Greek Esther 8:5View Full Chapter

⁵ Esther said, “If the idea seems right to the king, and if I still please him, revoke the written decrees sent out by Haman, ordering the destruction of the Jews living within your kingdom.

Greek Esther 8:7View Full Chapter

Mordecai writes a new law

⁷ The king said to Esther, “I’ve given you everything Haman owned: I’ve favored you and impaled him on a pole because he planned to attack the Jews.

Greek Esther 8:12View Full Chapter

¹² throughout Artaxerxes’ entire kingdom, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month (that is, the month of Adar).

Addition E

Artaxerxes’ second decree

E Written below is a copy of the letter:

The Great King Artaxerxes writes to the governors in the one hundred twenty-seven provinces from India to Ethiopia, and to those who are loyal to us. Greetings!

² Many people who are greatly honored, owing to the immense generosity of their benefactors, become overly ambitious. ³ Not only do they seek to harm our subjects, but they even attempt to scheme against their own benefactors since they are unable to manage their pride. ⁴ Not only do they fail to exhibit gratitude among people, but encouraged by the boasts of people who know nothing of goodness, they even suppose they will escape the judgment of the God who sees all. ⁵ Often, many people in positions of authority become accessories to the shedding of innocent blood because of the influence of friends they trusted to manage their affairs. They suffer terrible misfortunes ⁶ as a result of the cruel lies of those who take advantage of the innocent goodwill of rulers.

⁷ Now this can be seen, not so much from older accounts that we have inherited but from what is right before your eyes. Consider the ungodly things that have been done as a result of the corruption of those not worthy to hold power. ⁸ But looking to the future, we will make the kingdom peaceful and secure for all people, ⁹ adopting changes and settling those matters that come to our attention with a fair reply.

¹⁰ As for Haman, Hammedatha’s son, a Macedonian, he was not Persian, and was far removed from us in kindness. Yet we warmly welcomed him. ¹¹ He gained the goodwill that we have for every nation to such an extent that he was publicly proclaimed our father. All worshipped him as the person second only to the royal throne. ¹² But when he could no longer hold his pride in check, he made it his business to rob us of our leadership and our life. ¹³ With lies and tricks he called for the destruction of Mordecai, our savior and constant benefactor, and Esther, our innocent partner in the kingdom, together with their whole nation. ¹⁴ He thought that, by these methods, he could render us helpless and turn the Persian Empire over to the Macedonians.

¹⁵ But we find that the Jews, whom this accursed man wanted to destroy, are not criminals but are governed by just laws. ¹⁶ They are children of the most high, most great, living God, who has guided the kingdom on the best course for us and for our ancestors.

¹⁷ You would do well, therefore, not to act on the letters sent by Haman, Hammedatha’s son. ¹⁸ Haman, who devised these things, has been impaled at the gates of Susa together with his entire household. The God who holds power over all things swiftly passed this fair judgment on him. ¹⁹ And you should publish a copy of this letter in every place for all to see, to allow the Jews to live by their own customs, ²⁰ and to assist them so that they can defend themselves against their attackers in the time of distress, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, Adar. ²¹ God, who rules over all things, has made this a joyous day for his chosen line rather than one of destruction. ²² As for you, celebrate it with feasting ²³ as a special holiday among your festivals so that it will be for us, and for all Persians of goodwill, a memorial of deliverance, both now and in the future. But for those who plot against us, it will be a memorial of destruction. ²⁴ Any city or region, without exception, that does not act accordingly will be completely destroyed by fire and spear. This city will be made uninhabitable not only to humans but also to wild animals and birds for all time.

Greek Esther 9:12View Full Chapter

¹² So the king said to Esther in the city of Susa, “The Jews have killed five hundred people in Susa as well as the ten sons of Haman. What have they done in the rest of the royal provinces? What more do you wish now? I’ll give it to you.”

Greek Esther 9:13View Full Chapter

¹³ Esther said to the king, “Give the Jews leave to do likewise tomorrow so that they may hang Haman’s ten sons.”

Greek Esther 9:29View Full Chapter

²⁹ Queen Esther, Aminadab’s daughter, along with Mordecai the Jew, wrote about all they had done and confirmed the letter about Purim.

Greek Esther 9:31View Full Chapter

³¹ Mordecai and Queen Esther established this ruling by their own authority, at the same time that they secured their own well-being and plan.

Greek Esther 9:32View Full Chapter

³² Esther’s order made this decree binding for all time, and it was written down for posterity.

Greek Esther 10:3View Full Chapter

³ Mordecai was second only to King Artaxerxes, and he was a great man in the kingdom. He was held in honor by all the Jews and loved by his whole nation for his conduct.

Addition F

Mordecai interprets his dream

F Mordecai said, “These things came from God. ² I remember the dream that I had about these things. Not one aspect of it failed to come true. ³ There was the little spring that became a great river, and there were light and the sun and an abundance of water. The river is Esther, whom the king married and made queen. ⁴ The two dragons are Haman and myself. ⁵ The nations are those who gathered to wipe out the very name of the Jews.

⁶ “As for my nation Israel, it cried out to God and was saved. The Lord saved his people, and the Lord delivered us from all these evils. God has done signs and great wonders that have not happened among the nations. ⁷ For this reason God made two lots, one to represent God’s people and one to represent the nations. ⁸ These two lots came before God for the hour and season and day of decision in the presence of all the nations. ⁹ God remembered his people and affirmed the just cause of his inheritance.

¹⁰ “The fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar will be observed among God’s people Israel with a gathering, with joy and feasting in the presence of God, from generation to generation forever.”

¹¹ In the fourth year of the rule of Ptolemy and Cleopatra, Dositheus, who affirmed that he was a priest and Levite, and his son Ptolemy brought the preceding letter concerning Purim. They verified its genuineness. Lysimachus, Ptolemy’s son, a resident of Jerusalem, translated the letter.

Esther 1View Full Chapter

Queen Vashti

1 This is what happened back when Ahasuerus lived, the very Ahasuerus who ruled from India to Cush—one hundred twenty-seven provinces in all. ² At that time, Ahasuerus ruled the kingdom from his royal throne in the fortified part of Susa. ³ In the third year of his rule he hosted a feast for all his officials and courtiers. The leaders of Persia and Media attended, along with his provincial officials and officers. ⁴ He showed off the awesome riches of his kingdom and beautiful treasures as mirrors of how very great he was. The event lasted a long time—six whole months, to be exact! ⁵ After that the king held a seven-day feast for everyone in the fortified part of Susa. Whether they were important people in the town or not, they all met in the walled garden of the royal palace. ⁶ White linen curtains and purple hangings were held up by shining white and red-purple ropes tied to silver rings and marble posts. Gold and silver couches sat on a mosaic floor made of gleaming purple crystal, marble, and mother-of-pearl. ⁷ They served the drinks in cups made of gold, and each cup was different. The king made sure there was plenty of royal wine. ⁸ The rule about the drinks was “No limits!” The king had ordered everyone serving wine in the palace to offer as much as each guest wanted. ⁹ At the same time, Queen Vashti held a feast for women in King Ahasuerus’ palace.

¹⁰ On the seventh day, when wine had put the king in high spirits, he gave an order to Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven eunuchs who served King Ahasuerus personally. ¹¹ They were to bring Queen Vashti before him wearing the royal crown. She was gorgeous, and he wanted to show off her beauty both to the general public and to his important guests. ¹² But Queen Vashti refused to come as the king had ordered through the eunuchs. The king was furious, his anger boiling inside. ¹³ Now, when a need arose, the king would often talk with certain very smart people about the best way to handle it. They were people who knew both the kingdom’s written laws and what judges had decided about cases in the past. ¹⁴ The ones he talked with most often were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan. They were seven very important people in Persia and Media who, as the kingdom’s highest leaders, were in the king’s inner circle. So the king said to them, ¹⁵ “According to the law, what should I do with Queen Vashti since she didn’t do what King Ahasuerus ordered her through the eunuchs?”

¹⁶ Then Memucan spoke up in front of the king and the officials. “Queen Vashti,” he said, “has done something wrong not just to the king himself. She has also done wrong to all the officials and the peoples in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus. ¹⁷ This is the reason: News of what the queen did will reach all women, making them look down on their husbands. They will say, ‘King Ahasuerus ordered servants to bring Queen Vashti before him, but she refused to come.’ ¹⁸ This very day, the important women of Persia and Media who hear about the queen will tell the royal officials the same thing. There will be no end of put-downs and arguments. ¹⁹ Now, if the king wishes, let him send out a royal order and have it written into the laws of Persia and Media, laws no one can ever change. It should say that Vashti will never again come before King Ahasuerus. It should also say that the king will give her royal place to someone better than she. ²⁰ When the order becomes public through the whole empire, vast as it is, all women will treat their husbands properly. The rule should touch everyone, whether from an important family or not.”

²¹ The king liked the plan, as did the other men, and he did just what Memucan said. ²² He sent written orders to all the king’s provinces. Each province received it written in its own alphabet and each people received it in its own language. It said that each husband should rule over his own house.