Esther Appeals for the Jews

1The same day did king Ahasuerus geue the house of Haman the Iewes enemie vnto queene Esther, and Mardocheus came before the king: for Esther tolde what he was vnto her. 2And the king toke of his ring which he had taken from Haman, and gaue it vnto Mardocheus. And Esther sette Mardocheus ouer the house of Haman.

3And Esther spake yet more before the king, and fel downe at his feete weping, and besought him that he would put away the wickednesse of Haman the Agagite, and his deuice that he had imagined against the Iewes. 4And the king held out the golden scepter toward Esther. Then rose Esther, and stode before the king, 5And saide: if it please the king, and if I haue founde grace in his sight, and if it be acceptable before the king, and I please him, then let it be writte, that the letters of the deuise of Haman the sonne of Hamadatha the Agagite may be called againe, which letters he wrote to destroy the Iewes which are in all the kinges prouinces. 6For how can I suffer and see the euill that shall come vnto my people? or how can I beare and loke vpon the destruction of my kindred?

The Decree of Xerxes

7And the king Ahasuerus saide vnto queene Esther, and to Mardocheus the Iewe: Beholde, I haue geuen Esther the house of Haman, whom they haue hanged vpon a tree, because he layde hand vpon the Iewes.

8Write ye also for the Iewes as it lyketh you, in the kinges name, and seale it with the kinges ring: For the writinges that were written in the kinges name, and sealed with the kinges ring, durst no man disanul.

9Then were the kinges scribes called at the same time, euen in the thirde moneth (that is the moneth Siuan) on the three and twentie day thereof, and it was written according to all as Mardocheus commauded vnto the Iewes, and to the princes, to the debuties and captaynes in the prouinces which are from India vnto Ethiopia, namely an hundred twentie and seuen prouinces, vnto euery prouince according to the writing thereof, and vnto euery people after their speach, and to the Iewes according to their writing and language. 10And he wrote in the king Ahasuerus name, & sealed it with the kinges ring, and by postes that rode vpon horses, and swyft young Mules, sent he the writinges, 11Wherin the king graunted the Iewes in what cities soeuer they were, to gather themselues together, and to stand for their lyfe, and for to roote out, to slay and to destroy all the power of the people and prouince that woulde trouble them, both children and women, and to spoyle their goodes: 12Upon one day in all the prouinces of king Ahasuerus, namely vpon the thirteenth day of the twelfth moneth, which is the moneth Adar. 13The summe of the writing was, how there shoulde be a commaundement geuen in all and euery prouince, and published among all people, and that the Iewes should be redy against that day, to auenge them selues on their enemies. 14And so the postes that rode vpon the swyft Horses and Mules, made haste with all speede to execute the kinges word: and the commaundement was deuised in Susan the chiefe citie.

15And Mardocheus went out from the king in royall apparell, of yelowe and white, & with a great crowne of golde, being arayed with a garment of silke and purple: and the citie of Susan reioysed and was glad. 16And vnto the Iewes there was come light and gladnesse, ioy and worship. 17In all prouinces and cities into what places soeuer the kinges word and commaundement reached, there was ioy and mirth, a feaste and good dayes among the Iewes: insomuch, that many of the people in ye lande became Iewes, for the feare of the Iewes came vpon them.