The events that followed in rapid succession,--the appearance of Esther before the king, the marked favor shown her, the banquets of the king and queen with Haman as the only guest, the troubled sleep of the king, the public honor shown Mordecai, and the humiliation and fall of Haman upon the discovery of his wicked plot,--all these are parts of a familiar story. God wrought marvelously for His penitent people; and a counter decree issued by the king, allowing them to fight for their lives, was rapidly communicated to every part of the realm by mounted couriers, who were "hastened and pressed on by the king's commandment." "And in every province, and in every city, whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a good day. And many of the people of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews fell upon them." Esther 8:14, 17.

Nu tog begivenhederne fart. Det er velkendt, at Ester gik ind til kongen og fandt nåde for hans øjne, at kongen og dronningen holdt fest med Haman som den eneste gæst, at kongen tilbragte en søvnløs nat, at Mordokaj blev offentligt æret, og at Haman blev ydmyget og styrtet, da hans onde plan blev afsløret. Gud gjorde vidunderlige ting for sit angrende folk. Kongen lod udstede et nyt dekret, som gav jøderne ret til at værge deres liv. Befalingen blev hurtigt sendt ud til alle dele af riget ved hjælp af ridende ilbud, som "på kongens bud" skyndte sig af sted "så hurtigt, de kunne". "Og i hver eneste landsdel og i hver eneste by, hvor kongens bud og forordning nåede hen, var der fryd og glæde blandt jøderne med gæstebud og fest. Og mange af hedningerne gik over til jødedommen, thi frygt for jøderne var faldet på dem." Est. 8,14. 17.