She said, "If it pleases the king and if I have found favor in his sight, and if it seems right to the king and I am 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 who are in all the king's provinces.
Then King Ahasuerus said to Esther the queen and to Mordecai the Jew, "See, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and him they have hanged on the gallows, because he laid his hand on the Jews.
Write also to the Jews, as it pleases 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 not be reversed by any man."
Then the king's scribes were called at that time, in the third month Sivan, on the twenty-third day of the month; and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded to the Jews, and to the satraps, and the governors and princes of the provinces which are from India to Ethiopia, one hundred twenty-seven provinces, to every province according to its writing, and to every people in their language, and to the Jews in their writing, and in their language.
He was also one of the captives, which Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon carried from Jerusalem with Jeconiah king of Judea; and this was his dream:
"The great king Ahasuerus to the princes and governors of the one hundred twenty seven provinces from India to Ethiopia and to all our faithful subjects, greeting.
had obtained so much of the favor that we show toward every nation, that he was called our father and was continually honored above all as the person next to the king.
So the couriers who rode on royal horses went out, hastened and pressed on by the king's commandment. The decree was given out in Susa, the palatial city.
Mordecai went out of the presence of the king in royal clothing of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a robe of fine linen and purple; and the city of Susa shouted and was glad.
In every province and in every city, wherever the king's commandment and his decree came, the Jews had gladness, joy, a feast, and a good day. Many from among the peoples of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews had fallen upon them.
Now in the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, on the thirteenth day of the month, when the king's commandment and his decree drew near to being put into execution, on the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to conquer them, (but it was turned out the opposite happened, that the Jews conquered those who hated them),
On that day, the number of those who were slain in Susa, the palatial city, was brought before the king.
The king said to Esther the queen, "The Jews have slain and destroyed five hundred men in Susa, the palatial city, including the ten sons of Haman; what then have they done in the rest of the king's provinces! Now what is your petition? It shall be granted you. What is your further request? It shall be done."
Then Esther said, "If it pleases the king, let it be granted to the Jews who are in Susa to do tomorrow also according to this day's decree, and let Haman's ten sons be hanged on the gallows."
The king commanded this to be done. A decree was given out in Susa; and they hanged Haman's ten sons.
The other Jews who were in the king's provinces gathered themselves together, defended their lives, had rest from their enemies, and killed seventy-five thousand of those who hated them; but they did not lay their hand on the plunder.
the Jews gathered themselves together in their cities throughout all the provinces of the King Ahasuerus, to lay hands on those who wanted to harm them. No one could withstand them, because the fear of them had fallen on all the people.
Mordecai wrote these things and sent letters to all the Jews who were in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, both near and far,
but when this became known to the king, he commanded by letters that his wicked plan, which he had devised against the Jews, should return on his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.
All the princes of the provinces, the satraps, the governors, and those who did the king's business, helped the Jews, because the fear of Mordecai had fallen on them.
For Mordecai was great in the king's house and his fame went out throughout all the provinces; for the man Mordecai grew greater and greater.
King Ahasuerus laid a tribute on the land and on the islands of the sea.
All the acts of his power and of his might, and the full account of the greatness of Mordecai, to which the king promoted him, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia?
For Mordecai the Jew was next to King Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and accepted by the multitude of his brothers, seeking the good of his people and speaking peace to all his descendants.
A little fountain became a river, and there was light and the sun and much water: this river is Esther, whom the king married and made queen;
And Mordecai took his rest in the court with Gabatha and Tharra, the two eunuchs of the king, and keepers of the palace.
And he heard their plan, and searched out their purposes, and learned that they were about to lay hands upon Ahasuerus the king; and so he testified to the king about them.
Then the king examined the two eunuchs, and after they had confessed, they were strangled.
And the king made a record of these things, and Mordecai also wrote thereof.
So the king commanded, Mordecai to serve in the court, and for this he rewarded him.
However, Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, was in great honor with the king, and sought to injure Mordecai and his people because of the two eunuchs of the king.
On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcass, the seven eunuchs who served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king,
to bring Vashti the queen before the king with the royal crown, to show the people and the princes her beauty; for she was beautiful.
But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king's commandment by the eunuchs. Therefore the king was very angry, and his anger burned in him.
Then the king said to the wise men, who knew the times, (for it was the king's custom to consult those who knew law and judgment;
and the next to him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who saw the king's face, and sat first in the kingdom),
"What shall we do to the queen Vashti according to law, because she has not done the bidding of the King Ahasuerus by the eunuchs?"
Memucan answered before the king and the princes, "Vashti the queen has not done wrong to just the king, but also to all the princes, and to all the people who are in all the provinces of the King Ahasuerus.
For this deed of the queen will become known to all women, causing them to show contempt for their husbands, when it is reported, 'King Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she didn't come.'
Today, the princesses of Persia and Media who have heard of the queen's deed will tell all the king's princes. This will cause much contempt and wrath.
If it please the king, let a royal commandment go from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, so that it cannot be altered, that Vashti may never again come before King Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate to another who is better than she.
that in those days, when the King Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, whose palace was in Susa,
When the king's decree, which he shall make, is published throughout all his kingdom (for it is great), all the wives will give their husbands honor, both great and small."
This advice pleased the king and the princes, and the king did according to the word of Memucan:
for he sent letters into all the king's provinces, into every province according to its writing, and to every people in their language, that every man should rule his own house, speaking in the language of his own people.
When these days were fulfilled, the king made a seven day feast for all the people who were present in Susa, the palatial city, both great and small, in the court of the garden of the king's palace.
They gave them drinks in golden vessels of various kinds, including royal wine in abundance, according to the bounty of the king.
In accordance with the law, the drinking was not compulsory; for so the king had instructed all the officials of his house, that they should do according to every man's wishes.
Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house which belonged to King Ahasuerus.
After these things, when the wrath of King Ahasuerus was pacified, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her.
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