The Jews Strike Down 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 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. ^2 (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. ³ 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. ⁴ 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. ⁵ 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. ⁶ And at the citadel in Susa the Jews killed and caused to perish 500 men, ⁷ and Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, ⁸ Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, ⁹ 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.