Now in the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, when the king's commandment and his decree drew near to be put in execution, in the day that the enemi of the Jews hoped to have power over them, (though it was turned to the contrary, that the Jews had rule over them that hated them;)

The Jews gathered themselv together in their citi throughout all the provinc of the king Ahasuerus, to lay hand on such as sought their hurt: and no man could withstand them; for the fear of them fell upon all people.

And all the rulers of the provinc, and the lieutenants, and the deputi, and officers of the king, helped the Jews; because the fear of Mordecai fell upon them.

For Mordecai was great in the king's house, and his fame went out throughout all the provinc: for this man Mordecai waxed greater and greater.

Thus the Jews smote all their enemi with the stroke of the sword, and slaughter, and dtruction, and did what they would unto those that hated them.

And in Shushan the palace the Jews slew and dtroyed five hundred men.

And Parshandatha, and Dalphon, and Aspatha,

And Poratha, and Adalia, and Aridatha,

And Parmashta, and Arisai, and Aridai, and Vajezatha,

The ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews, slew they; but on the spoil laid they not their hand.

On that day the number of those that were slain in Shushan the palace was brought before the king.

And the king said unto ther the queen, The Jews have slain and dtroyed five hundred men in Shushan the palace, and the ten sons of Haman; what have they done in the rt of the king's provinc? now what is thy petition? and it shall be granted thee: or what is thy requt further? and it shall be done.

Then said ther, If it please the king, let it be granted to the Jews which are in Shushan to do to morrow also according unto this day's decree, and let Haman's ten sons be hanged upon the gallows.

And the king commanded it so to be done: and the decree was given at Shushan; and they hanged Haman's ten sons.

For the Jews that were in Shushan gathered themselv together on the fourteenth day also of the month Adar, and slew three hundred men at Shushan; but on the prey they laid not their hand.

But the other Jews that were in the king's provinc gathered themselv together, and stood for their liv, and had rt from their enemi, and slew of their fo seventy and five thousand, but they laid not their hands on the prey,

On the thirteenth day of the month Adar; and on the fourteenth day of the same rted they, and made it a day of feasting and gladns.

But the Jews that were at Shushan assembled together on the thirteenth day thereof, and on the fourteenth thereof; and on the fifteenth day of the same they rted, and made it a day of feasting and gladns.

Therefore the Jews of the villag, that dwelt in the unwalled towns, made the fourteenth day of the month Adar a day of gladns and feasting, and a good day, and of sending portions one to another.

And Mordecai wrote the things, and sent letters unto all the Jews that were in all the provinc of the king Ahasuerus, both nigh and far,

To stablish this among them, that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day of the same, yearly,

As the days wherein the Jews rted from their enemi, and the month which was turned unto them from sorrow to joy, and from mourning into a good day: that they should make them days of feasting and joy, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor.

And the Jews undertook to do as they had begun, and as Mordecai had written unto them;

Because Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had devised against the Jews to dtroy them, and had cast Pur, that is, the lot, to consume them, and to dtroy them;

But when ther came before the king, he commanded by letters that his wicked device, which he devised against the Jews, should return upon his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.

Wherefore they called the days Purim after the name of Pur. Therefore for all the words of this letter, and of that which they had seen concerning this matter, and which had come unto them,

The Jews ordained, and took upon them, and upon their seed, and upon all such as joined themselv unto them, so as it should not fail, that they would keep the two days according to their writing, and according to their appointed time every year;

And that the days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city; and that the days of Purim should not fail from among the Jews, nor the memorial of them perish from their seed.

Then ther the queen, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew, wrote with all authority, to confirm this second letter of Purim.

And he sent the letters unto all the Jews, to the hundred twenty and seven provinc of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, with words of peace and truth,

To confirm the days of Purim in their tim appointed, according as Mordecai the Jew and ther the queen had enjoined them, and as they had decreed for themselv and for their seed, the matters of the fastings and their cry.

And the decree of ther confirmed the matters of Purim; and it was written in the book.