Esther 9

The Jews Destroy Their Enemies

1On the thirteenthH7969H6240 dayH3117 of the twelfthH8147H6240 monthH2320H1931, the monthH2320 of AdarH143,1 the king’sH4428 commandH1697 and edictH1881 were to be executedH6213. On this dayH3117 the enemiesH341 of the JewsH3064 had hopedH7663 to overpowerH7980 them, but their plan was overturnedH2015H1931H834 and the JewsH3064 overpoweredH7980 thoseH1992 who hated themH8130. 2In eachH3605 of the provincesH4082 of KingH4428 XerxesH325, the JewsH3064 assembledH6950 in their citiesH5892 to attackH7971H3027 those who soughtH1245 to harm themH7451. NoH3808 manH376 could withstandH5975 themH6440, becauseH3588 the fear of themH6343 had fallenH5307 uponH5921 allH3605 peoplesH5971.

3And allH3605 the officialsH8269 of the provincesH4082, the satrapsH323, the governorsH6346, and the king’sH4428 administratorsH6213H4399 helpedH5375 the JewsH3064, becauseH3588 the fearH6343 of MordecaiH4782 had fallenH5307 upon themH5921. 4ForH3588 MordecaiH4782 exercised greatH1419 power in the palaceH1004H4428, and his fameH8089 spreadH1980 throughoutH3605 the provincesH4082 asH3588H376 heH4782 becameH1980 more and more powerfulH1431.

5The JewsH3064 putH5221H4347 allH3605 their enemiesH341 to the swordH2719, killingH2027 and destroying themH12, and they didH6213 as they pleasedH7522 to those who hated themH8130. 6In the citadelH1002 of SusaH7800, the JewsH3064 killedH2026 and destroyedH6 fiveH2568 hundredH3967 menH376, 7including ParshandathaH6577, DalphonH1813, AspathaH630, 8PorathaH6334, AdaliaH118, AridathaH743, 9ParmashtaH6534, ArisaiH747, AridaiH742, and VaizathaH2055. 10They killedH2026 these tenH6235 sonsH1121 of HamanH2001 sonH1121 of HammedathaH4099, the enemyH6887 of the JewsH3064, but they did notH3808 layH7971 a handH3027 on the plunderH961.

Haman’s Sons Hanged

11On thatH1931H935 dayH3117 the numberH4557 of those killedH2026 in the citadelH1002 of SusaH7800 was reported toH6440 the kingH4428, 12whoH4428 saidH559 to QueenH4436 EstherH635, “In the citadelH1002 of SusaH7800 the JewsH3064 have killedH2026 and destroyedH6 fiveH2568 hundredH3967 menH376, including Haman’sH2001 tenH6235 sonsH1121. WhatH4100 have they doneH6213 in the restH7605 of the royalH4428 provincesH4082? Now whatH4100 is your petitionH7596? It will be givenH5414 to you. And whatH4100 furtherH5750 do you requestH1246? It will be fulfilledH6213.”

13EstherH635 repliedH559, “IfH518 it pleasesH5921H2896H5414 the kingH4428, may the JewsH3064 in SusaH7800 alsoH1571 have tomorrowH4279 to carry outH6213 today’sH3117 edictH1881, and may the bodies of Haman’sH2001 tenH6235 sonsH1121 be hangedH8518 onH5921 the gallowsH6086.”

14So the kingH4428 commandedH559 that thisH3651 be doneH6213. An edictH1881 was issuedH5414 in SusaH7800, and they hangedH8518 the tenH6235 sonsH1121 of HamanH2001. 15On the fourteenthH702H6240 dayH3117 of the monthH2320 of AdarH143, the JewsH3064 in SusaH7800 came togetherH6950 againH1571 and put to deathH2026 threeH7969 hundredH3967 menH376 there, but they did notH3808 layH7971 a handH3027 on the plunderH961.

16The restH7605 of the JewsH3064 in the royalH4428 provincesH4082 also assembledH6950 to defendH5975H5921 themselvesH5315 and rid themselvesH5118 of their enemiesH341. They killedH2026 75,000H2568H7657H505 who hated themH8130, but they did notH3808 layH7971 a handH3027 on the plunderH961. 17This was done on the thirteenthH7969H6240 dayH3117 of the monthH2320 of AdarH143, and on the fourteenth dayH702H6240 they restedH5117, making itH6213 a dayH3117 of feastingH4960 and joyH8057.

The Feast of Purim Instituted

18The JewsH3064 in Susa, howeverH7800, had assembledH6950 on the thirteenthH7969H6240 and the fourteenthH702 days of the monthH6240. So they restedH5117 on the fifteenthH2568 dayH6240, makingH6213 itH853 a dayH3117 of feastingH4960 and joyH8057. 19This is whyH5921H3651 the ruralH6521 JewsH3064, who liveH3427 in the villagesH5892H6519, observeH6213 the fourteenth dayH702H6240 of the monthH2320 of AdarH143 as a dayH3117 of joyH8057 and feastingH4960. It is a holidayH3117H2896 for sendingH4916 giftsH4490 to oneH376 anotherH7453.

20MordecaiH4782 recordedH3789 theseH428 eventsH1697 and sentH7971 lettersH5612 toH413 allH3605 the JewsH3064 in allH3605 the provincesH4082 of KingH4428 XerxesH325, both nearH7138 and farH7350, 21to establishH6965 among themH5921 an annualH3605H8141 celebrationH1961H6213 on the fourteenthH702H6240 and fifteenthH2568H6240 daysH3117 of the monthH2320 of AdarH143 22as the daysH3117 on whichH834 the JewsH3064 gained restH5117 from their enemiesH341 and the monthH2320 in whichH834 their sorrowH3015 turnedH2015 to joyH8057 and their mourningH60 into a holidayH3117H2896. He wrote that these were to beH6213 daysH3117 of feastingH4960 and joyH8057, of sendingH4916 giftsH4490 to oneH376 anotherH7453 and to the poorH34.

23So the JewsH3064 agreed to continueH6901 the customH6213 they had startedH2490, asH834 MordecaiH4782 had writtenH3789 to themH413. 24ForH3588 HamanH2001 sonH1121 of HammedathaH4099, the AgagiteH91, the enemyH6887 of allH3605 the JewsH3064, had plottedH2803 againstH5921 the JewsH3064 to destroy themH6 and had castH5307 the PurH6332 (that isH1931, the lotH1486) to crushH2000 and destroy themH6. 25But when it cameH935 beforeH6440 the kingH4428, he commandedH559 byH5973 letterH5612 that the wickedH7451 schemeH4284 whichH834 Haman had devisedH2803 againstH5921 the JewsH3064 should come backH7725 uponH5921 his own headH7218, and that heH853 andH853 his sonsH1121 should be hangedH8518 onH5921 the gallowsH6086.

26ThereforeH5921H3651 theseH428 daysH3117 are calledH7121 PurimH6332, fromH5921 the wordH8034 PurH6332.

Because ofH5921H3651 allH3605 the instructionsH1697 in thisH2063 letterH107, and because of allH4100H5921H3602 they had seenH7200 and experiencedH4100H5060H413, 27the JewsH3064 bound themselvesH6901 to establish the customH6965 that theyH5921 and their descendantsH2233H5921 and allH3605 who joinH3867 themH5921 should notH3808 failH5674H1961 to celebrateH6213 theseH428 twoH8147 daysH3117 at the appointed timeH2165 eachH3605 and every yearH8141, according to their regulationH3791. 28TheseH428 daysH3117 should be rememberedH2142 and celebratedH6213 by everyH3605 generationH1755, familyH4940, provinceH4082, and cityH5892, so that theseH428 daysH3117 of PurimH6332 should notH3808 failH5674 to be observed amongH8432 the JewsH3064, nor should the memory of themH2143H3808 fadeH5486 from their descendantsH2233.

29So QueenH4436 EstherH635 daughterH1323 of AbihailH32, along with MordecaiH4782 the JewH3064, wroteH3789 with fullH3605 authorityH8633 to confirmH6965 thisH2063 secondH8145 letterH107 concerning PurimH6332. 30And Mordecai sentH7971 lettersH5612 with wordsH1697 of peaceH7965 and truthH571 toH413 allH3605 the JewsH3064 inH413 the 127H7651H6242H3967 provincesH4082 of the kingdomH4438 of XerxesH325, 31in order to confirmH6965 theseH428 daysH3117 of PurimH6332 at their appointed timeH2165, just asH834 MordecaiH4782 the JewH3064 and QueenH4436 EstherH635 had established themH6965 and had committedH6965H5921 themselvesH5315H5921 and their descendantsH2233 to the timesH1697 of fastingH6685 and lamentationH2201.

32So Esther’sH635 decreeH3982 confirmedH6965 theseH428 regulationsH1697 about PurimH6332, which were writtenH3789 into the recordH5612.