Estere 6-10
Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero
Mordekai Apatsidwa Ulemu
6 Usiku umenewo mfumu inalephera kugona tulo; Choncho inayitanitsa buku limene amalembamo mbiri ya zamakedzana kuti amuwerengere. 2 Anapeza kuti mʼbukumo munalembedwa zoti Mordekai anawulula kuti Bigitana ndi Teresi, awiri mwa adindo ofulidwa a mfumu amene ankalondera pa khomo la chipinda cha mfumu ndiwo anakonza chiwembu chofuna kupha mfumu Ahasiwero.
3 Mfumu inafunsa kuti, “Kodi Mordekai anamupatsa ulemu ndi ukulu wotani chifukwa cha chinthu chimene anachitachi?”
Atumiki ake anamuyankha kuti, “Palibe chimene chinachitika kwa iye.”
4 Mfumu inati, “Kodi ndani ali mʼbwalomo?” Tsono Hamani anali atangolowa kumene mʼbwalo lakunja la nyumba yaufumu kuti akawuze mfumu zomukhomera Mordekai pa mtanda umene anamukonzera.
5 Atumiki ake anamuyankha kuti, “Hamani ndiye wayima mu bwalo.”
“Mulowetseni,” Mfumu inalamulira.
6 Hamani atalowa, mfumu inamufunsa kuti, “Kodi timuchitire ulemu otani munthu amene mfumu ikondweretsedwa naye?”
Tsono Hamani anaganiza mu mtima kuti, “Kodi palinso ndani amene mfumu ingamulemekeze kuposa ine?” 7 Choncho Hamani anayankha mfumuyo kuti, “Munthu amene mfumu ifuna kumuchitira ulemu, imuchitire izi: 8 Anthu abwere ndi chovala cha ufumu ndi kavalo amene mfumu imakwerapo wokhala ndi chizindikiro chaufumu pamutu pake. 9 Ndipo mupereke chovala cha ufumucho ndi kavalo kwa mmodzi wa akalonga a mfumu a ulemu kwambiri. Ameneyu amuveke chovalacho munthu amene mfumu yakondweretsedwa naye. Akavekedwa chovalachi amuyendetse mʼmisewu yonse ya mzinda atakwera pa kavalo wa mfumu. Kalongayu azifuwula patsogolo pa munthuyu kuti ‘Ichi ndi chimene mfumu yachita kwa munthu amene yafuna kumuchitira ulemu!’ ”
10 Mfumu inalamulira Hamani kuti, “Pita msanga, katenge chovala cha ufumu ndi kavalo ndipo uchite monga wanenera kwa Mordekai Myuda, amene amakhala pa chipata cha mfumu. Usasiyeko china chilichonse chimene wanena.”
11 Choncho Hamani anatenga chovala ndi kavalo. Anamuveka Mordekai chovalacho ndipo anamuyendetsa mʼmisewu yonse ya mu mzinda atakwera pa kavalo, akufuwula kuti, “Ichi ndi chimene mfumu yachita kwa munthu amene yafuna kumuchitira ulemu!”
12 Pambuyo pake Mordekai anabwerera ku chipata cha mfumu. Koma Hamani anapita msanga ku nyumba kwake, akulira, atafundira mutu wake. 13 Hamani anawuza Zeresi mkazi wake ndi abwenzi ake onse zonse zinamuchitikira.
Anthu ake anzeru ndi mkazi wake Zeresi anamuwuza kuti, “Popeza kuti Mordekai ndi Myuda amene mwayamba kale kugonja pamaso pake, ndiye kuti palibe chimene mungachitepo. Mudzagwa ndithu pamaso pake.” 14 Pamene anthuwa amayankhula nayebe, adindo a mfumu ofulidwa anabwera kudzamutenga Hamani mofulumira kupita naye ku phwando limene Estere anakonza.
Hamani Aphedwa
7 Choncho mfumu ndi Hamani anabwera kudzadya phwando la mfumukazi Estere. 2 Pa tsiku lachiwiri akumwa vinyo, mfumu inafunsanso kuti, “Kodi iwe mfumukazi Estere, chimene ufuna kupempha nʼchiyani? Chimene uti upemphe ndidzakupatsa. Choncho ukufuna chiyani? Ngakhale utafuna theka la ufumu ndidzakupatsa.”
3 Kenaka mfumukazi Estere anayankha kuti, “Ngati mwandikomera mtima, inu mfumu, ndipo ngati chingakukomereni mfumu, pempho ndi chokhumba changa ndi ichi, mulole kuti ine ndi abale anga tisungidwe tonse ndi moyo. 4 Popeza ine ndi anthu a mtundu wanga tagulitsidwa kuti atiwononge, atiphe ndi kutifafaniziratu. Akanangotigulitsa kokha tikanakhala chete, chifukwa chimene mdani wathuyo akanakupatsani mfumu sibwenzi mutasowa nacho mtendere.”
5 Mfumu Ahasiwero anamufunsa mfumukazi Estere, “Kodi iyeyu ndi ndani ndipo ali kuti amene saopa kuchita chinthu chotere?”
6 Estere anati, “Wotizunza ndiponso mdani wathu! Munthu woyipayo ndi Hamani.”
Kenaka Hamani anagwidwa ndi mantha pamaso pa mfumu ndi mfumukazi. 7 Mfumu itakwiya kwambiri inanyamuka pa phwando nipita ku munda wa maluwa wa nyumba yaufumu. Koma Hamani, pozindikira kuti mfumu yaganiza kale kumuchitira choyipa, anatsalira mʼnyumba kupempha Estere kuti apulumutse moyo wake.
8 Mfumu itabwerera kuchokera ku munda wa maluwa wa nyumba yaufumu uja ndi kulowanso mʼchipinda chaphwando, anapeza Hamani atagona chafufumimba pa mpando wa khutagone pomwe Estere anakhalapo.
Mfumu inayankhula mokweza kuti, “Kodi afunanso kuvula mfumukazi momukakamiza pamene ine ndili mʼnyumba?”
Mfumu isanatsirize kuyankhula mawu awa, atumiki ake anaphimba nkhope ya Hamani. 9 Haribona, mmodzi wa adindo ofulidwa amene ankatumikira mfumu anati, “Mtanda wotalika mamita 23 uli mʼnyumba ya Hamani. Mtandawu, Hamani anapangira Mordekai, uja amene anapulumutsa mfumu ku chiwembu.”
Mfumu inati, “Mpachikeni pamenepo!” 10 Choncho anamupachika Hamani pa mtanda umene anakonzera Mordekai. Kenaka mkwiyo wa mfumu unatsika.
Lamulo la Mfumu Lothandiza Ayuda
8 Tsiku lomwelo mfumu Ahasiwero anamupatsa mfumukazi Estere nyumba ya Hamani, mdani wa Ayuda. Ndipo Mordekai anafika pamaso pa mfumu, popeza Estere anamuwuza ubale wawo. 2 Mfumu inavula mphete yake yodindira imene analanda kwa Hamani ndipo Estere anamusankha Mordekai kukhala woyangʼanira nyumba ya Hamani.
3 Estere anayankhulanso ndi mfumu ndipo anadzigwetsa pa mapazi ake. Uku akulira iye anapempha mfumu kuti iletse choyipa, makamaka chiwembu chimene Hamani Mwagagi anakonza kuti awononge a Yuda. 4 Ndipo mfumu inamuloza Estere ndi ndodo yake yagolide ndipo Estere anadzuka ndi kuyima pamaso pake.
5 Iye anati, “Ngati chikomera mfumu ndi kukukondweretsani, ngati pempho langa muliona kuti ndi loyenera ndi kuti mukondwera nane tsono mfumu ilole kuti lamulo lilembedwe kusintha mawu a mʼmakalata amene Hamani mwana wa Hamedata, Mwagagi, anatumiza ku zigawo zonse za mfumu. Paja Hamani analemba kuti Ayuda onse awonongedwe. 6 Kodi ndingapirire bwanji pamene ndi kuona tsoka likugwera anthu a mtundu wanga? Ndingapirire bwanji pamene abale anga akuwonongedwa?”
7 Mfumu Ahasiwero anamuyankha mfumukazi Estere ndi Mordekai Myuda kuti, “Ndapereka nyumba ya Hamani kwa Estere ndipo Hamaniyo amupachika kale pa mtanda chifukwa anafuna kuwononga Ayuda. 8 Tsono inu awiri, lembani za Ayudawo monga mufunira. Mulembe mʼdzina la mfumu ndipo musindikize chizindikiro cha mphete ya mfumu popeza kuti cholembedwa mʼdzina la mfumu ndi kusindikizidwa ndi chizindikiro cha mphete ya mfumu sichingasinthidwe.”
9 Nthawi yomweyo, pa tsiku la 23 la mwezi wachitatu wa Sivani, mfumu inayitana alembi ake. Analemba zonse zokhudza Ayuda monga ananenera Mordekai. Analembera akazembe, abwanamkubwa ndi nduna za zigawo 127 kuyambira ku India mpaka ku Kusi. Zimene analamula Mordekai zinalembedwa mʼzilembo za chigawo chilichonse ndi chiyankhulo cha mtundu uliwonse wa anthu. Ayudanso anawalembera mʼmalemba awo ndi chiyankhulo chawo. 10 Mordekai analemba makalatawo mʼdzina la mfumu Ahasiwero, nawadinda ndi chizindikiro cha mphete ya mfumu. Ndipo anawatumiza ndi anthu amithenga amene anakwera pa akavalo a ufumu othamanga kwambiri obadwa mu khola la ufumu.
11 Mʼmakalata amenewa mfumu inalola kuti Ayuda okhala mu mzinda uliwonse akhale ndi ufulu wokumana ndi kudzitchinjiriza komanso kuwononga, kupha ndi kufafaniziratu gulu lililonse la nkhondo la anthu a mtundu uliwonse kapena chigawo chimene chingawathire nkhondo. Ayudawo analoledwa kuwononga gulu lankhondo lija, ana awo ndi akazi awo komanso kuti afunkhe katundu wawo. 12 Ayuda analoledwa kuchita zimenezi mʼzigawo zonse za Mfumu Ahasiwero pa tsiku limodzi lokha la 13 la mwezi wa 12, mwezi wa Adara. 13 Mawu a mʼmakalatawo anayenera kudziwitsidwa kwa anthu a mtundu uliwonse mu chigawo chilichonse kuti ndi lamulo ndithu kwa anthu a mtundu uliwonse ndi kuti Ayuda adzakhale okonzeka pa tsikulo kulipsira kwa adani awo.
14 Atawalamulira a mfumu, amithenga aja anapita nawo makalata mwachangu, atakwera pa akavalo a mfumu. Ndipo lamulolo analiperekanso ku likulu la mzinda wa Susa.
15 Mordekai anachoka pamaso pa mfumu atavala zovala zaufumu zooneka ngati mtambo ndi zofewa zoyera, chipewa chachikulu cha golide ndi mkanjo wapepo. Ndipo mzinda wa Susa unafuwula mokondwa. 16 Kwa Ayuda inali nthawi ya nkhope zowala ndi za chimwemwe, chikondwerero ndi ulemu. 17 Mʼchigawo chilichonse ndi mu mzinda uliwonse, kumene mawu a mfumu onena za lamulo lake anafika, kunali chimwemwe ndi chikondwerero pakati pa Ayuda. Linali tsiku la phwando ndi chikondwerero. Ndipo anthu ambiri a mitundu ina anazitcha Ayuda chifukwa anachita mantha ndi Ayudawo.
Chigonjetso cha Ayuda
9 Pa mwezi wa 12, mwezi wa Adara pa tsiku la 13 la mwezi womwewo, tsiku limene lamulo loyamba lija la mfumu linayembekezereka kuti litsatidwe, pamene adani a Ayuda anati awononge Ayudawo, zinthu zinasintha. Ayuda ndiwo anawononga adani awo. 2 Ayuda anasonkhana mʼmizinda ya zigawo zonse za Mfumu Ahasiwero kuthira nkhondo onse amene anafuna kuwawononga. Palibe amene akanalimbana nawo chifukwa anthu onse a mitundu ina anachita nawo mantha. 3 Ndipo akuluakulu onse a zigawo, akalonga, akazembe ndi ogwira ntchito za mfumu anathandiza Ayuda, chifukwa anachita mantha ndi Mordekai. 4 Pajatu Mordekai anali munthu wamkulu mʼnyumba ya ufumu. Mbiri yake inafalikira zigawo zonse, ndipo mphamvu zake zinakulirakulirabe.
5 Motero Ayuda anakantha adani awo onse ndi lupanga, kuwapha ndi kuwawononga, ndipo anachita chimene chinawakomera kwa adani awo. 6 Ku likulu la mzinda wa Susa, Ayuda anapha ndi kuwononga anthu 500. 7 Ayuda anaphanso Parisandata, Dalifoni, Asipata, 8 Porata, Adaliya, Aridata, 9 Parimasita, Arisai, Aridai ndi Vaisata, 10 ana khumi a Hamani, mwana wa Hamedata, mdani wa Ayuda. Koma sanalande katundu wawo.
11 Tsiku lomwelo anawuza mfumu chiwerengero cha anthu amene anaphedwa mu likulu la mzinda wa Susa. 12 Mfumu inati kwa mfumukazi Estere, “Ayuda apha ndi kuwononga anthu 500 ndi ana khumi a Hamani mu likulu la mzinda wa Susa. Nanga ku zigawo zina zonse za mfumu achitako chiyani? Kodi tsopano ukupemphanso chiyani? Chimene ukupempha ndidzakupatsa. Kodi ukufuna chiyani? Chimene ukufuna ndidzakupatsa.”
13 Estere anayankha kuti, “Ngati chingakukomereni mfumu, apatseni chilolezo Ayuda okhala mu Susa kuti achitenso zimene achita lerozi mawa, potsata lamulo ndipo mulole kuti ana khumi a Hamani aja mitembo yawo ipachikidwe pa mtanda.”
14 Choncho mfumu inalamula kuti izi zichitike. Anapereka lamulo mu Susa ndipo mitembo ya ana khumi a Hamani anayipachika pa mtanda. 15 Ayuda a mu mzinda wa Susa anasonkhana pamodzi pa tsiku la 14 la mwezi wa Adara ndipo anapha anthu 300 mu Susa, koma sanatenge katundu wawo.
16 Tsono Ayuda ena onse amene anali mu zigawo za mfumu anasonkhananso kudziteteza ndipo sanasautsidwenso ndi adani popeza anapha anthu 75,000 koma sanalande zofunkha zawo. 17 Zonsezi zinachitika pa tsiku la 13 la mwezi wa Adara ndipo pa tsiku la 14 anapumula ndi kupanga tsikuli kuti likhale la madyerero ndi chikondwerero.
Kukondwerera Purimu
18 Koma Ayuda okhala mu Susa anasonkhana pa tsiku la 13 ndi la 14 ndipo anakonza tsiku la 15 kuti likhale tsiku la madyerero ndi chikondwerero.
19 Ichi ndi chifukwa chake Ayuda a ku midzi, amene amakhala mʼzithando amasunga tsiku la 14 la mwezi wa Adara ngati la madyerero ndi chikondwerero, tsiku lopatsana mphatso.
20 Mordekai analemba mawu awa mʼmakalata ndipo anawatumiza kwa Ayuda onse okhala mʼzigawo zonse za mfumu Ahasiwero, a pafupi ndi a kutali: 21 Anati chaka chilichonse, Ayudawo azisunga tsiku la 14 ndi 15 la mwezi wa Adara, 22 ngati masiku amene Ayuda anapulumutsidwa kwa adani awo, ndiponso ngati mwezi umene chisoni chawo chinasandulika chimwemwe ndi kulira kwawo kunasandulika chikondwerero. Anawalembera kuti azisunga masikuwa ngati masiku a madyerero ndi chikondwerero, masiku opatsana mphatso zachakudya kwa wina ndi mnzake komanso opereka mphatso kwa osauka.
23 Choncho Ayuda anavomereza kusunga masikuwa ngati a chikondwerero monga analembera Mordekai. 24 Hamani mwana wa Hamedata, Mwagagi, mdani wa Ayuda onse, anakonza chiwembu chakupha ndi kuwononga Ayuda ndipo anachita maere otchedwa Purimu kuti awaphe ndi kuwawononga. 25 Koma mfumu itazindikira za chiwembuchi, inalamula kuti zilembedwe mʼmakalata kuti chiwembu chimene Hamani anakonzera Ayuda chigwere pa iye mwini, ndi kuti iye pamodzi ndi ana ake apachikidwe pa mtanda. 26 Ndi chifukwa chake masiku amenewa amatchedwa masiku a Purimu potsata dzina lakuti Purimu. Chifukwa cha kalata ya Mordekai ndiponso chifukwa cha zimene anaziona ndi kuwachitikira, 27 Ayuda onse anagwirizana kukhazikitsa lamulo lokhudza iwo, zidzukulu zawo ndi onse amene adzapanga nawo ubale kuti asalephere kusunga masiku awiri amenewa chaka chilichonse monga zinalembedweramo ndiponso potsata nthawi imene anayika. 28 Azisunga ndi kukumbukira masiku amenewa mu mʼbado uliwonse ndi banja lililonse, mʼchigawo chilichonse ndi mu mzinda uliwonse. Ndipo Ayuda asadzasiye kukondwerera masiku a Purimuwa ndiponso zidzukulu zawo zisadzaleke kuwakumbukira.
29 Choncho mfumukazi Estere, mwana wa mkazi wa Abihaili, pamodzi ndi Mordekai Myuda analemba ndi ulamuliro onse kutsimikizira kalata iyi yachiwiri yokhudza Purimu. 30 Ndipo Mordekai anatumiza makalata kwa Ayuda onse ku zigawo 127 za ufumu wa Ahasiwero. Kalatayi inali ya mawu a mtendere ndiponso a kukhulupirika 31 kuti azisunga masiku a Purimu pa nyengo imene inavomerezeka monga mmene Mordekai Myuda ndi mfumukazi Estere anawalamulira ndiponso monga anadziyikira eni okha ndi zidzukulu zawo zonena za nthawi zawo za kusala zakudya ndi kulira. 32 Lamulo la Estere linakhazikitsa mwambo wa Purimuwu ndipo zinalembedwa mʼmabuku.
Ukulu wa Mordekai
10 Mfumu Ahasiwero anakhometsa msonkho mʼdziko lake lonse mpaka ku zilumba zonse. 2 Ndipo ntchito zonse zochitika ndi mphamvu zake komanso ndi zonse zofotokoza za ukulu wa Mordekai, kukwezedwa kwake ndi mfumu, kodi sizinalembedwe mʼbuku la mbiri ya mafumu a ku Mediya ndi Peresiya? 3 Pakuti Mordekai Myuda uja anali wachiwiri wa mfumu Ahasiwero. Kwa Ayuda onse Mordekai anali munthu wamkulu ndipo ankamukonda chifukwa ankachitira zabwino mtundu wake ndi kufunira mtendere abale ake.
Esther 6-10
New International Version
Mordecai Honored
6 That night the king could not sleep;(A) so he ordered the book of the chronicles,(B) the record of his reign, to be brought in and read to him. 2 It was found recorded there that Mordecai had exposed Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s officers who guarded the doorway, who had conspired to assassinate King Xerxes.(C)
3 “What honor and recognition has Mordecai received for this?” the king asked.
“Nothing has been done for him,”(D) his attendants answered.
4 The king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the palace to speak to the king about impaling Mordecai on the pole he had set up for him.
5 His attendants answered, “Haman is standing in the court.”
“Bring him in,” the king ordered.
6 When Haman entered, the king asked him, “What should be done for the man the king delights to honor?”
Now Haman thought to himself, “Who is there that the king would rather honor than me?” 7 So he answered the king, “For the man the king delights to honor, 8 have them bring a royal robe(E) the king has worn and a horse(F) the king has ridden, one with a royal crest placed on its head. 9 Then let the robe and horse be entrusted to one of the king’s most noble princes. Let them robe the man the king delights to honor, and lead him on the horse through the city streets, proclaiming before him, ‘This is what is done for the man the king delights to honor!(G)’”
10 “Go at once,” the king commanded Haman. “Get the robe and the horse and do just as you have suggested for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king’s gate. Do not neglect anything you have recommended.”
11 So Haman got(H) the robe and the horse. He robed Mordecai, and led him on horseback through the city streets, proclaiming before him, “This is what is done for the man the king delights to honor!”
12 Afterward Mordecai returned to the king’s gate. But Haman rushed home, with his head covered(I) in grief, 13 and told Zeresh(J) his wife and all his friends everything that had happened to him.
His advisers and his wife Zeresh said to him, “Since Mordecai, before whom your downfall(K) has started, is of Jewish origin, you cannot stand against him—you will surely come to ruin!”(L) 14 While they were still talking with him, the king’s eunuchs arrived and hurried Haman away to the banquet(M) Esther had prepared.
Haman Impaled
7 So the king and Haman went to Queen Esther’s banquet,(N) 2 and as they were drinking wine(O) on the second day, the king again asked, “Queen Esther, what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom,(P) it will be granted.(Q)”
3 Then Queen Esther answered, “If I have found favor(R) with you, Your Majesty, and if it pleases you, grant me my life—this is my petition. And spare my people—this is my request. 4 For I and my people have been sold to be destroyed, killed and annihilated.(S) If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet, because no such distress would justify disturbing the king.[a]”
5 King Xerxes asked Queen Esther, “Who is he? Where is he—the man who has dared to do such a thing?”
6 Esther said, “An adversary and enemy! This vile Haman!”
Then Haman was terrified before the king and queen. 7 The king got up in a rage,(T) left his wine and went out into the palace garden.(U) But Haman, realizing that the king had already decided his fate,(V) stayed behind to beg Queen Esther for his life.
8 Just as the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet hall, Haman was falling on the couch(W) where Esther was reclining.(X)
The king exclaimed, “Will he even molest the queen while she is with me in the house?”(Y)
As soon as the word left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face.(Z) 9 Then Harbona,(AA) one of the eunuchs attending the king, said, “A pole reaching to a height of fifty cubits[b](AB) stands by Haman’s house. He had it set up for Mordecai, who spoke up to help the king.”
The king said, “Impale him on it!”(AC) 10 So they impaled(AD) Haman(AE) on the pole(AF) he had set up for Mordecai.(AG) Then the king’s fury subsided.(AH)
The King’s Edict in Behalf of the Jews
8 That same day King Xerxes gave Queen Esther the estate of Haman,(AI) the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai came into the presence of the king, for Esther had told how he was related to her. 2 The king took off his signet ring,(AJ) which he had reclaimed from Haman, and presented it to Mordecai. And Esther appointed him over Haman’s estate.(AK)
3 Esther again pleaded with the king, falling at his feet and weeping. She begged him to put an end to the evil plan of Haman the Agagite,(AL) which he had devised against the Jews. 4 Then the king extended the gold scepter(AM) to Esther and she arose and stood before him.
5 “If it pleases the king,” she said, “and if he regards me with favor(AN) and thinks it the right thing to do, and if he is pleased with me, let an order be written overruling the dispatches that Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, devised and wrote to destroy the Jews in all the king’s provinces. 6 For how can I bear to see disaster fall on my people? How can I bear to see the destruction of my family?”(AO)
7 King Xerxes replied to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, “Because Haman attacked the Jews, I have given his estate to Esther, and they have impaled(AP) him on the pole he set up. 8 Now write another decree(AQ) in the king’s name in behalf of the Jews as seems best to you, and seal(AR) it with the king’s signet ring(AS)—for no document written in the king’s name and sealed with his ring can be revoked.”(AT)
9 At once the royal secretaries were summoned—on the twenty-third day of the third month, the month of Sivan. They wrote out all Mordecai’s orders to the Jews, and to the satraps, governors and nobles of the 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush.[c](AU) These orders were written in the script of each province and the language of each people and also to the Jews in their own script and language.(AV) 10 Mordecai wrote in the name of King Xerxes, sealed the dispatches with the king’s signet ring, and sent them by mounted couriers, who rode fast horses especially bred for the king.
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,[d] and to plunder(AW) 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.(AX) 13 A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued as law in every province and made known to the people of every nationality so that the Jews would be ready on that day(AY) to avenge themselves on their enemies.
14 The couriers, riding the royal horses, went out, spurred on by the king’s command, and the edict was issued in the citadel of Susa.(AZ)
The Triumph of the Jews
15 When Mordecai(BA) left the king’s presence, he was wearing royal garments of blue and white, a large crown of gold(BB) and a purple robe of fine linen.(BC) And the city of Susa held a joyous celebration.(BD) 16 For the Jews it was a time of happiness and joy,(BE) gladness and honor.(BF) 17 In every province and in every city to which the edict of the king came, there was joy(BG) and gladness among the Jews, with feasting and celebrating. And many people of other nationalities became Jews because fear(BH) of the Jews had seized them.(BI)
9 On the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar,(BJ) the edict commanded by the king was to be carried out. On this day the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, but now the tables were turned and the Jews got the upper hand(BK) over those who hated them.(BL) 2 The Jews assembled in their cities(BM) in all the provinces of King Xerxes to attack those determined to destroy them. No one could stand against them,(BN) because the people of all the other nationalities were afraid of them. 3 And all the nobles of the provinces, the satraps, the governors and the king’s administrators helped the Jews,(BO) because fear of Mordecai had seized them.(BP) 4 Mordecai(BQ) was prominent(BR) in the palace; his reputation spread throughout the provinces, and he became more and more powerful.(BS)
5 The Jews struck down all their enemies with the sword, killing and destroying them,(BT) and they did what they pleased to those who hated them. 6 In the citadel of Susa, the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men. 7 They also killed Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, 8 Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, 9 Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai and Vaizatha, 10 the ten sons(BU) of Haman son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews.(BV) But they did not lay their hands on the plunder.(BW)
11 The number of those killed in the citadel of Susa was reported to the king that same day. 12 The king said to Queen Esther, “The Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men and the ten sons of Haman in the citadel of Susa. What have they done in the rest of the king’s provinces? Now what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request? It will also be granted.”(BX)
13 “If it pleases the king,” Esther answered, “give the Jews in Susa permission to carry out this day’s edict tomorrow also, and let Haman’s ten sons(BY) be impaled(BZ) on poles.”
14 So the king commanded that this be done. An edict was issued in Susa, and they impaled(CA) the ten sons of Haman. 15 The Jews in Susa came together on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar, and they put to death in Susa three hundred men, but they did not lay their hands on the plunder.(CB)
16 Meanwhile, the remainder of the Jews who were in the king’s provinces also assembled to protect themselves and get relief(CC) from their enemies.(CD) They killed seventy-five thousand of them(CE) but did not lay their hands on the plunder.(CF) 17 This happened on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar, and on the fourteenth they rested and made it a day of feasting(CG) and joy.
18 The Jews in Susa, however, had assembled on the thirteenth and fourteenth, and then on the fifteenth they rested and made it a day of feasting and joy.
19 That is why rural Jews—those living in villages—observe the fourteenth of the month of Adar(CH) as a day of joy and feasting, a day for giving presents to each other.(CI)
Purim Established
20 Mordecai recorded these events, and he sent letters to all the Jews throughout the provinces of King Xerxes, near and far, 21 to have them celebrate annually the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar 22 as the time when the Jews got relief(CJ) from their enemies, and as the month when their sorrow was turned into joy and their mourning into a day of celebration.(CK) He wrote them to observe the days as days of feasting and joy and giving presents of food(CL) to one another and gifts to the poor.(CM)
23 So the Jews agreed to continue the celebration they had begun, doing what Mordecai had written to them. 24 For Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite,(CN) the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them and had cast the pur(CO) (that is, the lot(CP)) for their ruin and destruction.(CQ) 25 But when the plot came to the king’s attention,[e] he issued written orders that the evil scheme Haman had devised against the Jews should come back onto his own head,(CR) and that he and his sons should be impaled(CS) on poles.(CT) 26 (Therefore these days were called Purim, from the word pur.(CU)) Because of everything written in this letter and because of what they had seen and what had happened to them, 27 the Jews took it on themselves to establish the custom that they and their descendants and all who join them should without fail observe these two days every year, in the way prescribed and at the time appointed. 28 These days should be remembered and observed in every generation by every family, and in every province and in every city. And these days of Purim should never fail to be celebrated by the Jews—nor should the memory of these days die out among their descendants.
29 So Queen Esther, daughter of Abihail,(CV) along with Mordecai the Jew, wrote with full authority to confirm this second letter concerning Purim. 30 And Mordecai sent letters to all the Jews in the 127 provinces(CW) of Xerxes’ kingdom—words of goodwill and assurance— 31 to establish these days of Purim at their designated times, as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had decreed for them, and as they had established for themselves and their descendants in regard to their times of fasting(CX) and lamentation.(CY) 32 Esther’s decree confirmed these regulations about Purim, and it was written down in the records.
The Greatness of Mordecai
10 King Xerxes imposed tribute throughout the empire, to its distant shores.(CZ) 2 And all his acts of power and might, together with a full account of the greatness of Mordecai,(DA) whom the king had promoted,(DB) are they not written in the book of the annals(DC) of the kings of Media and Persia? 3 Mordecai the Jew was second(DD) in rank(DE) to King Xerxes,(DF) preeminent among the Jews, and held in high esteem by his many fellow Jews, because he worked for the good of his people and spoke up for the welfare of all the Jews.(DG)
Footnotes
- Esther 7:4 Or quiet, but the compensation our adversary offers cannot be compared with the loss the king would suffer
- Esther 7:9 That is, about 75 feet or about 23 meters
- Esther 8:9 That is, the upper Nile region
- Esther 8:11 Or province, together with their women and children, who might attack them;
- Esther 9:25 Or when Esther came before the king
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