Esther 9:18-32
English Standard Version
18 But the Jews who were in Susa gathered (A)on the thirteenth day and on the fourteenth, and rested (B)on the fifteenth day, making that a day of feasting and gladness. 19 Therefore the Jews of the villages, who live in (C)the rural towns, hold the fourteenth day of the month of Adar as a day for gladness and feasting, as (D)a holiday, and (E)as a day on which they send gifts of food to one another.
The Feast of Purim Inaugurated
20 And Mordecai recorded these things and sent letters to all the Jews who were in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, both near and far, 21 obliging them to keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar and also the fifteenth day of the same, year by year, 22 as the days on which the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month that had been turned for them from sorrow into gladness and from mourning into (F)a holiday; that they should make them days of feasting and gladness, days for sending gifts of food to one another and gifts to the poor.
23 So the Jews accepted what they had started to do, and what Mordecai had written to them. 24 For Haman the Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, (G)the enemy of all the Jews, (H)had plotted against the Jews to destroy them, and (I)had cast Pur (that is, cast lots), to crush and to destroy them. 25 But when it came before the king, he gave orders in writing (J)that his evil plan that he had devised against the Jews (K)should return on his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows. 26 Therefore they called these days Purim, after the term (L)Pur. Therefore, because of all that was written in (M)this letter, and of what they had faced in this matter, and of what had happened to them, 27 the Jews firmly obligated themselves and their offspring and (N)all who joined them, that without fail they would keep (O)these two days according to what was written and at the time appointed every year, 28 that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, in every clan, province, and city, and that these days of Purim should never fall into disuse among the Jews, nor should the commemoration of these days cease among their descendants.
29 Then Queen Esther, (P)the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew gave full written authority, confirming (Q)this second letter about Purim. 30 Letters were sent to all the Jews, (R)to the 127 provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, in words of peace and truth, 31 that these days of Purim should be observed at their appointed seasons, as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther obligated them, and as they had obligated themselves and their offspring, with regard to (S)their fasts and their lamenting. 32 The command of Esther confirmed these practices of (T)Purim, and it was recorded in writing.
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Esther 9:18-32
Christian Standard Bible
18 But the Jews in Susa had assembled on the thirteenth and the fourteenth days of the month. They rested on the fifteenth day of the month, and it became a day of feasting and rejoicing.(A) 19 This explains why the rural Jews who live in villages observe the fourteenth day of the month of Adar as a time of rejoicing and feasting. It is a holiday when they send gifts to one another.(B)
20 Mordecai(C) recorded these events and sent letters to all the Jews in all of King Ahasuerus’s provinces, both near and far. 21 He ordered(D) them to celebrate the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar every year 22 because during those days the Jews gained relief from(E) their enemies. That was the month when their sorrow was turned into rejoicing and their mourning into a holiday.(F) They were to be days of feasting,(G) rejoicing, and of sending gifts to one another and to the poor.
23 So the Jews agreed to continue the practice they had begun, as Mordecai had written them to do. 24 For Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews,(H) had plotted against the Jews to destroy them. He cast the pur—that is, the lot—to crush and destroy them.(I) 25 But when the matter was brought before the king,(J) he commanded by letter that the evil plan Haman had devised against the Jews return on his own head(K) and that he should be hanged with his sons on the gallows.(L) 26 For this reason these days are called Purim, from the word pur.(M) Because of all the instructions in this letter as well as what they had witnessed and what had happened to them, 27 the Jews bound themselves, their descendants, and all who joined(N) with them to a commitment that they would not fail to celebrate these two days each and every year according to the written instructions and according to the time appointed. 28 These days are remembered and celebrated by every generation, family, province, and city, so that these days of Purim will not lose their significance in Jewish life[a] and their memory will not fade from their descendants.(O)
29 Queen Esther, daughter of Abihail,(P) along with Mordecai the Jew,(Q) wrote this second letter with full authority(R) to confirm the letter about Purim. 30 He sent letters with assurances of peace and security[b] to all the Jews who were in the 127 provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, 31 in order to confirm these days of Purim at their proper time just as Mordecai the Jew and Esther the queen had established them and just as they had committed themselves and their descendants to the practices of fasting(S) and lamentation.(T) 32 So Esther’s command confirmed these customs of Purim, which were then written into the record.
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