Dual Panel1On that day<3117> King<4428> Ahasuerus<325> gave<5414> the house<1004> of Haman<2001>, the enemy<6887> of the Jews<3064>, to Queen<4436> Esther<635>; and Mordecai<4782> came<935> before<6440> the king<4428>, for Esther<635> had disclosed<5046> what<4100> he was to her.
2The king<4428> took<5493> off<5493> his signet<2885> ring<2885> which<834> he had taken<5674> away<5674> from Haman<2001>, and gave<5414> it to Mordecai<4782>. And Esther<635> set<7760> Mordecai<4782> over<5921> the house<1004> of Haman<2001>.
3Then Esther<635> spoke<1696> again<3254> to the king<4428>, fell<5307> at his feet<7272>, wept<1058> and implored<2603> him to avert<5674> the evil<7463> scheme of Haman<2001> the Agagite<91> and his plot<4284> which<834> he had devised<2803> against<5921> the Jews<3064>.
4The king<4428> extended<3447> the golden<2091> scepter<8275> to Esther<635>. So Esther<635> arose<6965> and stood<5975> before<6440> the king<4428>.
5Then she said<559>, "If<518> it pleases<5921><2895> the king<4428> and if<518> I have found<4672> favor<2580> before<6440> him and the matter<1697> seems proper<3787> to the king<4428> and I am pleasing<2896> in his sight<5869>, let it be written<3789> to revoke<7725> the letters<5612> devised<4284> by Haman<2001>, the son<1121> of Hammedatha<1992> the Agagite<91>, which<834> he wrote<3789> to destroy<6> the Jews<3064> who<834> are in all<3605> the king's<4428> provinces<4082>.
6"For how<351> can<3201> I endure<3201> to see<7200> the calamity<7463> which<834> will befall<4672> my people<5971>, and how<351> can<3201> I endure<3201> to see<7200> the destruction<12> of my kindred<4138>?"
7So King<4428> Ahasuerus<325> said<559> to Queen<4436> Esther<635> and to Mordecai<4782> the Jew<3064>, "Behold<2009>, I have given<5414> the house<1004> of Haman<2001> to Esther<635>, and him they have hanged<8518> on the gallows<6086> because<5921><834> he had stretched<7971> out his hands<3027> against the Jews<3064>.
8"Now you write<3789> to the Jews<3064> as you see<5869> fit<2896>, in the king's<4428> name<8034>, and seal<2856> it with the king's<4428> signet<2885> ring<2885>; for a decree<3791> which<834> is written<3789> in the name<8034> of the king<4428> and sealed<2856> with the king's<4428> signet<2885> ring<2885> may not be revoked<7725>."
9So the king's<4428> scribes<5613> were called<7121> at that time<6256> in the third<7992> month<2320> (that is, the month<2320> Sivan<5510>), on the twenty-third<6242><7969> day; and it was written<3789> according to all<3605> that Mordecai<4782> commanded<6680> to the Jews<3064>, the satraps<323>, the governors<6346> and the princes<8269> of the provinces<4082> which<834> extended from India<1912> to Ethiopia<3568>, 127 <7651><6242><3967> provinces<4082>, to every<4082> province<4082> according to its script<3791>, and to every<5971> people<5971> according to their language<3956> as well as to the Jews<3064> according to their script<3791> and their language<3956>.
10He wrote<3789> in the name<8034> of King<4428> Ahasuerus<325>, and sealed<2856> it with the king's<4428> signet<2885> ring<2885>, and sent<7971> letters<5612> by couriers<7323> on horses<5483>, riding<7392> on steeds<7409> sired<1121> by the royal<7424> stud<7424>.
11In them the king<4428> granted<5414> the Jews<3064> who<834> were in each<5892> and every<3605> city<5892> the right to assemble<6950> and to defend<5975> their lives<5315>, to destroy<8045>, to kill<2026> and to annihilate<6> the entire<3605> army<2428> of any people<5971> or province<4082> which might attack<6696> them, including<854> children<2945> and women<802>, and to plunder<962> their spoil<7998>,
12on one<259> day<3117> in all<3605> the provinces<4082> of King<4428> Ahasuerus<325>, the thirteenth<7969><6240> day of the twelfth<8147><6240> month<2320> (that is, the month<2320> Adar<143>).
13A copy<6572> of the edict<3791> to be issued<5414> as law<1881> in each<4082> and every<3605> province<4082> was published<1540> to all<3605> the peoples<5971>, so that the Jews<3064> would be ready<6264> for this<2088> day<3117> to avenge<5358> themselves on their enemies<340>.
14The couriers<7323>, hastened<926> and impelled<1765> by the king's<4428> command<1697>, went<3318> out, riding<7392> on the royal<327> steeds<7409>; and the decree<1881> was given<5414> out at the citadel<1002> in Susa<7800>.
15Then Mordecai<4782> went<3318> out from the presence<6440> of the king<4428> in royal<4438> robes<3830> of blue<8504> and white<2353>, with a large<1419> crown<5850> of gold<2091> and a garment<8509> of fine<948> linen<948> and purple<713>; and the city<5892> of Susa<7800> shouted<6670> and rejoiced<8055>.
16For the Jews<3064> there was light<219> and gladness<8057> and joy<8342> and honor<3366>.
17In each<4082> and every<3605> province<4082> and in each<5892> and every<3605> city<5892>, wherever<4725><834> the king's<4428> commandment<1697> and his decree<1881> arrived<5060>, there was gladness<8057> and joy<8342> for the Jews<3064>, a feast<4960> and a holiday<2896><3117>. And many<7227> among<4480> the peoples<5971> of the land<776> became<3054> Jews<3054>, for the dread<6343> of the Jews<3064> had fallen<5307> on them.