| Chapter 8 |
| 1 | On that day did the king
Ahasuerus give the house of Haman the Jews' enemy unto Esther the queen. And
Mordecai came before 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 Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman. |
| 3 |
And Esther spake yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet, and
besought 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 golden sceptre toward Esther. So Esther arose, and stood before the
king, |
| 5 |
And said, If it please the king, and if I have favour in his
sight, and the thing seem right before the king, and I be pleasing in his eyes,
let it be written to reverse the letters devised by Haman the son of Hammedatha
the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews which are in all the king's
provinces: |
| 6
| For how can I endure 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 king Ahasuerus said unto Esther the queen and to Mordecai the Jew,
Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and him they have hanged upon
the gallows, because he laid his hand upon the Jews. |
| 8 | Write ye also
for the Jews, as it liketh you, in the king's name, and seal it with the king's
ring: for the writing which is written in the king's name, and sealed with the
king's ring, may no man reverse. |
| 9 | Then were the king's scribes
called at that time in the third month, that is, the month Sivan, on the three
and twentieth day thereof; and it was written according to all that Mordecai
commanded unto the Jews, and to the lieutenants, and the deputies and rulers of
the provinces which are from India unto Ethiopia, an hundred twenty and seven
provinces, 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 king Ahasuerus'
name, and sealed it with the king's ring, and sent letters by posts on
horseback, and riders on mules, camels, and young dromedaries: |
| 11 |
Wherein the king granted 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 one day in all the provinces of king Ahasuerus, namely, upon the
thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar. |
| 13 | The
copy of the writing for a commandment to be given in every province was
published 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's
commandment. And the decree was given at Shushan the palace. |
| 15 | And
Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and
white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a garment of fine linen and
purple: and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad. |
| 16 | The Jews had
light, and gladness, and joy, and honour. |
|
17 | And in every province, and
in every city, whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came, the
Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a good day. And many of the people of
the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews fell upon them. |
