¹⁴ So the couriers, mounted on their royal steeds, hurried out, urged by the king’s command. The decree was issued in the citadel of Susa.

² In the vision^[a] I saw myself in Susa the capital, in the province of Elam,^[b] and I was by the Ulai Gate.^[c](A)

¹⁵ The couriers went quickly by order of the king, and the decree was issued in the citadel of Susa. The king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Susa was thrown into confusion.^(A)

¹⁰ Whatever your hand finds to do, do with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.^(A)

³ And let the king appoint commissioners in all the provinces of his kingdom to gather all the beautiful young virgins to the harem in the citadel of Susa under custody of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, who is in charge of the women; let their cosmetic treatments be given them.^(A)

² In those days when King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne in the citadel of Susa,^(A)

Nehemiah Prays for His People

1 The words of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah. In the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa,^(A)

⁸ David said to Ahimelech, “Is there no spear or sword here with you? I did not bring my sword or my weapons with me because the king’s business required haste.”