¶ The same day did king Ahasuerus give the house of Haman the Iews' enemy, unto queen Esther. And Mardocheus came before the king: for Esther told how that he belonged unto her.
And the king put off his finger ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mardocheus. And Esther set Mardocheus over the house of Haman.
¶ And Esther spake yet more before the king, and fell down at his feet, and besought him, that he would put away the wickedness of Haman the Agagite, and his device that he had imagined against the Iews.
And the king held out the golden scepter unto Esther. Then rose Esther, and stood before the king,
and said: if it please the king, and if I have found grace in his sight, and if it be convenient for the king, and if it be accepted in his sight, then let it be written, that the letters of the device of Haman the son of Hamadatha the Agagite, may be called again: which letters he wrote, to destroy the Iews in all the king's lands.
For how can I see the evil that shall happen unto my people? and how can I look upon the destruction of my kindred?
Then said the king Ahasuerus unto queen Esther, and to Mardocheus the Iew. Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and him have they hanged upon a tree, because he laid hand upon the Iews.
Write ye now therefore for the Iews, as it liketh you in the king's name, and seal it with the king's ring, (for the writings that were written in the king's name, and sealed with the king's ring, durst no man disannul)
Then were the king's scribes called at the same time in the third month, that is the month Sivan, on the three and twentieth day. And it was written (as Mardocheus commanded) unto the Iews and to the princes, to the Deputies and captains in the lands from India until Ethiopia, namely an hundredth and seven and twenty lands, unto every one according to the writing thereof, unto every people after their speach, and to the Iews according to their writing and language.
And it was written in the king Ahasuerus' name, and sealed with the king's ring. And by posts that rode upon swift young Mules, sent he the writings,
wherein the king granted the Iews (in what cities soever they were) to gather them selves together, and to stond for their life, and for to root out, to slay and to destroy all the power of the people and land that would trouble them, with children and women, and to spoil their good
upon one day in all the lands of king Ahasuerus, namely upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar.
The sum of the writing was, how there was a commandment given in all lands to be published unto all the people, that the Iews should be ready against that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.
And the posts that rode upon the Mules, made haste with all speed, according to the king's word: and the commandment was devised in the castle of Susan.
¶ As for Mardocheus, he went out from the king in royal apparel of yellow and white, and with a great crown of gold, being arrayed with a garment of linen and purple, and the city of Susan rejoiced and was glad:
but unto the Iews was come light and gladness, and joy, and worship.
And in all lands and cities, into what places soever, the king's word and commandment reached, there was joy and mirth, prosperity and good days among the Iews: insomuch that many of the people in the land became of the Iews' belief, for the fear of the Iews came upon them.
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Praise the Everlasting Lord for His Faithful Word.