the property of Haman, which she entrusts to Mordecai. Mordecai, now revealed as Esther’s kin, is promoted to the position vacated by Haman. The second scene, 8:3–8, relates the dialogue between Esther and Xerxes, as Esther seeks to get the king to revoke Haman’s decree. The king will not revoke the decree, which would be considered a breach of Persian law. Instead, he gives Esther and Mordecai permission to write an edict that will countervail Haman’s plot. It is still unclear how that end will