1 ON that day King Akhshirash gave the house of Haman the enemy of the Jews to Esther the queen. And Mordecai came before the king; for Esther had told what he was to her.

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

3 And Esther came back and spoke again before the king, and fell down at his feet and besought him and entreated him earnestly to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite and his device that he had devised against the Jews.

4 Then the king held out the golden sceptre toward Esther. So Esther touched it and stood before the king

5 And said. If it please the king and the thing seem right before the king and if I have found favor in his eyes, let it be written to reverse the letters devised by Haman the Agagite which he wrote to destroy all the Jews who are in all the king's provinces;

6 For how can I endure to see the calamity that shall come to my people? Or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?

7 Then King Akhshirash said to Esther the queen, Behold, I have given you the house of Haman, and him they have hanged upon the gal lows because he lifted up his hand against the Jews.

8 And write also concerning the Jews as it please 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.

9 Then the king's scribes were called at that time in the third month, which is the month of Heziran, on the twenty-third day thereof; and it was written according to all that Mordecai had written concerning the Jews, to the commanders of the armies and the governors and princes of the provinces from India to Ethiopia, a hundred and twenty-seven provinces, to every province according to its writing and to every people according to its own language and to the Jews according to their writing and according to their language.

10 And the letters were written in the name of King Akhshirash and sealed with the king's ring, and they were sent by runners and by riders of horses and by dromedaries.

11 In these letters the king permitted the Jews who were in every city to gather themselves together and to defend their lives, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish every one that might oppress them, both little ones and women, and to take their goods for spoil.

12 Upon one day in all the provinces of King Akhshirash, namely, upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar,

13 The copy of the writing was is sued in every province and it was decreed to all peoples that the Jews should be ready on that day to avenge themselves upon their enemies.

14 So the runners and the posts that rode on horseback went out, being hastened by the decree and the king's command which was given at Shushan the palace.

15 Then Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and fine white linen, and with a crown of gold and with a garment of fine white linen and purple; and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad.

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

17 And in every province and in every city whithersoever the king's decree and his commandment came the Jews had a great joy, a feast, and a good day. And many of the people of the land were alarmed; for the fear of the Jews fell upon them.