Esther 9:18-32
Lexham English Bible
18 But the Jews who were in Susa gathered on the thirteenth and on the fourteenth day, and rested on the fifteenth day. And they made it a day of feasting and joy. 19 Therefore the Jews in the rural areas, living in the rural towns, made the fourteenth month of Adar a day of joy and feasting, a festive day of giving gifts to each other.
The Feast of Purim
20 Mordecai wrote down these things and he sent letters to all the Jews who were in all of the provinces of King Ahasuerus, both near and far, 21 to impose on them to keep the fourteenth day of the month of Adar, and the fifteenth day, every year,[a] 22 as the day that the Jews found relief[b] from their enemies, and the month which changed for them from sorrow to joy, and from a mourning ceremony to a festive day;[c] to make them days of feasting and joy, and giving gifts to each other and to the poor. 23 And the Jews adopted what they had begun to do and what Mordecai had written to them.
24 For Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews had plotted against the Jews to destroy them, and he had cast pur, that is the lot, to rout them out and destroy them. 25 But when it came[d] to the attention of[e] the king, he gave orders in writing[f] that his evil plot that he had devised against the Jews should return on his head, and they hung him and his sons on the gallows. 26 Therefore they called these days Purim, because of the name Pur. Thus because of all the words of this letter, and of what they faced concerning this, and of what had happened to them, 27 the Jews established and adopted it for themselves and for their offspring, and for all who joined them. They did not neglect to observe[g] these two days every year as it was written and appointed to them. 28 These days are to be remembered and are to be kept in every generation, and in family, province, and city; and these days of Purim are not to be neglected among the Jews, and their memory shall not come to an end among their offspring.
29 So Queen Esther the daughter of Abihail and Mordecai the Jew wrote in full authority to confirm this second letter of Purim. 30 He sent letters of words of peace and truth to all the Jews, to the one hundred and twenty-seven provinces[h] of Ahasuerus’ kingdom, 31 to establish these days of Purim at their appointed times, just as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had imposed, and just as they had imposed on themselves and their offspring regulations of the fast and their lament. 32 And the command of Esther established these practices of Purim, and it was written on the scroll.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Esther 9:21 Literally “and every year and year”
- Esther 9:22 Literally “rested”
- Esther 9:22 Literally “a day of good”
- Esther 9:25 Or “she came”
- Esther 9:25 Literally “before”
- Esther 9:25 Literally “said with a scroll”
- Esther 9:27 Literally “to be doing”
- Esther 9:30 Hebrew “province”
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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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
