Esther 8

Esther Chapter 8 ESV

1Esther having made known Mordecai's nearness of kin unto her, he is advanced in Haman's room. 3Esther with tears beseecheth for the reversal of the letters gone forth against the Jews. 7The king granteth authority to the Jews to stand upon their defence, and letters are issued out accordingly. 15Mordecai's honours, and the joy of the Jews.
1 On that day King Ahasuerus gave to Queen Esther the house of Haman, 1the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai came before the king, for Esther had told 2what he was to her.
2 1And the king took off his signet ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.
3 Then Esther spoke again to the king. She fell at his feet and wept and pleaded with him to avert the evil plan of Haman 1the Agagite and the plot that he had devised against the Jews.
4 1When the king held out the golden scepter to Esther, Esther rose and stood before the king.
5 And she said, “If it please the king, 1and if I have found favor in his sight, and if the thing seems right before the king, and I am pleasing in his eyes, let an order be written to revoke 2the letters devised by Haman 3the Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, which he wrote to destroy the Jews who are in all the provinces of the king.
6 For how can I bear 1to see the calamity that is coming to my people? Or how can I bear to see the destruction of my kindred?”
7 Then King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, “Behold, 1I have given Esther the house of Haman, and they have hanged him on the gallows,a because he intended to lay hands on the Jews.
8 But you may write as you please with regard to the Jews, in the name of the king, 1and seal it with the king's ring, for an edict written in the name of the king and sealed with the king's ring 2cannot be revoked.”
9 1The king's scribes were summoned at that time, in the third month, which is the month of Sivan, on the twenty-third day. And an edict was written, according to all that Mordecai commanded concerning the Jews, to 2the satraps and the governors and the officials of the provinces 3from India to Ethiopia, 4127 provinces, 5to each province in its own script and to each people in its own language, and also to the Jews in their script and their language.
10 1And he wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus 2and sealed it with the king's signet ring. Then he sent the letters by mounted couriers riding on 3swift horses that were used in the king's service, bred from the royal stud,
11 saying that the king allowed the Jews who were in every city 1to gather and defend their lives, 2to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate any armed force of any people or province that might attack them, children and women included, 3and to plunder their goods,
12 1on one day throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar.
13 1A copy of what was written was to be issued as a decree in every province, being publicly displayed to all peoples, and the Jews were to be ready on that day to take vengeance on their enemies.
14 So the couriers, mounted on their 1swift horses that were used in the king's service, rode out hurriedly, urged by the king's command. And the decree was issued in Susa the citadel.
15 Then Mordecai went out from the presence of the king 1in royal robes of blue and white, with a great golden crowna and 2a robe of fine linen and purple, 3and the city of Susa shouted and rejoiced.
16 The Jews had 1light and gladness and joy and honor.
17 And in every province and in every city, wherever the king's command and his edict reached, there was gladness and joy among the Jews, a feast and 1a holiday. 2And many from the peoples of the country declared themselves Jews, 3for fear of the Jews had fallen on them.
Esther 8

The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license.

The ESV may not be translated into any other language. Users may not copy or download more than 500 verses of the ESV Bible or more than one- half of any book of the ESV Bible.

English Standard Version, ESV, and the ESV logo are registered trademarks of Good News Publishers. Used by permission.

ESV Full Copyright Notice and Permissions Information
Permission Notice