 1 On that day King Ahasuerus gave the house of Haman, the Jews' enemy, to Queen Esther. And Mordecai came before the king, for Esther had told what he was to her. 2 The king took off his ring, that he had taken from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman. 3 Esther spoke yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet, and begged him with tears to put away the evil of Haman the Agagite, and his plot that he had plotted against the Jews. 4 Then the king held out the golden scepter toward Esther. And Esther arose and stood before the king, 5 and said, If it please the king, and if I have found favor in his sight, and if the thing is right before the king, and if I am pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to bring back the documents a sly plan by Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite that he wrote to destroy the Jews in all the king's provinces. 6 For how can I bear to see the evil that will come on my people? Or how can I endure to see the slaughter of my kindred? 7 King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and have hanged him on the wooden gallows, because he laid his hand on the Jews. 8 You write for the Jews as it pleases you, in the king's name, and seal it with the king's ring. For the writing that is written in the king's name and sealed with the king's ring, no man may turn back. 9 Then the king's scribes were called at that time in the third month, the month Sivan, on the twenty third of it. And it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded to the Jews, and to the lieutenants and the governors and rulers of the provinces from India to Ethiopia, 127 provinces, to every province according to the writing of it, and to every people in their writing, and to the Jews according to their writing and according to their language. 10 He wrote in the name of king Ahasuerus and sealed it with the king's ring. And he sent letters by riders on horseback, riders on royal steeds, stallions, even sons of mares. 11 In them the king granted the Jews in every city to gather and to stand for their life, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish all the power of the people and province who desired to attack them, little children and women, and to take what they owned for a prize. 12 This on one day in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth of the twelfth month, that is the month Adar. 13 The copy of the writing for a command to be given in every province was announced to all people, even that the Jews should be ready against that day to avenge themselves on their enemies. 14 The runners, riders on stallions, royal steeds, went out, being hurried and pressed on by the king's command. And the order was given at Shushan the palace. 15 Mordecai left the presence of the king in royal clothing 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. 16 The Jews had light and gladness and joy and honor. 17 In every province, and in every city where the king's command and his order 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 on them.
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