¹⁵ The Temple was completed on March 12,^[a] during the sixth year of King Darius’s reign.

⁷ So in the month of April,^[a] during the twelfth year of King Xerxes’ reign, lots were cast in Haman’s presence (the lots were called purim) to determine the best day and month to take action. And the day selected was March 7, nearly a year later.^[b]

²¹ calling on them to celebrate an annual festival on these two days.^[a]

¹⁹ So to this day, rural Jews living in remote villages celebrate an annual festival and holiday on the appointed day in late winter,^[a] when they rejoice and send gifts of food to each other.

¹⁷ This was done throughout the provinces on March 7, and on March 8 they rested,^[a] celebrating their victory with a day of feasting and gladness.

¹⁵ Then the Jews at Susa gathered together on March 8^[a] and killed 300 more men, and again they took no plunder.

The Victory of the Jews

9 So on March 7^[a] the two decrees of the king were put into effect. On that day, the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, but quite the opposite happened. It was the Jews who overpowered their enemies.

¹² The day chosen for this event throughout all the provinces of King Xerxes was March 7 of the next year.^[a]

¹³ Dispatches were sent by swift messengers into all the provinces of the empire, giving the order that all Jews—young and old, including women and children—must be killed, slaughtered, and annihilated on a single day. This was scheduled to happen on March 7 of the next year.^[a] The property of the Jews would be given to those who killed them.