U-Esta wayeyintombazana engumJuda eyayihlala edolobheni lePhesiya okwakuthiwa yiSusa. UNebhukhadinezari wathumba okhokho bakhe wabasa eBhabhiloni. U-Esta wakhuliswa ngumzawakhe uModekhayi owayesebenzela inkosi yePhesiya, u-Ahasuweru.

Inkosi le yayisifuna indlovukazi entsha. Izisebenzi zayo zayiphathela abesifazana abahle kakhulu kugoqele lo-Esta. Inkosi yakhetha u-Esta ukuthi abe yindlovukazi. UModekhayi watshela u-Esta ukuthi angakhulumi ukuthi ungumJuda.

Kulendoda eyayizigqaja njalo ilesikhundla esikhulu okwakuthiwa nguHamani. UHamani wayefuna ukuguqelwa ngumuntu wonke. UModekhayi wayengafuni ukumguqela yikho uHamani wayesefuna ukumbulala. UHamani wathi esizwa ukuthi uModekhayi ungumJuda, wahle wenza icebo lokubulala wonke amaJuda. Watshela inkosi wathi: ‘AmaJuda kawabulawe ngoba ayingozi.’ U-Ahasuweru wamvumela uHamani ukuthi enze umthetho wokubulala amaJuda. UHamani wakhupha umthetho owawusithi amaJuda abulawe mhlaka 13 ngenyanga ka-Adari. UJehova wayekubona konke okwakusenzakala.

U-Esta wayengakwazi okwakusenzakala. UModekhayi wamtshela ngomthetho lowo, wasesithi kuye: ‘Hamba uyekhuluma lenkosi.’ U-Esta wathi: ‘Loba ngubani oya enkosini ingambizanga uyabulawa. Sekulamalanga angu-30 inkosi ingangibizanga kodwa ngizahamba. Nxa ingelulela induku yayo kimi kangisoze ngibulawe kodwa ingayekela ukwenza njalo ngizabulawa.’

U-Esta wahamba enkosini. Inkosi yathi imbona yelulela induku yayo kuye. Inkosi  yathi kuye: ‘Ngingakwenzelani Esta?’ U-Esta wathi: ‘Ngicela ubuye loHamani edilini engizalenza lamuhla.’ Edilini lelo u-Esta wabanxusa ukuthi baze kwelinye idili. Edilini lesibili inkosi yathi ku-Esta: ‘Ngingakwenzelani?’ Yena wathi: ‘Kulomuntu ofuna ukubulala abantu bakithi kanye lami. Sicela usisize.’ Inkosi yabuza yathi: ‘Ngubani ofuna ukwenza into enjalo?’ U-Esta wathi: ‘Nguyenalo uHamani.’ Inkosi yazonda yahle yatshela izisebenzi zayo ukuthi zimbulale uHamani.

Kodwa akulamuntu owayengantshintsha umthetho kaHamani, lenkosi layo yayingenelisi ukwenza njalo. Inkosi yanika uModekhayi isikhundla esiphezu kwezikhulu zonke futhi yathi kenze umthetho omutsha. UModekhayi wafaka umthetho owawuvumela amaJuda ukuthi azilwele nxa ehlaselwa. AmaJuda azinqoba izitha zawo mhlaka 13 ngenyanga ka-Adari. Kusukela ngomnyaka lowo ayesiba ledili lokuthokozela ukunqoba kwawo.