1
On that day did the kingAhasuerusgive the house of Haman the Jews'enemy unto Esther the queen. And Mordecaicamebefore the king; for Esther had told what he was unto her.
2
And the king took off his ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai. And EsthersetMordecai over the house of Haman.3
And Estherspake yet againbefore the king, and fell downat his feet, and besoughta him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his device that he had devised against the Jews.4
Then the king held out the goldensceptre toward Esther. So Estherarose , and stoodbefore the king,5
And said , If it please the king, and if I have foundfavour in his sight, and the thing seem rightbefore the king, and I be pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to reverse the lettersdevisedb by Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews which are in all the king'sprovinces:6
For how can I endurec to see the evil that shall come unto my people? or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?7
Then the kingAhasuerussaid unto Esther the queen and to Mordecai the Jew, Behold, I have givenEsther the house of Haman, and him they have hanged upon the gallows, because he laid his hand upon the Jews.8Write ye also for the Jews, as it likethyou, in the king'sname, and seal it with the king'sring: for the writing which is written in the king'sname, and sealed with the king'sring, may no man reverse .
9
Then were the king'sscribescalled at that time in the thirdmonth, that is, the monthSivan, on the three and twentieth day thereof; and it was written according to all that Mordecaicommanded unto the Jews, and to the lieutenants, and the deputies and rulers of the provinces which are from India unto Ethiopia, an hundredtwenty and sevenprovinces, unto every province according to the writing thereof, and unto every people after their language, and to the Jews according to their writing, and according to their language.10
And he wrote in the kingAhasuerus'name, and sealed it with the king'sring, and sentlettersbyposts on horseback, and riders on mules,camels, and youngdromedaries:11
Wherein the kinggranted the Jews which were in every city to gather themselves together , and to stand for their life, to destroy , to slay , and to cause to perish , all the power of the people and province that would assault them, both little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey ,
12
Upon oneday in all the provinces of kingAhasuerus, namely, upon the thirteenthday of the twelfthmonth, which is the monthAdar.13
The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given in every province was publishedd unto all people, and that the Jews should be ready against that day to avenge themselves on their enemies .
14
So the posts that rode upon mules and camels went out , being hastened and pressed on by the king'scommandment. And the decree was given at Shushan the palace.
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