Now in Shushan the palace there was a certain Jew whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captivity, who had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away.
So it came to pass, when the king’s commandment and his decree was heard and when many maidens were gathered together unto Shushan the palace to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was brought also unto the king’s house to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women. ... And the maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness of him, and he speedily gave her her things for purification, with such things as belonged to her and seven maidens meet to be given her out of the king’s house.
Now when every maid’s turn had come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after she had been twelve months according to the manner of the women (for so were the days of their purifications accomplished — that is, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odors and with other things for the purifying of the women), then, thus came every maiden unto the king: whatever she desired was given her to go with her out of the house of the women unto the king’s house. ... In the evening she went, and on the next day she returned into the second house of the women, to the custody of Shaashgaz the king’s chamberlain who kept the concubines; she came in unto the king no more except the king delighted in her and that she was called by name.
Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, had come to go in unto the king, she asked for nothing but what Hegai the king’s chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed. ... So Esther was taken unto king Ahasuerus, into his royal house in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.
And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins, so that he set the royal crown upon her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. ... Then the king made a great feast unto all his princes and his servants, even Esther’s feast. ... And he made a release to the provinces and gave gifts according to the state of the king.
And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, then Mordecai sat in the king’s gate. ... In those days, while Mordecai sat in the king’s gate, two of the king’s chamberlains, Bigthana and Teresh of those who kept the door, were angry and sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus. ... And the thing was known to Mordecai, who told it unto Esther the queen, and Esther attested to the king in Mordecai’s name. ... And it was written in the book of the chronicles before the king.
After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes that were with him. ... And all the king’s servants that were in the king’s gate bowed and reverenced Haman, for the king had so commanded concerning him. ... Then the king’s servants who were in the king’s gate said unto Mordecai, Why do you transgress the king’s commandment?
In the first month — that is, the month Nisan — in the twelfth year of king Ahasuerus, they cast Pur — that is, the lot — before Haman from day to day, and from month to month, to the twelfth month — that is, the month Adar. ... And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of your kingdom, and their laws are different from all people, neither keep they the king’s laws; therefore, it is not for the king’s profit to suffer them. ... If it please the king, let it be written that they may be destroyed, and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver to the hands of those that have the charge of the business, to bring it into the king’s treasuries. ... And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews’ enemy. ... And the king said unto Haman, The silver is given to you, the people also, to do with them as it seems good to you.
Then were the king’s scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the king’s lieutenants, and to the governors that were over every province, and to the rulers of every people of every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king’s ring. ... And the letters were sent by messengers into all the king’s provinces to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, even upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to take the spoil of them for a prey. ... The messengers went out, being hastened by the king’s commandment, and the decree was given in Shushan the palace. ... And the king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city Shushan was perplexed.
When Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry, and came even before the king’s gate; for none might enter into the king’s gate clothed with sackcloth. ... And in every province, wherever the king’s commandment and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.
Then called Esther for Hathach, one of the king’s chamberlains whom he had appointed to attend upon her, and gave him a commandment to Mordecai, to know what it was and why it was. ... So Hathach went forth to Mordecai, unto the street of the city which was before the king’s gate. ... And Mordecai told him of all that had happened unto him, and of the sum of the money that Haman had promised to pay to the king’s treasuries for the Jews, to destroy them. ... Also, he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was given at Shushan to destroy them, to show it unto Esther, and to declare it unto her, and to charge her that she should go in unto the king, to make supplication unto him and to make request before him for her people.
Again Esther spoke unto Hathach and gave him commandment unto Mordecai: All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces do know that whoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law of his: to put him to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden scepter, that he may live. ... But I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days.
Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with yourself that you shall escape in the king’s house more than all the Jews, for if you altogether hold your peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house shall be destroyed.
I also and my maidens will fast likewise, and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law; and if I perish, I perish.
Now it came to pass, on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king’s house, across from the king’s house; and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, across from the gate of the house. ... And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, she obtained favor in his sight, and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. ... Then said the king unto her, What do you desire, queen Esther, and what is your request? ... And Esther answered, If it seem good unto the king, let the king and Haman come this day unto the banquet that I have prepared for him. ... Then the king said, Cause Haman to make haste, that he may do as Esther has said.
So the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared. ... And the king said unto Esther at the banquet of wine, What is your petition? ... Then answered Esther and said, My petition and my request is: if I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to grant my petition and to perform my request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them, and I will do tomorrow as the king has said.
Then went Haman forth that day joyful and with a glad heart; but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, that he stood not up nor moved for him, he was full of indignation against Mordecai; nevertheless, Haman restrained himself. ... And when he came home, he sent and called for his friends and Zeresh his wife, and Haman told them of the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his children, and all the things wherein the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the princes and servants of the king. ... Haman said moreover, Yea, Esther the queen did let no man come in with the king unto the banquet that she had prepared but myself, and tomorrow am I invited unto her also with the king. ... Yet all this avails me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate. ... Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto him, Let a gallows be made of fifty cubits high, and tomorrow speak unto the king that Mordecai may be hung thereon; then go in merrily with the king unto the banquet.
On that night could not the king sleep, and he commanded to bring the book of records of the chronicles, and they were read before the king. ... And the king said, Who is in the court? ... And the king said, Let him come in. ... And the king said unto him, What shall be done unto the man whom the king delights to honor? ... And Haman answered the king, For the man whom the king delights to honor, Let the royal apparel be brought which the king uses to wear, and the horse that the king rides upon, and the royal crown which is set upon his head, and let this apparel and horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king’s most noble princes, that they may array the man whom the king delights to honor, and bring him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaim before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor.
And Mordecai came again to the king’s gate, but Haman hastened to his house mourning and having his head covered. ... And while they were yet talking with him, the king’s chamberlains came and hastened to bring Haman unto the banquet that Esther had prepared.
So the king and Haman came to banquet with Esther the queen. ... And the king said again unto Esther, on the second day at the banquet of wine, What is your petition, queen Esther? ... Then Esther the queen answered and said, If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request; for we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. ... But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I would have held my tongue, although the enemy could not offset the king’s damage. ... Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen.
And the king, arising from the banquet of wine in his wrath, went into the palace garden. ... Then said the king, Will he force the queen also before me in the house? ... As the word went out of the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face. ... And Harbona, one of the chamberlains, said before the king, Behold also, the gallows fifty cubits high which Haman had made for Mordecai, who had spoken good for the king, stands in the house of Haman. ... Then the king said, Hang him thereon.
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. ... And the king took off his ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai.
And Esther spoke yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet, and implored him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite and his device that he had devised against the Jews. ... Then the king held out the golden scepter toward Esther. ... So Esther arose and stood before the king, and said, If it please the king, and if I have found favor in his sight, and the thing seem right before the king, and I am 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 who are in all the king’s provinces.
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 hung upon the gallows because he laid his hand upon the Jews. ... Write also for the Jews as it pleases 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.
Then were the king’s scribes called at that time in the third month — that is, the month Sivan — on the twenty-third 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, a hundred twenty-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. ... And he wrote in the king Ahasuerus’ name and sealed it with the king’s ring, and sent letters by messengers on horseback, and riders on mules, camels, and young dromedaries, wherein the king granted the Jews who 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, upon one day in all the provinces of king Ahasuerus, namely upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar. ... So the messengers that rode upon mules and camels went out, being hastened and pressed on by the king’s commandment.