“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.” (Esther 9:1-32 AV)
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