Esther 9
New King James Version
The Jews Destroy Their Tormentors
9 Now (A)in the twelfth month, that is, the month of Adar, on the thirteenth day, (B)the time came for the king’s command and his decree to be executed. On the day that the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, the opposite occurred, in that the Jews themselves (C)overpowered those who hated them. 2 The Jews (D)gathered together in their cities throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus to lay hands on those who (E)sought their harm. And no one could withstand them, (F)because fear of them fell upon all people. 3 And all the officials of the provinces, the satraps, the governors, and all those doing the king’s work, helped the Jews, because the fear of Mordecai fell upon them. 4 For Mordecai was great in the king’s palace, and his fame spread throughout all the provinces; for this man Mordecai (G)became increasingly prominent. 5 Thus the Jews defeated all their enemies with the stroke of the sword, with slaughter and destruction, and did what they pleased with those who hated them.
6 And in (H)Shushan[a] the [b]citadel the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men. 7 Also Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, 8 Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, 9 Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai, and Vajezatha— 10 (I)the ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews—they killed; (J)but they did not lay a hand on the [c]plunder.
11 On that day the number of those who were killed in [d]Shushan the [e]citadel [f]was brought to the king. 12 And the king said to Queen Esther, “The Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men in Shushan the citadel, and the ten sons of Haman. What have they done in the rest of the king’s provinces? Now (K)what is your petition? It shall be granted to you. Or what is your further request? It shall be done.”
13 Then Esther said, “If it pleases the king, let it be granted to the Jews who are in Shushan to do again tomorrow (L)according to today’s decree, and let Haman’s ten sons (M)be hanged on the gallows.”
14 So the king commanded this to be done; the decree was issued in Shushan, and they hanged Haman’s ten sons.
15 And the Jews who were in [g]Shushan (N)gathered together again on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar and killed three hundred men at Shushan; (O)but they did not lay a hand on the plunder.
16 The remainder of the Jews in the king’s provinces (P)gathered together and protected their lives, had rest from their enemies, and killed seventy-five thousand of their enemies; (Q)but they did not lay a hand on the plunder. 17 This was on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar. And on the fourteenth of [h]the month they rested and made it a day of feasting and gladness.
The Feast of Purim
18 But the Jews who were at [i]Shushan assembled together (R)on the thirteenth day, as well as on the fourteenth; and on the fifteenth of [j]the month they rested, and made it a day of feasting and gladness. 19 Therefore the Jews of the villages who dwelt in the unwalled towns celebrated the fourteenth day of the month of Adar (S)with gladness and feasting, (T)as a holiday, and for (U)sending presents to one another.
20 And Mordecai wrote these things and sent letters to all the Jews, near and far, who were in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, 21 to establish among them that they should celebrate yearly the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar, 22 as the days on which the Jews had rest from their enemies, as the month which was turned from sorrow to joy for them, and from mourning to a holiday; that they should make them days of feasting and joy, of (V)sending presents to one another and gifts to the (W)poor. 23 So the Jews accepted the custom which they had begun, as Mordecai had written to them, 24 because Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, (X)had plotted against the Jews to annihilate them, and had cast Pur (that is, the lot), to consume them and destroy them; 25 but (Y)when [k]Esther came before the king, he commanded by letter that [l]this wicked plot which Haman had devised against the Jews should (Z)return on his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.
26 So they called these days Purim, after the name [m]Pur. Therefore, because of all the words of (AA)this letter, what they had seen concerning this matter, and what had happened to them, 27 the Jews established and imposed it upon themselves and their descendants and all who would (AB)join them, that without fail they should celebrate these two days every year, according to the written instructions and according to the prescribed time, 28 that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city, that these days of Purim should not fail to be observed among the Jews, and that the memory of them should not perish among their descendants.
29 Then Queen Esther, (AC)the daughter of Abihail, with Mordecai the Jew, wrote with full authority to confirm this (AD)second letter about Purim. 30 And Mordecai sent letters to all the Jews, to (AE)the one hundred and twenty-seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, with words of peace and truth, 31 to confirm these days of Purim at their appointed time, as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had prescribed for them, and as they had decreed for themselves and their descendants concerning matters of their (AF)fasting and lamenting. 32 So the decree of Esther confirmed these matters of Purim, and it was written in the book.
Footnotes
- Esther 9:6 Or Susa
- Esther 9:6 palace
- Esther 9:10 spoil
- Esther 9:11 Or Susa
- Esther 9:11 palace
- Esther 9:11 Lit. came
- Esther 9:15 Or Susa
- Esther 9:17 Lit. it
- Esther 9:18 Or Susa
- Esther 9:18 Lit. it
- Esther 9:25 Lit. she or it
- Esther 9:25 Lit. his
- Esther 9:26 Lit. Lot
Esther 9
New American Standard Bible
The Jews Destroy Their Enemies
9 Now (A)in the twelfth month (that is, the month Adar), on (B)the thirteenth [a]day, (C)when the king’s command and edict were to be put into effect, on the day when the enemies of the Jews hoped to gain the mastery over them, it turned out to the contrary so that the Jews themselves gained mastery over those who hated them. 2 (D)The Jews assembled in their cities throughout the provinces of King Ahasuerus to [b]attack those who sought [c]to harm them; and no one could stand against them, (E)because the dread of them had fallen on all the peoples. 3 Even all the officials of the provinces, (F)the satraps, the governors, and those who were doing the king’s business were supporting the Jews, because the dread of Mordecai had fallen on them. 4 For Mordecai was great in the king’s house, and the news about him spread throughout the provinces; for the man Mordecai (G)became greater and greater. 5 So (H)the Jews struck all their enemies with [d]the sword, killing and destroying; and they did as they pleased to those who hated them. 6 At the citadel in Susa the Jews killed and eliminated five hundred men, 7 and they killed Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, 8 Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, 9 Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai, and Vaizatha, 10 (I)the ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Jews’ enemy; but (J)they did not lay their hands on the plunder.
11 On that day the number of those who were killed at the citadel in Susa [e]was reported to the king. 12 And the king said to Queen Esther, “The Jews have killed and eliminated five hundred men and the ten sons of Haman at the citadel in Susa. What have they done in the rest of the king’s provinces! (K)Now what is your request? It shall also be granted you. And what is your further wish? It shall also be done.” 13 Then Esther said, “If it pleases the king, (L)let tomorrow also be granted to the Jews who are in Susa to do according to the edict of today; and let Haman’s ten sons be hanged on the wooden gallows.” 14 So the king commanded that it was to be done so; and an edict was issued in Susa, and Haman’s ten sons were hanged. 15 The Jews who were in Susa assembled also on the fourteenth day of the month Adar and killed (M)three hundred men in Susa, but (N)they did not lay their hands on the plunder.
16 Now (O)the rest of the Jews who were in the king’s provinces (P)assembled, to defend their lives and [f]rid themselves of their enemies, and to kill seventy-five thousand of those who hated them; but they did not lay their hands on the plunder. 17 This was done on (Q)the thirteenth day of the month Adar, and (R)on the fourteenth [g]day they rested and made it a day of feasting and rejoicing.
18 But the Jews who were in Susa (S)assembled on the thirteenth and (T)the fourteenth [h]of the same month, and they rested on the fifteenth [i]day and made it a day of feasting and rejoicing. 19 Therefore the Jews of the rural areas, who live in (U)the rural towns, make the fourteenth day of the month Adar a [j](V)holiday for rejoicing and feasting and (W)sending portions of food to one another.
The Feast of Purim Instituted
20 Then Mordecai recorded these events, and he sent letters to all the Jews who were in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, both near and far, 21 obliging them to celebrate the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day [k]of the same month, annually, 22 because on those days the Jews [l]rid themselves of their enemies, and it was a month which was (X)turned for them from grief into joy, and from mourning into a [m]holiday; that they were to make them days of feasting and rejoicing, and (Y)sending portions of food to one another, and gifts to the poor.
23 So the Jews undertook 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 schemed against the Jews to eliminate them, and (Z)had cast Pur, that is the lot, to disturb them and eliminate them. 25 But (AA)when it came [n]to the king’s attention, he commanded by letter (AB)that his wicked scheme which he had devised against the Jews (AC)was to return on his own head, and that he and his sons were to be hanged on the wooden gallows. 26 Therefore they called these days Purim after the name of [o]Pur. [p]And (AD)because of the instructions in this letter, both what they had seen in this regard and what had happened to them, 27 the Jews established and [q]made a custom for themselves, their [r]descendants, and for (AE)all those who allied themselves with them, so that [s]they would not fail (AF)to celebrate these two days according to their [t]regulation and according to their appointed time annually. 28 So these days were to be remembered and celebrated throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city; and these days of Purim were not to [u]be neglected by the Jews, or their memory [v]fade from their [w]descendants.
29 Then Queen Esther, (AG)daughter of Abihail, with Mordecai the Jew, wrote with full authority to confirm (AH)this second letter about Purim. 30 He sent letters to all the Jews, (AI)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 [x]descendants, with [y]instructions (AJ)for their times of fasting and their mourning. 32 The command of Esther established these [z]customs for (AK)Purim, and it was written in the book.
Footnotes
- Esther 9:1 Lit day in it
- Esther 9:2 Lit put out a hand against
- Esther 9:2 Lit their harm
- Esther 9:5 Lit the stroke of the
- Esther 9:11 Lit came before
- Esther 9:16 Lit have rest from
- Esther 9:17 Lit in it
- 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 had rest from
- Esther 9:22 Lit good day
- Esther 9:25 Lit before the king, he
- Esther 9:26 Akkadian for lot
- Esther 9:26 Lit Therefore because of all the words
- Esther 9:27 Lit received
- Esther 9:27 Lit seed
- Esther 9:27 Lit it would not pass away
- Esther 9:27 Lit writing
- Esther 9:28 Lit pass from the midst of
- Esther 9:28 Lit end
- Esther 9:28 Lit seed
- Esther 9:31 Lit seed
- Esther 9:31 Lit words
- Esther 9:32 Lit words
Esther 9
GOD’S WORD Translation
The Jews Defend Themselves
9 On the thirteenth day of Adar, the twelfth month, the king’s command and decree were to be carried out. On that very day, when the enemies of the Jews expected to overpower them, the exact opposite happened: The Jews overpowered those who hated them.
2 The Jews assembled in their cities throughout all the provinces of King Xerxes to kill those who were planning to harm them. No one could stand up against them, because all the people were terrified of them. 3 All the officials of the provinces, the satraps, the governors, and the king’s treasurers assisted the Jews because they were terrified of Mordecai. 4 Mordecai was an important man in the king’s palace. Moreover, his reputation was spreading to all the provinces, since Mordecai was becoming more and more powerful.
5 Then with their swords, the Jews attacked all their enemies, killing them, destroying them, and doing whatever they pleased to those who hated them. 6 In the fortress of Susa the Jews killed and wiped out 500 men. 7 They also killed Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, 8 Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, 9 Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai, and Vaizatha. 10 These were the ten sons of Haman, who was the son of Hammedatha and the enemy of the Jews. But the Jews did not seize any of their possessions.
11 On that day the number of those killed in the fortress of Susa was reported to the king. 12 So the king said to Queen Esther, “In the fortress of Susa the Jews have killed and wiped out 500 men and Haman’s 10 sons. What must they have done in the rest of the king’s provinces! Now, what is your request? It will be granted to you. And what else would you like? It, too, will be granted.”
13 Esther said, “If it pleases you, Your Majesty, allow the Jews in Susa to do tomorrow what was decreed for today. Let them hang Haman’s ten sons on poles.”
14 The king commanded this, issuing a decree in Susa. And so they hung Haman’s ten sons ⌞on poles⌟.
15 The Jews in Susa also assembled on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar and killed 300 men in Susa, but they did not seize any of their possessions. 16 The other Jews who were in the king’s provinces had also assembled to defend and free themselves from their enemies. They killed 75,000 of those who hated them, but they did not seize any of their possessions. 17 This was on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar. On the fourteenth they rested and made it a day of feasting and celebration. 18 But the Jews in Susa had assembled on the thirteenth and fourteenth. They rested on the fifteenth and made it a day of feasting and celebration. 19 That is why the Jews who live in the villages and in the unwalled towns make the fourteenth day of the month of Adar a holiday for feasting and celebration. They also send gifts of food to one another.
The Festival of Purim Instituted by Esther and Mordecai
20 Now, Mordecai wrote these things down and sent official letters to all the Jews in all the provinces of King Xerxes, near and far. 21 He established the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar as days they must observe every year. 22 They were to observe them just like the days when the Jews freed themselves from their enemies. In that month their grief turned to joy and their mourning into a holiday. He declared that these days are to be days for feasting and celebrating and for sending gifts of food to one another, especially gifts to the poor.
23 So the Jews accepted as tradition what they had begun, as Mordecai had written to them. 24 It was because Haman, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them. (Haman was the son of Hammedatha and was from Agag.) Haman had the Pur (which means the lot) thrown ⌞in order to determine when⌟ to crush and destroy them. 25 But when this came to the king’s attention, he ordered, in the well-known letter, that the evil plan Haman had plotted against the Jews should turn back on his own head. As a result, they hung Haman and his sons on poles.
26 So the Jews called these days Purim, based on the word Pur. Therefore, because of everything that was said in this letter—both what they had seen and what had happened to them— 27 the Jews established a tradition for themselves and their descendants and for anyone who would join them. The tradition was that a person should never fail to observe these two days every year, as they were described and at their appointed time. 28 So these days must be remembered and observed in every age, family, province, and city. These days of Purim must not be ignored among the Jews, and the importance of these days must never be forgotten by the generations to come.
29 Abihail’s daughter Queen Esther and Mordecai the Jew wrote with full authority in order to establish with this second letter the well-known celebration of Purim. 30 Mordecai sent official documents granting peace and security to all the Jews in the 127 provinces of the kingdom of Xerxes. 31 He did this in order to establish these days of Purim at the appointed time. Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther established them for themselves, as they had established for themselves and their descendants the practices of fasting with sadness. 32 Esther’s command had established these practices of Purim, and they are written in a book.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God’s Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.