U-Esta gade amntazana womJuda ohlala eTjhutjhani okungelinye lamadorobho wePheresiya. Eminyakeni eyadlulako uNebukadinetsari wathumba u-Esta nomndenakhe eJerusalema. U-Esta wakhuliswa ngumzawakhe uMoridekayi, isisebenzi seKosi yePheresiya u-Arhatjhiverotjhi.

IKosi u-Arhatjhiverotjhi beyifuna ukuthatha umfazi ozakuba yindlovukazi. Iinceku zayo zamlethela abantazana abanengi abahle ebeyizokukhetha kibo, u-Esta naye bekalapho. Ikosi yakhetha yena u-Esta bona abe yindlovukazi. UMoridekayi wathi u-Esta angazivezi ukuthi umJuda.

UHamani bekayindoda ezikhakhazisako begodu bekunguye ophethe woke amakhosana. Bekafuna woke umuntu ezwe ngaye, alotjhe yena. Kodwana uMoridekayi wala ukwenza njalo, kwamsilinga khulu lokho uHamani, wafuna ukumbulala. Kuthe uHamani angafumana bona uMoridekayi umJuda, wenza amano wokuthi abulale woke amaJuda enarheni leyo. Watjela ikosi wathi: ‘AmaJuda babantu abayingozi begodu kufuze bapheliswe enarheni le.’ Yeke u-Arhatjhiverotjhi wathi: ‘Yenza okuthandako ngesizweso.’ Ikosi yamnikela igunya lokwenza nanyana yini uHamani afuna ukuyenza. UHamani wakhupha umthetho wokuthi ngelanga le-13 ngenyanga ka-Adari kubulawe woke amaJuda. Ngesikhatheso uJehova bekaqalile.

U-Esta bekangazi litho ngomthetho loyo. UMoridekayi wathumela ikhophi ku-Esta wamtjela wathi: ‘Iya ekosini uyokuncancabeza ube uncengele nabantu bekhenu kiyo.’ U-Esta wathi: ‘Nanyana ngubani ongayokuvela phambi kwekosi angakabiziwa uzakubulawa. Nami sekudlule amalanga ama-30 ikosi ingangibizi, kodwana ngizakuya nanyana lokho kungabangela bona ngife.’

U-Esta wangena ngaphakathi kwesigodlo. Kwathi ikosi nayimbonako yelulela ngakuye intongayo yegolide egade iyiphethe. Nje-ke u-Esta watjhidela ikosi  yathi kuye: ‘Esta, ulila ngani?’ U-Esta waphendula wathi: ‘Nangabe kuyamukeleka ekosini, ngibawa ikosi noHamani beze namhlanje emnyanyeni engiwulungiselele ikosi.’ Nabafika emnyanyeni loyo, u-Esta wabamemela komunye godu umnyanya. Nabadlako emnyanyeni wesibili ikosi yabuza u-Esta yathi: ‘Siyini isililo sakho?’ U-Esta waphendula wathi: ‘Kunomuntu ofuna ukungibulala mina nesitjhaba sekhethu. Sibawa usisindise.’ Ikosi yabuza yathi: ‘Ngubani umuntu obe nesibindi esingaka sokwenza lokho?’ U-Esta waphendula wathi: ‘Mumuntu ojamelene nathi nosisitha sethu, ngitjho yena uHamani.’ Kwamnyenyisa khulu lokho u-Arhatjhiverotjhi, wathi akubulawe uHamani khonokho.

Kodwana bekunganamuntu ongawubuyisela emva umthetho owenziwe nguHamani, ngitjho nekosi ngokwayo beyingeze yakghona. Yeke ikosi yenza uMoridekayi isikhulu samakhosana, yabe yamnikela negunya lokukhupha umthetho omutjha. UMoridekayi wenza umthetho ovumela amaJuda bona azilwele nakahlaselwako. Amalanga naka-13 ngenyanga ka-Adari amaJuda ahlula amanaba wawo. Kusukela mhlokho, ilangelo aligidinga qobe mnyaka.