Now ^ain the twelfth month (that is, the month Adar), on ^bthe thirteenth ¹day, ^cwhen the king’s command and edict were to be put into effect, on the day when the enemies of the Jews hoped to gain the mastery over them, it turned out to the contrary so that the Jews themselves gained mastery over those who hated them. 2 ^aThe Jews assembled in their cities throughout the provinces of King Ahasuerus to ¹attack those who sought ²to harm them; and no one could stand against them, ^bbecause the dread of them had fallen on all the peoples. 3 Even all the officials of the provinces, ^athe satraps, the governors, and those who were doing the king’s business were supporting the Jews, because the dread of Mordecai had fallen on them. 4 For Mordecai was great in the king’s house, and the news about him spread throughout the provinces; for the man Mordecai ^abecame greater and greater. 5 So ^athe Jews struck all their enemies with ¹the sword, killing and destroying; and they did as they pleased to those who hated them. 6 At the citadel in Susa the Jews killed and eliminated 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 ¹was reported to the king. 12 And the king said to Queen Esther, “The Jews have killed and eliminated five hundred men and the ten sons of Haman at the citadel in Susa. What have they done in the rest of the king’s provinces! ^aNow what is your request? It shall also be granted you. And what is your further wish? It shall also be done.” 13 Then Esther said, “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 wooden gallows.” 14 So the king commanded that it was to 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 to kill seventy-five thousand 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 grief into joy, and from mourning into a ²holiday; that they were to make them days of feasting and rejoicing, and ^bsending 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 adversary of all the Jews, had schemed against the Jews to eliminate them, and ^ahad cast Pur, that is the lot, to disturb them and eliminate them. 25 But ^awhen it came ¹to the king’s attention, he commanded by letter ^bthat his wicked scheme which he had devised against the Jews ^cwas to return on his own head, and that he and his sons were to be hanged on the wooden gallows. 26 Therefore they called these days Purim after the name of ¹Pur. ²And ^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, 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 ¹be neglected by 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 mourning. 32 The command of Esther established these ¹customs for ^aPurim, and it was written in the book.

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.

Now ^ain the twelfth month (that is, the month Adar), on ^bthe thirteenth ¹day ^cwhen the king’s word and law had reached the point for them to be done, on the day when the enemies of the Jews hoped to gain power over them, it was turned around so that the Jews themselves gained power over those who hated them. 2 ^aThe Jews assembled in their cities throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus to send forth their hand against those who sought their calamity; 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 work ¹advanced the Jews, because the dread of Mordecai had fallen on them. 4 Indeed, Mordecai was great in the king’s house, and the report about him went 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 causing them to perish; and they did what they pleased to those who hated them. 6 And at the citadel in Susa the Jews killed and caused to perish 500 men, 7 and Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, 8 Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, 9 Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai, and Vaizatha, 10 ^athe 10 sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Jews’ adversary; but ^bthey did not send forth their hand for the plunder.

11 On that day the number of those who were killed at the citadel in Susa came to the king. 12 So the king said to Queen Esther, “The Jews have killed and caused to perish 500 men and the 10 sons of Haman at the citadel in Susa. Now in the rest of the king’s provinces, what have they done? ^aSo what is ¹your petition? It shall even be given to you. And what is ²your further request? It shall also be done.” 13 Then Esther said, “If it is good to the king, ^alet tomorrow also be given to the Jews who are in Susa to do according to the law for today; and let Haman’s 10 sons be hanged on the gallows.” 14 So the king said that it should be done so; and a law was given in Susa, and Haman’s 10 sons were hanged. 15 And the Jews who were in Susa assembled also on the fourteenth day of the month Adar and killed ^a300 men in Susa, but ^bthey did not send forth their hand for the plunder.

16 Now ^athe rest of the Jews who were in the king’s provinces ^bassembled, to make a stand for their lives and obtain rest for themselves from their enemies, and to kill 75,000 of those who hated them; but they did not send forth their hand for 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 gladness.

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 gladness. 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 gladness and feasting and ^csending portions of food to one another.

20 Then Mordecai wrote down these events, and he sent letters to all the Jews who were in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, both near and far, 21 to establish among 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 obtained rest for themselves from their enemies, and it was a month which was ^aturned around for them from sorrow into gladness and from mourning into a ¹holiday; that they should make them days of feasting and gladness and ^bsending portions of food to one another and gifts to the poor.

23 Thus the Jews fully accepted 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 devised against the Jews to cause them to perish and ^ahad cast Pur, that is the lot, to throw them into confusion and cause them to perish. 25 But ^awhen it came before the king, he said by letter ^bthat his evil scheme, which he had ¹devised against the Jews, ^cshould return on his own head and that he and his sons should be hanged on the ²gallows. 26 Therefore they called these days Purim after the name of Pur. Therefore, ^abecause of the words in this letter, both what they had seen in this regard and what had reached them, 27 the Jews established and accepted a custom for themselves and for their seed and for ^aall those who joined themselves to them, so that ^1bcelebrating these two days according to what was written down and according to their fixed time from year to year would not pass away. 28 So these days were to be remembered and celebrated throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city; thus these days of Purim were not to pass away from among the Jews, nor their memory come to an end from their seed.

29 Then Queen Esther, ^adaughter of Abihail, with Mordecai the Jew, wrote with full authority to establish ^bthis second letter about Purim. 30 And 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 seed with words concerning ^atheir times of fasting and their crying out. 32 And the declaration of Esther established these words concerning ^aPurim, and it was written in the book.

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.