KJ3 Literal Translation
Esther 8
1 Mordecai is advanced. 3 Esther makes sure to reverse Haman's letters. 7 Ahasuerus grants to the Jews to defend themselves.
1¶ On that day King Ahasuerus gave the house of Haman, the one distressing the Jews, to Esther the queen. And Mordecai came before the king, for Esther had told what he was to her.
2And the king removed his ring which he had caused to pass over from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.
3¶ And Esther added and spoke again before the king and fell down at his feet. And wept, and she begged favor of him to cause to pass over the evil of Haman the Agagite, and his purpose which he had plotted against the Jews.
4Then the king held out the golden scepter to Esther, and Esther rose up and stood before the king,
5and she said, If it is good to the king, and if I have found favor before him, and the thing is pleasing before the king, and I am good in his eyes, let it be written to cause to bring back the documents (a sly plot by Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite) which he wrote to cause to perish the Jews who are in all the king's provinces.
6For how shall I be able to look on the evil that shall find my people? Or how shall I be able to look on the slaughter of my kindred?
7And King Ahasuerus said to Esther the queen and to Mordecai the Jew, Behold, I have given Haman's house to Esther, and they have hanged him on the wooden gallows because he put forth his hand against the Jews.
8And you write to the Jews according to the good in your eyes, 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, there is no taking back.
9And the king's scribes were called at that time, in the third month, that is, the month Sivan, on the twenty-third of it. And it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded to the Jews, and to the satraps, and the governors, and the rulers of the provinces which were from India to Ethiopia, a hundred and twenty-seven provinces, to every province according to its writing, and to every people in their language, and to the Jews; according to their writing and according to their language.
10And he wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus, and sealed with the king's ring. And he sent letters by riders on horses, riders on stallions, royal mules, even sons of mares.
11In which the king gave to the Jews in city by city the right to assemble, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province, the ones compressing them, little ones and women, and to plunder them for a prize,
12on one day in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar.
13The copy of the writing to be made law in every province and province was revealed to all peoples, even to the Jews being ready for this day, to avenge themselves on their enemies.
14The runners, riders on stallions, royal mules, went out, being hurried and pressed on by the king's command. And the order was given at Shushan the palace.
15¶ And Mordecai went out from before the king in apparel of the kingdom, 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.
16For the Jews it was light and gladness and joy and honor.
17And in every province and province, in every city and city, the place wherever the word of the king and his law touched, there was 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 on them.
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