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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Esther 9:18-32
International Standard Version
18 The Jewish people in Susa assembled on the thirteenth day and again on the fourteenth, and then rested on the fifteenth day and made it a day of feasting and joy. 19 Therefore the Jewish people in the rural areas who live in unwalled towns make the fourteenth day of the month Adar a holiday for joy and feasting, and people send presents[a] to one another.
Official Instructions for Celebrating Purim
20 Mordecai wrote these instructions and sent letters to all the Jewish people in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, both near and far, 21 establishing that they should celebrate the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month Adar every year, 22 as the days on which the Jewish people enjoyed relief[b] from their enemies. It was a month when things turned around for them, from sorrow to joy and from mourning to a holiday. They were to celebrate these days as days of feasting and joy, and they were to send presents[c] to one another and gifts to the poor. 23 So the Jewish people made a tradition[d] out of what they had begun to do and of what Mordecai had written to them, 24 since Hammedatha’s son Haman, the enemy of the Jewish people, had plotted against the Jewish people to destroy them, and he had cast the pur (that is, the lot) to determine when[e] to confuse and destroy them.
25 But when Esther came before the king, he ordered through a letter that the evil plot that Haman[f] had devised against the Jewish people be rescinded,[g] and that he and his sons be hanged on poles. 26 Therefore these days were called Purim, from the word pur. Because of all that was written in this letter, because of what they experienced in this matter, and because of what happened to them, 27 the Jewish people established this celebration, making it a tradition[h] for themselves, for their descendants, and for all who joined with them[i] that they should not fail to observe these two days each year, based on the written instructions, and at the prescribed time. 28 These days should be remembered and observed in every generation by each family in every province and town. These days of Purim should not be neglected by[j] the Jewish people, and that they should not be forgotten by their descendants.
Queen Esther Confirms the Instructions for Purim
29 Queen Esther, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew wrote with full authority confirming this second letter about Purim. 30 Letters containing wishes for peace and stability were sent to all the Jewish people, to the 127 provinces of Ahasuerus’ kingdom, 31 establishing these days of Purim at the prescribed time, just as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had established, and just as the Jewish people[k] had established for themselves and for their descendants. The letter included instructions for their fasting[l] and lamentations. 32 The order of Esther established these instructions for Purim, and it was officially recorded.[m]
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Esther 9:19 Or portions of food
- Esther 9:22 Or the Jews rested
- Esther 9:22 Or portions of food
- Esther 9:23 Lit. the Jews accepted
- Esther 9:24 The Heb. lacks to determine when
- Esther 9:25 Lit. he
- Esther 9:25 Lit. be turned back on his own head
- Esther 9:27 Lit. people accepted it
- Esther 9:27 I.e. those who became Jews
- Esther 9:28 Lit. should not pass by
- Esther 9:31 Lit. they
- Esther 9:31 Lit. descendants, instructions for their fasting
- Esther 9:32 Lit. recorded in a record
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