Esther 10

CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN	Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
1 The king passed that night without sleep, and so he ordered the histories and chronicles of former times to be brought to him. And when they were reading them before him,	1 King Ahasuerus laid tribute on the land and on the coastlands of the sea.
2 they came to that place where it had been written, how Mordecai had reported the treachery of Bigthan and Teresh the eunuchs, who desired to cut the throat of king Artaxerxes.	2 And all the acts of his power and might, and the full account of the high honor of Mordecai, to which the king advanced him, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia?
3 When the king had heard this, he said, “What honor and reward has Mordecai been given for this fidelity?” His servants and ministers said to him, “He has received no compensation at all.”	3 For Mordecai the Jew was next in rank to King Ahasuerus, and he was great among the Jews and popular with the multitude of his brethren, for he sought the welfare of his people and spoke peace to all his people.
4 And immediately the king said, “Who is in the atrium?” For, you see, Haman was entering the inner atrium of the king’s house to suggest to the king that he should order Mordecai to be hanged on the gallows, which had been prepared for him.	4 And Mordecai said, "These things have come from God.
5 The servants answered, “Haman is standing in the atrium.” And the king said, “Let him enter.”	5 For I remember the dream that I had concerning these matters, and none of them has failed to be fulfilled.
6 And when he had entered, he said to him, “What ought to be done for the man whom the king wishes to honor?” But Haman, thinking in his heart and supposing that the king would honor no one else but himself,	6 The tiny spring which became a river, and there was light and the sun and abundant water the river is Esther, whom the king married and made queen.
7 answered, “The man whom the king wishes to honor,	7 The two dragons are Haman and myself.
8 ought to be clothed with the king’s apparel, and be set upon the horse that the king rides, and receive the royal crown upon his head.	8 The nations are those that gathered to destroy the name of the Jews.
9 And let the first of the king’s rulers and sovereigns hold his horse, and, as they advance through the street of the city, proclaim before him and say, ‘Thus shall he be honored, whom the king decides to honor.’ ”	9 And my nation, this is Israel, who cried out to God and were saved. The Lord has saved his people; the Lord has delivered us from all these evils; God has done great signs and wonders, which have not occurred among the nations.
10 And the king said to him, “Hurry, take the robe and the horse, and do as you have said to Mordecai the Jew, who sits in front of the gate of the palace. Be careful not to omit any of those things which you have mentioned.”	10 For this purpose he made two lots, one for the people of God and one for all the nations.
11 And so Haman took the robe and the horse, and arraying Mordecai in the street of the city, and setting him on the horse, he went before him and cried out, “He is worthy of this honor, whom the king has decided to honor.”	11 And these two lots came to the hour and moment and day of decision before God and among all the nations.
12 And Mordecai returned to the palace door. And Haman hurried to go to his house, mourning and hiding his head.	12 And God remembered his people and vindicated his inheritance.
13 As they were still speaking, the king’s eunuchs arrived and compelled him to go quickly to the feast, which the queen had prepared.	13 So they will observe these days in the month of Adar, on the fourteenth and fifteenth of that month, with an assembly and joy and gladness before God, from generation to generation for ever among his people Israel."