En el mes doce (es decir, el mes de Adar^a), el día trece¹ cuando estaban² para ejecutarse el mandato y edicto del rey, el mismo día que los enemigos de los judíos esperaban obtener dominio sobre ellos^b, sucedió lo contrario, porque fueron los judíos los que obtuvieron dominio sobre los que los odiaban. 2 Se reunieron los judíos en sus ciudades por todas las provincias del rey Asuero para echar mano a¹ los que buscaban su daño^a; y nadie podía oponérseles, porque el temor a ellos había caído sobre todos los pueblos^b. 3 Y todos los príncipes de las provincias, los sátrapas, los gobernadores y los que manejaban los negocios del rey ayudaron¹ a los judíos^a, porque el temor a Mardoqueo había caído sobre ellos, 4 pues Mardoqueo era grande en la casa del rey, y su fama se había extendido por todas las provincias, porque¹ Mardoqueo se hacía más y más grande^a. 5 Y los judíos hirieron a todos sus enemigos a filo¹ de espada, con matanza y destrucción^a; e hicieron lo que quisieron con los que los odiaban. 6 En la fortaleza de Susa los judíos mataron y destruyeron a quinientos hombres, 7 también a Parsandata, Dalfón, Aspata, 8 Porata, Adalía, Aridata, 9 Parmasta, Arisai, Aridai y Vaizata, 10 los diez hijos de Amán^a, hijo de Hamedata, enemigo de los judíos; pero no echaron mano a los bienes^b.

11 Aquel mismo día comunicaron¹ al rey el número de los que fueron muertos en la fortaleza de Susa. 12 Y el rey dijo a la reina Ester: En la fortaleza de Susa los judíos han matado y exterminado a quinientos hombres y a los diez hijos de Amán. ¡Qué habrán hecho en las demás provincias del rey! ¿Cuál es tu petición ahora? Pues te será concedida. ¿Qué más quieres? También te será hecho^a. 13 Entonces Ester dijo: Si le place al rey, que mañana también se conceda a los judíos que están en Susa hacer conforme al edicto de hoy^a; y que los diez hijos de Amán sean colgados en la horca¹. 14 El rey ordenó que así se hiciera; y un edicto fue promulgado¹ en Susa, y los diez hijos de Amán fueron colgados. 15 Los judíos que se hallaban en Susa se reunieron también el día catorce del mes de Adar y mataron a trescientos hombres en Susa^a, pero no echaron mano a los bienes^b.

16 Y los demás judíos que se hallaban en las provincias del rey se reunieron^a para defender sus vidas y librarse¹ de sus enemigos; y mataron a setenta y cinco mil de los que los odiaban^b, pero no echaron mano a los bienes. 17 Esto sucedió el día trece del mes de Adar^a, y el día catorce¹ descansaron, y lo proclamaron día de banquete y de regocijo^b. 18 Pero los judíos que se hallaban en Susa se reunieron^a el trece y el catorce del mismo mes¹, y descansaron el día quince² y lo proclamaron³ día de banquete y de regocijo^b. 19 Por eso los judíos de las áreas rurales, que habitan en las ciudades abiertas^a, proclaman el día catorce del mes de Adar día festivo¹ para regocijarse, hacer banquetes y enviarse porciones de comida unos a otros^b.

20 Entonces Mardoqueo escribió estos hechos, y envió cartas a todos los judíos que se hallaban en todas las provincias del rey Asuero, tanto cercanas como lejanas, 21 ordenándoles que celebraran anualmente el día catorce del mes de Adar, y el día quince del mismo mes¹, 22 porque en esos días los judíos se libraron¹ de sus enemigos, y fue para ellos un mes que se convirtió de tristeza en alegría y de duelo en día festivo^2a. Los harían días de banquete y de regocijo, para que se enviaran porciones de comida unos a otros e hicieran donativos a los pobres^b. 23 Así los judíos llevaron a cabo lo que habían comenzado a hacer, y lo que Mardoqueo les había escrito. 24 Pues Amán, hijo de Hamedata, agagueo, enemigo de todos los judíos, había hecho planes contra los judíos para destruirlos, y había echado el Pur, es decir, la suerte^a, para su ruina y destrucción. 25 Pero cuando esto llegó al conocimiento¹ del rey,este ordenó por carta que el perverso plan que había tramado contra los judíos^a recayera sobre su cabeza^b, y que él y sus hijos fueran colgados en la horca^2c. 26 Por eso estos días son llamados Purim¹, por el nombre Pur. Y a causa de las instrucciones² en esta carta^a, tanto por lo que habían visto sobre este asunto y por lo que les había acontecido, 27 los judíos establecieron e hicieron¹ una costumbre para ellos, para sus descendientes² y para todos los que se aliaban con ellos^a, de que no dejarían de³ celebrar estos dos días conforme a su ordenanza⁴ y conforme a su tiempo señalado cada año^b. 28 Así estos días serían recordados y celebrados por todas las generaciones, por cada familia, cada provincia y cada ciudad; para que estos días de Purim no dejaran de celebrarse¹ entre los judíos, ni su memoria se extinguiera² entre sus descendientes³.

29 Entonces la reina Ester, hija de Abihail^a, y el judío Mardoqueo escribieron con toda autoridad para confirmar esta segunda carta acerca de Purim^b. 30 Y se enviaron cartas a todos los judíos, a las ciento veintisiete provincias del reino de Asuero^a, palabras de paz y de verdad, 31 para establecer estos días de Purim en sus tiempos señalados, tal como habían establecido para ellos el judío Mardoqueo y la reina Ester, según habían fijado para ellos y sus descendientes¹, con instrucciones² para sus tiempos de ayuno y de lamentaciones^a. 32 El mandato de Ester estableció estas costumbres¹ acerca de Purim^a, y esto fue escrito en el libro.

Now ^ain the twelfth month (that is, the month of Adar) on ^bthe thirteenth day ^cwhen the king’s command and edict were about to be executed, on the very day when the enemies of the Jews had hoped to gain power over them and slaughter them, it happened the other way around so that the Jews themselves gained power over those who hated them. 2 ^aThe Jews assembled in their cities throughout the provinces of King Ahasuerus (Xerxes) to apprehend those who wanted to do them harm; and no one could stand before them, ^bfor the fear of them and their God had fallen on all the peoples. 3 Even all the officials of the provinces and ^athe chief rulers (satraps) and the governors and those who attended to the king’s business supported the Jews in defeating their enemies, because the fear of Mordecai and his God’s power had fallen on them. 4 For Mordecai was great and respected in the king’s palace, and his fame spread throughout all the provinces; for the man Mordecai ^abecame greater and greater. 5 So ^athe Jews struck all their enemies with the sword, killing and destroying them; and they did what they pleased to those who hated them. 6 At the citadel in Susa the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men, 7 and they killed Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, 8 Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, 9 Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai, and Vaizatha, 10 ^athe ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Jews’ enemy; but ^bthey did not lay their hands on the plunder.

11 On that day the number of those who were killed at the citadel in Susa was reported to the king. 12 The king said to Queen Esther, “The Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men and the ten sons of Haman at the citadel in Susa. What then have they done in the rest of the king’s provinces! ^aNow what is your petition? It shall be granted to you. What is your further request? It shall also be done.” 13 Esther replied, “If it pleases the king, ^alet it be granted to the Jews who are in Susa to act tomorrow also in accordance with the decree of today; and let the dead bodies of Haman’s ten sons be hanged on the gallows.” Esth 9:10 14 So the king commanded it to be done; the decree was given in Susa, and they hanged the bodies of Haman’s ten sons. 15 The Jews who were in Susa also gathered together on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar and killed ^athree hundred men in Susa, but ^bthey did not lay their hands on the plunder.

16 Now ^athe rest of the Jews who were in the king’s provinces ^bassembled, to defend their lives and rid themselves of their enemies, and kill 75,000 of those who hated them; but they did not lay their hands on the plunder. 17 This was done on ^athe thirteenth day of the month of Adar, and ^bon the fourteenth day they rested and made it a day of feasting and rejoicing.

18 But the Jews who were in Susa ^aassembled on the thirteenth and on ^bthe fourteenth of the same month, and on the fifteenth day they rested and made it a day of feasting and rejoicing. 19 Therefore the Jews of the villages, who live in ^athe rural unwalled towns, make the fourteenth day of the month of Adar a ^bholiday for rejoicing and feasting and ^csending choice portions of food to one another.

20 Now Mordecai recorded these events, and he sent letters to all the Jews who lived in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, both near and far, 21 obliging them to celebrate the fourteenth day of the month of Adar, and the fifteenth day of the same month, annually, 22 because on those days the Jews rid themselves of their enemies, and as the month which was ^aturned for them from grief to joy and from mourning into a holiday; that they should make them days of feasting and rejoicing and ^bsending choice portions of food to one another and gifts to the poor.

23 So the Jews undertook what they had started to do, and what Mordecai had written to them. 24 For Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them and ^ahad cast Pur, that is, the lot, to find the right time to disturb and destroy them. 25 But ^awhen it came before the king, he commanded in writing ^bthat Haman’s wicked scheme which he had devised against the Jews ^cwas to return on his own head, and that he and his sons should endure what he planned for the Jews and be hanged on the gallows. 26 Therefore they called these days Purim after the name Pur (lot) . And ^abecause of all the instructions in this letter, and what they had faced in this regard and what had happened to them, 27 the Jews established and made it a custom for themselves and for their descendants and for ^aall who joined them, so that they would not fail to ^bcelebrate these two days as it was written and at the appointed time annually. 28 So these days were to be remembered and celebrated throughout every generation, every family, every province and every city; and these days of Purim were not to cease from among the Jews, nor their memory fade from their descendants.

29 Then Queen Esther, the ^adaughter of Abihail, with Mordecai the Jew, wrote with full power and authority to confirm ^bthis second letter about Purim. 30 He sent letters to all the Jews, ^ato the 127 provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, in words of peace and truth, 31 to establish these days of Purim to be observed at their appointed times, just as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had established for them, and as they had established for themselves and for their descendants with instructions ^aregarding their times of fasting and their lamentations (expressions of needing help) . 32 The command of Esther established these customs for ^aPurim, and it was written in the book of the royal archives.

Now ^ain the twelfth month (that is, the month Adar), on ^bthe thirteenth ¹day ^cwhen the king’s command and edict ²were about to be executed, on the day when the enemies of the Jews hoped to gain the mastery over them, it was turned to the contrary so that the Jews themselves gained the mastery over those who hated them. 2 ^aThe Jews assembled in their cities throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus to lay hands on those who sought their harm; and no one could stand before them, ^bfor the dread of them had fallen on all the peoples. 3 Even all the princes of the provinces, ^athe satraps, the governors and those who were doing the king’s business ¹assisted the Jews, because the dread of Mordecai had fallen on them. 4 Indeed, Mordecai was great in the king’s house, and his fame spread throughout all the provinces; for the man Mordecai ^abecame greater and greater. 5 Thus ^athe Jews struck all their enemies with ¹the sword, killing and destroying; and they did what they pleased to those who hated them. 6 At the citadel in Susa the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men, 7 and Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, 8 Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, 9 Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai and Vaizatha, 10 ^athe ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Jews’ enemy; but ^bthey did not lay their hands on the plunder.

11 On that day the number of those who were killed at the citadel in Susa ¹was reported to the king. 12 The king said to Queen Esther, “The Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men and the ten sons of Haman at the citadel in Susa. What then have they done in the rest of the king’s provinces! ^aNow what is your petition? It shall even be granted you. And what is your further request? It shall also be done.” 13 Then said Esther, “If it pleases the king, ^alet tomorrow also be granted to the Jews who are in Susa to do according to the edict of today; and let Haman’s ten sons be hanged on the gallows.” 14 So the king commanded that it should be done so; and an edict was issued in Susa, and Haman’s ten sons were hanged. 15 The Jews who were in Susa assembled also on the fourteenth day of the month Adar and killed ^athree hundred men in Susa, but ^bthey did not lay their hands on the plunder.

16 Now ^athe rest of the Jews who were in the king’s provinces ^bassembled, to defend their lives and ¹rid themselves of their enemies, and kill 75,000 of those who hated them; but they did not lay their hands on the plunder. 17 This was done on ^athe thirteenth day of the month Adar, and ^bon the fourteenth ¹day they rested and made it a day of feasting and rejoicing.

18 But the Jews who were in Susa ^aassembled on the thirteenth and ^bthe fourteenth ¹of the same month, and they rested on the fifteenth ²day and made it a day of feasting and rejoicing. 19 Therefore the Jews of the rural areas, who live in ^athe rural towns, make the fourteenth day of the month Adar a ^1bholiday for rejoicing and feasting and ^csending portions of food to one another.

20 Then Mordecai recorded these events, and he sent letters to all the Jews who were in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, both near and far, 21 obliging them to celebrate the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day ¹of the same month, annually, 22 because on those days the Jews ¹rid themselves of their enemies, and it was a month which was ^aturned for them from sorrow into gladness and from mourning into a ²holiday; that they should make them days of feasting and rejoicing and ^bsending portions of food to one another and gifts to the poor.

23 Thus the Jews undertook what they had started to do, and what Mordecai had written to them. 24 For Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the adversary of all the Jews, had schemed against the Jews to destroy them and ^ahad cast Pur, that is the lot, to disturb them and destroy them. 25 But ^awhen it came ¹to the king’s attention, he commanded by letter ^bthat his wicked scheme which he had ²devised against the Jews, ^cshould return on his own head and that he and his sons should be hanged on the ³gallows. 26 Therefore they called these days Purim after the name of Pur. ¹And ^abecause of the instructions in this letter, both what they had seen in this regard and what had happened to them, 27 the Jews established and ¹made a custom for themselves and for their ²descendants and for ^aall those who allied themselves with them, so that ³they would not fail ^bto celebrate these two days according to their ⁴regulation and according to their appointed time annually. 28 So these days were to be remembered and celebrated throughout every generation, every family, every province and every city; and these days of Purim were not to ¹fail from among the Jews, or their memory ²fade from their ³descendants.

29 Then Queen Esther, ^adaughter of Abihail, with Mordecai the Jew, wrote with full authority to confirm ^bthis second letter about Purim. 30 He sent letters to all the Jews, ^ato the 127 provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, namely, words of peace and truth, 31 to establish these days of Purim at their appointed times, just as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had established for them, and just as they had established for themselves and for their ¹descendants with ²instructions ^afor their times of fasting and their lamentations. 32 The command of Esther established these ¹customs for ^aPurim, and it was written in the book.