Dual Panel1Now in the twelfth<8147><6240> month<2320> (that is, the month<2320> Adar<143>), on the thirteenth<7969><6240> day<3117> when<834> the king's<4428> command<1697> and edict<1881> were about to be executed<6213>, on the day<3117> when<834> the enemies<340> of the Jews<3064> hoped<7663> to gain<7980> the mastery<7980> over<7980> them, it was turned<2015> to the contrary so that the Jews<3064> themselves<1992> gained<7980> the mastery<7980> over<7980> those who hated<8130> them.
2The Jews<3064> assembled<6950> in their cities<5892> throughout all<3605> the provinces<4082> of King<4428> Ahasuerus<325> to lay<7971> hands<3027> on those who sought<1245> their harm<7463>; and no<3808> one<376> could stand<5975> before<6440> them, for the dread<6343> of them had fallen<5307> on all<3605> the peoples<5971>.
3Even all<3605> the princes<8269> of the provinces<4082>, the satraps<323>, the governors<6346> and those who were doing<6213> the king's<4428> business<4399> assisted<5375> the Jews<3064>, because<3588> the dread<6343> of Mordecai<4782> had fallen<5307> on them.
4Indeed<3588>, Mordecai<4782> was great<1419> in the king's<4428> house<1004>, and his fame<8089> spread<1980> throughout all<3605> the provinces<4082>; for the man<376> Mordecai<4782> became<1980> greater<1980> and greater<1419>.
5Thus the Jews<3064> struck<5221> all<3605> their enemies<340> with the sword<2719>, killing<2027> and destroying<12>; and they did<6213> what<7522> they pleased<7522> to those who hated<8130> them.
6At the citadel<1002> in Susa<7800> the Jews<3064> killed<2026> and destroyed<6> five<2568> hundred<3967> men<376>,
7and Parshandatha<6577>, Dalphon<1813>, Aspatha<630>,
8Poratha<6334>, Adalia<118>, Aridatha<743>,
9Parmashta<6534>, Arisai<747>, Aridai<742> and Vaizatha<2055>,
10the ten<6235> sons<1121> of Haman<2001> the son<1121> of Hammedatha<1992>, the Jews'<3064> enemy<6887>; but they did not lay<7971> their hands<3027> on the plunder<961>.
11On that day<3117> the number<4557> of those who were killed<2026> at the citadel<1002> in Susa<7800> was reported<935> to the king<4428>.
12The king<4428> said<559> to Queen<4436> Esther<635>, "The Jews<3064> have killed<2026> and destroyed<6> five<2568> hundred<3967> men<376> and the ten<6235> sons<1121> of Haman<2001> at the citadel<1002> in Susa<7800>. What<4100> then have they done<6213> in the rest<7605> of the king's<4428> provinces<4082>! Now what<4100> is your petition<7596>? It shall even be granted<5414> you. And what<4100> is your further<5750> request<1246>? It shall also be done<6213>."
13Then said<559> Esther<635>, "If<518> it pleases<5921><2895> the king<4428>, let tomorrow<4279> also<1571> be granted<5414> to the Jews<3064> who<834> are in Susa<7800> to do<6213> according to the edict<1881> of today<3117>; and let Haman's<2001> ten<6235> sons<1121> be hanged<8518> on the gallows<6086>."
14So the king<4428> commanded<559> that it should be done<6213> so<3651>; and an edict<1881> was issued<5414> in Susa<7800>, and Haman's<2001> ten<6235> sons<1121> were hanged<8518>.
15The Jews<3064> who<834> were in Susa<7800> assembled<6950> also<1571> on the fourteenth<702><6240> day<3117> of the month<2320> Adar<143> and killed<2026> three<7969> hundred<3967> men<376> in Susa<7800>, but they did not lay<7971> their hands<3027> on the plunder<961>.
16Now the rest<7605> of the Jews<3064> who<834> were in the king's<4428> provinces<4082> assembled<6950>, to defend<5975> their lives<5315> and rid<5117> themselves<5117> of their enemies<340>, and kill<2026> 75,000 <2568><7657><505> of those who hated<8130> them; but they did not lay<7971> their hands<3027> on the plunder<961>.
17This was done on the thirteenth<7969><6240> day<3117> of the month<2320> Adar<143>, and on the fourteenth<702><6240> day they rested<5117> and made<6213> it a day<3117> of feasting<4960> and rejoicing<8057>.
18But the Jews<3064> who<834> were in Susa<7800> assembled<6950> on the thirteenth<7969><6240> and the fourteenth<702><6240> of the same month, and they rested<5117> on the fifteenth<2568><6240> day and made<6213> it a day<3117> of feasting<4960> and rejoicing<8057>.
19Therefore<5921><3651> the Jews<3064> of the rural<6521> areas<6521>, who live<3427> in the rural<6519> towns<5892>, make<6213> the fourteenth<702><6240> day<3117> of the month<2320> Adar<143> a holiday<2896><3117> for rejoicing<8057> and feasting<4960> and sending<4916> portions<4490> of food to one<376> another<7453>.
20Then Mordecai<4782> recorded<3789> these<428> events<1697>, and he sent<7971> letters<5612> to all<3605> the Jews<3064> who<834> were in all<3605> the provinces<4082> of King<4428> Ahasuerus<325>, both near<7138> and far<7350>,
21obliging<6965><5921> them to celebrate<6213> the fourteenth<702><6240> day<3117> of the month<2320> Adar<143>, and the fifteenth<2568><6240> day<3117> of the same month, annually<3605><8141>,
22because on those days<3117> the Jews<3064> rid<5117> themselves<5117> of their enemies<340>, and it was a month<2320> which<834> was turned<2015> for them from sorrow<3015> into gladness<8057> and from mourning<60> into a holiday<2896><3117>; that they should make<6213> them days<3117> of feasting<4960> and rejoicing<8057> and sending<4916> portions<4490> of food to one<376> another<7453> and gifts<4979> to the poor<34>.
23Thus the Jews<3064> undertook<6901> what<834> they had started<2490> to do<6213>, and what<834> Mordecai<4782> had written<3789> to them.
24For Haman<2001> the son<1121> of Hammedatha<1992>, the Agagite<91>, the adversary<6887> of all<3605> the Jews<3064>, had schemed<2803> against<5921> the Jews<3064> to destroy<6> them and had cast<5307> Pur<6332>, that is the lot<1486>, to disturb<2000> them and destroy<6> them.
25But when it came<935> to the king's<4428> attention<6440>, he commanded<559> by letter<5612> that his wicked<7451> scheme<4284> which<834> he had devised<2803> against<5921> the Jews<3064>, should return<7725> on his own head<7218> and that he and his sons<1121> should be hanged<8518> on the gallows<6086>.
26Therefore<5921><3651> they called<7121> these<428> days<3117> Purim<6332> after<5921> the name<8034> of Pur<6332>. And because<5921> of the instructions<1697> in this<384> letter<107>, both what<4100> they had seen<7200> in this<3602> regard<3602> and what<4100> had happened<5060> to them,
27the Jews<3064> established<6965> and made<6901> a custom<6901> for themselves and for their descendants<2233> and for all<3605> those who allied<3867> themselves with them, so that they would not fail<5674> to celebrate<6213> these<428> two<8147> days<3117> according to their regulation<3791> and according to their appointed<2163> time<2165> annually<3605><8141>.
28So these<428> days<3117> were to be remembered<2142> and celebrated<6213> throughout every<1755> generation<1755>, every<4940> family<4940>, every<4082> province<4082> and every<5892> city<5892>; and these<428> days<3117> of Purim<6332> were not to fail<5674> from among<8432> the Jews<3064>, or their memory<2143> fade<5486> from their descendants<2233>.
29Then Queen<4436> Esther<635>, daughter<1323> of Abihail<32>, with Mordecai<4782> the Jew<3064>, wrote<3789> with full<3605> authority<8633> to confirm<6965> this<384> second<8145> letter<107> about Purim<6332>.
30He sent<7971> letters<5612> to all<3605> the Jews<3064>, to the 127 <7651><6242><3967> provinces<4082> of the kingdom<4438> of Ahasuerus<325>, namely, words<1697> of peace<7965> and truth<571>,
31to establish<6965> these<428> days<3117> of Purim<6332> at their appointed<2163> times<2165>, just<3512> as Mordecai<4782> the Jew<3064> and Queen<4436> Esther<635> had established<6965> for them, and just<3512> as they had established<6965> for themselves<5315> and for their descendants<2233> with instructions<1697> for their times<6685> of fasting<6685> and their lamentations<2201>.
32The command<3982> of Esther<635> established<6965> these<428> customs<1697> for Purim<6332>, and it was written<3789> in the book<5612>.