(KJV) Esther 9¹

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⥃The Jews Destroy Their Enemies

[1] Now in the twelfth² 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 hoped³ to have power over them, (though it was turned⁴ to the contrary, that the Jews had rule over them that hated them;)⁵ [2] The Jews gathered⁶ themselves together in their cities throughout all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, to lay hand on such as sought⁷ their hurt: and no man could withstand them; for the fear⁸ of them fell upon all people. [3] And all the rulers⁹ of the provinces, and the lieutenants, and the deputies, and officers of the king¹⁰, helped the Jews; because the fear¹¹ of Mordecai fell upon them. [4] For Mordecai [was] great¹² in the king’s house, and his fame¹³ went out throughout all the provinces: for this man Mordecai waxed¹⁴ greater and greater. [5] Thus the Jews smote¹⁵ all their enemies with the stroke¹⁶ of the sword, and slaughter, and destruction, and did what they would¹⁷ unto those that hated them. [6] And in Shushan¹⁸ 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 sons¹⁹ of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the enemy²⁰ of the Jews, slew they; but on the spoil²¹ laid they not their hand.

⥃Haman’s Sons Hanged

[11] On that day the number of those that were slain in Shushan the palace was brought²² 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 petition²³? 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 king²⁴, let it be granted to the Jews which [are] in Shushan to do to morrow also according unto²⁵ this day’s decree, and let Haman’s ten sons be hanged²⁶ 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 themselves²⁷ together on the fourteenth day also of the month Adar, and slew three hundred men at Shushan; but on the prey²⁸ they laid not their hand. [16] But the other Jews that [were] in the king’s provinces gathered themselves²⁹ together, and stood³⁰ 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 same³¹ rested they, and made it a day of feasting and gladness.

⥃The Feast of Purim Instituted

[18] But the Jews that [were] at Shushan assembled together on the thirteenth³² [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] gladness³³ and feasting, and a good day, and of sending portions³⁴ one to another.

[20] And Mordecai³⁵ wrote these³⁶ things, and sent letters unto all the Jews that [were] in all the provinces³⁷ 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 days³⁸ wherein the Jews rested from their enemies, and the month which was turned unto them from sorrow³⁹ to joy, and from mourning into a good day: that they should make them days of feasting and joy, and of sending portions⁴⁰ 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 enemy⁴¹ of all the Jews, had devised against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast Pur⁴², that [is], the lot, to consume⁴³ them, and to destroy them; [25] But when [Esther] came⁴⁴ before the king, he commanded by letters that his wicked device, which he devised against the Jews, should return⁴⁵ upon his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows. [26] Wherefore they called⁴⁶ these days Pur⁴⁷im after the name of Pur. Therefore for all the words of this letter⁴⁸, 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 seed⁴⁹, and upon all such⁵⁰ as joined themselves unto them, so as it should not fail⁵¹, 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] remembered⁵² and kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city; and [that] these days of Purim should not fail⁵³ from among the Jews, nor the memorial⁵⁴ of them perish from their seed⁵⁵. [29] Then Esther the queen, the daughter of Abihail⁵⁶, and Mordecai the Jew, wrote with all authority⁵⁷, to confirm⁵⁸ this second letter of Purim. [30] And he sent the letters unto all the Jews, to the hundred⁵⁹ twenty and seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, [with] words of peace⁶⁰ 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 themselves⁶¹ and for their seed⁶², the matters of the fastings⁶³ and their cry. [32] And the decree of Esther confirmed these matters of Purim; and it was written in the book.

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