Chapter 8

1 On that day, King Achashverosh gave Queen Esther the estate of Haman, persecutor of the Jews. And Mordechai came before the king, for Esther had told [the king] how he was related to her. 2 And the king removed his signet ring which he had taken from Haman and gave it to Mordechai, and Esther put Mordechai in charge of Haman's estate.

3 Esther again spoke before the king and fell before his feet and she cried and begged him to nullify the evil decree of Haman the Agagite and his plot that he had plotted against the Jews. 4 The king extended the golden scepter to Esther and Esther rose and stood before the king. 5 She said, "If it please the King, and if I have found favor before him, and the idea is proper to the King, and I am pleasing in his eyes, let [an order] be issued ordering the withdrawal of the letters containing the plot of Haman, son of Hamdata, the Agagite, in which he ordered the destruction of the Jews throughout the King's provinces. 6 For how can I behold the calamity that will befall my people? And how can I behold the destruction of my race?"

7 King Achashverosh said to Queen Esther and Mordechai the Jew, "See, I have given Haman's estate to Esther, and he himself was hanged on the gallows for raising his hand against the Jews. 8 Now you can issue decrees concerning the Jews as you please, in the King's name and sealed with the King's signet ring. For an edict written in the King's name and sealed with the King's signet ring cannot be withdrawn." 9 The king's scribes were then summoned, in the third month, which is the month of Sivan, on its twenty-third day, and an edict was written according to all that Mordechai instructed the Jews, the satraps, the governors, and the nobles of the provinces from Hodu to Cush, one hundred and twenty-seven provincesùto each province according to its script and to each nation according to its language, and to the Jews according to their script and language. 10 He wrote it in King Achashverosh's name and sealed it with the king's signet ring. He sent the letters by couriers on horseback, riding mules bred of mares from the king's stables 11 [saying] that the king had allowed the Jews of every city to gather and stand up for their lives; to annihilate, kill and destroy every army of any nation or province that might attack them, [including their] children and women, and to plunder their possessions, 12 on one day in all the provinces of King Achashverosh, on the thirteenth of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar. 13 Copies of the edict [were sent] to be proclaimed as law in every province, clearly to all the nations, so that the Jews would be ready for that day to take revenge upon their enemies. 14 The couriers, riding mules from the king's stables, left urgently and hurriedly with the king's edict, and the law was proclaimed in Shushan the capital.

15 And Mordechai left the king's presence wearing a royal garment of blue and white, a large golden crown, and a shawl of fine linen and purple wool. And the city of Shushan celebrated and rejoiced. 16 For the Jews there was light and happiness, joy and glory. 17 And in every province and city to which the king's edict and law reached, there was happiness and joy for the Jews, a celebration and a holiday. Many of the gentiles converted to Judaism, for fear of the Jews had fallen upon them.