The Lantern

Esther8

Esther Appeals for the Jews

On that day did the king Ahasuerus give the house of Haman the Jews’ enemy to Esther the queen. And Mordecai came before the king; for Esther had told what he was to her.

And the king took off his ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.

And Esther spoke yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet, and begged him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his device that he had devised against the Jews.

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

And said, If it please the king, and if I have found favor 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 in all the king’s provinces:

For how can I endure to see the evil that shall come to my people? or how can I endure to see the destruction of my relatives?

The Decree of Xerxes

Then the king Ahasuerus said to Esther the queen and to Mordecai the Jew, Look, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and him they have hanged upon the gallows, because he laid his hand upon the Jews.

Write also for the Jews, as it likes 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.

Then were the king’s scribes called at that time in the third month, that is, the month Sivan, on the three and twentieth its day; and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded to the Jews, and to the lieutenants, and the deputies and rulers of the provinces from India to Ethiopia, a hundred twenty-seven provinces, to every province according to its writing, and to every people after their language, and to the Jews according to their writing, and according to their language.

And he wrote in the king Ahasuerus’ name, and sealed it with the king’s ring, and sent letters by couriers on horseback, and riders on mules, camels, and young dromedaries:

In which the king granted the Jews 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 plunder of them for a prey,

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

The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given in every province was published to all people, and that the Jews should be ready for that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.

So the couriers that rode upon mules and camels went out, being hastened and pressed on by the king’s commandment. And the decree was given at Susa the palace.

And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal robes of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a garment of fine linen and purple: and the city of Susa rejoiced and was glad.

The Jews had light, and gladness, and joy, and honor.

And in every province, and in every city, wherever 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.