Esther
Chapter 12
Royal Edict Against the Jews
The letter read as follows: The great King Ahasuerus to the governors of the hundred twenty-seven provinces from India to Ethiopia, and those under their authority.
As ruler of many nations and master of the entire world, I have resolved never to be swayed by the arrogance of power but always to govern with fairness and mercy, to provide my subjects with a life free of hardship, and to restore the peace that everyone desires by making my government humane and truly civilized within the borders of my kingdom.
When I consulted my advisers on how this might be achieved, Haman, who excels among us in wisdom, who has earned distinction for trustworthiness and loyalty, and who has attained the second rank in the kingdom,
brought to our attention the existence throughout my realm of a people of ill will, and whose laws clash with those of every nation. Their ongoing disregard for the king’s orders prevents unity in the empire.
Considering, therefore, the ongoing opposition of these people to all humankind, their strange legal system and unusual way of life, their hostility toward our interests, and the damage they cause to the stability of our kingdom:
We hereby decree that all the people mentioned in Haman’s letters, who is in charge of affairs and like a second father to us, be utterly destroyed along with women and children by the sword, without mercy or hesitation, on the fourteenth day of the twelfth month, Adar, of this year.
This way, when these people, with their past and present ill will, have gone down into the world of the dead in a single day, they can finally leave our government in complete stability and peace.
Mordecai’s Plea to Esther
And to tell her:
“Remember the days when you were humble and under my care. Haman, second only to the king, has asked for our lives. Pray to the Lord and speak to the king on our behalf. Save us from death.”
Commentaries
Royal Edict Against the Jews.
The Greek author has crafted a text in which he aims to analyze and denounce the motives behind this raison d’état that leads to genocide. In doing so, he has created a document that remains relevant today. In the hands of the Greek author, the decree transforms into an indignant and sarcastic critique of many similar situations: those experienced by the Hebrews under the Diadochi and their successors, those they will face under the Romans, and others throughout history.
Mordecai’s Plea to Esther.
Queen Esther has learned about the danger threatening her people. The editor who added to the Hebrew text includes Mordecai’s plea to the queen here, urging her to call upon the Lord and intercede before the king.