¹¹ The king’s edict granted the Jews in every city the right to assemble and protect themselves; to destroy, kill and annihilate the armed men of any nationality or province who might attack them and their women and children,^[a] and to plunder^(A) the property of their enemies. ¹² The day appointed for the Jews to do this in all the provinces of King Xerxes was the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar.^(B)

¹⁶ For the Jews it was a time of happiness and joy,^(A) gladness and honor.^{(B) 17} In every province and in every city to which the edict of the king came, there was joy^(C) and gladness among the Jews, with feasting and celebrating. And many people of other nationalities became Jews because fear^(D) of the Jews had seized them.^(E)