Esther 8
The Jews Authorized to
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On that day did the king Ahasue'rus give
the house of Haman the Jews' enemy unto Esther the queen. And
Mor'decai came before the king; for Esther had told what he was unto her.
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And the king took off his ring, which he
had taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mor'decai. And Esther set
Mor'decai over the house of Haman.
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And 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 A'gagite, and his device that he had
devised against the Jews.
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Then the king held out the golden sceptre
toward Esther. So Esther arose, and stood before the king,
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and said, If it please the king, and if I
have found favor 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
Hammeda'tha the A'gagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews which are in all the king's provinces:
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for 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?
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7 |
Then the king Ahasue'rus said unto Esther
the queen and to Mor'decai 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.
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8 |
Write 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.
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9 |
Then 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 Mor'decai commanded unto the Jews, and to the
lieutenants, and the deputies and rulers of the provinces which are from India unto Ethiopia, a 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.
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10 |
And he wrote in the king Ahasue'rus'
name, and sealed it with the king's ring, and sent letters by
posts on horseback, and riders on mules, camels, and young dromedaries:
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wherein 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,
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upon one day in all the provinces of king
Ahasue'rus, namely, upon the thirteenth day of the
twelfth month, which is the month Adar.
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The 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.
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So 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.
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And Mor'decai 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.
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The Jews had light, and gladness, and
joy, and honor.
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And 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.
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