Austah (Esther) — 8

Queen Austah Saves the Yahudym 

1 On that day King Ahasuarus gave Queen Austah the house of Haman, the enemy of the Yahudym. And Murdacayahu came before the king, for Austah had told how he was related to her. 

2 So the king took off his signet ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it to Murdacayahu; and Austah appointed Murdacayahu over the house of Haman.

3 Now Austah spoke again to the king, fell down at his feet, and implored him with tears to counteract the evil of Haman the Agagite, and the scheme which he had devised against the Yahudym. 

4 And the king held out the golden scepter toward Austah. So queen Austah arose and stood before the king, 

5 and said, “If it pleases the king, and if I have found favor in his sight and the thing seems right to the king and I am pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to revoke the letters devised by Haman, the son of Hammadatha the Agagite, which he wrote to annihilate the Yahudym who are in all the king’s provinces. 

6 For how can I endure to see the evil that will come to my people? Or how can I endure to see the destruction of my countrymen?”

7 Then King Ahasuarus said to Queen Austah and Murdacayahu the Yahudym, “Indeed, I have given Austah the house of Haman, and they have hanged him on the gallows because he tried to lay his hand on the Yahudym. 

8 You yourselves write a decree concerning the Yahudym, as you please, in the king’s name, and seal it with the king’s signet ring; for whatever is written in the king’s name and sealed with the king’s signet ring no one can revoke.”

9 So the king’s scribes were called at that time, in the third month, on the twenty-third day; and it was written, according to all that Murdacayahu commanded, to the Yahudym, the satraps, the governors, and the princes of the provinces from India to Athiupia, one hundred and twenty-seven provinces in all, to every province in its own script, to every people in their own language, and to the Yahudym in their own script and language. 

10 And he wrote in the name of King Ahasuarus, sealed it with the king’s signet ring, and sent letters by couriers on horseback, riding on royal horses bred from swift steeds.

11 By these letters the king permitted the Yahudym who were in every city to gather together and protect their lives, to destroy, kill, and annihilate all the forces of any people or province that would assault them, both little children and women, and to plunder their possessions, 

12 on one day in all the provinces of King Ahasuarus, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, 

13 A copy of the document was to be issued as a decree in every province and published for all people, so that the Yahudym would be ready on that day to avenge themselves on their enemies. 

14 The couriers who rode on royal horses went out, hastened and pressed on by the king’s command. And the decree was issued in Shushan the citadel.

15 So Murdacayahu went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, with a great crown of gold and a garment of fine linen and purple; and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad. 

16 The Yahudym had light and gladness, joy and honor. 

17 And in every province and city, wherever the king’s command and decree came, the Yahudym had joy and gladness, a feast and a joyful day. Then many of the people of the land became Yahudym, because fear of the Yahudym fell upon them.