Chapter 9

Now in the twelfth ⁶²⁴⁰ month, that [is], the month Adar, on the thirteenth ⁶²⁴⁰ day of the same, when the king's commandment and his decree drew near⁵² to be put in execution,⁹ in the day that the enemies⁶ of the Jews hoped¹⁴ to have power² over them, (though it was turned⁹ to the contrary, that the Jews had rule⁴ over them that hated⁶ them;)

The Jews gathered themselves together⁸ in their cities throughout all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, to lay² hand on such as sought¹⁸ their hurt: and no man could withstand^{1 6440} them; for the fear of them fell¹ upon all people.

And all the rulers of the provinces, and the lieutenants, and the deputies, and officers^{6 4399} of the king, helped¹⁸ the Jews; because the fear of Mordecai fell¹ upon them.

For Mordecai [was] great in the king's house, and his fame went out⁶ throughout all the provinces: for this man Mordecai waxed greater⁶ and greater.

Thus the Jews smote⁵⁵ all their enemies⁶ with the stroke of the sword, and slaughter, and destruction, and did⁴ what they would unto those that hated⁶ them.

And in Shushan the palace the Jews slew¹ and destroyed¹⁵ five hundred men.

And Parshandatha, and Dalphon, and Aspatha,

And Poratha, and Adalia, and Aridatha,

And Parmashta, and Arisai, and Aridai, and Vajezatha,

The ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the enemy⁶ of the Jews, slew¹ they; but on the spoil laid¹ they not their hand.

On that day the number of those that were slain⁷ in Shushan the palace was brought¹ before the king.

And the king said⁴ unto Esther the queen, The Jews have slain¹ and destroyed¹⁵ five hundred men in Shushan the palace, and the ten sons of Haman; what have they done¹ in the rest of the king's provinces? now what [is] thy petition? and it shall be granted¹¹ thee: or what [is] thy request further? and it shall be done.¹¹

Then said⁴ Esther, If it please the king, let it be granted¹¹ to the Jews which [are] in Shushan to do² to morrow also according unto this day's decree, and let Haman's ten sons be hanged⁴ upon the gallows.

And the king commanded⁴ it so to be done:⁹ and the decree was given¹¹ at Shushan; and they hanged¹ Haman's ten sons.

For the Jews that [were] in Shushan gathered themselves together¹¹ on the fourteenth ⁶²⁴⁰ day also of the month Adar, and slew⁴ three hundred men at Shushan; but on the prey they laid¹ not their hand.

But the other Jews that [were] in the king's provinces gathered themselves together,⁸ and stood² for their lives, and had rest from their enemies,⁶ and slew² of their foes⁶ seventy and five thousand, but they laid¹ not their hands on the prey,

On the thirteenth ⁶²⁴⁰ day of the month Adar; and on the fourteenth ⁶²⁴⁰ day of the same rested they, and made² it a day of feasting and gladness.

But the Jews that [were] at Shushan assembled together⁸ on the thirteenth ⁶²⁴⁰ [day] thereof, and on the fourteenth ⁶²⁴⁰ thereof; and on the fifteenth ⁶²⁴⁰ [day] of the same they rested, and made² it a day of feasting and gladness.

Therefore the Jews of the villages, that dwelt⁶ in the unwalled towns, made⁶ the fourteenth ⁶²⁴⁰ day of the month Adar [a day of] gladness and feasting, and a good day, and of sending portions one to another.

And Mordecai wrote⁴ these things, and sent⁴ letters unto all the Jews that [were] in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, [both] nigh and far,

To stablish¹⁵ [this] among them, that they should keep⁶ the fourteenth ⁶²⁴⁰ day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth ⁶²⁴⁰ day of the same, yearly, ⁸¹⁴¹

As the days wherein the Jews rested¹ from their enemies,⁶ and the month which was turned⁸ unto them from sorrow to joy, and from mourning into a good day: that they should make² them days of feasting and joy, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor.

And the Jews undertook¹⁴ to do² as they had begun,⁵² and as Mordecai had written¹ unto them;

Because Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy⁶ of all the Jews, had devised¹ against the Jews to destroy¹⁵ them, and had cast⁵² Pur, that [is], the lot, to consume² them, and to destroy¹⁵ them;

But when [Esther] came² before the king, he commanded¹ by letters that his wicked device, which he devised¹ against the Jews, should return⁴ upon his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged¹ on the gallows.

Wherefore they called¹ these days Purim after the name of Pur. Therefore for all the words of this letter, and [of that] which they had seen¹ concerning this matter, and which had come⁵² unto them,

The Jews ordained,¹⁴ and took¹⁴ upon them, and upon their seed, and upon all such as joined¹² themselves unto them, so as it should not fail,⁴ that they would keep⁶ these two days according to their writing, and according to their [appointed] time every year; ⁸¹⁴¹

And [that] these days [should be] remembered¹² and kept¹² throughout every generation, every family, ⁴⁹⁴⁰ every province, ⁴⁰⁸² and every city; ⁵⁸⁹² and [that] these days of Purim should not fail⁴ from among the Jews, nor the memorial of them perish⁴ from their seed.

Then Esther the queen, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew, wrote⁴ with all authority, to confirm¹⁵ this second letter of Purim.

And he sent⁴ the letters unto all the Jews, to the hundred twenty and seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, [with] words of peace and truth,

To confirm¹⁵ these days of Purim in their times [appointed], according as Mordecai the Jew and Esther the queen had enjoined¹⁴ them, and as they had decreed¹⁴ for themselves and for their seed, the matters of the fastings and their cry.

And the decree of Esther confirmed¹⁴ these matters of Purim; and it was written¹² in the book.