Esther 8 - Meaning, Themes & Application

On that day, King Ahasuerus gave to Esther all that belonged to Haman the slanderer. The king called Mordecai, for Esther had told that he was related to her.

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.

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.

Then the king extended the golden sceptre to Esther; and Esther arose to stand near the king.

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 of the Jews who are in your kingdom.

For how could I see the affliction of my people, and how could I survive the destruction of my kindred?”

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?

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.

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 twenty-seven local governors, according to the several provinces, in their own languages.

They were written by order of the king, sealed with his ring, and the letters were sent by the couriers.

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,

on one day in all the kingdom of Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is Adar.

Let the copies be posted in conspicuous places throughout the kingdom. Let all the Jews be ready against this day, to fight against their enemies.

So the horsemen went forth with haste to perform the king’s commands. The ordinance was also published in Susa.

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.

The Jews had light and gladness

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.