Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians {is}, That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed.

If it please the king, let there go a royal commandment from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, that it be not altered, That Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate unto another that is better than she. {If it...: Heb. If it be good with the king} {unto...: Heb. unto her companion} {from him: Heb. from before him} {be not...: Heb. pass not away}

Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king's decree; Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask {a petition} of any God or man within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing {is} true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.

Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness {which} they have prescribed; {that write...: or, to the writers that write grievousness}

Then were the king's scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the king's lieutenants, and to the governors that {were} over every province, and to the rulers of every people of every province according to the writing thereof, and {to} every people after their language; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king's ring. {scribes: or, secretaries}

And he wrote in the king Ahasuerus' name, and sealed {it} with the king's ring, and sent letters by posts on horseback, {and} riders on mules, camels, {and} young dromedaries:

Write ye also for the Jews, as it liketh you, in the king's name, and seal {it} with the king's ring: for the writing which is written in the king's name, and sealed with the king's ring, may no man reverse.

And Esther spake yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet, and besought him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his device that he had devised against the Jews. {and besought...: Heb. and she wept, and besought him}

Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king's decree; Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask {a petition} of any God or man within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing {is} true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.

If it please the king, let there go a royal commandment from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, that it be not altered, That Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate unto another that is better than she. {If it...: Heb. If it be good with the king} {unto...: Heb. unto her companion} {from him: Heb. from before him} {be not...: Heb. pass not away}

Write ye also for the Jews, as it liketh you, in the king's name, and seal {it} with the king's ring: for the writing which is written in the king's name, and sealed with the king's ring, may no man reverse.

Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians {is}, That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed.

Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness {which} they have prescribed; {that write...: or, to the writers that write grievousness}

Then were the king's scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the king's lieutenants, and to the governors that {were} over every province, and to the rulers of every people of every province according to the writing thereof, and {to} every people after their language; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king's ring. {scribes: or, secretaries}

So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the passover unto the LORD God of Israel at Jerusalem: for they had not done {it} of a long {time in such sort} as it was written.

Prepare against her the nations with the kings of the Medes, the captains thereof, and all the rulers thereof, and all the land of his dominion.