The In-Dept Study of the Bible
Septuagint 08
1 On that day, King Ahasuerus gave to
Esther allthat belonged toHamanthe slanderer.
The king called Mordecai, for Esther
had told that he was related to her.
2 The king took the ring which he had
taken away from Haman and gave it to
Mordecai. Esther appointed Mordecai
over all that had been Haman’s.
3 She spoke yet again to the king, and
fell at his feet, and implored him to undo
Haman’s mischief and all that he had done
against the Jews.
4 Then the king extended the golden
sceptre toEsther; andEsther arose to stand
near the king.
5 Esther said, “If it seems good to you,
and I have found favor in your sight, let
an order be sent that the letters sent by
Haman may be reversed—letters that were
written for the destruction ofthe Jews who
are in your kingdom.
6 For how could I see the affliction of
my people, and how could I survive the
destruction of my† kindred?”
7 Then the king said to Esther, “If I have
given and freely granted you all that was
Haman’s, and hanged him on a gallows
because he laid his hands upon the Jews,
what more do you seek?
8 Write in my name whatever seems
good to you, and seal it with my ring; for
whatever is written at the command of the
king, and sealed with my ring, cannot be
countermanded.
9 So the scribes were called in the first
month, which is Nisan, on the twenty-third
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 local governors, from India
even to Ethiopia—one hundred twentyseven
local governors, according to the
several provinces, in their own languages.
10 They were written by order of the
king, sealed with his ring, and the letters
were sent by the couriers.
11 In them, he charged them to use their
own laws in every city, to help each other,
and to treat their adversaries and those
who attacked them as they pleased,
12 on one day in all the kingdom of Ahasuerus,
on the thirteenth day ofthe twelfth
month, which is Adar.
13 Let the copies be posted in conspicuous
places throughoutthe kingdom. Let all
the Jews be ready against this day, to fight
against their enemies. The following is a
copy of the letter containing orders:
§ [The great King Ahasuerus sends greetings
to the rulers of provinces in one
hundred twenty-seven local governance
regions, 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 endeavor to hurt our
subjects, but moreover, not being able to
bear prosperity, they also endeavor to plot
against their own benefactors. 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 would
escape the sin-hating vengeance of the
ever-seeing God. 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
goodwill of the ruling powers. And it is
possible to see this, not so much from more
ancient traditional 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. It is right to take
heed with regard to the future, that we
may maintain the government in undisturbed peace
for all men, adopting needful changes, and ever
judging those cases which come under our notice with truly
equitable decisions. For whereas Haman,
a Macedonian, the son of Hammedatha,
in reality an alien from the blood of the
Persians, and differing widely from our
mild course of government, having been
hospitably 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§ pride, 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, along
with their whole nation. For by these
methods he thought, having surprised us
in a defenseless 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 most just laws,
and being the sons of the living God, the
most high and§ mighty, who maintains the
kingdom, to us as well as to our forefathers,
in the most excellent order. You will
therefore do well in refusing to obey the
letter sent by Haman the son of Hammedatha,
because he who has done these
things has been hanged with his whole
family at the gates of Susa, Almighty God
having swiftly returned to him a worthy
punishment. 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 God has granted
them this time of gladness. Therefore you
also, among your notable feasts, must 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 hatefulto wild beasts and
birds forever.] 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.
14 So the horsemen wentforth with haste
to perform the king’s commands. The ordinance
was also published in Susa.
15 Mordecai went out robed in royal apparel,
wearing a golden crown and a diadem of fine purple linen. The people in
Susa saw it and rejoiced.
16 The Jews had light and gladness
17 in every city and province where the
ordinance was published. Wherever the
proclamation took place, the Jews had joy
and gladness, feasting and mirth. Many of
the Gentiles were circumcised and became
Jews for fear of the Jews.