Esther 9
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.
