1 That same day King Xerxes gave Queen Esther the estate of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai came into the presence of the king, for Esther had told how he was related to her.2 The king took off his signet ring, which he had reclaimed from Haman, and presented it to Mordecai. And Esther appointed him over Haman's estate.3 Esther again pleaded with the king, falling at his feet and weeping. She begged him to put an end to the evil plan of Haman the Agagite, which he had devised against the Jews.4 Then the king extended the gold scepter to Esther and she arose and stood before him.5 "If it pleases the king," she said, "and if he regards me with favor and thinks it the right thing to do, and if he is pleased with me, let an order be written overruling the dispatches that Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, devised and wrote to destroy the Jews in all the king's provinces.6 For how can I bear to see disaster fall on my people? How can I bear to see the destruction of my family?"7 King Xerxes replied to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, "Because Haman attacked the Jews, I have given his estate to Esther, and they have impaled him on the pole he set up.8 Now write another decree in the king's name in behalf of the Jews as seems best to you, and seal it with the king's signet ring —for no document written in the king's name and sealed with his ring can be revoked."9 At once the royal secretaries were summoned —on the twenty-third day of the third month, the month of Sivan. They wrote out all Mordecai's orders to the Jews, and to the satraps, governors and nobles of the 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush. "These orders were written in the script of each province and the language of each people and also to the Jews in their own script and language.10 Mordecai wrote in the name of King Xerxes, sealed the dispatches with the king's signet ring, and sent them by mounted couriers, who rode fast horses especially bred for the king.11 The king's edict granted the Jews in every city the right to assemble and protect themselves; to destroy, kill and annihilate the armed men of any nationality or province who might attack them and their women and children, "and to plunder the property of their enemies.12 The day appointed for the Jews to do this in all the provinces of King Xerxes was the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar.13 A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued as law in every province and made known to the people of every nationality so that the Jews would be ready on that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.14 The couriers, riding the royal horses, went out, spurred on by the king's command, and the edict was issued in the citadel of Susa.15 When Mordecai left the king's presence, he was wearing royal garments of blue and white, a large crown of gold and a purple robe of fine linen. And the city of Susa held a joyous celebration.16 For the Jews it was a time of happiness and joy, gladness and honor.17 In every province and in every city to which the edict of the king came, there was joy and gladness among the Jews, with feasting and celebrating. And many people of other nationalities became Jews because fear of the Jews had seized them.

1 Die illo dedit rex Assuerus Esther regin domum Aman adversarii Judorum, et Mardochus ingressus est ante faciem regis. Confessa est enim ei Esther quod esset patruus suus. 2 Tulitque rex annulum, quem ab Aman recipi jusserat, et tradidit Mardocho. Esther autem constituit Mardochum super domum suam. 3 Nec his contenta, procidit ad pedes regis, flevitque, et locuta ad eum oravit ut malitiam Aman Agagit, et machinationes ejus pessimas quas excogitaverat contra Judos, juberet irritas fieri. 4 At ille ex more sceptrum aureum protendit manu, quo signum clementi monstrabatur : illaque consurgens stetit ante eum, 5 et ait : Si placet regi, et si inveni gratiam in oculis ejus, et deprecatio mea non ei videtur esse contraria, obsecro ut novis epistolis, veteres Aman litter, insidiatoris et hostis Judorum, quibus eos in cunctis regis provinciis perire prceperat, corrigantur. 6 Quomodo enim potero sustinere necem et interfectionem populi mei ? 7 Responditque rex Assuerus Esther regin, et Mardocho Judo : Domum Aman concessi Esther, et ipsum jussi affigi cruci, quia ausus est manum mittere in Judos. 8 Scribite ergo Judis, sicut vobis placet, regis nomine, signantes litteras annulo meo. Hc enim consuetudo erat, ut epistolis, qu ex regis nomine mittebantur et illius annulo signat erant, nemo auderet contradicere. 9 Accitisque scribis et librariis regis (erat autem tempus tertii mensis, qui appellatur Siban) vigesima et tertia die illius script sunt epistol, ut Mardochus voluerat, ad Judos, et ad principes, procuratoresque et judices, qui centum viginti septem provinciis ab India usque ad thiopiam prsidebant : provinci atque provinci, populo et populo juxta linguas et litteras suas, et Judis, prout legere poterant et audire.10 Ipsque epistol, qu regis nomine mittebantur, annulo ipsius obsignat sunt, et miss per veredarios : qui per omnes provincias discurrentes, veteres litteras novis nuntiis prvenirent. 11 Quibus imperavit rex, ut convenirent Judos per singulas civitates, et in unum prciperent congregari ut starent pro animabus suis, et omnes inimicos suos cum conjugibus ac liberis et universis domibus, interficerent atque delerent, et spolia eorum diriperent. 12 Et constituta est per omnes provincias una ultionis dies, id est tertiadecima mensis duodecimi Adar. 13 Summaque epistol hc fuit, ut in omnibus terris ac populis qui regis Assueri subjacebant imperio, notum fieret paratos esse Judos ad capiendam vindictam de hostibus suis. 14 Egressique sunt veredarii celeres nuntia perferentes, et edictum regis pependit in Susan. 15 Mardochus autem de palatio et de conspectu regis egrediens, fulgebat vestibus regiis, hyacinthinis videlicet et riis, coronam auream portans in capite, et amictus serico pallio atque purpureo. Omnisque civitas exultavit atque ltata est. 16 Judis autem nova lux oriri visa est, gaudium, honor, et tripudium. 17 Apud omnes populos, urbes, atque provincias, quocumque regis jussa veniebant, mira exultatio, epul atque convivia, et festus dies : in tantum ut plures alterius gentis et sect eorum religioni et cremoniis jungerentur. Grandis enim cunctos judaici nominis terror invaserat.