manner than that which had
been devised by him against Mordecai; so he gave order immediately that
he should be hung upon those gallows, and be put to death after that
manner. And from hence I cannot forbear to admire God, and to learn
hence his wisdom and his justice, not only in punishing the wickedness
of Haman, but in so disposing it, that he should undergo the very same
punishment which he had contrived for another; as also because thereby
he teaches others this lesson, that what mischiefs any one prepares
against another, he, without knowing of it, first contrives it against
himself.

12. Wherefore Haman, who had immoderately abused the honor he had from
the king, was destroyed after this manner, and the king granted his
estate to the queen. He also called for Mordecai, [for Esther had
informed him that she was akin to him,] and gave that ring to Mordecai
which he had before given to Haman. The queen also gave Haman's estate
to Mordecai; and prayed the king to deliver the nation of the Jews from
the fear of death, and showed him what had been written over all the
country by Haman the son of Ammedatha; for that if her country were
destroyed, and her countrymen were to perish, she could not bear to live
herself any longer. So the king promised her that he would not do
any thing that should be disagreeable to her, nor contradict what she
desired; but he bid her write what she pleased about the Jews, in the
king's name, and seal it with his seal, and send it to all his kingdom,
for that those who read epistles whose authority is secured by having
the king's seal to them, would no way contradict what was written
therein. So he commanded the king's scribes to be sent for, and to
write to the nations, on the Jews' behalf, and to his lieutenants and
governors, that were over his hundred twenty and seven provinces, from
India to Ethiopia. Now the contents of this epistle were these: "The
great king Artaxerxes to our rulers, and those that are our faithful
subjects, sendeth greeting. [19] Many men there are who, on account of
the greatness of the benefits bestowed on them, and because of the honor
which they have obtained from the wonderful kind treatment of those
that bestowed it, are not only injurious to their inferiors, but do not
scruple to do evil to those that have been their benefactors, as if they
would take away gratitude from among men, and by their insolent abuse of
such benefits as they never expected, they tu