1 After the death of Hamán was Mordecái exalted. 14 Comfortable lettres are ſent vnto the Iewes.

1.THe ſame day did King Ahaſhueróſh giue the houſe of Haman the aduerſarie of the Iewes vnto the Quene Eſtér. And Mordecái ^acame before theKing: for Eſtér tolde what he was ^bvnto her.

2.And the King toke of his ring, which he had taken from Hamán, and gaue it vnto Mordecái: and Eſtér ſet Mordecái ouer the houſe of Hamán.

3.And Eſtér ſpake yet more before y^e King, and fell downe at his fete weping, and beſoght him that he wolde put away the ^cwickednes of Hamán the Agagite, and his deuiſe that he had imagined againſt the Iewes.

4.And the King helde out the goldẽ ^dſceptre toward Eſtér. Then aroſe Eſtér, and ſtode before the King,

5.And ſaid, If it pleaſe the King, and if I haue founde fauour in his ſight, and the thing be acceptable before the King, and I pleaſe him, let it be writen, that the lettres of the deuiſe of Hamán the ſonne of Ammedátha the Agagite may be called againe, which he wrote to deſtroye y^e Iewes, that are in all the Kings prouinces. For how can I ſuffer and ſe the euil, that ſhal come vnto my people? Or how can I ſuffer and ſe the deſtruction of my kinred?

7.And the King Ahaſhueroſh ſaid vnto y^e Quene Eſtér, & to Mordecai the Iewe, Beholde, I haue giuen Eſtér the houſe of Hamán, whome they haue hanged vpon the tre, becauſe he ^"layed hand vpon the Iewes.

8.Write ye alſo for the Iewes, as it liketh you in the Kings name, and ſeale it with the Kings ring, (for the writings writen in the Kings name, and ſealed with the Kings ring, may no ^eman reuoke)

9.Thē were the Kings ſcribes called at the ſame time, euē in the third moneth, that is the moneth ^fSiuán, on the thre & twētieth day thereof: and it was writen, according to all as Mordecai commanded vnto the Iewes and to the prouinces, & captaines, and rulers of the princes, which were from India euen vnto Ethiopia, an hundreth & ſeuen and twentie prouinces, vnto euerie prouince, according to the ^gwriting thereof, and to euerie people after their ſpeache, and to the Iewes, according to their writing, and according to their language.

10.And he wrote in the King Ahaſhueroſh name, and ſealed it with the Kings ring: & he ſent lettres by poſtes on horſebacke ^"that rode on beaſtes of price, as dromedaries ^"coltes of mares.

11.Wherein the King granted the Iewes (in what cities ſoeuer they were) to gather them ſelues together, & to ſtand for ^htheir life, & to roote out, to ſlay & to deſtroye all the power of the people & of the prouince that vexed them, bothe children and women, and to ſpoyle their goods:

12.Vpon one day in all the prouinces of King Ahaſhueroſh, euen in the thirtent day of the twelft moneth, which is the moneth ⁱAdár.

13.The copie of the writing was, how there ſhulde be a commandement giuen in all and euerie prouince, publiſhed among all the people, and that the Iewes ſhulde be readie againſt that day to ^kauenge them ſelues on their enemies.

14.So the poſtes rode vpon beaſtes of price, & dromedaries, & wēt forthe with ſpede, to execute the Kings commandement, & the decree was giuen at Shuſhán y^e palace.

15.And Mordecai went out from the King in royal apparel of blewe, and white, and with a great crowne of golde, and with a garment of fine linen and purple, and the citie of Shuſhán reioyced and was glad.

16.And vnto the Iewes was come light and ^lioye and gladnes, and honour.

17.Alſo in all and euerie prouince, and in all and euerie citie and place, where the Kings commandement & his decree came, there was ioye and gladnes to the Iewes, a feaſt and good day, and many of the people of the land ^mbecame Iewes: for the feare of the Iewes fell vpon them.

Esther 8

Notes