There was great mourning among the Jewish people in every province where the king’s command and edict reached. They fasted, wept, and lamented, and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.
Once again, on the second day while drinking wine, the king asked Esther,“ Queen Esther, whatever you ask will be given to you. Whatever you seek, even to half the kingdom, will be done.”
The king said to Queen Esther,“ In the fortress of Susa the Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men, including Haman’s ten sons. What have they done in the rest of the royal provinces? Whatever you ask will be given to you. Whatever you seek will also be done.”