wentH3318 outH3318 from the presenceH6440 of the kingH4428 26in a royalH4438 robeH3830 of violetH8504 and whiteH2353, with a largeH1419 crownH5850 of goldH2091 and 27a garmentH8509 of fineH948 linenH948 and purpleH713; and 28the cityH5892 of SusaH7800 shoutedH6670 and rejoicedH8055. 16For the JewsH3064 there was 29lightH219, joyH8057, jubilationH8342, and honorH3366. 17In eachH4082 and everyH3605 provinceH4082 and in eachH5892 and everyH3605 cityH5892, whereverH4725H834 the king’sH4428 commandmentH1697 and his decreeH1881 arrivedH5060, there was joyH8057 and jubilationH8342 for the JewsH3064, a feastH4960 and a 3031holidayH2896H3117. And 32manyH7227 amongH4480 the peoplesH5971 of the landH776 33becameH3054 JewsH3054, becauseH3588 the dreadH6343 of the JewsH3064 had fallenH5307 on them.