Esther 8

1 On that day, did King Ahasuerus give unto Esther the queen, the house of Haman, the adversary of the Jews, —and, Mordecai, came in before the king, for Esther had told, what he was to her.

On that day, King Achashyerosh gave the house of Haman, the Jews' enemy, to Esther the queen. Mordecai came before the king; for Esther had told what he was to her.

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

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

3 Yet again, spake Esther before the king, and fell down at his feet, —and wept and made supplication unto him, to cause the mischief of Haman the Agagite to pass away, even the plot which he had plotted against the Jews.

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 plot that he had devised against the Jews.

4 And the king held out unto Esther, the golden sceptre, —so Esther arose, and stood before the king;

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

5 and said—If, unto the king, it seem good, and if I have found favour before him, and the thing be approved before the king, and, I myself, be pleasing in his eyes, let it be written, to reverse the letters plotted by Haman, son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy thee Jews, who are in all the provinces of the king.

She said, "If it pleases the king, and if I have found favor in his sight, and the thing seem 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.

6 For how can I endure to see the ruin that shall overtake my people? or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?

For how can I endure to see the disaster that would come to my people? How can I endure to see the destruction of my relatives?"

7 Then said King Ahasuerus unto Esther the queen, and unto Mordecai the Jew, —Lo! the house of Haman, have I given unto Esther, and, him, have they hanged upon the gallows, because he thrust forth his hand against the Jews.

Then King Achashyerosh 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.

8 Ye, therefore, write concerning the Jews as may seem good in your own eyes, in the name of the king, and seal it with the kings signet-ring, —for a writing which hath been written in the king’s name, and sealed with the king’s signet-ring, none can reverse.

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."

9 Then were called the king’s scribes at that time—in the third month, the same, is the month Siwan, on the twenty-third thereof, and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded unto the Jews, and unto the satraps and pashas and rulers of the provinces, which are from India even unto Ethiopia, a hundred and twenty-seven provinces, every province according to the writing thereof, and every people according to their tongue, —and unto the Jews, according to their writing, and according to their tongue;

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 officials 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.

10 and he wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus, and sealed it with the king’s signet-ring, —and sent letters by the hand of runners on horses, riding the swift steeds used in the kings service, bred of the stud:

He wrote in the name of King Achashyerosh, and sealed it with the king's ring, and sent letters by courier on horseback, riding on royal horses that were bread from swift steeds.

11 That the king had granted unto the Jews who were in every city, to gather themselves together, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to slay and to cause to perish—all the force of the people and province who should distress them, their little ones and women, —and [to take] the spoil of them as a prey:

In those letters, the king granted the Jews who were in every city to gather themselves together, and to defend their life, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province that would assault them, their little ones and women, and to plunder their possessions,

12 upon one day, throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, —upon the thirteenth of the twelfth month, the same, is the month Adar:

on one day in all the provinces of King Achashyerosh, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar.

13 A copy of the writing to be given, as an edict, throughout every province, was published to all the peoples, —and that the Jews be ready against that day, to avenge themselves on their enemies.

A copy of the letter, that the decree should be given out in every province, was published to all the peoples, that the Jews should be ready for that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.

14 The runners that rode on the swift steeds used in the king’s service, went forth, being urged forward and pressed on, by the word of the king, —and, the edict, was given in Shusan the palace.

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 the citadel of Shushan.

15 And, Mordecai, went forth from the presence of the king, in royal apparel, of blue and white, with a large diadem of gold, and a mantle of fine linen and purple, —and, the city Shusan, was bright and joyful.

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 Shushan shouted and was glad.

16 To the Jews, had come light, and joy, —and gladness and honour.

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

17 And, in every province, and in every city, whithersoever the word of the king and his edict did reach, joy and gladness, had the Jews, —a banquet and a happy day, —and, many from among the peoples of the land, were becoming Jews, for the dread of the Jews had fallen upon them.

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 was fallen on them.