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Esther 9:18-32
Legacy Standard Bible
Esther 9:18-32
Legacy Standard Bible
18 But the Jews who were in Susa (A)assembled on the thirteenth and (B)the fourteenth [a]of the same month, and they rested on the fifteenth [b]day and made it a day of feasting and gladness. 19 Therefore the Jews of the rural areas, who live in (C)the rural towns, make the fourteenth day of the month Adar a [c](D)holiday for gladness and feasting and (E)sending portions of food to one another.
The Feast of Purim Is Established
20 Then Mordecai wrote down these events, and he sent letters to all the Jews who were in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, both near and far, 21 to establish among them to celebrate the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day [d]of the same month, annually, 22 because on those days the Jews obtained rest for themselves from their enemies, and it was a month which was (F)turned around for them from sorrow into gladness and from mourning into a [e]holiday; that they should make them days of feasting and gladness and (G)sending portions of food to one another and gifts to the poor.
23 Thus the Jews fully accepted what they had started to do and what Mordecai had written to them. 24 For Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the adversary of all the Jews, had devised against the Jews to cause them to perish and (H)had cast Pur, that is the lot, to throw them into confusion and cause them to perish. 25 But (I)when it came before the king, he said by letter (J)that his evil scheme, which he had [f]devised against the Jews, (K)should return on his own head and that he and his sons should be hanged on the [g]gallows. 26 Therefore they called these days Purim after the name of Pur. Therefore, (L)because of the words in this letter, both what they had seen in this regard and what had reached them, 27 the Jews established and accepted a custom for themselves and for their seed and for (M)all those who joined themselves to them, so that [h](N)celebrating these two days according to what was written down and according to their fixed time from year to year would not pass away. 28 So these days were to be remembered and celebrated throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city; thus these days of Purim were not to pass away from among the Jews, nor their memory come to an end from their seed.
29 Then Queen Esther, (O)daughter of Abihail, with Mordecai the Jew, wrote with full authority to establish (P)this second letter about Purim. 30 And he sent letters to all the Jews, (Q)to the 127 provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, namely, words of peace and truth, 31 to establish these days of Purim at their appointed times, just as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had established for them, and just as they had established for themselves and for their seed with words concerning (R)their times of fasting and their crying out. 32 And the declaration of Esther established these words concerning (S)Purim, and it was written in the book.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Esther 9:18 Lit in it
- Esther 9:18 Lit in it
- Esther 9:19 Lit rejoicing and feasting and a good day and sending
- Esther 9:21 Lit in it
- Esther 9:22 Lit good day
- Esther 9:25 Lit schemed
- Esther 9:25 Lit tree, cf. Deut 21:22-23
- Esther 9:27 Lit to be celebrators
Esther 9:18-32
International Standard Version
Esther 9:18-32
International Standard Version
18 The Jewish people in Susa assembled on the thirteenth day and again on the fourteenth, and then rested on the fifteenth day and made it a day of feasting and joy. 19 Therefore the Jewish people in the rural areas who live in unwalled towns make the fourteenth day of the month Adar a holiday for joy and feasting, and people send presents[a] to one another.
Official Instructions for Celebrating Purim
20 Mordecai wrote these instructions and sent letters to all the Jewish people in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, both near and far, 21 establishing that they should celebrate the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month Adar every year, 22 as the days on which the Jewish people enjoyed relief[b] from their enemies. It was a month when things turned around for them, from sorrow to joy and from mourning to a holiday. They were to celebrate these days as days of feasting and joy, and they were to send presents[c] to one another and gifts to the poor. 23 So the Jewish people made a tradition[d] out of what they had begun to do and of what Mordecai had written to them, 24 since Hammedatha’s son Haman, the enemy of the Jewish people, had plotted against the Jewish people to destroy them, and he had cast the pur (that is, the lot) to determine when[e] to confuse and destroy them.
25 But when Esther came before the king, he ordered through a letter that the evil plot that Haman[f] had devised against the Jewish people be rescinded,[g] and that he and his sons be hanged on poles. 26 Therefore these days were called Purim, from the word pur. Because of all that was written in this letter, because of what they experienced in this matter, and because of what happened to them, 27 the Jewish people established this celebration, making it a tradition[h] for themselves, for their descendants, and for all who joined with them[i] that they should not fail to observe these two days each year, based on the written instructions, and at the prescribed time. 28 These days should be remembered and observed in every generation by each family in every province and town. These days of Purim should not be neglected by[j] the Jewish people, and that they should not be forgotten by their descendants.
Queen Esther Confirms the Instructions for Purim
29 Queen Esther, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew wrote with full authority confirming this second letter about Purim. 30 Letters containing wishes for peace and stability were sent to all the Jewish people, to the 127 provinces of Ahasuerus’ kingdom, 31 establishing these days of Purim at the prescribed time, just as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had established, and just as the Jewish people[k] had established for themselves and for their descendants. The letter included instructions for their fasting[l] and lamentations. 32 The order of Esther established these instructions for Purim, and it was officially recorded.[m]
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Esther 9:19 Or portions of food
- Esther 9:22 Or the Jews rested
- Esther 9:22 Or portions of food
- Esther 9:23 Lit. the Jews accepted
- Esther 9:24 The Heb. lacks to determine when
- Esther 9:25 Lit. he
- Esther 9:25 Lit. be turned back on his own head
- Esther 9:27 Lit. people accepted it
- Esther 9:27 I.e. those who became Jews
- Esther 9:28 Lit. should not pass by
- Esther 9:31 Lit. they
- Esther 9:31 Lit. descendants, instructions for their fasting
- Esther 9:32 Lit. recorded in a record
Esther 9:18-32
New International Version
Esther 9:18-32
New International Version
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(A) as a day of joy and feasting, a day for giving presents to each other.(B)
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(C) from their enemies, and as the month when their sorrow was turned into joy and their mourning into a day of celebration.(D) He wrote them to observe the days as days of feasting and joy and giving presents of food(E) to one another and gifts to the poor.(F)
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,(G) the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them and had cast the pur(H) (that is, the lot(I)) for their ruin and destruction.(J) 25 But when the plot came to the king’s attention,[a] he issued written orders that the evil scheme Haman had devised against the Jews should come back onto his own head,(K) and that he and his sons should be impaled(L) on poles.(M) 26 (Therefore these days were called Purim, from the word pur.(N)) 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,(O) 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(P) 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(Q) and lamentation.(R) 32 Esther’s decree confirmed these regulations about Purim, and it was written down in the records.
Footnotes
- Esther 9:25 Or when Esther came before the king
Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)
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