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Esther 6-8
Contemporary English Version
Esther 6-8
Contemporary English Version
The King Honors Mordecai
6 That night the king could not sleep, and he had a servant read him the records of what had happened since he had been king. 2 (A) When the servant read how Mordecai had kept Bigthana and Teresh from killing the king, 3 the king asked, “What has been done to reward Mordecai for this?”
“Nothing, Your Majesty!” the king's servants replied.
4 About this time, Haman came in to ask the king to have Mordecai hanged on the gallows he had built. The king saw him and asked, “Who is that man waiting in front of the throne room?”
5 The king's servants answered, “Your Majesty, it is Haman.”
“Tell him to come in,” the king commanded.
6 When Haman entered the room, the king asked him, “What should I do for a man I want to honor?”
Haman was sure that he was the one the king wanted to honor. 7 So he replied, “Your Majesty, if you wish to honor a man, 8 get someone to bring him one of your own robes and one of your own horses with a fancy headdress. 9 Tell one of your highest officials to place your robe on this man and lead him through the streets on your horse, while someone shouts, ‘This is how the king honors a man!’ ”
10 The king replied, “Hurry and do just what you have said! Don't forget a thing. Get the robe and the horse for Mordecai the Jew, who serves as one of the king's officials!”
11 Haman got the king's robe and put it on Mordecai. He led him through the city on the horse and shouted as he went, “This is how the king honors a man!”
12 Afterwards, Mordecai returned to his duties in the king's palace, and Haman hurried home, hiding his face in shame. 13 Haman told his wife and friends what had happened. Then his wife and his advisors said, “If Mordecai is a Jew, this is just the beginning of your troubles! You will end up a ruined man.” 14 They were still talking, when the king's servants came and quickly took Haman to the dinner that Esther had prepared.
Haman Is Punished
7 The king and Haman were dining with Esther 2 and drinking wine during the second dinner, when the king again said, “Esther, what can I do for you? Just ask, and I will give you as much as half of my kingdom!”
3 Esther answered, “Your Majesty, if you really care for me and are willing to help, you can save me and my people. That's what I really want, 4 because a reward has been promised to anyone who kills my people. Your Majesty, if we were merely going to be sold as slaves, I would not have bothered you.”[a]
5 “Who would dare to do such a thing?” the king asked.
6 Esther replied, “That evil Haman is the one out to get us!”
Haman was terrified, as he looked at the king and the queen.
7 The king was so angry that he got up, left his wine, and went out into the palace garden.
Haman realized that the king had already decided what to do with him, and he stayed and begged Esther to save his life.
8 Just as the king came back into the room, Haman got down on his knees beside Esther, who was lying on the couch. The king shouted, “Now you're even trying to rape my queen here in my own palace!”
As soon as the king said this, his servants covered Haman's head. 9 Then Harbona, one of the king's personal servants, said, “Your Majesty, Haman built a gallows 22 meters high beside his house, so he could hang Mordecai on it. And Mordecai is the very one who spoke up and saved your life.”
“Hang Haman from his own gallows!” the king commanded. 10 At once, Haman was hanged on the gallows he had built to hang Mordecai, and the king calmed down.
A Happy Ending for the Jews
8 Before the end of the day, King Xerxes gave Esther everything that had belonged to Haman, the enemy of the Jews. Esther told the king that Mordecai was her cousin. So the king made Mordecai one of his highest officials 2 and gave him the royal ring that Haman had worn. Then Esther put Mordecai in charge of Haman's property.
3 Once again Esther went to speak to the king. This time she fell down at his feet, crying and begging, “Please stop Haman's evil plan to have the Jews killed!” 4 King Xerxes held out the golden scepter to Esther, 5 and she got up and said, “Your Majesty, I know that you will do the right thing and that you really love me. Please stop what Haman has planned. He has already sent letters demanding that the Jews in all your provinces be killed, 6 and I can't bear to see my people and my own relatives destroyed.”
7 King Xerxes then said to Esther and Mordecai, “I have already ordered Haman to be hanged and his house given to Esther, because of his evil plans to kill the Jews. 8 (B) I now give you permission to make a law that will save the lives of your people. You may use my ring to seal the law, so that it can never be changed.”
9 On the twenty-third day of Sivan,[b] the third month, the king's secretaries wrote the law. They obeyed Mordecai and wrote to the Jews, the rulers, the governors, and the officials of all 127 provinces from India to Ethiopia.[c] The letters were written in every language used in the kingdom, including the Jewish language. 10 They were written in the name of King Xerxes and sealed with his ring. Then they were taken by messengers who rode the king's finest and fastest horses.
11-13 In these letters the king said:
On the thirteenth day of Adar,[d] the twelfth month, the Jews in every city and province will be allowed to get together and defend themselves. They may destroy any army that attacks them, and they may kill all of their enemies, including women and children. They may also take everything that belongs to their enemies.
A copy of this law is to be posted in every province and read by everyone.
14-15 Then the king ordered his messengers to take their fastest horses and deliver the law as quickly as possible to every province. When Mordecai left, he was wearing clothes fit for a king. He wore blue and white robes, a large gold crown, and a cape made of fine linen and purple cloth.
After the law was announced in Susa, everyone shouted and cheered, 16 and the Jews were no longer afraid. In fact, they were very happy and felt that they had won a victory.
17 In every province and city where the law was sent, the Jews had parties and celebrated. Many of the people in the provinces accepted the Jewish religion, because they were now afraid of the Jews.
Esther 6-8
New International Version
Esther 6-8
New International Version
Mordecai Honored
6 That night the king could not sleep;(A) so he ordered the book of the chronicles,(B) the record of his reign, to be brought in and read to him. 2 It was found recorded there that Mordecai had exposed Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s officers who guarded the doorway, who had conspired to assassinate King Xerxes.(C)
3 “What honor and recognition has Mordecai received for this?” the king asked.
“Nothing has been done for him,”(D) his attendants answered.
4 The king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the palace to speak to the king about impaling Mordecai on the pole he had set up for him.
5 His attendants answered, “Haman is standing in the court.”
“Bring him in,” the king ordered.
6 When Haman entered, the king asked him, “What should be done for the man the king delights to honor?”
Now Haman thought to himself, “Who is there that the king would rather honor than me?” 7 So he answered the king, “For the man the king delights to honor, 8 have them bring a royal robe(E) the king has worn and a horse(F) the king has ridden, one with a royal crest placed on its head. 9 Then let the robe and horse be entrusted to one of the king’s most noble princes. Let them robe the man the king delights to honor, and lead him on the horse through the city streets, proclaiming before him, ‘This is what is done for the man the king delights to honor!(G)’”
10 “Go at once,” the king commanded Haman. “Get the robe and the horse and do just as you have suggested for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king’s gate. Do not neglect anything you have recommended.”
11 So Haman got(H) the robe and the horse. He robed Mordecai, and led him on horseback through the city streets, proclaiming before him, “This is what is done for the man the king delights to honor!”
12 Afterward Mordecai returned to the king’s gate. But Haman rushed home, with his head covered(I) in grief, 13 and told Zeresh(J) his wife and all his friends everything that had happened to him.
His advisers and his wife Zeresh said to him, “Since Mordecai, before whom your downfall(K) has started, is of Jewish origin, you cannot stand against him—you will surely come to ruin!”(L) 14 While they were still talking with him, the king’s eunuchs arrived and hurried Haman away to the banquet(M) Esther had prepared.
Haman Impaled
7 So the king and Haman went to Queen Esther’s banquet,(N) 2 and as they were drinking wine(O) on the second day, the king again asked, “Queen Esther, what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom,(P) it will be granted.(Q)”
3 Then Queen Esther answered, “If I have found favor(R) with you, Your Majesty, and if it pleases you, grant me my life—this is my petition. And spare my people—this is my request. 4 For I and my people have been sold to be destroyed, killed and annihilated.(S) If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet, because no such distress would justify disturbing the king.[a]”
5 King Xerxes asked Queen Esther, “Who is he? Where is he—the man who has dared to do such a thing?”
6 Esther said, “An adversary and enemy! This vile Haman!”
Then Haman was terrified before the king and queen. 7 The king got up in a rage,(T) left his wine and went out into the palace garden.(U) But Haman, realizing that the king had already decided his fate,(V) stayed behind to beg Queen Esther for his life.
8 Just as the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet hall, Haman was falling on the couch(W) where Esther was reclining.(X)
The king exclaimed, “Will he even molest the queen while she is with me in the house?”(Y)
As soon as the word left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face.(Z) 9 Then Harbona,(AA) one of the eunuchs attending the king, said, “A pole reaching to a height of fifty cubits[b](AB) stands by Haman’s house. He had it set up for Mordecai, who spoke up to help the king.”
The king said, “Impale him on it!”(AC) 10 So they impaled(AD) Haman(AE) on the pole(AF) he had set up for Mordecai.(AG) Then the king’s fury subsided.(AH)
The King’s Edict in Behalf of the Jews
8 That same day King Xerxes gave Queen Esther the estate of Haman,(AI) the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai came into the presence of the king, for Esther had told how he was related to her. 2 The king took off his signet ring,(AJ) which he had reclaimed from Haman, and presented it to Mordecai. And Esther appointed him over Haman’s estate.(AK)
3 Esther again pleaded with the king, falling at his feet and weeping. She begged him to put an end to the evil plan of Haman the Agagite,(AL) which he had devised against the Jews. 4 Then the king extended the gold scepter(AM) to Esther and she arose and stood before him.
5 “If it pleases the king,” she said, “and if he regards me with favor(AN) and thinks it the right thing to do, and if he is pleased with me, let an order be written overruling the dispatches that Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, devised and wrote to destroy the Jews in all the king’s provinces. 6 For how can I bear to see disaster fall on my people? How can I bear to see the destruction of my family?”(AO)
7 King Xerxes replied to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, “Because Haman attacked the Jews, I have given his estate to Esther, and they have impaled(AP) him on the pole he set up. 8 Now write another decree(AQ) in the king’s name in behalf of the Jews as seems best to you, and seal(AR) it with the king’s signet ring(AS)—for no document written in the king’s name and sealed with his ring can be revoked.”(AT)
9 At once the royal secretaries were summoned—on the twenty-third day of the third month, the month of Sivan. They wrote out all Mordecai’s orders to the Jews, and to the satraps, governors and nobles of the 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush.[c](AU) These orders were written in the script of each province and the language of each people and also to the Jews in their own script and language.(AV) 10 Mordecai wrote in the name of King Xerxes, sealed the dispatches with the king’s signet ring, and sent them by mounted couriers, who rode fast horses especially bred for the king.
11 The king’s edict granted the Jews in every city the right to assemble and protect themselves; to destroy, kill and annihilate the armed men of any nationality or province who might attack them and their women and children,[d] and to plunder(AW) the property of their enemies. 12 The day appointed for the Jews to do this in all the provinces of King Xerxes was the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar.(AX) 13 A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued as law in every province and made known to the people of every nationality so that the Jews would be ready on that day(AY) to avenge themselves on their enemies.
14 The couriers, riding the royal horses, went out, spurred on by the king’s command, and the edict was issued in the citadel of Susa.(AZ)
The Triumph of the Jews
15 When Mordecai(BA) left the king’s presence, he was wearing royal garments of blue and white, a large crown of gold(BB) and a purple robe of fine linen.(BC) And the city of Susa held a joyous celebration.(BD) 16 For the Jews it was a time of happiness and joy,(BE) gladness and honor.(BF) 17 In every province and in every city to which the edict of the king came, there was joy(BG) and gladness among the Jews, with feasting and celebrating. And many people of other nationalities became Jews because fear(BH) of the Jews had seized them.(BI)
Footnotes
- Esther 7:4 Or quiet, but the compensation our adversary offers cannot be compared with the loss the king would suffer
- Esther 7:9 That is, about 75 feet or about 23 meters
- Esther 8:9 That is, the upper Nile region
- Esther 8:11 Or province, together with their women and children, who might attack them;
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