Esther 9

1 On the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, the king’s command and edict were to be executed. On this day the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, but their plan was overturned and the Jews overpowered those who hated them.

2 In each of the provinces of King Xerxes, the Jews assembled in their cities to attack those who sought to harm them. No man could withstand them, because the fear of them had fallen upon all peoples.

3 And all the officials of the provinces, the satraps, the governors, and the king’s administrators helped the Jews, because the fear of Mordecai had fallen upon them.

4 For Mordecai exercised great power in the palace, and his fame spread throughout the provinces as he became more and more powerful.

5 The Jews put all their enemies to the sword, killing and destroying them, and they did as they pleased to those who hated them.

6 In the citadel of Susa, the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men,

7 including Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha,

8 Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha,

9 Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai, and Vaizatha.

10 They killed these ten sons of Haman son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews, but they did not lay a hand on the plunder.

11 On that day the number of those killed in the citadel of Susa was reported to the king,

12 who said to Queen Esther, “In the citadel of Susa the Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men, including Haman’s ten sons. What have they done in the rest of the royal provinces? Now what is your petition? It will be given to you. And what further do you request? It will be fulfilled.”

13 Esther replied, “If it pleases the king, may the Jews in Susa also have tomorrow to carry out today’s edict, and may the bodies of Haman’s ten sons be hanged on the gallows.”

14 So the king commanded that this be done. An edict was issued in Susa, and they hanged the ten sons of Haman.

15 On the fourteenth day of the month of Adar, the Jews in Susa came together again and put to death three hundred men there, but they did not lay a hand on the plunder.

16 The rest of the Jews in the royal provinces also assembled to defend themselves and rid themselves of their enemies. They killed 75,000 who hated them, but they did not lay a hand on the plunder.

17 This was done on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar, and on the fourteenth day they rested, making it a day of feasting and joy.

18 The Jews in Susa, however, had assembled on the thirteenth and the fourteenth days of the month. So they rested on the fifteenth day, making it a day of feasting and joy.

19 This is why the rural Jews, who live in the villages, observe the fourteenth day of the month of Adar as a day of joy and feasting. It is a holiday for sending gifts to one another.

20 Mordecai recorded these events and sent letters to all the Jews in all the provinces of King Xerxes, both near and far,

21 to establish among them an annual celebration on the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar

22 as the days on which the Jews gained rest from their enemies and the month in which their sorrow turned to joy and their mourning into a holiday. He wrote that these were to be days of feasting and joy, of sending gifts to one another and to the poor.

23 So the Jews agreed to continue the custom they had started, as Mordecai had written to them.

24 For Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them and had cast the Pur (that is, the lot) to crush and destroy them.

25 But when it came before the king, he commanded by letter that the wicked scheme which Haman had devised against the Jews should come back upon his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.

26 Therefore these days are called Purim, from the word Pur. Because of all the instructions in this letter, and because of all they had seen and experienced,

27 the Jews bound themselves to establish the custom that they and their descendants and all who join them should not fail to celebrate these two days at the appointed time each and every year, according to their regulation.

28 These days should be remembered and celebrated by every generation, family, province, and city, so that these days of Purim should not fail to be observed among the Jews, nor should the memory of them fade from their descendants.

29 So Queen Esther daughter of Abihail, along with Mordecai the Jew, wrote with full authority to confirm this second letter concerning Purim.

30 And Mordecai sent letters with words of peace and truth to all the Jews in the 127 provinces of the kingdom of Xerxes,

31 in order to confirm these days of Purim at their appointed time, just as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had established them and had committed themselves and their descendants to the times of fasting and lamentation.

32 So Esther’s decree confirmed these regulations about Purim, which were written into the record.

1 ¶ Now in the twelfth month, that [is], the month Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, when the king's commandment and his decree drew near to be put in execution, in the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to have power over them, (though it was turned to the contrary, that the Jews had rule over them that hated them;)

2 The Jews gathered themselves together in their cities throughout all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, to lay hand on such as sought their hurt: and no man could withstand them; for the fear of them fell upon all people.

3 And all the rulers of the provinces, and the lieutenants, and the deputies, and officers of the king, helped the Jews; because the fear of Mordecai fell upon them.

4 For Mordecai [was] great in the king's house, and his fame went out throughout all the provinces: for this man Mordecai waxed greater and greater.

5 Thus the Jews smote all their enemies with the stroke of the sword, and slaughter, and destruction, and did what they would unto those that hated them.

6 And in Shushan the palace the Jews slew and destroyed five hundred men.

7 And Parshandatha, and Dalphon, and Aspatha,

8 And Poratha, and Adalia, and Aridatha,

9 And Parmashta, and Arisai, and Aridai, and Vajezatha,

10 The ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews, slew they; but on the spoil laid they not their hand.

11 On that day the number of those that were slain in Shushan the palace was brought before the king.

12 And the king said unto Esther the queen, The Jews have slain and destroyed five hundred men in Shushan the palace, and the ten sons of Haman; what have they done in the rest of the king's provinces? now what [is] thy petition? and it shall be granted thee: or what [is] thy request further? and it shall be done.

13 Then said Esther, If it please the king, let it be granted to the Jews which [are] in Shushan to do to morrow also according unto this day's decree, and let Haman's ten sons be hanged upon the gallows.

14 And the king commanded it so to be done: and the decree was given at Shushan; and they hanged Haman's ten sons.

15 For the Jews that [were] in Shushan gathered themselves together on the fourteenth day also of the month Adar, and slew three hundred men at Shushan; but on the prey they laid not their hand.

16 But the other Jews that [were] in the king's provinces gathered themselves together, and stood for their lives, and had rest from their enemies, and slew of their foes seventy and five thousand, but they laid not their hands on the prey,

17 On the thirteenth day of the month Adar; and on the fourteenth day of the same rested they, and made it a day of feasting and gladness.

18 But the Jews that [were] at Shushan assembled together on the thirteenth [day] thereof, and on the fourteenth thereof; and on the fifteenth [day] of the same they rested, and made it a day of feasting and gladness.

19 Therefore the Jews of the villages, that dwelt in the unwalled towns, made the fourteenth day of the month Adar [a day of] gladness and feasting, and a good day, and of sending portions one to another.

20 ¶ And Mordecai wrote these things, and sent letters unto all the Jews that [were] in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, [both] nigh and far,

21 To stablish [this] among them, that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day of the same, yearly,

22 As the days wherein the Jews rested from their enemies, and the month which was turned unto them from sorrow to joy, and from mourning into a good day: that they should make them days of feasting and joy, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor.

23 And the Jews undertook to do as they had begun, and as Mordecai had written unto them;

24 Because Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had devised against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast Pur, that [is], the lot, to consume them, and to destroy them;

25 But when [Esther] came before the king, he commanded by letters that his wicked device, which he devised against the Jews, should return upon his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.

26 Wherefore they called these days Purim after the name of Pur. Therefore for all the words of this letter, and [of that] which they had seen concerning this matter, and which had come unto them,

27 The Jews ordained, and took upon them, and upon their seed, and upon all such as joined themselves unto them, so as it should not fail, that they would keep these two days according to their writing, and according to their [appointed] time every year;

28 And [that] these days [should be] remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city; and [that] these days of Purim should not fail from among the Jews, nor the memorial of them perish from their seed.

29 Then Esther the queen, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew, wrote with all authority, to confirm this second letter of Purim.

30 And he sent the letters unto all the Jews, to the hundred twenty and seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, [with] words of peace and truth,

31 To confirm these days of Purim in their times [appointed], according as Mordecai the Jew and Esther the queen had enjoined them, and as they had decreed for themselves and for their seed, the matters of the fastings and their cry.

32 And the decree of Esther confirmed these matters of Purim; and it was written in the book.

1 In the twelfth month, which is the moon Adar, in the thirteenth day, which the king's word and commandment had appointed to be done, in the very day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to overcome them, it came to pass that the Jews should overcome their enemies.

2 Then the Jews gathered themselves together in their cities, throughout all the provinces of king Ahasuerus, to lay hands on them that would do them evil. And no man could withstand them: for fear was come upon all nations.

3 And all the rulers of the provinces, and the princes, and the governors, and the king's officers, did exalt the Jews: for the fear of Mordecai was upon them.

4 For Mordecai was great in the king's house, and the rumour of him was heard in all the countries, how he increased and became great.

5 So the Jews smote upon all their enemies with the edge of the sword, and choked, and slew, and did according to their will upon them that were enemies unto them.

6 And in Shushan the Jews slew, and destroyed five hundred men.

7 And they slew Parsandatha, and Dalphon, and Aspatha,

8 Poratha, Adaliah, Aridatha,

9 parmastha, arisai, aridai, vajesatha,

10 The ten sons of Haman the son of Medatha, the enemy of the Jews: but they laid not their hands on his goods.

11 At that time came the number of them that were slain unto Shushan the castle before the king.

12 And the king said unto Esther the queen, The Jews have slain and killed five hundred men in Shushan the palace, and the ten sons of Haman: what will they do in the rest of the king's provinces? What will they do in the rest of the king's land? what will they give you? and what more will they ask you to do?

13 And Esther said, If it please the king, let him also the Jews of Shushan do to morrow according to this day's commandment, to hang the ten sons of Haman upon the tree.

14 And the king commanded thus. And the commandment was posted in Shushan, and the ten sons of Haman were hanged.

15 And the Jews gathered themselves together to Shushan on the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and slew in Shushan three hundred men: but they laid not their hands on their goods.

16 And the rest of the Jews that were in the king's provinces came together, and tarried for their lives, to give them rest from their enemies, and slew their enemies seventy and five thousand: but they laid not their hands on their goods.

17 And it came to pass on the thirteenth day of the month Adar, and they rested on the fourteenth day of that month, which was made a day of rest and gladness.

18 But the Jews that were at Shushan were gathered together, both on the thirteenth day and on the fourteenth day, and rested on the fifteenth day: and they made that day a day of rest and gladness.

19 Therefore the Jews that dwelt in the villages and in the towns made the fourteenth day of the month Adar a day of feasting and gladness, and sent gifts one to another.

20 And Mordecai described this history, and sent letters unto all the Jews that were in all the countries of king Ahasuerus, both near and far,

21 And they took and kept the fourteenth and fifteenth day of the month Adar yearly,

22 After the days wherein the Jews were at rest from their enemies, and after the months wherein their sorrows were turned into joy, and their mourning into good days, that they should keep them for days of good living and gladness, and send gifts one to another, and communicate them to the poor.

23 And the Jews received it, which they began to do, and which Mordecai wrote unto them:

24 As Haman the son of Medatha the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, thought to destroy all the Jews, and cast lots to terrify and kill them;

25 And how Esther went to the king, and spake that by letters his wicked devices, which he thought against the Jews, should be turned upon his head; and how they hanged him and his sons upon the tree.

26 Wherefore they called these days Purim by the name of the lot, according to all the words of this epistle, and what they themselves had seen, and what had come unto them.

27 And the Jews set it up, and took it upon themselves, and upon their seed, and upon all that joined themselves unto them, that they would not pass over to keep these two days yearly, as they were described and appointed,

28 That these days should not be forgotten, but kept among their children, among all generations, in all countries, and in all cities. These are the days of Purim, which shall not be forgotten among the Jews, neither shall their remembrance perish among their seed.

29 And Esther the queen, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew, wrote with all their might to confirm this other letter of Purim.

30 And sent letters unto all the Jews in the hundred and twenty and seven countries of the kingdom of Ahasuerus with kind and faithful words:

31 And they confirmed these days of Purim in their appointed time, as Mordecai the Jew had confirmed them, and Esther the queen; as they had confirmed upon their souls, and upon their seed, the story of their fasting and their crying.

32 And Esther commanded to confirm the history of these Purim, and to write it in a book.