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The Jews Strike Down Their Enemies

Now (A)in the twelfth month (that is, the month Adar), on (B)the thirteenth [a]day (C)when the king’s word and law had reached the point for them to be done, on the day when the enemies of the Jews hoped to gain power over them, it was turned around so that the Jews themselves gained power over those who hated them. (D)The Jews assembled in their cities throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus to send forth their hand against those who sought their calamity; and no one could stand before them, (E)for the dread of them had fallen on all the peoples. Even all the princes of the provinces, (F)the satraps, the governors, and those who were doing the king’s work [b]advanced the Jews, because the dread of Mordecai had fallen on them. Indeed, Mordecai was great in the king’s house, and the report about him went throughout all the provinces; for the man Mordecai (G)became greater and greater. Thus (H)the Jews struck all their enemies with [c]the sword, killing and causing them to perish; and they did what they pleased to those who hated them. And at the citadel in Susa the Jews killed and caused to perish 500 men, and Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai, and Vaizatha, 10 (I)the 10 sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Jews’ adversary; but (J)they did not send forth their hand for the plunder.

11 On that day the number of those who were killed at the citadel in Susa came to the king. 12 So the king said to Queen Esther, “The Jews have killed and caused to perish 500 men and the 10 sons of Haman at the citadel in Susa. Now in the rest of the king’s provinces, what have they done? (K)So what is [d]your petition? It shall even be given to you. And what is [e]your further request? It shall also be done.” 13 Then Esther said, “If it is good to the king, (L)let tomorrow also be given to the Jews who are in Susa to do according to the law for today; and let Haman’s 10 sons be hanged on the gallows.” 14 So the king said that it should be done so; and a law was given in Susa, and Haman’s 10 sons were hanged. 15 And the Jews who were in Susa assembled also on the fourteenth day of the month Adar and killed (M)300 men in Susa, but (N)they did not send forth their hand for the plunder.

16 Now (O)the rest of the Jews who were in the king’s provinces (P)assembled, to make a stand for their lives and obtain rest for themselves from their enemies, and to kill 75,000 of those who hated them; but they did not send forth their hand for the plunder. 17 This was done on (Q)the thirteenth day of the month Adar, and (R)on the fourteenth [f]day they rested and made it a day of feasting and gladness.

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Footnotes

  1. Esther 9:1 Lit day in it
  2. Esther 9:3 Lit lifted up
  3. Esther 9:5 Lit stroke of sword
  4. Esther 9:12 Or that which you are asking for
  5. Esther 9:12 Or that which you further seek, cf. 9:2
  6. Esther 9:17 Lit in it

Victories of the Jews

The king’s command and law(A) went into effect on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month,(B) the month Adar. On the day when the Jews’ enemies(C) had hoped to overpower them, just the opposite happened. The Jews overpowered those who hated them.(D) In each of King Ahasuerus’s provinces(E) the Jews assembled in their cities to attack those who intended to harm them.[a] Not a single person could withstand them; fear of them(F) fell on every nationality.(G)

All the officials of the provinces, the satraps, the governors, and the royal civil administrators[b](H) aided the Jews because they feared Mordecai.(I) For Mordecai exercised great power in the palace,(J) and his fame spread throughout the provinces as he became more and more powerful.(K)

The Jews put all their enemies to the sword, killing and destroying them.(L) They did what they pleased to those who hated them. In the fortress of Susa(M) the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men, including Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai, and Vaizatha. 10 They killed these ten sons(N) of Haman son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews.(O) However, they did not seize[c] any plunder.(P)

11 On that day the number of people killed in the fortress of Susa was reported to the king. 12 The king said to Queen Esther, “In the fortress of Susa the Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men, including Haman’s ten sons. What have they done in the rest of the royal provinces? Whatever you ask will be given to you. Whatever you seek will also be done.”(Q)

13 Esther answered, “If it pleases the king, may the Jews who are in Susa also have tomorrow(R) to carry out today’s law,(S) and may the bodies of Haman’s ten sons(T) be hung on the gallows.”(U) 14 The king gave the orders for this to be done, so a law was announced in Susa, and they hung the bodies of Haman’s ten sons. 15 The Jews in Susa assembled again on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar(V) and killed three hundred men in Susa, but they did not seize any plunder.(W)

16 The rest of the Jews in the royal provinces assembled, defended themselves, and gained relief from their enemies. They killed seventy-five thousand[d] of those who hated them,(X) but they did not seize any plunder. 17 They fought on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar and rested on the fourteenth, and it became a day of feasting and rejoicing.

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Footnotes

  1. 9:2 Lit cities to send out a hand against the seekers of their evil
  2. 9:3 Lit and those who do the king’s work; Est 3:9
  3. 9:10 Lit not put their hands on, also in vv. 15,16
  4. 9:16 Some LXX mss read 10,107; other LXX mss read 15,000