Septuagint
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Masoretic
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Esther 8
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Esther 8
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8:1 And in that day king Artaxerxes gave to
Esther all that belonged to Haman the slanderer: and Mordecai was called
by the king; for Esther had shewn that he was related to her.
8:2 And the king took the ring which he had taken away from Haman, and gave
it to Mordecai: and Esther appointed Mordecai over all that had been
Haman's.
8:3 And she spoke yet again to the king, and fell at his feet, and besought
[him] to do away the mischief of Haman, and all that he had done against the
Jews.
8:4 Then the king stretched out to Esther the golden sceptre: and Esther
arose to stand near the king.
8:5 And Esther said, If it seem good to thee, and I have found favour [in
thy sight], let an order be sent that the letters sent by Haman may be
reversed, that were written for the destruction of the Jews, who are in thy
kingdom.
8:6 For how shall I be able to look upon the affliction of my people, and
how shall I be able to survive the destruction of my kindred?
8:7 And the king said to Esther, If I have given and freely granted thee all
that was Haman's, and hanged him on a gallows, because he laid his hands upon
the Jews, what dost thou yet further seek?
8:8 Write ye also in my name, as it seems good to you, and seal [it] with my
ring: for whatever [orders] are written at the command of the king, and
sealed with my ring, it is not lawful to gainsay them.
8:9 So the scribes were called in the first-month, which is Nisan, on the
three and twentieth day of the same year; and [orders] were written to the
Jews, whatever [the king had] commanded to the local governors and chiefs of
the satraps, from India even to Ethiopia, a hundred and twenty-seven
satraps, according to the several provinces, according to their dialects.
8:10 And they were written by order of the king, and sealed with his ring,
and they sent the letters by the posts:
8:11 wherein he charged them to use their [own] laws in every city, and to
help each other, and to treat their adversaries, and those who attacked
them, as they pleased,
8:12 on one day in all the kingdom of Artaxerxes, on the thirteenth [day] of
the twelfth month, which is Adar. |
8:1 On 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.
8:2 And 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.
8:3 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 Agagite,
and his device that he had devised against the Jews.
8:4 Then the king held out the golden sceptre toward Esther. So Esther
arose, and stood before the king,
8:5 And said, If it please the king, and if I have 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:
8:6 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?
8:7 Then 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.
8:8 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.
8:9 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 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.
8:10 And 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:
8:11 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,
8:12 Upon one day in all the provinces of king Ahasuerus, namely, upon the
thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar.
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8:13 And let the copies be posted in conspicuous places throughout
the kingdom, and let all the Jews be ready against this day, to fight
against their enemies.
And the following is the copy of the letter of the orders.
The great king Artaxerxes sends greetings to the rulers of provinces in a
hundred and twenty-seven satrapies, from India to Ethiopia, even to those
who are faithful to our interests. Many who have been frequently honored by
the most abundant kindness of their benefactors have conceived ambitious
designs, and not only endeavour to hurt our subjects, but moreover, not
being able to bear prosperity, they also endeavour to plot against their own
benefactors. And they not only would utterly abolish gratitude from among
men, but also, elated by the boastings of men who are strangers to all that
is good, they supposed that they shall escape the sin-hating vengeance of
the ever-seeing Elohim. And oftentimes evil exhortation has made partakers of
the guilt of shedding innocent blood, and has involved in irremediable
calamities, many of those who had been appointed to offices of authority,
who had been entrusted with the management of their friends' affairs; while
men, by the false sophistry of an evil disposition, have deceived the simple
candour of the ruling powers. And it is possible to see this, not so much
from more ancient traditionary accounts, as it is immediately in your power
to see it by examining what things have been wickedly perpetrated by the
baseness of men unworthily holding power. And it is right to take heed with
regard to the future, that we may maintain the government in undistributed
peace for all men, adopting needful changes, and ever judging those cases
which come under our notices, with truly equitable decision.
For whereas Haman, a Macedonian, the son of Amadathes, in reality an alien
from the blood of the Persians, and differing widely from our mild course of
government, having been hospitable entertained by us, obtained so large a
share of our universal kindness, as to be called our father, and to continue
the person next to the royal throne, reverenced of all; he however, overcome
by the pride of his station, endeavored to deprive us of our dominion, and
our life: having by various and subtle artifices demanded for destruction
both Mordecai our deliverer and perpetual benefactor, and Esther the
blameless consort of our kingdom, with their whole nation. For by these
methods he thought, having surprised us in a defenceless state, to transfer
the dominion of the Persians to the Macedonians. But we find that the Jews,
who have been consigned to destruction by the most abominable of men, are
not malefactors, but living according to the justest laws, and being the
sons of the living Elohim, the most high and mighty, who maintains the kingdom.
to us as well as to our forefathers, in the most excellent order.
Ye will therefore do well in refusing to obey the letter sent by Haman the
son of Amadathes, because he that has done these things, has been hanged
with his whole family at the gates of Susa, Almighty Elohim having swiftly
returned to him a worthy recompence, We enjoin you then, having openly
published a copy of this letter in every place, to give the Jews permission
to use their own lawful customs, and to strengthen them, that on the
thirteenth of the twelfth month Adar, on the self-same day, they may defend
themselves against those who attack them in a time of affliction. For in the
place of the destruction of the chosen race, Almighty Elohim has granted them
this time of gladness.
Do ye therefore also, among your notable feasts, keep a distinct day with
all festivity, that both now and hereafter it may be a day of deliverance to
us and who are well disposed toward the Persians, but to those that plotted
against us a memorial of destruction. And every city and province
collectively, which shall not do accordingly, shall be consumed with
vengeance by spear and fire: it shall be made not only inaccessible to men,
but most hateful to wild beasts and birds for ever.] And let the copies be
posted in conspicuous places throughout the kingdom and let all the Jews be
ready against this day, to fight against their enemies.
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8:13 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. |
8:14 So the horsemen went forth with haste to perform the king's commands;
and the ordinance was also published in Susa.
8:15 And Mordecai went forth robed in the royal apparel, and wearing a
golden crown, and a diadem of fine purple linen: and the people in Susa saw
[it] and rejoiced.
8:16 And the Jews had light and gladness,
8:17 in every city and province wherever the ordinance was published:
wherever the proclamation took place, the Jews had joy and gladness,
feasting and mirth: and many of the Gentiles were circumcised, and became
Jews, for fear of the Jews. |
8:14 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.
8:15 And 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.
8:16 The Jews had light, and gladness, and joy, and honour.
8:17 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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