Esther 9:1-17
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.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 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 9:1-17
International Standard Version
The Jewish People Defeat Their Enemies
9 On the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, when the king’s order and edict was about to be carried out, on the day when the enemies of the Jewish people expected to prevail over them, things were turned around so that the Jewish people themselves prevailed over those who hated them.
2 The Jewish people assembled in their towns throughout the provinces of King Ahasuerus to strike out against those who intended to harm them, and no one could oppose them because all the people had come to fear the Jews.[a] 3 All the provincial officials, the regional authorities,[b] the governors, and those doing the king’s work supported the Jewish people because the fear of Mordecai had come over[c] them. 4 Indeed, Mordecai was a powerful[d] official in the palace and his fame spread throughout the provinces. Indeed, the man Mordecai grew more and more powerful.[e]
5 The Jewish people struck down all their enemies with the sword, killing and destroying them, and they did with their enemies as they pleased. 6 In Susa the capital the Jewish people killed and destroyed 500 people. 7 They killed Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, 8 Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, 9 Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai, and Vaizatha, 10 the ten sons of Hammedatha’s son Haman, the enemy of the Jewish people, but they did not lay their hands on the spoils.
11 On that day the number of those slain in Susa the capital was reported to the king. 12 The king told Queen Esther, “In Susa the capital the Jewish people have killed and destroyed 500 people, including Haman’s ten sons. What have they done in the rest of the king’s provinces? Now what’s your petition? It will be given to you. What’s your further request? It will be done.”
13 Then Esther said, “If it pleases the king, let it also be granted to the Jewish people in Susa to do tomorrow what the edict allowed them to do today,[f] and let Haman’s ten sons be hanged[g] on poles.”
14 The king said, “Let this be done.” So an edict was issued in Susa, and Haman’s ten sons were hanged[h] on poles. 15 The Jewish people in Susa assembled again on that day, the fourteenth of Adar, and they killed 300 people in Susa, but they did not lay their hands on the spoils.
The Festival of Purim is Celebrated
16 The rest of the Jewish people in the king’s provinces assembled to defend[i] themselves, and they gained relief from their enemies, killing 75,000 of those who hated them. But they did not lay their hands on the spoils. 17 They did this on the thirteenth day of Adar and rested on the fourteenth day, making it a day of feasting and joy.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Esther 9:2 Lit. them
- Esther 9:3 Lit. satraps; Persian government officials similar in authority to a governor
- Esther 9:3 Lit. fallen on
- Esther 9:4 Or great
- Esther 9:4 Or greater and greater
- Esther 9:13 Lit. according to today’s edict
- Esther 9:13 Or impaled
- Esther 9:14 Or impaled
- Esther 9:16 Lit. stand; or their lives
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