Esther's story, chapter 8

Last time, in Esther's story, we had gotten to a pivotal point in the plot.

So, after the King had discovered what Haman was going to do to the Jews, he had Haman hung. Afterwards, he delivered the house of Haman (being all his belongings and his wife and his children) to Esther.

At this point, Esther was finally able to tell her husband who Mordecai was to her. So the King had Mordecai brought into the palace and gave him the ring that Haman had previously had. Esther gave Haman's house to Mordecai.

After this, Esther went again into the King's court and he held out his scepter to her (I guess she probably knew he would now, I doubt she was anywhere near as afraid as she was the first time.).

She begged the King, crying and pleading, that he save her people. You must remember, even though Haman is now dead, the law he put into place is still a law. And what the King had signed, no man could change.

So the King told Mordecai that he could write to all the Jews to tell them to protect themselves.

So Mordecai called the Scribes and had them write letters saying that on the day that the Jews were to be attacked, they should fight back, whether it was men, women, or children attacking, they should defend themselves. And after they had killed their attacker, they would be allowed to take the 'spoils of war', so to speak, from the attacker.

So Mordecai sealed the letters with the King's ring and sent it to all the cities that the first letter had gone to.

When the Jews read this new law, they held a day of feasting and rejoicing. The city of Shushan (where the King lived), was so very glad to see Mordecai, alive and well, dressed in royal clothing with a gold crown on his head. They all knew that he had the King's favor and that their lives were saved.

Many of the other people of the land became Jews during this time, because they were so afraid of what the Jews might do to them.

Next time will be the completion of the story.

Cheers!