| 1:1 |
InNow in the days of AhasuAhasuerus e′rus the AhasuAhasuerus e′rus who reigned from India to Ethiopia over one127 hundred and twenty seven provinces |
| 1:2 |
in those days when King AhasuAhasuerus e′rus sat on his royal throne in Susa the capital citadel |
| 1:3 |
in the third year of his reign he gave a banquetfeast for all his princesofficials and servants theThe army chiefs of Persia and Media and the nobles and governors of the provinces beingwere before him |
| 1:4 |
while he showed the riches of his royal glory and the splendor and pomp of his majestygreatness for many days a180 hundred and eighty days |
| 1:5 |
And when these days were completed the king gave for all the people present in Susa the capitalcitadel both great and small a banquetfeast lasting for seven days in the court of the garden of the kings palace |
| 1:6 |
There were white cotton curtains and blueviolet hangings caughtfastened up with cords of fine linen and purple to silver ringsrods and marble pillars and also couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry marble mother of pearl and precious stones |
| 1:7 |
Drinks were served in golden gobletsvessels gobletsvessels of different kinds and the royal wine was lavished according to the bounty of the king |
| 1:8 |
And drinking was according to thethis lawedict: noThere oneis wasno compelled;compulsion forFor the king had given orders to all the officialsstaff of his palace to do as everyeach man desired |
| 1:9 |
Queen Vashti also gave a banquetfeast for the women in the palace whichthat belonged to King Ahasu e′rusAhasuerus |
| 1:10 |
On the seventh day when the heart of the king was merry with wine he commanded Mehu′manMehuman Biztha Harbo′naHarbona Bigtha and Abag′thaAbagtha Zethar and Carkas the seven eunuchs who served Kingin Ahasuthe e′ruspresence asof chamberlainsKing Ahasuerus |
| 1:11 |
to bring Queen Vashti before the king with her royal crown in order to show the peoples and the princes her beauty; for she was fairlovely to beholdlook at |
| 1:12 |
But Queen Vashti refused to come at the kings command conveyeddelivered by the eunuchs At this the king wasbecame enraged and his anger burned within him |
| 1:13 |
Then the king said to the wise men who knew the times— for this was the kings procedure toward all who were versed in law and judgment |
| 1:14 |
the men next to him being Carshe′naCarshena Shethar Adma′thaAdmatha Tarshish Meres Marse′naMarsena and Memu′canMemucan the seven princes of Persia and Media who saw the kings face and sat first in the kingdom—: : |
| 1:15 |
According to the law what is to be done to Queen Vashti because she has not performed the command of King AhasuAhasuerus e′rusdelivered conveyed by the eunuchs |
| 1:16 |
Then Memu′canMemucan said in the presence of the king and the princesofficials Not only toagainst the king has Queen Vashti done wrong but also toagainst all the princesofficials and all the peoples who are in all the provinces of King Ahasu e′rus Ahasuerus |
| 1:17 |
For thisthe deedqueens ofbehavior the queen will be made known to all women causing them to look withat contempt upon their husbands with contempt since they will say King AhasuAhasuerus e′rus commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him and she did not come |
| 1:18 |
This very day the ladiesnoble women of Persia and Media who have heard of the queens behavior will besay tellingthe itsame to all the kings princesofficials and there will be contempt and wrath in plenty |
| 1:19 |
If it please the king let a royal order go forthout from him and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes so that it may not be alteredrepealed that Vashti is never again to come no more before King AhasuAhasuerus e′rus;And and let the king give her royal position to another who is better than she |
| 1:20 |
So when the decree made by the king is proclaimed throughout all his kingdom vastfor as it is vast all women will give honor to their husbands high and low alike |
| 1:21 |
This advice pleased the king and the princes and the king did as Memu′canMemucan proposed; |
| 1:22 |
heHe sent letters to all the royal provinces to every province in its own script and to every people in its own language that every man be lordmaster in his own househousehold and speak according to the language of his people |
| 2:1 |
After these things when the anger of King AhasuAhasuerus e′rus had abated he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what had been decreed against her |
| 2:2 |
Then the kings servantsyoung men who attended him said Let beautiful young virgins be sought out for the king |
| 2:3 |
And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom to gather all the beautiful young virgins to the harem in Susa the capitalcitadel under custody of Hegai the kings eunuch who is in charge of the women; letLet their ointmentscosmetics be given them |
| 2:4 |
And let the maidenyoung woman who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti This pleased the king and he did so |
| 2:5 |
Now there was a Jew in Susa the capitalcitadel whose name was Mor′decaiMordecai the son of Ja′irJair son of Shim′eShimei i son of Kish a Benjaminite |
| 2:6 |
who had been carried away from Jerusalem among the captives carried away with Jeconi′ahJeconiah king of Judah whom Nebuchadnez′zarNebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried away |
| 2:7 |
He hadwas broughtbringing up Hadas′sahHadassah that is Esther the daughter of his uncle for she had neither father nor mother; theThe maidenyoung waswoman had a beautiful figure and was lovely to look at and when her father and her mother died Mor′decaiMordecai adoptedtook her as his own daughter |
| 2:8 |
So when the kings order and his edict were proclaimed and when many maidensyoung women were gathered in Susa the capitalcitadel in custody of Hegai Esther also was taken into the kings palace and put in custody of Hegai who had charge of the women |
| 2:9 |
And the maidenyoung woman pleased him and won his favor; andAnd he quickly provided her with her ointmentscosmetics and her portion of food and with seven chosen maidsyoung women from the kings palace and advanced her and her maidsyoung women to the best place in the harem |
| 2:10 |
Esther had not made known her people or kindred for Mor′decaiMordecai had chargedcommanded her not to make it known |
| 2:11 |
And every day Mor′decaiMordecai walked in front of the court of the harem to learn how Esther was and howwhat shewas faredhappening to her |
| 2:12 |
Now when the turn came for each maidenyoung woman to go in to King AhasuAhasuerus e′rus after being twelve months under the regulations for the women since this was the regular period of their beautifying six months with oil of myrrh and six months with spices and ointments for women— |
| 2:13 |
when the maidenyoung woman went in to the king in this way she was given whatever she desired to take with her from the harem to the kings palace |
| 2:14 |
In the evening she wentwould go in and in the morning she camewould backreturn to the second harem in custody of ShaShaashgaz ash′gaz the kings eunuch who was in charge of the concubines; sheShe didwould not go in to the king again unless the king delighted in her and she was summoned by name |
| 2:15 |
When the turn came for Esther the daughter of Ab′ihailAbihail the uncle of Mor′decaiMordecai who had adoptedtaken her as his own daughter to go in to the king she asked for nothing except what Hegai the kings eunuch who had charge of the women advised Now Esther foundwas winning favor in the eyes of all who saw her |
| 2:16 |
And when Esther was taken to King AhasuAhasuerus e′rus into his royal palace in the tenth month which is the month of Tebeth in the seventh year of his reign |
| 2:17 |
the king loved Esther more than all the women and she foundwon grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins so that he set the royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti |
| 2:18 |
Then the king gave a great banquetfeast tofor all his princesofficials and servants; it was Esthers banquetfeast He also granted a remission of taxes to the provinces and gave gifts with royal liberalitygenerosity |
| 2:19 |
WhenNow when the virgins were gathered together the second time Mor′decaiMordecai was sitting at the kings gate |
| 2:20 |
Now Esther had not made known her kindred or her people as Mor′decaiMordecai had chargedcommanded her; for Esther obeyed Mor′decaiMordecai just as when she was brought up by him |
| 2:21 |
AndIn in those days as Mor′decaiMordecai was sitting at the kings gate Bigthan and Teresh two of the kings eunuchs who guarded the threshold became angry and sought to lay hands on King Ahasu e′rus Ahasuerus |
| 2:22 |
And this came to the knowledge of Mor′decaiMordecai and he told it to Queen Esther and Esther told the king in the name of Mor′decai Mordecai |
| 2:23 |
When the affair was investigated and found to be so the men were both hanged on the gallows And it was recorded in the Bookbook of the Chronicleschronicles in the presence of the king |
| 3:1 |
After these things King AhasuAhasuerus e′rus promoted Haman the Ag′agiteAgagite the son of Hammeda′thaHammedatha and advanced him and set his seatthrone above all the princesofficials who were with him |
| 3:2 |
And all the kings servants who were at the kings gate bowed down and didpaid obeisancehomage to Haman; for the king had so commanded concerning him But Mor′decaiMordecai did not bow down or dopay obeisance homage |
| 3:3 |
Then the kings servants who were at the kings gate said to Mor′decaiMordecai Why do you transgress the kings command |
| 3:4 |
And when they spoke to him day after day and he would not listen to them they told Haman in order to see whether Mor′decaisMordecais words would avail;stand for he had told them that he was a Jew |
| 3:5 |
And when Haman saw that Mor′decaiMordecai did not bow down or dopay obeisancehomage to him Haman was filled with fury |
| 3:6 |
But he disdained to lay hands on Mor′decaiMordecai alone So as they had made known to him the people of Mor′decaiMordecai Haman sought to destroy all the Jews the people of Mor′decaiMordecai throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasu e′rusAhasuerus |
| 3:7 |
In the first month which is the month of Nisan in the twelfth year of King AhasuAhasuerus e′rus they cast Pur that is thethey lotcast lots before Haman day after day; and they cast it month after month till the twelfth month which is the month of Adar |
| 3:8 |
Then Haman said to King AhasuAhasuerus e′rus There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom; theirTheir laws are different from those of every other people and they do not keep the kings laws so that it is not forto the kings profit to tolerate them |
| 3:9 |
If it please the king let it be decreed that they be destroyed and I will pay ten10000 thousand talents of silver into the hands of those who have charge of the kings business that they may put it into the kings treasuries |
| 3:10 |
So the king took his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman the Ag′agiteAgagite the son of Hammeda′thaHammedatha the enemy of the Jews |
| 3:12 |
Then the kings secretariesscribes were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month and an edict according to all that Haman commanded was written to the kings satraps and to the governors over all the provinces and to the princesofficials of all the peoples to every province in its own script and every people in its own language; itIt was written in the name of King AhasuAhasuerus e′rus and sealed with the kings signet ring |
| 3:13 |
Letters were sent by couriers to all the kings provinces with instruction to destroy to slaykill and to annihilate all Jews young and old women and children in one day the thirteenth day of the twelfth month which is the month of Adar and to plunder their goods |
| 3:15 |
The couriers went inout hastehurriedly by order of the king and the decree was issued in Susa the capitalcitadel And the king and Haman sat down to drink; but the city of Susa was perplexedthrown into confusion |
| 4:1 |
When Mor′decaiMordecai learned all that had been done Mor′decaiMordecai renttore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes and went out into the midst of the city wailingand he cried out with a loud and bitter cry; |
| 4:2 |
heHe went up to the entrance of the kings gate for no one mightwas allowed to enter the kings gate clothed within sackcloth |
| 4:3 |
And in every province wherever the kings command and his decree camereached there was great mourning among the Jews with fasting and weeping and lamenting and mostmany of them lay in sackcloth and ashes |
| 4:4 |
When Esthers maidsyoung women and her eunuchs came and told her the queen was deeply distressed; sheShe sent garments to clothe Mor′decaiMordecai so that he might take off his sackcloth but he would not accept them |
| 4:5 |
Then Esther called for Hathach one of the kings eunuchs who had been appointed to attend her and ordered him to go to Mor′decaiMordecai to learn what this was and why it was |
| 4:6 |
Hathach went out to Mor′decaiMordecai in the open square of the city in front of the kings gate |
| 4:7 |
and Mor′decaiMordecai told him all that had happened to him and the exact sum of money that Haman had promised to pay into the kings treasuries for the destruction of the Jews |
| 4:8 |
Mor′decaiMordecai also gave him a copy of the written decree issued in Susa for their destruction that he might show it to Esther and explain it to her and chargecommand her to go to the king to makebeg supplicationhis tofavor him and entreatplead with him foron behalf of her people |
| 4:9 |
And Hathach went and told Esther what Mor′decaiMordecai had said |
| 4:10 |
Then Esther spoke to Hathach and gavecommanded him ato messagego forto Mor′decaiMordecai sayingand say |
| 4:11 |
All the kings servants and the people of the kings provinces know that if any man or woman goes to the king inside the inner court without being called there is but one law; all alike are —to be put to death except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter so that he may live AndBut as for me I have not been called to come in to the king these thirty days |
| 4:12 |
And they told Mor′decaiMordecai what Esther had said |
| 4:13 |
Then Mor′decaiMordecai told them to returnreply answer to Esther ThinkDo not think to yourself that in the kings palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews |
| 4:14 |
For if you keep silencesilent at suchthis a time as this relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another quarterplace but you and your fathers house will perish And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this |
| 4:15 |
Then Esther told them to reply to Mor′decai Mordecai |
| 4:16 |
Go gather all the Jews to be found in Susa and hold a fast on my behalf and neitherdo not eat noror drink for three days night or day I and my maidsyoung women will also fast as you do Then I will go to the king though it is against the law; and if I perish I perish |
| 4:17 |
Mor′decaiMordecai then went away and did everything as Esther had ordered him |
| 5:1 |
On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the kings palace oppositein front of the kings hallquarters Thewhile the king was sitting on his royal throne inside the palacethrone room opposite the entrance to the palace; |
| 5:2 |
andAnd when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court she foundwon favor in his sight and he held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand Then Esther approached and touched the toptip of the scepter |
| 5:4 |
And Esther said If it please the king let the king and Haman come thistoday day to a dinnerfeast that I have prepared for the king |
| 5:5 |
Then said the king said Bring Haman quickly so that we may do as Esther desireshas asked So the king and Haman came to the dinnerfeast that Esther had prepared |
| 5:6 |
And as they were drinking wine after the feast the king said to Esther What is your petitionwish It shall be granted you And what is your request Even to the half of my kingdom it shall be fulfilled |
| 5:7 |
ButThen Esther saidanswered My petitionwish and my request is: |
| 5:8 |
If I have found favor in the sight of the king and if it please the king to grant my petitionwish and fulfilfulfill my request let the king and Haman come tomorrow to the dinnerfeast whichthat I will prepare for them and tomorrow I will do as the king has said |
| 5:9 |
And Haman went out that day joyful and glad of heart But when Haman saw Mor′decaiMordecai in the kings gate that he neither rose nor trembled before him he was filled with wrath against Mor′decai Mordecai |
| 5:10 |
Nevertheless Haman restrained himself and went home; and he sent and fetchedbrought his friends and his wife Zeresh |
| 5:11 |
And Haman recounted to them the splendor of his riches the number of his sons all the promotions with which the king had honored him and how he had advanced him above the princesofficials and the servants of the king |
| 5:12 |
AndThen Haman addedsaid Even Queen Esther let no one but me come with the king to the banquetfeast she prepared but myself And tomorrow also I am invited by her together with the king |
| 5:13 |
Yet all this doesis meworth nonothing goodto me so long as I see Mor′decaiMordecai the Jew sitting at the kings gate |
| 5:14 |
Then his wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him Let a gallows fifty cubits high be made and in the morning tell the king to have Mor′decaiMordecai hanged upon it; thenThen go merrilyjoyfully with the king to the dinnerfeast This counselidea pleased Haman and he had the gallows made |
| 6:1 |
On that night the king could not sleep; andAnd he gave orders to bring the book of memorable deeds the chronicles and they were read before the king |
| 6:2 |
And it was found written how Mor′decaiMordecai had told about Bigthana and Teresh two of the kings eunuchs who guarded the threshold and who had sought to lay hands uponon King Ahasu e′rus Ahasuerus |
| 6:3 |
And the king said What honor or dignitydistinction has been bestowed on Mor′decaiMordecai for this The kings servantsyoung men who attended him said Nothing has been done for him |
| 6:4 |
And the king said Who is in the court Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the kings palace to speak to the king about having Mor′decaiMordecai hanged on the gallows that he had prepared for him |
| 6:5 |
SoAnd the kings servantsyoung men told him Haman is there standing in the court And the king said Let him come in |
| 6:6 |
So Haman came in and the king said to him What shallshould be done to the man whom the king delights to honor And Haman said to himself Whom would the king delight to honor more than me |
| 6:8 |
let royal robes be brought which the king has worn and the horse whichthat the king has ridden and on whose head a royal crown is set; |
| 6:9 |
andAnd let the robes and the horse be handed over to one of the kings most noble princes;officials letLet himthem arraydress the man whom the king delights to honor and let them lead him conducton the manhorse on horseback through the open square of the city proclaiming before him: Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor |
| 6:10 |
Then the king said to Haman MakeHurry; haste take the robes and the horse as you have said and do so to Mor′decaiMordecai the Jew who sits at the kings gate Leave out nothing that you have mentioned |
| 6:11 |
So Haman took the robes and the horse and he arrayeddressed Mor′decaiMordecai and madeled him ride through the open square of the city proclaiming before him Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor |
| 6:12 |
Then Mor′decaiMordecai returned to the kings gate But Haman hurried to his house mourning and with his head covered |
| 6:13 |
And Haman told his wife Zeresh and all his friends everything that had befallenhappened to him Then his wise men and his wife Zeresh said to him If Mor′decaiMordecai before whom you have begun to fall is of the Jewish people you will not prevailovercome against him but will surely fall before him |
| 6:14 |
While they were yet talking with him the kings eunuchs arrived and broughthurried Hamanto inbring hasteHaman to the banquetfeast that Esther had prepared |
| 7:2 |
And on the second day as they were drinking wine after the feast the king again said to Esther What is your petitionwish Queen Esther It shall be granted you And what is your request Even to the half of my kingdom it shall be fulfilled |
| 7:3 |
Then Queen Esther answered If I have found favor in your sight O king and if it please the king let my life be givengranted me atfor my petitionwish and my people atfor my request |
| 7:4 |
For we arehave been sold I and my people to be destroyed to be slainkilled and to be annihilated If we had been sold merely as slaves men and women I would have heldbeen mysilent peace; for our affliction is not to be compared with the loss to the king |
| 7:5 |
Then King AhasuAhasuerus e′rus said to Queen Esther Who is he and where is he thatwho wouldhas presumedared to do this |
| 7:6 |
And Esther said A foe and enemy This wicked Haman Then Haman was interrified terror before the king and the queen |
| 7:7 |
And the king rosearose in his wrath from the feastwine indrinking wrath and went into the palace garden; but Haman stayed to beg for his life from Queen Esther for he saw that evilharm was determined against him by the king |
| 7:8 |
And the king returned from the palace garden to the place where they were drinking wine as Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was; andAnd the king said Will he even assault the queen in my presence in my own house As the wordsword left the mouth of the king they covered Hamans face |
| 7:9 |
Then saidHarbona Harbo′na one of the eunuchs in attendance on the king said Moreover the gallows whichthat Haman has prepared for Mor′decaiMordecai whose word saved the king is standing inat Hamans house fifty cubits high And the king said Hang him on that |
| 7:10 |
And the king said Hang him on that So they hanged Haman on the gallows whichthat he had prepared for Mor′decaiMordecai Then the angerwrath of the king abated |
| 8:1 |
On that day King AhasuAhasuerus e′rus gave to Queen Esther the house of Haman the enemy of the Jews And Mor′decaiMordecai came before the king for Esther had told what he was to her; |
| 8:2 |
andAnd the king took off his signet ring which he had taken from Haman and gave it to Mor′decaiMordecai And Esther set Mor′decaiMordecai over the house of Haman |
| 8:3 |
Then Esther spoke again to the king; sheShe fell at his feet and besoughtwept himand pleaded with tearshim to avert the evil designplan of Haman the Ag′agiteAgagite and the plot whichthat he had devised against the Jews |
| 8:4 |
AndWhen the king held out the golden scepter to Esther Esther rose and stood before the king |
| 8:5 |
and Esther rose and stood before the king And she said If it please the king and if I have found favor in his sight and if the thing seemseems right before the king and I beam pleasing in his eyes let an order be written to revoke the letters devised by Haman the Ag′agiteAgagite the son of Hammeda′thaHammedatha which he wrote to destroy the Jews who are in all the provinces of the king |
| 8:6 |
For how can I endurebear to see the calamity that is coming to my people Or how can I endurebear to see the destruction of my kindred |
| 8:7 |
Then King AhasuAhasuerus e′rus said to Queen Esther and to Mor′decaiMordecai the Jew Behold I have given Esther the house of Haman and they have hanged him on the gallows because he wouldintended to lay hands on the Jews |
| 8:8 |
AndBut you may write as you please with regard to the Jews in the name of the king and seal it with the kings ring; for an edict written in the name of the king and sealed with the kings ring cannot be revoked |
| 8:9 |
The kings secretariesscribes were summoned at that time in the third month which is the month of Sivan on the twenty third day; andAnd an edict was written according to all that Mor′decaiMordecai commanded concerning the Jews to the satraps and the governors and the princesofficials of the provinces from India to Ethiopia a127 hundred and twenty seven provinces to everyeach province in its own script and to everyeach people in its own language and also to the Jews in their script and their language |
| 8:10 |
TheAnd writinghe waswrote in the name of King AhasuAhasuerus e′rus and sealed it with the kings signet ring andThen lettershe were sent the letters by mounted couriers riding on swift horses that were used in the kings service bred from the royal stud |
| 8:11 |
Bysaying thesethat the king allowed the Jews who were in every city to gather and defend their lives to destroy to slaykill and to annihilate any armed force of any people or province that might attack them with their children and women included and to plunder their goods |
| 8:12 |
uponon one day throughout all the provinces of King AhasuAhasuerus e′rus on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month which is the month of Adar |
| 8:13 |
A copy of what was written was to be issued as a decree in every province andbeing bypublicly proclamationdisplayed to all peoples and the Jews were to be ready on that day to avengetake themselvesvengeance uponon their enemies |
| 8:14 |
So the couriers mounted on their swift horses that were used in the kings service rode out inhurriedly haste urged by the kings command; andAnd the decree was issued in Susa the capitalcitadel |
| 8:15 |
Then Mor′decaiMordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal robes of blue and white with a great golden crown and a mantlerobe of fine linen and purple whileand the city of Susa shouted and rejoiced |
| 8:17 |
And in every province and in every city wherever the kings command and his edict camereached there was gladness and joy among the Jews a feast and a holiday And many from the peoples of the country declared themselves Jews for the fear of the Jews had fallen uponon them |
| 9:1 |
Now in the twelfth month which is the month of Adar on the thirteenth day of the same when the kings command and edict were about to be executedcarried out on the very day when the enemies of the Jews hoped to getgain the mastery over them butthe whichreverse hadoccurred: been changed to a day when the Jews shouldgained get the mastery over theirthose foeswho hated them |
| 9:2 |
theThe Jews gathered in their cities throughout all the provinces of King AhasuAhasuerus e′rus to lay hands on suchthose aswho sought their hurtharm And no one could make a stand against them for the fear of them had fallen uponon all peoples |
| 9:3 |
All the princesofficials of the provinces and the satraps and the governors and the royal officialsagents also helped the Jews for the fear of Mor′decaiMordecai had fallen uponon them |
| 9:4 |
For Mor′decaiMordecai was great in the kings house and his fame spread throughout all the provinces; for the man Mor′decaiMordecai grew more and more powerful |
| 9:5 |
SoThe the Jews smotestruck all their enemies with the sword slaughteringkilling and destroying them and did as they pleased to those who hated them |
| 9:6 |
In Susa the capitalcitadel itself the Jews slewkilled and destroyed five500 hundred men |
| 9:7 |
and also slewkilled ParshanParshandatha da′tha and Dalphon and Aspa′tha Aspatha |
| 9:8 |
and Pora′thaPoratha and Ada′liaAdalia and Arida′tha Aridatha |
| 9:9 |
and Parmash′taParmashta and Ar′isaiArisai and Ar′idaiAridai and Vaiza′tha Vaizatha |
| 9:10 |
the ten sons of Haman the son of Hammeda′thaHammedatha the enemy of the Jews; but they laid no hand on the plunder |
| 9:11 |
That very day the number of those slainkilled in Susa the capitalcitadel was reported to the king |
| 9:12 |
And the king said to Queen Esther In Susa the capitalcitadel the Jews have slainkilled fiveand hundreddestroyed 500 men and also the ten sons of Haman What then have they done in the rest of the kings provinces Now what is your petitionwish It shall be granted you And what further is your request It shall be fulfilled |
| 9:14 |
So the king commanded this to be done; aA decree was issued in Susa and the ten sons of Haman were hanged |
| 9:15 |
The Jews who were in Susa gathered also on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar and they slewkilled three300 hundred men in Susa; but they laid no hands on the plunder |
| 9:16 |
Now the otherrest of the Jews who were in the kings provinces also gathered to defend their lives and got relief from their enemies and slewkilled seventy75000 five thousand of those who hated them; but they laid no hands on the plunder |
| 9:19 |
Therefore the Jews of the villages who live in the openrural towns hold the fourteenth day of the month of Adar as a day for gladness and feasting andas a holiday making and as a day on which they send choicegifts portionsof food to one another |
| 9:20 |
And Mor′decaiMordecai recorded these things and sent letters to all the Jews who were in all the provinces of King AhasuAhasuerus e′rus both near and far |
| 9:21 |
enjoiningobliging them thatto they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar and also the fifteenth day of the same year by year |
| 9:22 |
as the days on which the Jews got relief from their enemies and as the month that had been turned for them from sorrow into gladness and from mourning into a holiday; that they should make them days of feasting and gladness days for sending choicegifts portionsof food to one another and gifts to the poor |
| 9:23 |
So the Jews undertookaccepted towhat do as they had begunstarted to do and aswhat Mor′decaiMordecai had written to them |
| 9:24 |
For Haman the Ag′agiteAgagite the son of Hammeda′thaHammedatha the enemy of all the Jews had plotted against the Jews to destroy them and had cast Pur that is thecast lotlots to crush and to destroy them; |
| 9:25 |
butBut when Estherit came before the king he gave orders in writing that his wickedevil plotplan whichthat he had devised against the Jews should comereturn uponon his own head and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows |
| 9:26 |
Therefore they called these days Purim after the term Pur AndTherefore therefore because of all that was written in this letter and of what they had faced in this matter and of what had befallenhappened to them |
| 9:27 |
the Jews ordainedfirmly andobligated took it upon themselves and their descendantsoffspring and all who joined them that without fail they would keep these two days according to what was written and at the time appointed every year |
| 9:28 |
that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation in every familyclan province and city and that these days of Purim should never fall into disuse among the Jews nor should the commemoration of these days cease among their descendants |
| 9:29 |
Then Queen Esther the daughter of Ab′ihailAbihail and Mor′decaiMordecai the Jew gave full written authority confirming this second letter about Purim |
| 9:30 |
Letters were sent to all the Jews to the hundred127 and twenty seven provinces of the kingdom of AhasuAhasuerus e′rus in words of peace and truth |
| 9:31 |
that these days of Purim should be observed at their appointed seasons as Mor′decaiMordecai the Jew and Queen Esther enjoinedobligated uponthem the Jews and as they had laidobligated down for themselves and for their descendantsoffspring with regard to their fasts and their lamenting |
| 9:32 |
The command of Queen Esther fixedconfirmed these practices of Purim and it was recorded in writing |
| 10:1 |
King AhasuAhasuerus e′rusimposed laidtax tribute on the land and on the coastlands of the sea |
| 10:2 |
And all the acts of his power and might and the full account of the high honor of Mor′decaiMordecai to which the king advanced him are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia |
| 10:3 |
For Mor′decaiMordecai the Jew was nextsecond in rank to King AhasuAhasuerus e′rus and he was great among the Jews and popular with the multitude of his brethrenbrothers for he sought the welfare of his people and spoke peace to all his people |