Megillat Esther

(1) It happened in the days of Ahashveirosh—that Ahashveirosh who was king over a hundred and twenty-seven provinces from India to Ethiopia. (2) In those days, when King Ahashveirosh sat upon his royal throne in the fortified city of Shushan, (3) in the third year of his reign, he made a banquet for all his officials and servants--the administration of Persia and Media, the nobles and the governors of the provinces who served before him--(4) where he displayed the vast riches of his kingdom and the splendid glory of his majesty for many days, 180 days in all.

(5) At the completion of these days, the king made a banquet for all the people who lived in the fortified city of Shushan, both great and small, for seven days in the court of the king’s palace garden. (6) [There were hangings of] white cotton and blue wool, attached by cords of fine linen and purple wool to silver rods and alabaster columns; and there were couches of gold and silver on a pavement of marble, alabaster, mother-of-pearl, and mosaics. (7) Drinks were served in golden vessels, of all different types, with much royal wine, on the king's authority. (8) And the rule for the drinking was, “No restrictions!” For the king had given orders to every palace steward to do as each person wished. (9) Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in the royal palace belonging to King Ahashveirosh.

(10) On the seventh day, when the king was merry with wine, he told Mehuman, Bizzetha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Karcas, the seven eunuchs in attendance on King Ahashveirosh, (11) to bring Queen Vashti before the king wearing a royal crown, to display her beauty to the peoples and the officials, for she was very attractive. (12) But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s command, as delivered by the eunuchs, and the king was furious and his rage burned within him.

(13) Then the king said to the sages who understood the times (for this was the royal practice toward all who knew law and procedure)--his closest advisers being Karshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memuchan, the seven ministers of Persia and Media who were present before the king and sat first in the kingdom--(15) regarding the law to be applied to Queen Vashti for failing to obey the command of King Ahashveirosh, as delivered by the eunuchs.

(16) Then Memuchan said in the presence of the king and the ministers, “Queen Vashti has committed an offense not only against the king but also against all the officials and against all the peoples in all the provinces of King Ahashveirosh. (17) For the story of the Queen will go forth and make all wives despise their husbands when they say that King Ahashveirosh ordered Queen Vashti to be brought before him, but she did not come. (18) Now this very day the leading ladies of Persia and Media who have heard the story of the Queen will tell it to all the King's officials, causing all sorts of disrespect and outrage! (19) If it please the King, let a royal command go forth from him, and let it be written into the laws of Persia and Media, and never changed, that Vashti shall not enter the presence of King Ahashveirosh, and let the King give her position as queen to a rival who is more worthy than she is.

(20) And the decree that the King will make shall be heard throughout his kingdom, although it is huge; and all wives will give honor to their husbands, both great and small.”

(21) The plan was pleasing to the king and the ministers, and the king did as Memuchan spoke. (22) He sent scrolls to all the provinces of the king--to every province in its own script, and to every nation in its own language--so that every man should be in charge of his own home, as he speaks in the language of his own people.

(1) After these things, when the anger of King Ahashveirosh subsided, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what had been decreed against her. (2) The king’s young men, his servants, said, “Let beautiful virgin girls be sought out for the King. (3) Let the King appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom to assemble every beautiful virgin girl to the fortified city Shushan, into the Women's House, into the hand of Hegeh, the King’s eunuch, guardian of the women, and give them cosmetics. (4) And let the girl who pleases the King be queen instead of Vashti.” The plan pleased the king, and he did so.

(5) There was a Jew in the fortified city Shushan by the name of Mordechai, son of Yair, son of Shim'i, son of Kish, from the tribe of Benjamin, (6) who had been exiled from Jerusalem with the community that was carried into exile along with Yekhoniah, king of Judah, which Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, exiled— (7) He was raising Hadassah—that is, Esther—his uncle’s daughter, for she had neither father nor mother. The girl was attractive and beautiful, and when her father and mother died, Mordechai took her in as his own daughter.

(8) When the king’s word and his law was heard, and many girls were assembled into the fortified city Shushan, into the hand of Hegai, Esther too was taken into the King’s Palace, into the hand of Hegai, guardian of the women. (9) The girl pleased him [Hegai] and won his favor, and he rushed to provide her with her cosmetics and with her gifts, as well as with seven [servant] girls who were fitting from the King’s Palace. And he gave her and her girls special treatment in the Women's House. (10) Esther did not reveal her people or her birth because Mordecai had charged her not to reveal it.

(11) Day after day Mordechai would walk around in front of the court of the Women's House to learn how Esther was doing, and what was happening to her. (12) When each girl’s turn arrived to go to King Ahashveirosh, at the conclusion of twelve months, as prescribed for the women--for this is how the time of their treatments would be spent: six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with perfumes and women’s cosmetics. (13) And this is how the girl would go to the king: whatever she asked for would be given to her to take with her from the Women's House to the King’s Palace. (14) In the evening she would come, and in the morning she would return to the second Women's House, into the hand of Sha'ashgaz, the king’s eunuch, guardian of the concubines. She would not come again to the king unless the king wanted her and she was summoned by name.

(15) And when the turn of Esther arrived-- daughter of Avihail, the uncle of Mordechai, who had taken her in as his daughter--to go to the king, she did not request anything but what Hegai, the king’s eunuch, guardian of the women, advised. And Esther charmed all who saw her. (16) Then Esther was taken to King Ahashveirosh, into his royal palace, in the tenth month, which is the month of Tevet, in the seventh year of his reign. (17) The king loved Esther more than all other women, and she won his attention and favor more than all the virgins. So he set the royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. (18) Then the king made a great banquet for all his officials and servants [called] “the banquet of Esther,” and he instituted a release [from paying tribute] for the provinces, and gave out gifts as the king wished.

(19) Now when the virgins were assembled a second time, Mordechai was sitting at the King's Gate. (20) Esther would not reveal her birth or her people, as Mordechai had charged her--and Esther would follow Mordechai’s words, just as she did while he raised her.

(21) At that time, when Mordechai was sitting at the King's Gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs who guarded the entrance, became very angry and attempted to harm King Ahashveirosh. (22) Mordechai found out about it and told Queen Esther, and Esther reported it to the king in the name of Mordechai. (23) The matter was investigated and confirmed, and the two were hanged on a tree. And this was written down in the Scroll of Records in the king's presence.

(1) After these things, King Ahashveirosh promoted Haman, son of Hammedata the Agagite, and raised him up. He seated him above all his fellow officials. (2) And all the king’s servants who were at the palace gate would kneel down and bow low to Haman, for this is what the king commanded regarding him. But Mordechai would not kneel down and would not bow low.

(3) The king’s servants who were at the palace gate said to Mordechai, “Why do you disobey the king’s command?”

(4) When they spoke to him day after day and he would not listen to them, they told Haman, in order to see whether Mordechai’s words would stand, for he had told them that he was a Jew. (5) When Haman saw that Mordechai would not kneel down or bow low to him, Haman was filled with rage. (6) But he felt it was beneath him to harm Mordechai alone, for they had told him Mordechai’s people. So Haman plotted to destroy all the Jews throughout all the kingdom of Ahashveirosh, Mordechai’s people. (7) In the first month, that is, the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahashveirosh, "pur," that is, a lottery, was cast before Haman concerning every day and every month, [until it fell on] the twelfth month, that is, the month of Adar.

(8) Haman then said to King Ahashveirosh, "There is a certain people, scattered and dispersed among the other peoples in all the provinces of your realm. And their laws are different from every other people's, and they do not obey the king’s laws; and it is not in the King's interest to tolerate them. (9) If it please the King, let a proclamation be written for their destruction, and I will pay ten thousand bars of silver to the stewards for deposit in the King's treasury." (10) So the king removed his ring from his hand and gave it to Haman, son of Hammedata the Agagite, the persecutor of the Jews. (11) And the king said to Haman, “The silver is assigned to you, as is the people, to do with it as you see fit.”

(12) On the thirteenth day of the first month, the king’s scribes were called and a proclamation was written, as Haman ordered, to the king’s satraps, to the governors of every province, and to the officials of every people--each province in its own script, and each people in its own language. It was written in the name of King Ahashveirosh, and sealed with the king’s ring. (13) Scrolls were sent by messengers to all the king’s provinces to destroy, kill, and eliminate all the Jews, from young to old, children and women, in one day: on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, that is, the month of Adar, and to plunder their possessions.

(14) The text of the document was meant to establish a law in every single province, publicly displayed to all the peoples, so that they should be ready for that day. (15) The messengers left urgently at the king's order, and the law was established in the fortified city Shushan. And while the king and Haman sat down to drink, the city of Shushan was stunned.

(1) When Mordechai found out about everything that was done, Mordechai tore his clothes, and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went into the city, and cried out in a loud and bitter cry. (2) And he came up before the palace gate, for one could not enter into the palace gate wearing sackcloth. (3) And in every province where the king’s word and law reached, there was great mourning among the Jews, as well as fasting, weeping, and wailing; sackcloth and ashes were draped over many.

(4) When Esther’s servant girls and eunuchs came and told her, the queen was terribly distressed. She sent clothing for Mordechai to put on, and to remove his sackcloth, but he refused. (5) So Esther called Hathach, one of the eunuchs whom the king had appointed to serve her, and ordered him to find out what Mordechai was doing and why. (6) Then Hathach went out to Mordechai in the city square which was in front of the palace gate. (7) And Mordechai told him everything that happened to him, including the story of the silver that Haman had proposed to pay into the royal treasury for eliminating the Jews. (8) He also gave him the written text of the law that had been established in Shushan for their destruction to show to Esther, and to tell her about it, and to order her to go to the king and plead with him and appeal for her people.

(9) Then Hathach came and told Esther Mordechai’s words. (10) Esther instructed Hathach to address Mordechai [as follows]: (11) “All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that any man or woman who comes to the king at the inner court without being summoned, there is one law for him: to be put to death—unless the king stretches out his golden scepter to him, then he may live. But I have not been summoned to visit the king for thirty days now.” (12) And they told Mordechai Esther's words.

(13) Mordechai said to reply to Esther: “Do not imagine that you, out of all the Jews, will escape in the royal palace. (14) For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have entered into royalty for just such a time.”

(15) Then Esther said to reply to Mordechai: (16) “Go, gather all the Jews who live in Shushan and fast for me—do not eat or drink for three days, night and day. I and my servant girls will also fast this way. And thus I shall go to the king, though it is unlawful—and if I am to perish, I shall perish.” (17) Then Mordechai went forth and did everything just as Esther had ordered him.

(1) On the third day, Esther put on a royal garment and stood in the inner court of the king’s palace, facing the king’s palace, while the king was sitting on his royal throne in the royal palace, facing the entrance to the room. (2) As soon as the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, she charmed him. The king stretched out to Esther the golden scepter which was in his hand, and Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter.

(3) “What's wrong, Queen Esther?” the king asked her. “And what is your request? Up to half the kingdom, it shall be granted to you.” (4) “If it please the King,” Esther said, “let the King and Haman come today to the banquet that I have prepared for him.” (5) The king said, “Go hurry Haman to obey Esther’s word.” So the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared.

(6) At the wine banquet, the king asked Esther, “What is your wish? It shall be granted to you. And what is your request? Up to half the kingdom, it shall be fulfilled.” (7) Esther replied, “My wish and my request—(8) if I have found favor with the King, and if it please the King to grant my wish and to fulfill my request—let the king and Haman come to the banquet which I will prepare for them. And tomorrow I will act on the king's word.”

(9) That day Haman went forth happy and satisfied. But when Haman saw Mordecai at the king's gate, and he did not rise or budge on his account, Haman was filled with rage at Mordechai. (10) But Haman restrained himself and went home. He sent for and brought in his friends and his wife Zeresh. (11) And Haman told them about his splendid riches and his many sons, and about every way the king had promoted him, and how he raised him above the other officials and servants of the king.

(12) Haman said, “Queen Esther even prepared a banquet, and didn't bring in anyone along with the king except me. And tomorrow too she invited me along with the king. (13) But all this means nothing to me every time I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate.” (14) Then his wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “Let a wooden gallows be made, fifty cubits high, and in the morning speak to the king so that they hang Mordecai on it. Then go happily, along with the king, to the banquet.” The plan pleased Haman and he made the gallows.

(1) On that night the king couldn't sleep, and he ordered the Book of Records, the Chronicles, to be brought; and they were read to the king. (2) There it was found written that Mordechai had informed on Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's eunuchs who guarded the entrance, who had sought to harm King Ahashveirosh.

(3) “What honor or glory has been bestowed on Mordechai for this?” the king said. “Nothing at all has been done for him,” said the king’s attendants. (4) “Who is in the court?” the king asked. Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the king's palace to tell the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows he had prepared for him. (5) “Haman is standing in the court,” the king’s servants told him. And the king said, “Let him come in.”

(6) Haman came in and the king asked him, “What should be done for the man whom the king desires to honor?” Haman said to himself, “Whom would the king desire to honor more than me?” (7) So Haman said to the king, “For the man whom the king desires to honor, (8) let them bring royal garments which the king has worn, and a horse on which the king has ridden and on whose head a royal crown has been set; (9) and let one of the king’s noble princes be in charge of the garments and the horse. And they should dress the man whom the king desires to honor and parade him through the city square, while calling out before him: 'This is what is done for the man whom the king desires to honor!'”

(10) “Hurry, then!” said the king to Haman. “Get the clothing and the horse, as you have spoken, and do that for Mordechai the Jew who sits at the king’s gate. Don't leave out one thing from all you have spoken.” (11) So Haman took the clothing and the horse and dressed Mordechai and paraded him through the city square, while calling out before him: "This is what is done for the man whom the king desires to honor!"(12) Then Mordechai returned to the king’s gate, while Haman rushed home full of grief and with his head covered. (13) And Haman told his wife Zeresh and all his friends everything that happened to him. His advisers and his wife Zeresh said to him, “If Mordechai is Jewish--the one before whom you have begun to fall--you will not prevail against him, for you will completely fall down before him.” (14) While they were still speaking with him, the king’s eunuchs arrived and hastily brought Haman to the banquet which Esther had made.

(1) So the king and Haman came to drink with Queen Esther. (2) And also on the second day the king asked Esther during the wine banquet, “What is your wish? It shall be granted to you. And what is your request? Up to half the kingdom, it shall be fulfilled.” (3) Queen Esther replied: “If I have found your favor, my King, and if it please the King, let my life be given to me as my wish, and my people, as my request. (4) For we have been sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, killed, and eliminated. Now if we, both men and women, had only been sold as slaves, I would have stayed silent, for the oppressor is not worth any trouble for the king.”

(5) Then King Ahashveirosh spoke up and he said to Queen Esther, “Who is this man, and where is he who dared to do this?” (6) And Esther said, “An oppressor and an enemy--it's this wicked Haman!” And Haman was terrified before the king and the queen.

(7) Then the king, in a rage, left the wine banquet for the palace garden, while Haman stood up to plead with Queen Esther for his life, since he saw that his doom at the hands of the king was certain. (8) But the king came back from the palace garden to the banquet room and Haman was falling upon the couch that Esther was on. “Will he even take the queen while I'm here at home?!” the king said. As soon as the words left the king’s mouth, Haman’s face turned white.

(9) Then Harvonah, one of the eunuchs attending the king, said, “Moreover, the gallows that Haman made for Mordechai--whose words brought good for the King--is standing there at Haman’s house, fifty cubits high.” The king said, “Hang him on it!” (10) So they hanged Haman on the gallows which he had prepared for Mordecai. And the king’s rage subsided.

(1) On that day King Ahashveirosh gave Queen Esther the household of Haman, the persecutor of the Jews. And Mordechai appeared before the king since Esther had revealed who he was to her. (2) The king took off his ring, which he had taken away from Haman, and gave it to Mordechai. And Esther put Mordecai in charge of Haman’s household.

(3) Esther spoke again to the king; she fell at his feet, wept, and begged him to take away the evil of Haman the Agagite and the plot that he planned against the Jews. (4) The king stretched out his golden scepter to Esther, and Esther got up and stood before the king. (5) “If it please the king,” she said, “and I have found favor before him, and the matter seems right to the king--and I myself please him--let an order be written to bring back the scrolls with the plot of Haman, son of Hammedatha the Agagite, that he wrote in order to eliminate the Jews throughout the King’s provinces. (6) For how could I bear to see the evil which will come upon my people?! And how could I bear to see the elimination of my community?!”(7) Then King Ahashveirosh said to Queen Esther and Mordechai the Jew, “Look now, I have given Haman’s household to Esther, and he has been hanged on the gallows for trying to harm the Jews. (8) Now you yourselves should write in the King’s name and seal it with the King’s ring concerning the Jews, as you see fit. For an order that has been written in the King’s name and sealed with the King’s ring may not be brought back.”

(9) So at that time they called the king’s scribes, on the twenty-third day of the third month, that is, the month of Sivan. And so it was written, according to everything that Mordechai ordered, to the Jews, as well as to the satraps, the governors, and the officials of the provinces from India to Ethiopia, one hundred and twenty-seven provinces--to every province in its own writing, and to every people in its own language, and to the Jews in their writing and their language.

(10) He wrote in the name of King Ahashveirosh and sealed it with the king’s ring. He sent scrolls by mounted couriers, riding horses from the king’s service, bred from swift steeds: (11) That the king has allowed the Jews in every city to assemble and stand up for their lives by destroying, killing, and eliminating any forces of a people or province that attacks them, including women and children, and plunder their possessions, (12) on one day, in all the provinces of King Ahashveirosh: the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, that is, the month of Adar. (13) The text of the order was to be given as a law in every province, openly displayed to all the peoples, so that the Jews should be ready on this day to take revenge against their enemies. (14) The couriers, riding horses from the king’s service, went out urgently and with haste at the king’s word. And the law was given in the fortified city Shushan.

(15) So Mordechai went out from before the king in royal clothing of blue and white, with a great crown of gold, and a cloak of fine linen and purple wool. And the city of Shushan was joyous and happy. (16) The Jews had light and happiness, gladness and honor. (17) And in every province and every city, wherever the king’s word and law reached, the Jews had happiness and gladness, banquets and holidays. And many of the peoples of the land were saying that they were Jews, for the fear of the Jews had fallen upon them.

(1) And in the twelfth month, that is, the month of Adar, on the thirteenth day therein, on which the king’s word and law were meant to be carried out, the day on which the enemies of the Jews expected to rule over them—but the opposite happened in that the Jews were the ones to rule over their enemies. (2) The Jews gathered in their cities throughout the provinces of King Ahashveirosh to harm those who were seeking their ruin. And no one could stand before them, for the fear of them had fallen upon all the peoples. (3) All the officials of the provinces—the satraps, the governors, and the king’s servants—honored the Jews, for the fear of Mordecai had fallen upon them. (4) For Mordecai was admired in the royal palace, and his fame was spreading through all the provinces, since the man Mordecai was growing more and more admired.

(5) So the Jews struck down their enemies with deadly and destructive blows of the sword; they did whatever they wanted with their enemies. (6) In the fortified city Shushan the Jews put to death five hundred men. (7) They also killed: Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, (8) Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, (9) Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai, and Vaizatha, (10) the ten sons of Haman, son of Hammedatha, the persecutor of the Jews—but they did not lay their hands on the spoils. (11) On that day the number of those killed in the fortified city Shushan was reported to the king.

(12) The king said to Queen Esther, “In the fortified city Shushan the Jews have put to death five hundred men and the ten sons of Haman. What must they have done in the rest of the provinces of the King?! So what else is your wish—it shall be given to you? And what is your request—it shall be done?” (13) Esther said, “If it please the king, let the Jews in Shushan be allowed tomorrow as well to act according to today's law, and let them hang Haman's ten sons on the gallows.” (14) The king declared that this be done, and the law was set forth in Shushan, and Haman’s ten sons were hanged. (15) And the Jews in Shushan gathered again on the fourteenth day in the month of Adar and killed three hundred men in Shushan—but they did not lay their hands on the spoils.

(16) The rest of the Jews who were in the king’s provinces gathered together, standing up for their lives, gaining relief from their enemies, and killing seventy-five thousand of their foes—but they did not lay their hands on the spoils. (17) This was on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar, and they rested on the fourteenth day therein, making it a day of banquets and celebration. (18) But the Jews in Shushan gathered together on the thirteenth therein, and the fourteenth therein, resting on the fifteenth therein, making it a day of banquets and celebration. (19) Because of this, Jews in the countryside who live in unwalled towns make the fourteenth day of the month of Adar a day of celebration, banquets, and a holiday, and a time for each person to send gifts to their friend.

(20) Mordechai wrote down these matters, and he sent scrolls to all the Jews who were in all the provinces of King Ahashveirosh, both near and far, (21) charging them to keep the fourteenth day of the month of Adar, and the fifteenth day therein, year in and year out—(22) the very days upon which the Jews gained relief from their enemies, and the month which was reversed for them from sorrow to celebration, and from mourning to holiday, to make them days of banquets and celebration, and a time for each person to send presents to their friend and gifts to the poor.

(23) The Jews [officially] accepted what they had begun to keep, and about which Mordecai had written to them. (24) For Haman, son of Hammedatha the Agagite, persecutor of all the Jews, had planned to eliminate the Jews, and he cast pur—that is, the lottery—in order to shock them and eliminate them. (25) But when she came before the king, he declared: “With this scroll, let the evil plan which he designed against the Jews return on his own head!” And they hanged him and his sons on the gallows.

(26) Because of this, they called these days "Purim," based on the word pur. Therefore, based on all the words of this letter, and what they had faced at this time, and what had happened to them, (27) the Jews established and accepted upon themselves, and upon their offspring, and upon all who join them—so it should never cease—to keep these two days, just as it is written about them, and at their right time, year in and year out. (28) So these days are remembered and practiced in every generation, every family, every province, and every city. And these days of Purim shall not cease from among the Jews, and their memory shall not come to an end among their offspring.

(29) Then Queen Esther, daughter of Avihail, and Mordechai the Jew wrote, with full authority, to confirm this Purim letter a second time. (30) He sent scrolls to all the Jews, to all one hundred and twenty-seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahashveirosh, with words of sincere greeting, (31) in order to confirm these days of Purim at their right times, just as Mordechai the Jew and Queen Esther charged them to do, and just as they had established matters of their fasting and crying out upon themselves and their offspring. (32) And Esther’s decree established these matters of Purim and was written in a scroll.

(1) Then King Ahashveirosh placed a tax upon the land and the islands of the sea. (2) And the full story of his authority and power, and an account of the greatness of Mordechai which the king bestowed on him, are they not written in the Scroll of Chronicles of the Kings of Media and Persia? (3) For Mordecai the Jew was second in importance after King Ahashveirosh, and he was greatly admired by the Jews, and popular among the masses of his community, seeking good for his people, and speaking up for the welfare of all his offspring.