1 On that day King Ahasuerus gave Queen Esther the house of Haman, the one harassing the Jews. And Mordecai came before the king, for Esther had told how he was related to her.
2 And the king took off his signet ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai; and Esther appointed Mordecai over the house of Haman.
3 And Esther spoke again to the king, falling down at his feet, and implored him with tears to take away the evil of Haman the Agagite, and the plans which he had devised against the Jews.
4 And the king held out the golden scepter toward Esther. So Esther arose and stood before the king,
5 and said, If it pleases the king, and if I have found favor before him and the thing seems right to the king and I am pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to revoke the letters devised by Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to exterminate the Jews who are in all the kings provinces.
6 For how can I endure to see the evil that will meet my people? Or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?
7 Then King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and Mordecai the Jew, Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and they have hanged him on the gallows because he has stretched out his hand against the Jews.
8 You yourselves write a decree concerning the Jews, as is good in your eyes, in the kings name, and seal it with the kings signet ring; for whatever is written in the kings name and sealed with the kings signet ring no one can revoke.
9 So the kings scribes were called at that time, in the third month, which is the month Sivan, on the twenty-third day; and it was written, according to all that Mordecai commanded, to the Jews, the satraps, the governors, and the rulers of the provinces from India to Ethiopia, one hundred and twenty-seven provinces in all, to every province in its own writing, to every people in their own language, and to the Jews in their own writing and language.
10 And he wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus, sealed it with the kings signet ring, and sent letters by couriers on horseback, riding on royal horses bred from swift steeds.
11 By these letters the king permitted the Jews who were in every city to gather together and take their stand for their souls; to exterminate, kill, and destroy all the forces of any people or province that would be hostile to them, even little children and women, and to plunder their possessions,
12 on one day in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar.
13 A copy of the document was to be issued as a decree in every province and published for all people, so that the Jews would be ready on that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.
14 The couriers who rode on royal horses went out, hastened and pressed on by the kings command. And the decree was issued in Shushan the palace.
15 So Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of violet and white, with a great crown of gold and a garment of fine linen and purple; and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad.
16 The Jews had light and gladness, joy and honor.
17 And in every province and city, wherever the kings command and decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a good day. And many of the people of the land became Jews, because fear of the Jews fell upon them.