<p class="bodytext">Now there happened to be a Jewish man in Susa the citadel whose name was Mordecai.<n id="1" /> He was the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjaminite,

the ten sons of Haman son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews. But they did not confiscate their property.p>

<p class="bodytext">So the king issued orders for this to be done. A law was passed in Susa, and the ten sons of Haman were hanged.

<p class="bodytext">So the king removed his signet ring<n id="1" /> from his hand and gave it to Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, who was hostile toward the Jews.

Mordecai<n id="1" /> wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed it with the king&#8217;s signet ring. He then sent letters by couriers on horses, who rode royal horses that were very swift.p>

For Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had devised plans against the Jews to destroy them. He had cast <i>puri> (that is, the lot) in order to afflict and destroy them.

<t /><p class="bodytext">Some time later<n id="1" /> King Ahasuerus promoted<n id="2" /> Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, exalting him and setting his position<n id="3" /> above that of all the officials who were with him.

Haman then recounted to them his fabulous wealth,<n id="1" /> his many sons,<n id="2" /> and how the king had magnified him and exalted him over the king&#8217;s other officials and servants.

Then the king said to Queen Esther, &#8220;In Susa the citadel the Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men and the ten sons of Haman! What then have they done in the rest of the king&#8217;s provinces? What is your request? It shall be given to you. What other petition do you have? It shall be done.&#8221;p>

<p class="bodytext">Esther replied, &#8220;If the king is so inclined, let the Jews who are in Susa be permitted to act tomorrow also according to today&#8217;s law, and let them hang the ten sons of Haman on the gallows.&#8221;p>

But when the matter came to the king&#8217;s attention, the king<n id="1" /> gave written orders that Haman&#8217;s<n id="2" /> evil intentions that he had devised against the Jews should fall on his own head. He and his sons were hanged on the gallows.

<p class="bodytext">She said, &#8220;If the king is so inclined and if I have met with his approval and if the matter is agreeable to the king and if I am attractive to him, let an edict be written rescinding those recorded intentions of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite,<n id="1" /> which he wrote in order to destroy the Jews who are throughout all the king&#8217;s provinces.