Esther 9:1-21 ▼

1 On the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar (February and March), the king’s command and edict were to be executed. On this day the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, but their plan was overturned and the Jews overpowered those who hated them.

2 In each of the provinces of King Xerxes (I will be silent and poor), the Jews assembled in their cities to attack those who sought to harm them. No man could withstand them, because the fear of them had fallen upon all peoples.

3 And all the officials of the provinces, the satraps, the governors, and the king’s administrators helped the Jews, because the fear of Mordecai (little man) had fallen upon them.

4 For Mordecai (little man) exercised great power in the palace, and his fame spread throughout the provinces as he became more and more powerful.

5 The Jews put all their enemies to the sword, killing and destroying them, and they did as they pleased to those who hated them.

6 In the citadel of Susa (lily), the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men,

7 including Parshandatha (given by prayer), Dalphon (dripping), Aspatha (the enticed gathered),

8 Poratha (fruitfulness / frustration), Adalia (I shall be drawn up of Jah), Aridatha (the lion of the decree),

9 Parmashta (superior), Arisai, Aridai (the lion is enough), and Vaizatha (strong as the wind).

10 They killed these ten sons of Haman (magnificent) son of Hammedatha (double), the enemy of the Jews, but they did not lay a hand on the plunder.

11 On that day the number of those killed in the citadel of Susa (lily) was reported to the king,

12 who said to Queen Esther (star), “In the citadel of Susa (lily) the Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men, including Haman’s (magnificent) ten sons. What have they done in the rest of the royal provinces? Now what is your petition? It will be given to you. And what further do you request? It will be fulfilled.”

13 Esther (star) replied, “If it pleases the king, may the Jews in Susa (lily) also have tomorrow to carry out today’s edict, and may the bodies of Haman’s (magnificent) ten sons be hanged on the gallows.”

14 So the king commanded that this be done. An edict was issued in Susa (lily), and they hanged the ten sons of Haman (magnificent).

15 On the fourteenth day of the month of Adar (glorious), the Jews in Susa (lily) came together again and put to death three hundred men there, but they did not lay a hand on the plunder.

16 The rest of the Jews in the royal provinces also assembled to defend themselves and rid themselves of their enemies. They killed 75,000 who hated them, but they did not lay a hand on the plunder.

17 This was done on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar (glorious), and on the fourteenth day they rested, making it a day of feasting and joy.

18 The Jews in Susa, however (lily), had assembled on the thirteenth and the fourteenth days of the month. So they rested on the fifteenth day, making it a day of feasting and joy.

19 This is why the rural Jews, who live in the villages, observe the fourteenth day of the month of Adar (glorious) as a day of joy and feasting. It is a holiday for sending gifts to one another.

20 Mordecai (little man) recorded these events and sent letters to all the Jews in all the provinces of King Xerxes (I will be silent and poor), both near and far,

21 to establish among them an annual celebration on the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar (glorious)