¹On that same day King Xerxes gave the property of Haman, the enemy of the Jews, to Queen Esther. Also, Mordecai came to the king because Esther had told him how Mordecai was related to her. ²Then the king took off his signet ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai. And Esther put Mordecai in charge of Haman’s property.

Esther Brings Her Request to the King

³Esther spoke again to the king. She fell down at his feet crying and begged him to have mercy and to undo the evil plot of Haman, who was from Agag, and his conspiracy against the Jews. ⁴The king held out his golden scepter to Esther, and Esther got up and stood in front of the king. ⁵She said, “Your Majesty, if it pleases you, and if I have found favor with you, if you consider my cause to be reasonable and if I am pleasing to you, cancel the official orders ⸤concerning⸥ the plot of Haman (who was the son of Hammedatha and was from Agag). He signed ⸤the order⸥ to destroy the Jews in all your provinces, Your Majesty. ⁶I cannot bear to see my people suffer such evil. And I simply cannot bear to see the destruction of my relatives.”

⁷King Xerxes said to Queen Esther and Mordecai the Jew, “I have given Haman’s property to Esther, and Haman’s ⸤dead body⸥ was hung on the pole because he tried to kill the Jews. ⁸You write what you think is best for the Jews in the king’s name. Seal it also with the king’s signet ring, because whatever is written in the king’s name and sealed with the king’s signet ring cannot be canceled.”

Read in Logos