Esther

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.

1That same day King Ahasuerus gave Queen Esther everything that had belonged to Haman, the enemy of the Jews. Mordecai came in to see the king, because Esther had told the king that Mordecai was her cousin.

2And 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.

2The king took off his signet ring, the one he had taken back from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai. Esther put Mordecai in charge of all Haman's property.

NoteA signet ring had the king's own mark on it. Pressing it into soft wax or clay sealed a letter and proved the order came from the king himself.

3And 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.

3Esther spoke to the king again. She fell down at his feet, crying, and begged him to stop the harm Haman the Agagite had planned against the Jews.

4Then the king held out the golden sceptre toward Esther. So Esther arose, and stood before the king,

4The king held out his gold scepter toward Esther. So Esther got up and stood before the king.

5And said, If it please the king, and if I have found 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:

5She said, "If it pleases the king, and if he is glad with me, and if this seems right to him, let an order be written to cancel the letters Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite sent out. Those letters ordered that the Jews in all the king's provinces be killed.

6For 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?

6How could I bear to watch this disaster fall on my people? How could I bear to see my own family destroyed?"

7Then 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.

7Then King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, "Look, I have given Haman's property to Esther, and he has been hanged on the gallows, because he attacked the Jews.

8Write 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.

8Now write whatever you think best for the Jews. Write it in my name and seal it with my signet ring. No one can cancel an order written in the king's name and sealed with his ring."

9Then 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.

9So the king's writers were called in right away. It was the twenty-third day of the third month, the month of Sivan. They wrote down everything Mordecai ordered. The letters went to the Jews, and to the governors, deputies, and rulers of the 127 provinces from India to Ethiopia. Each province got the letter in its own writing, and each people in its own language, and the Jews in their own writing and language.

10And 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:

10Mordecai wrote in King Ahasuerus's name and sealed the letters with the king's ring. He sent them out with messengers riding fast horses bred for the king's service.

11Wherein 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,

11The letters gave the Jews in every city the right to gather together and defend their lives. They could destroy, kill, and wipe out any armed group from any people or province that attacked them, including women and children, and take their goods.

12Upon one day in all the provinces of king Ahasuerus, namely, upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar.

12All of this was set for one single day in every province of King Ahasuerus: the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar.

NoteThe order Haman had sent out earlier set this same date for killing the Jews. Adar falls in late winter, so the day was still about nine months away.

13The 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.

13A copy of the order was to be given out as law in every province and read to everyone. That way the Jews would be ready on that day to pay back their enemies.

14So 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.

14So the messengers rode out fast on the king's horses, hurried along by the king's command. The order was also given out in the fortress city of Shushan.

Note"Posts" in the King James Version means messengers who carried mail on horseback, riding in relays to cover long distances quickly.

15And 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.

15Mordecai left the king wearing royal clothes of blue and white, a large gold crown, and a robe of fine purple linen. The city of Shushan shouted for joy.

16The Jews had light, and gladness, and joy, and honour.

16For the Jews it was a time of light, of gladness, of joy, and of honor.

17And 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.

17In every province and every city that the king's order reached, the Jews were glad and full of joy. They held feasts and treated it as a holiday. And many people of those lands became Jews, because they were now afraid of the Jews.