1
And in that day King Artaxerxes gave to Esther all that belonged to Haman the slanderer: and Mordecai was called by the king; for Esther had shown that he was related to her.
2
And the king took the ring which he had taken away from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai: and Esther appointed Mordecai over all that had been Haman’s.
3
And she spoke yet again to the king, and fell at his feet, and besought him to do away the mischief of Haman, and all that he had done against the Jews.
4
Then the king stretched out to Esther the golden scepter: and Esther arose to stand near the king.
5
And Esther said, If it seem good to thee, and I have found favor in thy sight, let an order be sent that the letters sent by Haman may be reversed, that were written for the destruction of the Jews, who are in thy kingdom.
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For how shall I be able to look upon the affliction of my people, and how shall I be able to survive the destruction of my kindred?
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And the king said to Esther, If I have given and freely granted thee all that was Haman’s, and hanged him on a gallows, because he laid his hands upon the Jews, what dost thou yet further seek?
8
Write ye also in my name, as it seems good to you, and seal it with my ring: for whatever orders are written at the command of the king, and sealed with my ring, it is not lawful to gainsay them.
9
So the scribes were called in the first month, which is Nisan, on the three and twentieth day of the same year; and orders were written to the Jews, whatever the king had commanded to the local governors and chiefs of the satraps, from India even to Ethiopia, a hundred and twenty-seven satraps, according to the several provinces, according to their dialects.
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And they were written by order of the king, and sealed with his ring, and they sent the letters by the posts:
11
wherein he charged them to use their own laws in every city, and to help each other, and to treat their adversaries, and those who attacked them, as they pleased,
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on one day in all the kingdom of Artaxerxes, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is Adar. in a hundred and twenty-seven satrapies, from India to Ethiopia, even to those who are faithful to our interests. evil exhortation has made partakers of the guilt of shedding innocent blood, and has involved in irremediable calamities, many of those who were appointed to offices of authority, who had been entrusted with the management of their friends’ affairs; men, by the false sophistry of an evil disposition, have deceived the simple candor of the ruling powers. this, not so much from more ancient traditionary accounts, as it is immediately in your power to see it by examining what things have been wickedly perpetrated by the baseness of men unworthily holding power. it is right to take heed with regard to the future, that we may maintain the government in undisturbed peace for all men, needful changes, and ever judging those cases which come under our notice, with truly equitable decision. he, however, overcome by the pride of his station, endeavored to deprive us of our dominion, and our life; our kingdom, with their whole nation. We enjoin you then, having openly published a copy of this letter in every place, to give the Jews permission to use their own lawful customs, and to strengthen them, that on the thirteenth of the twelfth month Adar, on the selfsame day, they may defend themselves against those who attacked them in a time of affliction. time of gladness. notable feasts, keep a distinct day with all festivity, that both now and hereafter it may be a day of deliverance to us and those who are well disposed toward the Persians, but to those that plotted against us a memorial of destruction.
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it and rejoiced.