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;)
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
.
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.
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
.
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.
And in Shushan the palace
the Jews
slew
and destroyed
five
hundred
men
.
And Parshandatha, and Dalphon
, and Aspatha
,
And Poratha, and Adalia
, and Aridatha
,
And Parmashta, and Arisai
, and Aridai
, and Vajezatha
,
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
.
On that day the number
of those that were slain
in Shushan
the palace
was brought
before
the king
.
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
.
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
.
And the king commanded
it so to be done
: and the decree
was given
at Shushan
; and they hanged
Haman's
ten
sons
.
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
.
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
,
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
.
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
.
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
.
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
,
To stablish this among them, that they should keep
the fourteenth
day
of the month
Adar
, and the fifteenth
day
of the same, yearly
,
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
.
And the Jews undertook
to do
as they had begun
, and as Mordecai
had written
unto them;
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;
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
.
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,
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
;
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
.
Then Esther the queen
, the daughter
of Abihail
, and Mordecai
the Jew
, wrote
with all authority
, to confirm
this second
letter
of Purim
.
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
,
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
.
And the decree of Esther
confirmed
these matters
of Purim
; and it was written
in the book
.