Esther 8:6 net — For how can I watch the calamity that will befall my people, and how can I watch the destruction of my relatives?”

NET Bible

"For how can I watch the calamity that will befall my people, and how can I watch the destruction of my relatives?”"

— Esther 8:6, NET Bible

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Esther 8:6 in Other Translations

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Esther 8 — Context

3

Then Esther again spoke with the king, falling at his feet. She wept and begged him for mercy, that he might nullify the evil of Haman the Agagite and the plot that he had intended against the Jews.

4

When the king extended to Esther the gold scepter, she arose and stood before the king.

5

She said,“If the king is so inclined and if I have met with his approval and if the matter is agreeable to the king and if I am attractive to him, let an edict be written rescinding those recorded intentions of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, which he wrote in order to destroy the Jews who are throughout all the king’s provinces.

6

For how can I watch the calamity that will befall my people, and how can I watch the destruction of my relatives?”

7

King Ahasuerus replied to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew,“Look, I have already given Haman’s estate to Esther, and he has been hanged on the gallows because he took hostile action against the Jews.

8

Now you write in the king’s name whatever in your opinion is appropriate concerning the Jews and seal it with the king’s signet ring. Any decree that is written in the king’s name and sealed with the king’s signet ring cannot be rescinded.

9

The king’s scribes were quickly summoned– in the third month(that is, the month of Sivan), on the twenty-third day. They wrote out everything that Mordecai instructed to the Jews and to the satraps and the governors and the officials of the provinces all the way from India to Ethiopia– a hundred and twenty-seven provinces in all– to each province in its own script and to each people in their own language, and to the Jews according to their own script and their own language.

Esther 8:6 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Esther 8:6 say?
Esther 8:6 in the NET Bible reads: “For how can I watch the calamity that will befall my people, and how can I watch the destruction of my relatives?””
Where is Esther 8:6 in the Bible?
Esther 8:6 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Esther, chapter 8, verse 6.
Who wrote Esther?
Esther is traditionally attributed to Anonymous (traditionally Mordecai). It was written c. 460–400 BC.
What is the book of Esther about?
Esther tells how a Jewish orphan becomes queen of Persia and risks her life to save her people from genocide. Though God's name is never mentioned, his unseen providence is woven through every reversal — and the Jewish festival of Purim still celebrates the deliverance.
What are the major themes of Esther?
Esther explores themes including Providence, Courage, Deliverance, Identity, Reversal. These themes shape the meaning and context of Esther 8:6.
What translation should I read Esther 8:6 in?
Esther 8:6 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize Esther 8:6?
Esther 8:6 reads (NET): “For how can I watch the calamity that will befall my people, and how can I watch the destruction of my relatives?”” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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