Esther Chapter Eight
Esther Saves the Jews
1 On that day King Ahasuerus gave to Queen Esther the house of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai came before the king, for Esther had told what he was to her. 2 And the king took off his signet ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.
Deemed now a traitor, Haman’s house (his estate, which would include his family) was given to Esther. Mordecai is invited to see the king after the king heard that he was Esther’s cousin and about how he raised her after her parents died. The king elevates Mordecai’s royal position by giving him the signet ring once worn by Haman. Esther then gives Mordecai ownership of Haman’s estate.
3 Then Esther spoke again to the king. She fell at his feet and wept and pleaded with him to avert the evil plan of Haman the Agagite and the plot that he had devised against the Jews. 4 When the king held out the golden scepter to Esther, Esther rose and stood before the king.
Even though the chief architect of the Jewish massacre was dead, what he put into motion was still law, the problem did not stop with Haman’s death. So Esther once again approaches the king and falls at his feet pleading for him to end the plot to kill the Jews. The king responds to Esther’s emotional plea favorably by extending out the golden scepter at which time she stood up to officially speak to the king.
5 And she said, “If it please the king, and if I have found favor in his sight, and if the thing seems right before the king, and I am pleasing in his eyes, let an order be written to revoke the letters devised by Haman the Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, which he wrote to destroy the Jews who are in all the provinces of the king. 6 For how can I bear to see the calamity that is coming to my people? Or how can I bear to see the destruction of my kindred?”
Esther again pleaded with the king for the law written to destroy all of the Jews be revoked. She concluded as if to say even if she was spared how could she endure life any longer after her people are gone.
7 Then King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, “Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and they have hanged him on the gallows, because he intended to lay hands on the Jews. 8 But you may write as you please with regard to the Jews, in the name of the king, and seal it with the king’s ring, for an edict written in the name of the king and sealed with the king’s ring cannot be revoked.”
The king first summarizes what has been done regarding the plan to destroy the Jews. With this statement it first appears that the king may be satisfied with the actions of executing Haman and the giving of Haman’s estate over to Esther. The king then continues with the idea of writing another decree on behalf of the Jews. Talking to Esther and Mordecai the king suggests they come up with some plan, seal it with the king’s signet and it will also be an irrevocable royal decree.
9 The king’s scribes were summoned at that time, in the third month, which is the month of Sivan, on the twenty-third day. And an edict was written, according to all that Mordecai commanded concerning the Jews, to the satraps and the governors and the officials of the provinces from India to Ethiopia, 127 provinces, to each province in its own script and to each people in its own language, and also to the Jews in their script and their language.
Seventy days after the original decree ordering the execution of all Jews in all of Persia, a new decree was written by Mordecai. The new edict was sent to the Jews and all of the satraps, governors and officials of the Persian Kingdom. The edict was translated and written using the appropriate script and language for each recipient province.
10 And he wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed it with the king’s signet ring. Then he sent the letters by mounted couriers riding on swift horses that were used in the king’s service, bred from the royal stud,
The edict written by Mordecai was sealed with the king’s signet ring giving the document the authority of the king. The copies of the edict were then sent throughout the kingdom on royal horses, likely bred for speed.
11 saying that the king allowed the Jews who were in every city to gather and defend their lives, to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate any armed force of any people or province that might attack them, children and women included, and to plunder their goods, 12 on one day throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar.
The new decree gave the Jews the right to defend themselves. Even though they were not allowed to initiate any hostility, this edict empowered them to fight back when that day came and to plunder any property as a result of their encounter. The date for this allowance was the same date as Haman’s original decree, still nine months away.
13 A copy of what was written was to be issued as a decree in every province, being publicly displayed to all peoples, and the Jews were to be ready on that day to take vengeance on their enemies.
This new decree did not revoke Haman’s decree, but did allow the Jews to defend themselve. Which would give those who might consider attacking any Jew or Jewish family second thoughts.
14 So the couriers, mounted on their swift horses that were used in the king’s service, rode out hurriedly, urged by the king’s command. And the decree was issued in Susa the citadel.
The decree was quickly dispatched throughout the kingdom, including to everyone in the Susa citadel.
15 Then Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal robes of blue and white, with a great golden crown and a robe of fine linen and purple, and the city of Susa shouted and rejoiced. 16 The Jews had light and gladness and joy and honor.
Mordecai wearing royal robes and a gold crown went from the presence of the king, possibly to personally announce to the Jews in Susa about the new edict. The people of the city of Susa were very happy and rejoiced at what they saw and heard. Plus, “The Jews were filled with joy and gladness and were honored everywhere.”[1]
17 And in every province and in every city, wherever the king’s command and his edict reached, there was gladness and joy among the Jews, a feast and a holiday. And many from the peoples of the country declared themselves Jews, for fear of the Jews had fallen on them.
When the copies of the edict reached their destinations, the Jews in every province and city rejoiced with a feast and a special holiday to celebrate. While not a true reversal of the previous edict, this new decree would solve the problem and prevent annihilation of the Jews, and since reversals of this nature rarely, if ever occurred, many of the Jews considered it evidence of the hand of God. Many of the people who had been hiding their identity as being Jewish, now revealed their true identity as they were no longer afraid.
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[1] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Es 8:16). Tyndale House Publishers.