¹¹ By these letters the king permitted the Jews who were in every city to ^(A)gather together and protect their lives—to ^(B)destroy, kill, and annihilate all the forces of any people or province that would assault them, both little children and women, and to plunder their possessions,

² The Jews ^(A)gathered together in their cities throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus to lay hands on those who ^(B)sought their harm. And no one could withstand them, ^(C)because fear of them fell upon all people.