UEstere wayeyintombi yomYuda eyayihlala eShushan, idolophu esePersi. Kwiminyaka emininzi eyadlulayo, yena nentsapho yakhe bathathwa nguNebhukadenetsare eYerusalem. Wakhuliswa ngumzala wakhe uMordekayi, owayesisicaka sikaKumkani uAhaswerosi wasePersi.

UKumkani uAhaswerosi wayefuna ukumkanikazi omtsha. Izicaka zakhe zamphathela awona mabhinqa mahle kwelo lizwe, noEstere elapho. Kuwo onke loo mabhinqa, ukumkani wakhetha uEstere. UMordekayi waxelela uEstere ukuba angatsho ukuba ungumYuda.

UHaman, indoda eyayinekratshi, wayephethe iinkosana. Wayefuna wonke umntu aqubude kuye. UMordekayi akazange avume, ngoko uHaman yamcaphukisa loo nto, wafuna ukumbulala. Xa uHaman wafumanisa ukuba uMordekayi ngumYuda, wenza iqhinga lokubulala onke amaYuda awayekwelo lizwe. Wathi kukumkani: ‘AmaYuda ayingozi; kufuneka wenze into ngawo.’ UAhaswerosi wathi: ‘Yenza loo nto ufuna ukuyenza,’ wamnika igunya lokwenza umthetho. UHaman wenza umthetho owawusithi abantu mababulale onke amaYuda ngomhla we-13 kwinyanga ka-Adare. UYehova wayebukele.

UEstere wayengazi kwanto ngalo mthetho. Ngoko uMordekayi wamthumelela ikopi yawo waza wathi: ‘Hamba uye kuthetha nokumkani.’ UEstere wathi: ‘Nabani na oya kukumkani engabizwanga, uyabulawa. Sekudlule iintsuku eziyi-30 engakhange andibize! Kodwa ndiza kuya. Ukuba uphakamise intonga yakhe yobukhosi, andizi kubulawa. Ukuba akayiphakamisanga, ndiza kubulawa.’

UEstere waya kukumkani. Xa wambonayo, ukumkani waphakamisa intonga yakhe. UEstere waya kuye, yaye ukumkani  wambuza: ‘Estere, ndingakwenzela ntoni?’ Wathi: ‘Ndifuna ukumema wena noHaman kwisidlo.’ Kweso sidlo, uEstere wabamemela kwesinye. Kweso sidlo sesibini, ukumkani waphinda wabuza: ‘Ndingakwenzela ntoni?’ UEstere wathi: ‘Kukho umntu ofuna ukubulala mna nabantu basekhaya. Ndicela usikhusele.’ Ukumkani wathi: ‘Ngubani ofuna ukunibulala?’ Wathi: ‘Yile ndoda ingcolileyo uHaman.’ UAhaswerosi waba nomsindo kakhulu, waza wathi uHaman makabulawe ngoko nangoko.

Kwakungekho mntu wayenokuwutshintsha umthetho kaHaman, nkqu nokumkani lowo. Ngoko ukumkani wenza uMordekayi intloko yeenkosana waza wamnika igunya lokwenza umthetho omtsha. UMordekayi wenza umthetho owawuvumela amaYuda ukuba azikhusele xa ehlaselwa. Ngomhla we-13 kwinyanga enguAdare, amaYuda azoyisa iintshaba zawo. Ukususela ngoko, ayesiba nombhiyozo wolo loyiso nyaka ngamnye.