Ester 8
Lexham English Bible
1On that day King Ahasuerus gave Queen Esther the house of Haman, the enemy of the Jews; and Mordecai came before the king, for Esther had told what he was to her.
2And the king removed his signet ring that he had taken away from Haman, and he gave it to Mordecai. So Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.
3And Esther again spoke before the king, and she fell before his feet and wept, pleading for his grace to avert Haman the Agagite’s evil plan and the plot that he devised against the Jews.
4And the king held out to Esther the scepter of gold, and Esther rose and stood before the king,
5and she said, “If it is good to the king, and if I have found favor before him, and if the king is pleased with this matter, and ⌞I have his approval⌟, let an edict be written to revoke the letters of the plans of Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews that are in all the provinces of the king.
6For ⌞how can I bear⌟ to look on the disaster that will find my people, and ⌞how can I bear⌟ to look on the destruction of my family?”
7And King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, “Look, I have given Haman’s house to Esther, and they have hanged him on the gallows because he ⌞plotted against⌟ the Jews.
8Write ⌞as you see fit⌟ concerning the Jews in the name of the king, and seal it with the king’s signet ring; for a decree that is written in the name of the king and sealed with the king’s signet ring cannot be revoked.”
9And the secretaries of the king were summoned at that time, in the third month, which is in the month of Sivan on the twenty-third day, and an edict was written according to all that Mordecai commanded, to the Jews and to the governors and satraps and officials of the provinces from India to Cush—one hundred and twenty-seven provinces—each province according to its own script and to every people in their own ⌞language⌟, and to the Jews in their own script and language.
10And he wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus, and he sealed the letters with the king’s signet ring and sent them by couriers on horses, riding on royal horses ⌞bred by⌟ racing mares.
11In them the king allowed the Jews who were in every city to assemble and ⌞defend their lives⌟, to destroy and kill and annihilate any army of any people or province attacking them, including women and children, and to plunder their spoil,
12in one day in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar.
13A copy of the ⌞edict⌟ was to be given as law in each province to inform all the people, so that the Jews would be ready on that day to avenge themselves from their enemies.
14The mounted couriers on the royal horses went out without delay, urged by the king’s word. The law was given in the citadel of Susa.
15Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in ⌞royal clothing⌟ of blue cloth and white linen, and a great crown of gold and a robe of fine white linen and purple, and the city of Susa was shouting and rejoicing.
16For the Jews, there was light and gladness, joy and honor.
17In every province and city, wherever the king’s edict and his law came, there was gladness and joy for the Jews, a banquet and a ⌞holiday⌟, and many of the people from the country were posing as Jews because the fear of the Jews had fallen on them.
Reina-Valera 1909
1EL MISMO día dió el rey Assuero á la reina Esther la casa de Amán enemigo de los Judíos; y Mardochêo vino delante del rey, porque Esther le declaró lo que era respecto de ella.
2Y quitóse el rey su anillo que había vuelto á tomar de Amán, y diólo á Mardochêo. Y Esther puso á Mardochêo sobre la casa de Amán.
3Volvió luego Esther á hablar delante del rey, y echóse á sus pies, llorando y rogándole que hiciese nula la maldad de Amán Agageo, y su designio que había formado contra los Judíos.
4Entonces extendió el rey á Esther el cetro de oro, y Esther se levantó, y púsose en pie delante del rey.
5Y dijo: Si place al rey, y si he hallado gracia delante de él, y si la cosa es recta delante del rey, y agradable yo en sus ojos, sea escrito para revocar las letras del designio de Amán hijo de Amadatha Agageo, que escribió para destruir á los Judíos que están en todas las provincias del rey.
6Porque ¿cómo podré yo ver el mal que alcanzará á mi pueblo? ¿cómo podré yo ver la destrucción de mi nación?
7Y respondió el rey Assuero á la reina Esther, y á Mardochêo Judío: He aquí yo he dado á Esther la casa de Amán, y á él han colgado en la horca, por cuanto extendió su mano contra los Judíos.
8Escribid pues vosotros á los Judíos como bien os pareciere en el nombre del rey, y selladlo con el anillo del rey; porque la escritura que se escribe en nombre del rey, y se sella con el anillo del rey, no es para revocarla.
9Entonces fueron llamados los escribanos del rey en el mes tercero, que es Siván, á veintitrés del mismo; y escribióse conforme á todo lo que mandó Mardochêo, á los Judíos, y á los sátrapas, y á los capitanes, y á los príncipes de las provincias que había desde la India hasta la Ethiopía, ciento veintisiete provincias; á cada provincia según su escribir, y á cada pueblo conforme á su lengua, á los Judíos también conforme á su escritura y lengua.
10Y escribió en nombre del rey Assuero, y selló con el anillo del rey, y envió letras por correos de á caballo, montados en dromedarios, y en mulos hijos de yeguas;
11Con intimación de que el rey concedía á los Judíos que estaban en todas las ciudades, que se juntasen y estuviesen á la defensa de su vida, prontos á destruir, y matar, y acabar con todo ejército de pueblo ó provincia que viniese contra ellos, aun niños y mujeres, y su despojo para presa,
12En un mismo día en todas las provincias del rey Assuero, en el trece del mes duodécimo, que es el mes de Adar.
13La copia de la escritura que había de darse por ordenanza en cada provincia, para que fuese manifiesta á todos los pueblos, decía que los Judíos estuviesen apercibidos para aquel día, para vengarse de sus enemigos.
14Los correos pues, cabalgando en dromedarios y en mulos, salieron apresurados y constreñidos por el mandamiento del rey: y la ley fué dada en Susán capital del reino.
15Y salió Mardochêo de delante del rey con vestido real de cárdeno y blanco, y una gran corona de oro, y un manto de lino y púrpura: y la ciudad de Susán se alegró y regocijó.
16Los Judíos tuvieron luz y alegría, y gozo y honra.
17Y en cada provincia y en cada ciudad donde llegó el mandamiento del rey, los Judíos tuvieron alegría y gozo, banquete y día de placer. Y muchos de los pueblos de la tierra se hacían Judíos, porque el temor de los Judíos había caído sobre ellos.
King James Version
1On that day did the king Ahasuerus give the house of Haman the Jews’ enemy unto Esther the queen. And Mordecai came before the king; for Esther had told what he was unto her.
2And the king took off his ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.
3And Esther spake yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet, and besought him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his device that he had devised against the Jews.
4Then the king held out the golden sceptre toward Esther. So Esther arose, and stood before the king,
5And said, If it please the king, and if I have found favour 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 which are in all the king’s provinces:
6For how can I endure to see the evil that shall come unto my people? or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?
7Then the king Ahasuerus said unto Esther the queen and to Mordecai the Jew, Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and him they have hanged upon the gallows, because he laid his hand upon the Jews.
8Write ye also for the Jews, as it liketh 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.
9Then were the king’s scribes called at that time in the third month, that is, the month Sivan, on the three and twentieth day thereof; and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded unto the Jews, and to the lieutenants, and the deputies and rulers of the provinces which are from India unto Ethiopia, an hundred twenty and seven provinces, unto every province according to the writing thereof, and unto every people after their language, and to the Jews according to their writing, and according to their language.
10And he wrote in the king Ahasuerus’ name, and sealed it with the king’s ring, and sent letters by posts on horseback, and riders on mules, camels, and young dromedaries:
11Wherein the king granted the Jews which 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 power of the people and province that would assault them, both little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey,
12Upon one day in all the provinces of king Ahasuerus, namely, upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar.
13The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given in every province was published unto all people, and that the Jews should be ready against that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.
14So the posts that rode upon mules and camels went out, being hastened and pressed on by the king’s commandment. And the decree was given at Shushan the palace.
15And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel 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.
16The Jews had light, and gladness, and joy, and honour.
17And in every province, and in every city, whithersoever 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.
World English Bible
1On that day, King Ahasuerus 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.
2The king took off his ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai. Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.
3Esther 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 plan that he had planned against the Jews.
4Then the king held out to Esther the golden scepter. So Esther arose, and stood before the king.
5She said, “If it pleases the king, and if I have found favor in his sight, and the thing seems 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.
6For how can I endure to see the evil that would come to my people? How can I endure to see the destruction of my relatives?”
7Then King Ahasuerus said to Esther the queen and to Mordecai the Jew, “See, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and they have hanged him on the gallows because he laid his hand on the Jews.
8Write 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.”
9Then the king’s scribes were called at that time, in the third month, which is the 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 local governors, and the governors and princes 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.
10He wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus, and sealed it with the king’s ring, and sent letters by courier on horseback, riding on royal horses that were bred from swift steeds.
11In those letters, the king granted the Jews who were in every city to gather themselves together and to defend their lives—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,
12on one day in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar.
13A 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.
14So 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 Susa.
15Mordecai 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 Susa shouted and was glad.
16The Jews had light, gladness, joy, and honor.
17In every province and in every city, wherever the king’s commandment and his decree came, the Jews had gladness, joy, a feast and a holiday. Many from among the peoples of the land became Jews, for the fear of the Jews had fallen on them.