Esther 8

1 The same day did king Ahasuerus geue the house of Haman the Iewes enemie vnto queene Esther, and Mardocheus came before the king: for Esther tolde what he was vnto her.

2 And the king toke of his ring which he had taken from Haman, and gaue it vnto Mardocheus. And Esther sette Mardocheus ouer the house of Haman.

3 And Esther spake yet more before the king, and fel downe at his feete weping, and besought him that he would put away the wickednesse of Haman the Agagite, and his deuice that he had imagined against the Iewes.

4 And the king held out the golden scepter toward Esther. Then rose Esther, and stode before the king,

5 And saide: if it please the king, and if I haue founde grace in his sight, and if it be acceptable before the king, and I please him, then let it be writte, that the letters of the deuise of Haman the sonne of Hamadatha the Agagite may be called againe, which letters he wrote to destroy the Iewes which are in all the kinges prouinces.

6 For how can I suffer and see the euill that shall come vnto my people? or how can I beare and loke vpon the destruction of my kindred?

7 And the king Ahasuerus saide vnto queene Esther, and to Mardocheus the Iewe: Beholde, I haue geuen Esther the house of Haman, whom they haue hanged vpon a tree, because he layde hand vpon the Iewes.

8 Write ye also for the Iewes as it lyketh you, in the kinges name, and seale it with the kinges ring: For the writinges that were written in the kinges name, and sealed with the kinges ring, durst no man disanul.

9 Then were the kinges scribes called at the same time, euen in the thirde moneth (that is the moneth Siuan) on the three and twentie day thereof, and it was written according to all as Mardocheus commauded vnto the Iewes, and to the princes, to the debuties and captaynes in the prouinces which are from India vnto Ethiopia, namely an hundred twentie and seuen prouinces, vnto euery prouince according to the writing thereof, and vnto euery people after their speach, and to the Iewes according to their writing and language.

10 And he wrote in the king Ahasuerus name, & sealed it with the kinges ring, and by postes that rode vpon horses, and swyft young Mules, sent he the writinges,

11 Wherin the king graunted the Iewes in what cities soeuer they were, to gather themselues together, and to stand for their lyfe, and for to roote out, to slay and to destroy all the power of the people and prouince that woulde trouble them, both children and women, and to spoyle their goodes:

12 Upon one day in all the prouinces of king Ahasuerus, namely vpon the thirteenth day of the twelfth moneth, which is the moneth Adar. (16:1) The great kyng Artaxerxes, whiche raigneth from India vnto Ethiopia ouer an hundreth and twentie and seuen landes, sendeth vnto the princes and rulers of the same landes, suche as loue him, his frendly salutation. (16:2) There be many that for the sundry frendshippes and benefites whiche are diuersly done vnto them for their worship, be euer the more proude and hye minded: (16:3) And vndertake not only to hurt our subiectes (for plenteous benefites may they not suffer, and begin to imagine some thing against those that do them good, (16:4) And take not only all vnthankfulnes away from men) but in pride and presumption, as they that be vnmindfull and vnthankfull for the good deedes, they go about to escape the iudgement of God that seeth all thinges, whiche iudgement hateth and punisheth all wickednesse. (16:5) It happeneth oft also, that they which be set in office by the higher power, and vnto whom the businesse and causes of the subiectes are committed to be handled, waxe proude, and defile them selues with shedding of innocent blood, which bringeth them to intollerable hurt. (16:6) Whiche also with false and deceiptfull wordes and with lying tales, deceaue and betray the innocent goodnesse of princes. (16:7) Nowe is it profitable and good that we take heede, make searche therafter, and consider not onlye what hath happened vnto vs of olde, but the shamefull, vnhonest, and noysome thinges, that the deputies haue nowe taken in hande before our eyes: (16:8) And thereby to beware in tyme to come, that we make the kyngdome quiet and peaceable for all men, and that we might sometime drawe it to a chaunge. (16:9) And as for the thing that nowe is present before our eyes, to withstande it, and to put it downe after the most frendly maner. (16:10) What tyme nowe as Aman the sonne of Amadathu the Macedonian, a strauger veryly of the Persians blood, and farre from our goodnes, was come in among vs as an aliaunt, (16:11) And had obtayned the frendship that we beare towarde all people, so that he was called our father, and had in hye honour of euery man, as the next and principall vnto the kyng: (16:12) He coulde not forbeare him selfe from his pryde, hath vndertaken not only to rob vs of the kyngdome, but of our life: (16:13) With manyfolde deceipt also hath he desired to destroy Mardocheus our helper and preseruer, whiche hath done vs good in all thinges, and innocent Hester the like partaker of our kyngdome, with all her people. (16:14) For his minde was (when he had taken them out of the way, and robbed vs of them) by this meanes to translate the kyngdome of the Persians vnto them of Macedonia. (16:15) But we finde that the Iewes (which were accused of the wicked that they might be destroyed) are no euyll doers, but vse reasonable and right lawes: (16:16) And that they be the chyldren of the most high liuing God, by whom the kyngdome of vs and of our progenitours hath ben well ordered hytherto. (16:17) Wherefore, as for the letters and commaundementes that were put foorth by Aman the sonne of Amadathu, ye shall do well if ye holde them of none effect: (16:18) For he that set them vp and inuented them, hangeth at Susis before the port, with all his kinred: and God whiche hath all thinges in his power, hath rewarded hym after his deseruing. (16:19) And vpon this ye shall publishe and set vp the copie of this letter in all places, that the Iewes may freely and without hinderaunce holde them selues after their owne statutes: (16:20) And that they may be helped, and that vpon the thirteenth day of the twelfth moneth Adar, they may be auenged of them whiche in the tyme of their anguishe and trouble would haue oppressed them. (16:21) For the God that gouerneth all thinges, hath turned to ioy the day wherein the chosen people shoulde haue perished. (16:22) Moreouer, among the hye solempne dayes that ye haue, ye shall holde this day also with all gladnesse: (16:23) That nowe and in tyme to come this day may be a remembraunce of good for all such as loue the prosperitie of the Persians: but a remembraunce of destruction to those that be seditious vnto vs. (16:24) All cities and landes that do not this, shall horribly perishe and be destroyed with the sworde and fire, and shall not only be no more inhabited of men, but be abhorred also of the wylde beastes and foules.

13 The summe of the writing was, how there shoulde be a commaundement geuen in all and euery prouince, and published among all people, and that the Iewes should be redy against that day, to auenge them selues on their enemies.

14 And so the postes that rode vpon the swyft Horses and Mules, made haste with all speede to execute the kinges word: and the commaundement was deuised in Susan the chiefe citie.

15 And Mardocheus went out from the king in royall apparell, of yelowe and white, & with a great crowne of golde, being arayed with a garment of silke and purple: and the citie of Susan reioysed and was glad.

16 And vnto the Iewes there was come light and gladnesse, ioy and worship.

17 In all prouinces and cities into what places soeuer the kinges word and commaundement reached, there was ioy and mirth, a feaste and good dayes among the Iewes: insomuch, that many of the people in ye lande became Iewes, for the feare of the Iewes came vpon them.