The Septuagint (LXX) version of Esther contains a number of sections not found in the Hebrew version of the text (chs. 11–16). These Greek chapters are canonical in a variety of traditions.
In the fourth year of the reign of Ptolemy and Cleopatra, Dositheus, who said he was a priest, and of the Levitical race, and Ptolemy his son brought this letter of Purim, which they said Lysimachus the son of Ptolemy had interpreted in Jerusalem. In the second year of the reign of Artaxerxes the great, in the first day of the month of Nisan, Mordecai the son of Jair, the son of Semei, the son of Cis, of the tribe of Benjamin: a Jew who dwelt in the city of Shushan, a great man and among the first of the king’s court, had a dream. Now he was of the number of the captives, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried away from Jerusalem with Jehoiachin king of Judah: And this was his dream: Behold, there were voices, and tumults, and thunders, and earthquakes, and a disturbance on the earth. And behold, two great dragons came forth ready to fight against one another. And at their cry all nations were stirred up to fight against the nation of the just. And that was a day of darkness and danger, of tribulation and distress, and great fear on the earth. And the nation of the just was troubled fearing their own evils and was prepared for death. And they cried to God: and as they were crying, a little fountain grew into a very great river, and abounded into many waters. The light and the sun rose up, and the humble were exalted, and they devoured the glorious. And when Mordecai had seen this, and arose out of his bed, he was thinking what God would do: and he kept it fixed in his mind, desirous to know what the dream should signify.
And he abode at that time in the king’s court with Bagatha and Thara, the king’s eunuchs, who were porters of the palace. And when he understood their designs, and had diligently searched into their projects, he learned that they went about to lay violent hands on King Artaxerxes, and he told the king thereof. Then the king had them both examined, and after they had confessed, commanded them to be put to death. But the king made a record of what was done: and Mordecai also committed the memory of the thing to writing. And the king commanded him to abide in the court of the palace, and gave him presents for the information. But Haman, the son of Amadathi the Bugite, was in great honor with the king, and sought to hurt Mordecai and his people, because of the two eunuchs of the king who were put to death.
And this was the copy of the letter: Artaxerxes the great king who reigns from India to Ethiopia, to the princes and governors of the one hundred and twenty-seven provinces that are subject to his empire, greetings. Whereas I reigned over many nations, and had brought all the world under my dominion, I was not willing to abuse the greatness of my power, but to govern my subjects with clemency and leniency, that they might live quietly without any terror, and might enjoy peace, which is desired by all men. But when I asked my counselors how this might be accomplished, one that excelled the rest in wisdom and fidelity, and was second after the king, Haman by name, he told me that there was a people scattered through the whole world, which used new laws, and acted against the customs of all nations, despised the commands of kings, and violated by their opposition the concord of all nations. For what reason having learned this, and seeing one nation in opposition to all mankind using perverse laws, and going against our commands, and disturbing the peace and concord of the provinces subject to us, we have commanded that all whom Haman will mark out, who is chief over all the provinces, and second after the king, and whom we honor as a father, will be utterly destroyed by their enemies, with their wives and children, and that none will have pity on them, on the fourteenth day of the twelfth month Adar of this present year: that these wicked men going down to Hades in one day, may restore to our empire the peace which they had disturbed. But Mordecai implored the Lord, remembering all His works, and said, “O Lord, Lord, almighty King, for all things are in Your power, and there is none that can resist Your will, if You determine to save Israel. You have made the heavens and earth, and all things that are under the cover of Heaven. You are Lord of all, and there is none that can resist Your majesty. You know all things, and You know that it was not out of pride and contempt, or any desire of glory, that I refused to worship the proud Haman, (for I would willingly and readily for the salvation of Israel have kissed even the steps of his feet,) but I feared lest I should transfer the honor of my God to a man, and lest I should adore anyone except my God. And now, O Lord, O King, O God of Abraham, have mercy on Your people, because our enemies resolve to destroy us, and extinguish Your inheritance. Do not despise Your portion, which You have redeemed for Yourself out of Egypt. Hear my supplication, and be merciful to Your lot and inheritance, and turn our mourning into joy, that we may live and praise Your Name, O Lord, and do not shut the mouths of them that sing to You.” And all Israel with like mind and supplication cried to the Lord, because they saw certain death hanging over their heads.
Queen Esther also, fearing the danger that was at hand, had recourse to the Lord. And when she had laid away her royal apparel, she put on garments suitable for weeping and mourning: instead of various precious ointments, she covered her head with ashes and dung, and she humbled her body with fasts: and all the places in which before she was accustomed to rejoice, she filled with her torn hair. And she prayed to the Lord, the God of Israel, saying, “O my Lord, who alone are our King, help me, a desolate woman, and who has no other helper but You. My danger is in my hands. I have heard from my father that You, O Lord, took Israel from among all nations, and our fathers from all their predecessors, to possess them as a perpetual inheritance, and You have done to them as You have promised. We have sinned in Your sight, and therefore You have delivered us into the hands of our enemies: For we have worshiped their gods. You are just, O Lord. And now they are not content to oppress us with most hard bondage, but attributing the strength of their hands to the power of their idols, they design to change Your promises, and destroy Your inheritance, and shut the mouths of them that praise You, and extinguish the glory of Your temple and altar, that they may open the mouths of nations, and praise the strength of idols, and magnify a carnal king forever. Do not give, O Lord, Your scepter to them that are nothing, lest they laugh at our ruin, but turn their counsel on themselves, and destroy him that has begun to rage against us. Remember, O Lord, and show Yourself to us in the time of our tribulation, and give me boldness, O Lord, King of gods, and of all power: give me a well-ordered speech in my mouth in the presence of the lion, and turn his heart to the hatred of our enemy, that both he himself may perish, and the rest that consent to him. But deliver us by Your hand, and help me, who has no other helper, but You, O Lord, who has the knowledge of all things. And You know that I hate the glory of the wicked, and abhor the bed of the uncircumcised, and of every stranger. You know my necessity, that I abominate the sign of my pride and glory, which is on my head in the days of my public appearance, and detest it as a menstruous rag, and do not wear it in the days of my silence, and that I have not eaten at Haman’s table, nor has the king’s banquet pleased me, and that I have not drunk the wine of the drink offerings: And that Your handmaid has never rejoiced, since I was brought here to this day, but in You, O Lord, the God of Abraham. O God, who is mighty above all, hear the voice of them that have no other hope, and deliver us from the hand of the wicked, and deliver me from my fear.”
And he [(Mordecai)] commanded her to go to the king, and petition for her people, and for her country. “Remember,” [he said,] “the days of your low estate, how you were brought up by my hand, because Haman—the second after the king—has spoken against us to [put us to] death. And you [must] call on the Lord, and speak to the king for us, and deliver us from death.” And on the third day she laid away the garments she wore, and put on her glorious apparel. And glittering in royal robes, after she had called on God the Ruler and Savior of all, she took two maids with her, and she leaned on one of them, as if for delicateness and excessive tenderness she were not able to bear up her own body. And the other maid followed her lady, bearing up her train flowing on the ground. But she with a rosy color in her face, and with gracious and bright eyes, hid a mind full of anguish, and exceeding great fear. So going in she passed through all the doors in order, and stood before the king, where he sat on his royal throne, clothed with his royal robes, and glittering with gold, and precious stones, and he was terrible to behold. And when he had lifted up his countenance, and with burning eyes had shown the wrath of his heart, the queen sunk down, and her color turned pale, and she rested her weary head on her handmaid. And God changed the king’s spirit into mildness, and all in haste and in fear he leaped from his throne, and holding her up in his arms, until she came to herself, caressed her with these words: “What is the matter, Esther? I am your brother, do not fear. You will not die, for this law is not made for you, but for all others. Come near then, and touch the scepter.” And as she held her peace, he took the golden scepter, and laid it on her neck, and kissed her, and said, “Why do you not speak to me?” She answered, “I saw you, my lord, as a messenger of God, and my heart was troubled for fear of your majesty. For you, my lord, are very admirable, and your face is full of graces.” And while she was speaking, she fell down again, and was almost in a swoon. But the king was troubled, and all his servants comforted her.
1 The great King Artaxerxes, from India to Ethiopia, to the governors and princes of one hundred and twenty-seven provinces, which obey our command, sends greetings. 2 Many have abused to pride the goodness of princes, and the honor that has been bestowed on them: 3 and not only endeavor to oppress the king’s subjects, but not bearing the glory that is given them, take in hand to practice also against them that gave it. 4 Neither are they content not to return thanks for benefits received, and to violate in themselves the laws of humanity, but they think they can also escape the justice of God who sees all things. 5 And they break out into such great madness, as to endeavor to undermine by lies such as observe diligently the offices committed to them, and do all things in such manner as to be worthy of all men’s praise, 6 while, with crafty fraud, they deceive the ears of princes that are well meaning, and judge of others by their own nature. 7 Now this is proved both from ancient histories, and by the things which are done daily, how the good designs of kings are depraved by the evil suggestions of certain men. 8 For what reason we must provide for the peace of all provinces. 9 Neither must you think, if we command different things, that it comes from the levity of our mind, but that we give sentence according to the quality and necessity of times, as the profit of the commonwealth requires. 10 Now that you may more plainly understand what we say, I, Haman, the son of Amadathi, a Macedonian both in mind and country, and having nothing of the Persian blood, but with his cruelty staining our goodness, was received, being a stranger by us: 11 and found our humanity so great toward him, that he was called our father, and was worshiped by all as the next man after the king, 12 but he was so far puffed up with arrogancy, as to go about to deprive us of our kingdom and life. 13 For with certain new and unheard-of devices he has sought the destruction of Mordecai, by whose fidelity and good services our life was saved, and of Esther the partner of our kingdom, with all their nation, 14 thinking that after they were slain, he might work treason against us left alone without friends, and might transfer the kingdom of the Persians to the Macedonians. 15 But we have found that the Jews, who were by that most wicked man appointed to be slain, are in no fault at all, but to the contrary, use just laws, 16 and are the children of the highest and the greatest, and the ever-living God, by whose benefit the kingdom was given both to our fathers and to us, and is kept to this day. 17 For what reason, know that those letters which he sent in our name are void and of no effect. 18 For which crime both he himself that devised it, and all his relatives hang on gallows, before the gates of this city Shushan—not us, but God repaying him as he deserved. 19 But this edict, which we now send, will be published in all cities, that the Jews may freely follow their own laws. 20 And you will aid them that they may kill those who had prepared themselves to kill them, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is called Adar. 21 For the Almighty God has turned this day of sadness and mourning into joy to them. 22 For what reason you will also count this day among other festival days, and celebrate it with all joy, that it may be known also in times to come, 23 that all they who faithfully obey the Persians, receive a worthy reward for their fidelity, but they that are traitors to their kingdom, are destroyed for their wickedness. 24 And let every province and city, that will not be partaker of this solemnity, perish by the sword and by fire, and be destroyed in such manner as to be made unpassable, both to men and beasts, for an example of contempt, and disobedience.