Esther 9:18-32
New American Standard Bible
18 But the Jews who were in Susa (A)assembled on the thirteenth and (B)the fourteenth [a]of the same month, and they rested on the fifteenth [b]day and made it a day of feasting and rejoicing. 19 Therefore the Jews of the rural areas, who live in (C)the rural towns, make the fourteenth day of the month Adar a [c](D)holiday for rejoicing and feasting and (E)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 [d]of the same month, annually, 22 because on those days the Jews [e]rid themselves of their enemies, and it was a month which was (F)turned for them from grief into joy, and from mourning into a [f]holiday; that they were to make them days of feasting and rejoicing, and (G)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 (H)had cast Pur, that is the lot, to disturb them and eliminate them. 25 But (I)when it came [g]to the king’s attention, he commanded by letter (J)that his wicked scheme which he had devised against the Jews (K)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 [h]Pur. [i]And (L)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 [j]made a custom for themselves, their [k]descendants, and for (M)all those who allied themselves with them, so that [l]they would not fail (N)to celebrate these two days according to their [m]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 [n]be neglected by the Jews, or their memory [o]fade from their [p]descendants.
29 Then Queen Esther, (O)daughter of Abihail, with Mordecai the Jew, wrote with full authority to confirm (P)this second letter about Purim. 30 He sent letters to all the Jews, (Q)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 [q]descendants, with [r]instructions (R)for their times of fasting and their mourning. 32 The command of Esther established these [s]customs for (S)Purim, and it was written in the book.
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- 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 9:18-32
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Feast of Purim Inaugurated
18 But the Jews who were in Susa gathered on the thirteenth day and on the fourteenth and rested on the fifteenth day, making that a day of feasting and gladness.(A) 19 Therefore the Jews of the villages, who live in the open towns, hold the fourteenth day of the month of Adar as a day for gladness and feasting, a holiday on which they send gifts of food to one another.(B)
20 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 enjoining them that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar and also the fifteenth day of the same month, year by year, 22 as the days on which the Jews gained relief from their enemies and as the month that had been turned for them from sorrow into gladness and from mourning into a holiday, that they should make them days of feasting and gladness, days for sending gifts of food to one another and presents to the poor.(C) 23 So the Jews adopted as a custom what they had begun to do, as Mordecai had written to them.
24 For Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them and had cast Pur—that is, “the lot”—to crush and to destroy them,(D) 25 but when Esther[a] came before the king, he gave orders in writing that the wicked plot that he had devised against the Jews should come upon his own head and that he and his sons should be hung on the pole.(E) 26 Therefore these days are called Purim, from the word Pur. Thus because of all that was written in this letter and of what they had faced in this matter and of what had happened to them,(F) 27 the Jews established and accepted as a custom for themselves and their descendants and all who joined them that without fail they would continue to observe these two days every year, as it was written and at the time appointed.(G) 28 These days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, in every family, province, and city, and these days of Purim should never fall into disuse among the Jews, nor should the commemoration of these days cease among their descendants.
29 Queen Esther daughter of Abihail, along with Mordecai the Jew, gave full written authority confirming this second letter about Purim.(H) 30 Letters were sent wishing peace and security to all the Jews, to the one hundred twenty-seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus,(I) 31 and giving orders that these days of Purim should be observed at their appointed seasons, as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther enjoined on the Jews, just as they had laid down for themselves and for their descendants regulations concerning their fasts and their lamentations.(J) 32 The command of Esther fixed these practices of Purim, and it was recorded in writing.(K)
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- 9.25 Heb she
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New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.