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.^(A)

² In my vision I saw myself in the citadel of Susa^(A) in the province of Elam;^(B) in the vision I was beside the Ulai Canal.

¹⁵ The couriers went out, spurred on by the king’s command, and the edict was issued in the citadel of Susa.^(A) The king and Haman sat down to drink,^(B) but the city of Susa was bewildered.^(C)

¹⁰ Whatever^(A) your hand finds to do, do it with all your might,^(B) for in the realm of the dead,^(C) where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.^(D)

³ Let the king appoint commissioners in every province of his realm to bring all these beautiful young women into the harem at the citadel of Susa. Let them be placed under the care of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, who is in charge of the women; and let beauty treatments be given to them.

² At that time King Xerxes reigned from his royal throne in the citadel of Susa,^(A)

Nehemiah’s Prayer

1 The words of Nehemiah son of Hakaliah:

In the month of Kislev^(A) in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa,^(B)

⁸ David asked Ahimelek, “Don’t you have a spear or a sword here? I haven’t brought my sword or any other weapon, because the king’s mission was urgent.”