Esther 8 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.

That same day, King Ahasuerus gave Queen Esther the estate of Haman, the enemy of the Jewish people. And Mordecai came before the king, because Esther had revealed how he was related to her.

The king took off his signet ring — the one he had taken back from Haman — and gave it to Mordecai. And Esther put Mordecai in charge of Haman's estate.

Esther spoke to the king again, falling at his feet in tears. She begged him to put an end to the evil plan of Haman the Agagite — the plot he had devised against the Jewish people.

The king extended his golden scepter toward Esther, and she stood up before the king.

She said, "If it pleases the king, and if I have found favor with him, and if the king thinks it is right, and if he is pleased with me — let an order be written to revoke the letters that Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite devised and wrote to destroy the Jewish people in all the king's provinces.

Because how can I bear to watch the disaster that will fall on my people? How can I bear to watch the destruction of my own family?"

King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, "Look — I've already given Haman's estate to Esther, and they've impaled him on the stake because he threatened the Jewish people.

Now you write whatever you think is best regarding the Jewish people, in the king's name, and seal it with the king's signet ring — because a decree written in the king's name and sealed with the king's ring cannot be revoked."

The royal scribes were summoned immediately — on the twenty-third day of the third month, the month of Sivan. Everything Mordecai ordered was written to the Jewish people, to the provincial governors, the officials, and the leaders of the one hundred and twenty-seven provinces stretching from India to Ethiopia — written in each province's own script, each people's own language, and to the Jewish people in their own script and language.

Mordecai wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed it with the king's signet ring. He sent letters by mounted couriers riding fast horses bred from the royal stables.

The king's decree gave the Jewish people in every city the right to assemble and defend themselves — to destroy, kill, and wipe out any armed force of any people or province that attacked them, including their women and children, and to seize their property.

This was to happen on a single day throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus — the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar.

A copy of the decree was to be issued as law in every province and made public to all peoples, so the Jewish people would be ready on that day to take vengeance on their enemies.

The couriers on their royal horses raced out, urged on by the king's command. The decree was also issued in the fortified palace of Susa.

Mordecai left the king's presence wearing royal robes of blue and white, a large gold crown, and a cloak of fine linen and purple. And the city of Susa celebrated with joy.

For the Jewish people, it was a time of light, happiness, joy, and honor.

In every province and every city — wherever the king's command and decree reached — there was joy and celebration among the Jewish people, with feasting and a holiday. And many people from other nationalities identified themselves as Jews, because fear of the Jewish people had fallen on them.