8 That same day, King Ahasuerus gave Queen Esther all the property that had belonged to Haman, the enemy of the Jews. Esther told the king that Mordekai was her cousin and that he had been like a father to her, and so the king summoned Mordekai to come to him. 2 Then the king removed his signet ring which he had retrieved from Haman, and gave it to Mordekai. The queen also put Mordekai in charge of all the property that had belonged to Haman.

3 Then Esther came to speak to the king again, and she knelt down and put her face right on top of his feet. She cried as she begged him to stop Haman’s terrible plan to destroy the Jews. 4 The king held out his golden scepter toward Esther, so she stood up and waited facing the king. 5 “Your majesty,” she said, “if you think that it’s the right thing to do, and if you’re pleased with me, please write a new letter revoking the letters that Haman (the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite) sent out instructing the people to destroy all the Jews throughout your empire. 6 I couldn’t bear to see the terrible thing that is about to happen to my people. I certainly couldn’t bear to see all my relatives destroyed!”

7 Then king Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and to Mordekai the Jew, “Listen, I’ve given the house of Haman to Esther, and they’ve executed him on the pole because he attempted to destroy the Jews. 8 But as you both know, no one can revoke a letter that has my name and my official seal on it. So this is what you should do: write a new letter to help the Jews, as you think best and put my name on it and seal the letter with my signet ring.”

9 It was now June, and the king sent for his scribes and they wrote a letter to the Jews containing everything that Mordekai dictated. It was also addressed to royal officials, and to the governors and leaders in each province. The empire had 127 provinces, extending all the way from India in the east to Ethiopia in the west. The scribes wrote to every province using its own alphabet and to each people group in its own language, and to the Jews in their language and using their alphabet. 10 The letters were written in King Ahasuerus’ name, and each one was sealed with the king’s signet ring. Then the letters were distributed by mounted couriers riding on swift horses bred from the royal mares.

11 The letters stated that the king permitted the Jews in each and every city to get together and defend themselves, and what’s more to destroy, kill, and annihilate all the forces of any people or province hostile to them, including women and children, and then to plunder their possessions. 12 This was to take place on a certain day in every province throughout the empire: the 13th of March[ref] (the same day on which Haman’s law was to take effect). 13 A copy of the decree was to be included as law in every province and to be displayed to all the people so that the Jews could be prepared to fight back against their enemies on that day. 14 So the couriers on the royal horses rode out quickly under the king’s orders to deliver the letters. The new law was also proclaimed throughout the capital city of Shushan.

15 The king gave Mordekai royal clothing that was blue and white, with a large gold crown, and a purple robe made from fine linen. The people of Shushan cheered happily when Mordekai exited the palace. 16 For the Jews, it was a time of light and happiness, and they were honoured by those around them. 17 In every single province and in every single city, wherever the letter announcing the king’s decree was brought, the Jews were very cheerful and had big celebrations. Many people from other groups in the empire became afraid of the Jews, so they converted to Judaism themselves.