On that day did the king Ahasuerus give the house of Haman the Jews'
enemy unto Esther the queen. And Mordecai came before the king; for
Esther had told what he was unto her. And the king took off his ring,
which he had taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai. And Esther set
Mordecai over the house of Haman.
And Esther spake yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet,
and besought him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman and his
device that he had devised against the Jews. Then the king held out to
Esther the golden sceptre. So Esther arose, and stood before the king.
And she said, "If it please the king, and if I have found favor in his
sight, and the thing seem right before the king, and I be pleasing in
his eyes, let it be written to reverse the letters devised by Haman
which he wrote to destroy the Jews which are in all the king's
provinces: for how can I endure to see the evil that shall come unto my
people? or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?"
Then the king Ahasuerus said unto Esther the queen and to Mordecai the
Jew, "Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and him they have
hanged upon the gallows, because he laid his hand upon the Jews. Write
ye also to the Jews, as it liketh you, in the king's name, and seal it
with the king's ring: for the writing which is written in the king's
name, and sealed with the king's ring, may no man reverse."
Then were the king's scribes called at that time, and it was written
according to all that Mordecai commanded unto the Jews, and to the
satraps, and the governors and princes of the provinces, that the king
granted the Jews which were in every city to gather themselves together,
and to stand for their life, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to
perish, all the power of the people and province that would assault
them, their little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for a
prey.
And Mordecai went forth from the presence of the king in royal apparel
of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a robe of
fine linen and purple: and the city of Shushan shouted and was glad. The
Jews had light and gladness, and joy and honor. And in every province,
and in every city, whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree
came, the Jews had gladness and joy, a feast and a good day. And many
from among the peoples of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews
was fallen upon them.