1On that day, King Ahasuerus gave the house of Haman, the enemy of the Jews, to Queen Esther. Mordecai came before the king, because Esther had told him how he was related to her.
2The king took off his signet ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai. Esther then put Mordecai in charge of Haman's former household.
3Esther again spoke to the king. She fell at his feet and, with tears, begged him to undo the evil plan of Haman the Agagite, a plan he had made against the Jews.
4Then the king held out the gold scepter to Esther. So Esther got up and stood before the king.
5She said, "If it pleases the king, and if I have found favor with him, and if the king believes it is right, and if I am pleasing to him, let an order be written to cancel the letters Haman, son of Hammedatha the Agagite, devised. He wrote them to destroy the Jews in all the king's provinces."
6She continued, "How can I bear to see the disaster that would come to my people? How can I bear to see my relatives destroyed?"
7Then King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, "Look, I have given Haman's house to Esther, and they have hanged him on the gallows because he tried to harm the Jews."
8He added, "You yourselves write a new decree for the Jews, as you see fit, in the king's name, and seal it with the king's ring. A document written in the king's name and sealed with the king's ring cannot be changed by anyone."
9So the king's scribes were called immediately. This was on the twenty-third day of the third month, which is Sivan. They wrote everything Mordecai commanded to the Jews, and to the regional governors, and the rulers and leaders of the 127 provinces, from India to Ethiopia. The decree was written for each province in its own script and for each people in their own language, and also for the Jews in their own script and language.
10Mordecai wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus, sealed the documents with the king's ring, and sent letters by couriers on horseback, riding on royal horses that were bred for speed.
11In these letters, the king granted the Jews in every city the right to gather and protect their lives. They were allowed to destroy, kill, and wipe out any armed force from any people or province that attacked them, including their women and children, and to take their belongings as loot.
12This was to happen on one day, throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar.
13A copy of the decree, to be issued in every province, was made public to all the people, so that the Jews would be ready on that day to get revenge on their enemies.
14So the couriers, riding on royal horses, went out quickly, urged on by the king's command. The decree was also posted in the fortress of Susa.
15Mordecai left the king's presence wearing royal clothes of blue and white, a large gold crown, and a robe of fine linen and purple. The city of Susa shouted with joy and was glad.
16The Jews had light, happiness, joy, and honor.
17In every province and every city where the king's command and decree arrived, the Jews had happiness, joy, feasting, and a good day. Many people from other ethnic groups became Jews because the fear of the Jews had fallen upon them.