¹⁰ Then he said to them, “Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, and ^(A)send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of Yahweh is your strength.” ¹¹ So the Levites quieted all the people, saying, “Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved.” ¹² Then all the people went away to eat, to drink, ^(B)to send portions, and to celebrate with great gladness, ^(C)because they understood the words which had been made known to them.

¹⁹ Therefore the Jews of the rural areas, who live in ^(A)the rural towns, make the fourteenth day of the month Adar a ^[a](B)holiday for gladness and feasting and ^(C)sending portions of food to one another.

²² because on those days the Jews obtained rest for themselves from their enemies, and it was a month which was ^(A)turned around for them from sorrow into gladness and from mourning into a ^[a]holiday; that they should make them days of feasting and gladness and ^(B)sending portions of food to one another and gifts to the poor.