6That night the king had trouble sleeping, so he ordered an attendant to bring the book of the history of his reign so it could be read to him.H3915H5074H4428H8142H559H935H5612H2146H1697H3117H7121H6440H44282In those records he discovered an account of how Mordecai had exposed the plot of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the eunuchs who guarded the door to the king's private quarters. They had plotted to assassinate King Xerxes.H4672H3789H4782H5046H904H8657H8147H4428H5631H8104H5592H1245H7971H3027H4428H3253"What reward or recognition did we ever give Mordecai for this?" the king asked. His attendants replied, "Nothing has been done for him."H4428H559H3366H1420H6213H4782H559H4428H5288H8334H1697H62134"Who is that in the outer court?" the king inquired. As it happened, Haman had just arrived in the outer court of the palace to ask the king to impale Mordecai on the pole he had prepared.H4428H559H2691H2001H935H2435H2691H4428H1004H559H4428H8518H4782H6086H35595So the attendants replied to the king, "Haman is out in the court." "Bring him in," the king ordered.H4428H5288H559H2001H5975H2691H4428H559H9356So Haman came in, and the king said, "What should I do to honor a man who truly pleases me?" Haman thought to himself, "Whom would the king wish to honor more than me?"H2001H935H4428H559H6213H376H4428H2654H3366H2001H559H3820H4428H2654H6213H3366H31487So he replied, "If the king wishes to honor someone,H2001H559H4428H376H4428H2654H33668he should bring out one of the king's own royal robes, as well as a horse that the king himself has ridden—one with a royal emblem on its head.H4438H3830H935H4428H3847H5483H4428H7392H3804H4438H5414H72189Let the robes and the horse be handed over to one of the king's most noble officials. And let him see that the man whom the king wishes to honor is dressed in the king's robes and led through the city square on the king's horse. Have the official shout as they go, 'This is what the king does for someone he wishes to honor!'"H3830H5483H5414H3027H376H4428H6579H8269H3847H376H4428H2654H3366H7392H5483H7339H5892H7121H6440H6213H376H4428H2654H336610"Excellent!" the king said to Haman. "Quick! Take the robes and my horse, and do just as you have said for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the gate of the palace. Leave out nothing you have suggested!"H4428H559H2001H4116H3947H3830H5483H1696H6213H4782H3064H3427H4428H8179H1697H5307H169611So Haman took the robes and put them on Mordecai, placed him on the king's own horse, and led him through the city square, shouting, "This is what the king does for someone he wishes to honor!"H3947H2001H3830H5483H3847H4782H7392H7339H5892H7121H6440H6213H376H4428H2654H336612Afterward Mordecai returned to the palace gate, but Haman hurried home dejected and completely humiliated.H4782H7725H4428H8179H2001H1765H1004H57H7218H264513When Haman told his wife, Zeresh, and all his friends what had happened, his wise advisers and his wife said, "Since Mordecai—this man who has humiliated you—is of Jewish birth, you will never succeed in your plans against him. It will be fatal to continue opposing him."H2001H5608H2238H802H157H7136H559H2450H2238H802H4782H2233H3064H6440H2490H5307H3201H5307H5307H644014While they were still talking, the king's eunuchs arrived and quickly took Haman to the banquet Esther had prepared.H1696H5060H4428H5631H926H935H2001H4960H635H6213
The King Executes Haman
7So the king and Haman went to Queen Esther's banquet.H4428H2001H935H8354H635H44362On this second occasion, while they were drinking wine, the king again said to Esther, "Tell me what you want, Queen Esther. What is your request? I will give it to you, even if it is half the kingdom!"H4428H559H635H8145H3117H4960H3196H7596H4436H635H5414H1246H6213H2677H44383Queen Esther replied, "If I have found favor with the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my request, I ask that my life and the lives of my people will be spared.H635H4436H6030H559H4672H2580H5869H4428H2895H4428H5315H5414H7596H5971H12464For my people and I have been sold to those who would kill, slaughter, and annihilate us. If we had merely been sold as slaves, I could remain quiet, for that would be too trivial a matter to warrant disturbing the king."H4376H5971H8045H2026H6H432H4376H5650H8198H2790H6862H7737H4428H51435"Who would do such a thing?" King Xerxes demanded. "Who would be so presumptuous as to touch you?"H4428H325H559H559H635H4436H4390H3820H62136Esther replied, "This wicked Haman is our adversary and our enemy." Haman grew pale with fright before the king and queen.H635H559H376H6862H341H7451H2001H2001H1204H6440H4428H44367Then the king jumped to his feet in a rage and went out into the palace garden. Haman, however, stayed behind to plead for his life with Queen Esther, for he knew that the king intended to kill him.H4428H6965H4960H3196H2534H1055H1594H2001H5975H1245H5315H635H4436H7200H7451H3615H44288In despair he fell on the couch where Queen Esther was reclining, just as the king was returning from the palace garden. The king exclaimed, "Will he even assault the queen right here in the palace, before my very eyes?" And as soon as the king spoke, his attendants covered Haman's face, signaling his doom.H4428H7725H1055H1594H1004H4960H3196H2001H5307H4296H635H559H4428H3533H4436H1004H1697H3318H4428H6310H2645H2001H64409Then Harbona, one of the king's eunuchs, said, "Haman has set up a sharpened pole that stands seventy-five feet tall in his own courtyard. He intended to use it to impale Mordecai, the man who saved the king from assassination." "Then impale Haman on it!" the king ordered.H2726H259H5631H559H6440H4428H6086H2572H520H1364H2001H6213H4782H1696H2896H4428H5975H1004H2001H4428H559H851810So they impaled Haman on the pole he had set up for Mordecai, and the king's anger subsided.H8518H2001H6086H3559H4782H4428H2534H7918
A Decree to Help the Jews
8On that same day King Xerxes gave the property of Haman, the enemy of the Jews, to Queen Esther. Then Mordecai was brought before the king, for Esther had told the king how they were related.H3117H4428H325H5414H1004H2001H3064H6887H635H4436H4782H935H6440H4428H635H50462The king took off his signet ring—which he had taken back from Haman—and gave it to Mordecai. And Esther appointed Mordecai to be in charge of Haman's property.H4428H5493H2885H5674H2001H5414H4782H635H7760H4782H1004H20013Then Esther went again before the king, falling down at his feet and begging him with tears to stop the evil plot devised by Haman the Agagite against the Jews.H635H1696H3254H6440H4428H5307H6440H7272H2603H1058H5674H7451H2001H91H4284H2803H30644Again the king held out the gold scepter to Esther. So she rose and stood before him.H4428H3447H2091H8275H635H635H6965H5975H6440H44285Esther said, "If it please the king, and if I have found favor with him, and if he thinks it is right, and if I am pleasing to him, let there be a decree that reverses the orders of Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, who ordered that Jews throughout all the king's provinces should be destroyed.H559H2896H4428H4672H2580H6440H1697H3787H6440H4428H2896H5869H3789H7725H5612H4284H2001H1121H4099H91H3789H6H3064H4428H40826For how can I endure to see my people and my family slaughtered and destroyed?"H349H3201H7200H7451H4672H5971H349H3201H7200H13H41387Then King Xerxes said to Queen Esther and Mordecai the Jew, "I have given Esther the property of Haman, and he has been impaled on a pole because he tried to destroy the Jews.H4428H325H559H635H4436H4782H3064H5414H635H1004H2001H8518H6086H7971H3027H30648Now go ahead and send a message to the Jews in the king's name, telling them whatever you want, and seal it with the king's signet ring. But remember that whatever has already been written in the king's name and sealed with his signet ring can never be revoked."H3789H3064H2896H5869H4428H8034H2856H4428H2885H3791H3789H4428H8034H2856H4428H2885H77259So on June 25 the king's secretaries were summoned, and a decree was written exactly as Mordecai dictated. It was sent to the Jews and to the highest officers, the governors, and the nobles of all the 127 provinces stretching from India to Ethiopia. The decree was written in the scripts and languages of all the peoples of the empire, including that of the Jews.H4428H5608H7121H6256H7992H2320H2320H5510H7969H6242H3789H4782H6680H3064H323H6346H8269H4082H1912H3568H3967H6242H7651H4082H4082H3791H5971H3956H3064H3791H395610The decree was written in the name of King Xerxes and sealed with the king's signet ring. Mordecai sent the dispatches by swift messengers, who rode fast horses especially bred for the king's service.H3789H4428H325H8034H2856H4428H2885H7971H5612H3027H7323H5483H7392H7409H327H1121H742411The king's decree gave the Jews in every city authority to unite to defend their lives. They were allowed to kill, slaughter, and annihilate anyone of any nationality or province who might attack them or their children and wives, and to take the property of their enemies.H4428H5414H3064H5892H6950H5975H5315H8045H2026H6H2428H5971H4082H6696H2945H802H7998H96212The day chosen for this event throughout all the provinces of King Xerxes was March 7 of the next year.H259H3117H4082H4428H325H7969H6240H8147H6240H2320H2320H14313A copy of this decree was to be issued as law in every province and proclaimed to all peoples, so that the Jews would be ready to take revenge on their enemies on the appointed day.H6572H3791H1881H5414H4082H1540H5971H3064H6264H6259H3117H5358H34114So urged on by the king's command, the messengers rode out swiftly on fast horses bred for the king's service. The same decree was also proclaimed in the fortress of Susa.H7323H7392H7409H327H3318H926H1765H4428H1697H1881H5414H7800H100215Then Mordecai left the king's presence, wearing the royal robe of blue and white, the great crown of gold, and an outer cloak of fine linen and purple. And the people of Susa celebrated the new decree.H4782H3318H6440H4428H4438H3830H8504H2353H1419H5850H2091H8509H948H713H5892H7800H6670H805616The Jews were filled with joy and gladness and were honored everywhere.H3064H219H8057H8342H336617In every province and city, wherever the king's decree arrived, the Jews rejoiced and had a great celebration and declared a public festival and holiday. And many of the people of the land became Jews themselves, for they feared what the Jews might do to them.H4082H5892H4725H4428H1697H1881H5060H3064H8057H8342H4960H2896H3117H7227H5971H776H3054H6343H3064H5307
The Victory of the Jews
9So on March 7 the two decrees of the king were put into effect. On that day, the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, but quite the opposite happened. It was the Jews who overpowered their enemies.H8147H6240H2320H2320H143H7969H6240H3117H4428H1697H1881H5060H6213H3117H341H3064H7663H7980H2015H3064H7980H8130
2The Jews gathered in their cities throughout all the king's provinces to attack anyone who tried to harm them. But no one could make a stand against them, for everyone was afraid of them.H3064H6950H5892H4082H4428H325H7971H3027H1245H7451H376H5975H6440H6343H5307H5971
3And all the nobles of the provinces, the highest officers, the governors, and the royal officials helped the Jews for fear of Mordecai.H8269H4082H323H6346H6213H4399H4428H5375H3064H6343H4782H5307
4For Mordecai had been promoted in the king's palace, and his fame spread throughout all the provinces as he became more and more powerful.H4782H1419H4428H1004H8089H1980H4082H376H4782H1980H1419
5So the Jews went ahead on the appointed day and struck down their enemies with the sword. They killed and annihilated their enemies and did as they pleased with those who hated them.H3064H5221H341H4347H2719H2027H12H6213H7522H8130
6In the fortress of Susa itself, the Jews killed 500 men.H7800H1002H3064H2026H6H2568H3967H376
7They also killed Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha,H6577H1813H630
8Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha,H6334H118H743
9Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai, and Vaizatha—H6534H747H742H2055
10the ten sons of Haman son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews. But they did not take any plunder.H6235H1121H2001H1121H4099H6887H3064H2026H961H7971H3027
11That very day, when the king was informed of the number of people killed in the fortress of Susa,H3117H4557H2026H7800H1002H935H6440H4428
12he called for Queen Esther. He said, "The Jews have killed 500 men in the fortress of Susa alone, as well as Haman's ten sons. If they have done that here, what has happened in the rest of the provinces? But now, what more do you want? It will be granted to you; tell me and I will do it."H4428H559H635H4436H3064H2026H6H2568H3967H376H7800H1002H6235H1121H2001H6213H7605H4428H4082H7596H5414H1246H5750H6213
13Esther responded, "If it please the king, give the Jews in Susa permission to do again tomorrow as they have done today, and let the bodies of Haman's ten sons be impaled on a pole."H559H635H2896H4428H5414H3064H7800H6213H4279H3117H1881H2001H6235H1121H8518H6086
14So the king agreed, and the decree was announced in Susa. And they impaled the bodies of Haman's ten sons.H4428H559H6213H1881H5414H7800H8518H2001H6235H1121
15Then the Jews at Susa gathered together on March 8 and killed 300 more men, and again they took no plunder.H3064H7800H6950H702H6240H3117H2320H143H2026H7969H3967H376H7800H961H7971H3027
16Meanwhile, the other Jews throughout the king's provinces had gathered together to defend their lives. They gained relief from all their enemies, killing 75,000 of those who hated them. But they did not take any plunder.H7605H3064H4428H4082H6950H5975H5315H5118H341H2026H8130H7657H2568H505H7971H3027H961
17This was done throughout the provinces on March 7, and on March 8 they rested, celebrating their victory with a day of feasting and gladness.H7969H6240H3117H2320H143H702H6240H5118H6213H3117H4960H8057
18(The Jews at Susa killed their enemies on March 7 and again on March 8, then rested on March 9, making that their day of feasting and gladness.)H3064H7800H6950H7969H6240H702H6240H2568H6240H5118H6213H3117H4960H8057
19So to this day, rural Jews living in remote villages celebrate an annual festival and holiday on the appointed day in late winter, when they rejoice and send gifts of food to each other.H3064H6521H3427H6519H5892H6213H702H6240H3117H2320H143H8057H4960H2896H3117H4916H4490H376H7453
The Festival of Purim
20Mordecai recorded these events and sent letters to the Jews near and far, throughout all the provinces of King Xerxes,H4782H3789H1697H7971H5612H3064H4082H4428H325H7138H7350
21calling on them to celebrate an annual festival on these two days.H6965H6213H702H6240H3117H2320H143H2568H6240H3117H8141H8141
22He told them to celebrate these days with feasting and gladness and by giving gifts of food to each other and presents to the poor. This would commemorate a time when the Jews gained relief from their enemies, when their sorrow was turned into gladness and their mourning into joy.H3117H3064H5117H341H2320H2015H3015H8057H60H2896H3117H6213H3117H4960H8057H4916H4490H376H7453H4979H34
23So the Jews accepted Mordecai's proposal and adopted this annual custom.H3064H6901H6213H2490H4782H3789
24Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews, had plotted to crush and destroy them on the date determined by casting lots (the lots were called purim).H2001H1121H4099H91H6887H3064H2803H3064H6H5307H6332H1486H2000H6
25But when Esther came before the king, he issued a decree causing Haman's evil plot to backfire, and Haman and his sons were impaled on a sharpened pole.H935H6440H4428H559H5612H7451H4284H2803H3064H7725H7218H1121H8518H6086
26That is why this celebration is called Purim, because it is the ancient word for casting lots. So because of Mordecai's letter and because of what they had experienced,H7121H3117H6332H8034H6332H1697H107H7200H3602H5060
27the Jews throughout the realm agreed to inaugurate this tradition and to pass it on to their descendants and to all who became Jews. They declared they would never fail to celebrate these two prescribed days at the appointed time each year.H3064H6965H6901H2233H3867H5674H6213H8147H3117H3791H2165H8141H8141
28These days would be remembered and kept from generation to generation and celebrated by every family throughout the provinces and cities of the empire. This Festival of Purim would never cease to be celebrated among the Jews, nor would the memory of what happened ever die out among their descendants.H3117H2142H6213H1755H1755H4940H4082H5892H3117H6332H5674H8432H3064H2143H5486H2233
29Then Queen Esther, the daughter of Abihail, along with Mordecai the Jew, wrote another letter putting the queen's full authority behind Mordecai's letter to establish the Festival of Purim.H635H4436H1323H32H4782H3064H3789H8633H6965H8145H107H6332
30Letters wishing peace and security were sent to the Jews throughout the 127 provinces of the empire of Xerxes.H7971H5612H3064H3967H6242H7651H4082H4438H325H1697H7965H571
31These letters established the Festival of Purim—an annual celebration of these days at the appointed time, decreed by both Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther. (The people decided to observe this festival, just as they had decided for themselves and their descendants to establish the times of fasting and mourning.)H6965H3117H6332H2165H4782H3064H635H4436H6965H6965H5315H2233H1697H6685H2201
32So the command of Esther confirmed the practices of Purim, and it was all written down in the records.H3982H635H6965H1697H6332H3789H5612
The Greatness of Xerxes and Mordecai
10King Xerxes imposed a tribute throughout his empire, even to the distant coastlands.H4428H325H7760H4522H776H339H32202His great achievements and the full account of the greatness of Mordecai, whom the king had promoted, are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Media and Persia.H4639H8633H1369H6575H1420H4782H4428H1431H3789H5612H1697H3117H4428H4074H65393Mordecai the Jew became the prime minister, with authority next to that of King Xerxes himself. He was very great among the Jews, who held him in high esteem, because he continued to work for the good of his people and to speak up for the welfare of all their descendants.H4782H3064H4932H4428H325H1419H3064H7521H7230H251H1875H2896H5971H1696H7965H2233
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tall in his own courtyard. He intended to use it to impale Mordecai, the man who saved the king from assassination." "Then impale Haman on it!" the king ordered.H2726
