^9 (A)So the king’s scribes were called at that time, in the third month, which is the month of Sivan, on the twenty-third day; and it was written, according to all that Mordecai commanded, to the Jews, the satraps, the governors, and the princes of the provinces ^(B)from India to Ethiopia, one hundred and twenty-seven provinces in all, to every province ^(C)in its own script, to every people in their own language, and to the Jews in their own script and language.

²² Then he sent letters to all the king’s provinces, ^(A)to each province in its own script, and to every people in their own language, that each man should ^(B)be master in his own house, and speak in the language of his own people.

The King Dethrones Queen Vashti

1 Now it came to pass in the days of ^(A)Ahasuerus^[a] (this was the Ahasuerus who reigned ^(B)over one hundred and twenty-seven provinces, ^(C)from India to Ethiopia),

⁹ So likewise you, unless you utter by the tongue words easy to understand, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air. ¹⁰ There are, it may be, so many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without ^[a]significance. ¹¹ Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be a ^[b]foreigner to him who speaks, and he who speaks will be a foreigner to me.

The Plot Against Daniel

6 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred and twenty satraps, to be over the whole kingdom;

Nebuchadnezzar’s Second Dream

^12 (A)Then the king’s scribes were called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and a decree was written according to all that Haman commanded—to the king’s satraps, to the governors who were over each province, to the officials of all people, to every province ^(B)according to its script, and to every people in their language. ^(C)In the name of King Ahasuerus it was written, and sealed with the king’s signet ring. ¹³ And the letters were ^(D)sent by couriers into all the king’s provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, little children and women, ^(E)in one day, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, and ^(F)to plunder their ^[a]possessions.

^26 (A)Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, Shebna, and Joah said to the Rabshakeh, “Please speak to your servants in ^(B)Aramaic, for we understand it; and do not speak to us in ^[a]Hebrew in the hearing of the people who are on the wall.”