Esther 8

In Esther 8, following Haman's downfall, Queen Esther and Mordecai are granted significant authority by King Ahasuerus. Esther pleads for the king to revoke Haman’s decree against the Jews, and the king authorizes Mordecai to issue a new decree allowing the Jews to defend themselves. This chapter highlights a dramatic reversal of fortune for the Jews, as they are empowered to protect themselves against their enemies. Mordecai rises in influence, and the Jewish people prepare for the coming day of conflict with hope rather than despair.

Esther 8:1-5 (NKJV)
1 On that day King Ahasuerus gave Queen Esther the house of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai came before the king, for Esther 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 Mordecai; and Esther appointed Mordecai over the house of Haman.
3 Now Esther 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 Jews.
4 And the king held out the golden scepter toward Esther. So Esther 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 Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to annihilate the Jews who are in all the king’s provinces.

The transfer of Haman’s property to Esther symbolizes the complete reversal of fortunes. Mordecai is elevated to Haman’s former position of power, receiving the king’s signet ring, a symbol of authority. Esther’s continued plea for her people’s safety demonstrates her courage and dedication. Although Haman is gone, the threat of his decree still looms. Esther’s humility and wisdom are evident as she approaches the king with care, seeking not only to save her people but also to act in accordance with the king's will.

Esther 8:6-8 (NKJV)
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 Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and Mordecai the Jew, “Indeed, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and they have hanged him on the gallows because he tried to lay his hand on the Jews.
8 You yourselves write a decree concerning the Jews, 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.”

Esther’s emotional appeal underscores the gravity of the situation, as she expresses her inability to bear witnessing the destruction of her people. In response, King Ahasuerus empowers Esther and Mordecai to take matters into their own hands. He grants them the authority to draft a new decree in his name, knowing that the original edict cannot be revoked. This solution opens the door for a second decree that can counter Haman’s plot without directly nullifying his previous decree, in keeping with Persian legal customs.

Esther 8:9-14 (NKJV)
9 So the king’s scribes were called at that time, in the third month, which is the month of Sivan, on the twenty-third day; and it was written, according to all that Mordecai commanded, to the Jews, the satraps, the governors, and the princes of the provinces from India to Ethiopia, 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 Jews in their own script and language.
10 And he wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus, 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 Jews 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 Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar.
13 A copy of the document was to be issued as a decree in every province and published for all people, so that the Jews 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.

Mordecai’s new decree empowers the Jews to defend themselves against their enemies on the same day Haman’s decree was to take effect. The comprehensive distribution of the decree, reaching all 127 provinces, ensured that every community was aware of the king's support for the Jews. The language in the decree mirrors Haman’s original edict, granting the Jews the right to destroy those who sought their harm. The swift distribution of the letters demonstrates the urgency of the situation and the king’s determination to protect the Jews.

Esther 8:15-17 (NKJV)
15 So Mordecai 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 Jews had light and gladness, joy and honor.
17 And in every province and city, wherever the king’s command and decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a holiday. Then many of the people of the land became Jews, because fear of the Jews fell upon them.

Mordecai’s rise to prominence is symbolized by his royal apparel, reflecting his new status as a trusted advisor of the king. The decree’s announcement transforms the atmosphere in Shushan and throughout the empire, bringing joy and celebration to the Jewish people. The reversal of their fortunes is so profound that many Gentiles express solidarity with the Jews, even converting out of fear and respect for the God of Israel. This dramatic turn of events underscores the theme of divine providence and deliverance that runs through the book of Esther.