Esther 9

On the thirteenth day of Adar the Jews struck down their enemies throughout the empire, killing Haman’s ten sons. The feast of Purim was established as an annual two-day celebration on the fourteenth and fifteenth of Adar to remember their deliverance.

v	King James Version	Modern English
1	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 enemies 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;)	In the twelfth month — the month of Adar — on the thirteenth day, when the king's command and decree were about to be carried out, on the very day when the enemies of the Jews hoped to overpower them, it was turned around so that the Jews themselves overpowered those who hated them.
2	The Jews gathered themselves together in their cities throughout all the provinces 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.	The Jews assembled in their cities throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus to attack those who sought to harm them. No one could stand against them, for the fear of them had fallen on all peoples.
3	And all the rulers of the provinces, and the lieutenants, and the deputies, and officers of the king, helped the Jews; because the fear of Mordecai fell upon them.	All the officials of the provinces, the lieutenants, the governors, and the royal administrators supported the Jews, because the fear of Mordecai had fallen on them.
4	For Mordecai was great in the king's house, and his fame went out throughout all the provinces: for this man Mordecai waxed greater and greater.	For Mordecai was prominent in the king's palace. His fame was spreading throughout all the provinces, for he was growing more and more powerful.
5	Thus the Jews smote all their enemies with the stroke of the sword, and slaughter, and destruction, and did what they would unto those that hated them.	The Jews struck down all their enemies with the sword, killing and destroying them. They did as they pleased to those who hated them.
6	And in Shushan the palace the Jews slew and destroyed five hundred men.	In the citadel of Shushan the Jews killed and destroyed 500 men.
7	And Parshandatha, and Dalphon, and Aspatha,	They also killed Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha,
8	And Poratha, and Adalia, and Aridatha,	Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha,
9	And Parmashta, and Arisai, and Aridai, and Vajezatha,	Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai, and Vaizatha —
10	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.	The ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews. But they did not lay their hands on the plunder.
11	On that day the number of those that were slain in Shushan the palace was brought before the king.	On that day the number of those killed in the citadel of Shushan was reported to the king.
12	And the king said unto Esther the queen, The Jews have slain and destroyed five hundred men in Shushan the palace, and the ten sons of Haman; what have they done in the rest of the king's provinces? now what is thy petition? and it shall be granted thee: or what is thy request further? and it shall be done.	The king said to Queen Esther, "In the citadel of Shushan the Jews have killed and destroyed 500 men and the ten sons of Haman. What have they done in the rest of the king's provinces? Now what is your petition? It shall be granted to you. And what is your further request? It shall be done."
13	Then said Esther, 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.	Esther said, "If it pleases the king, let the Jews in Shushan also be permitted tomorrow to act according to today's decree, and let Haman's ten sons be hanged on the gallows."
14	And the king commanded it so to be done: and the decree was given at Shushan; and they hanged Haman's ten sons.	So the king commanded this to be done. The decree was issued in Shushan, and Haman's ten sons were hanged.
15	For the Jews that were in Shushan gathered themselves 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.	The Jews in Shushan assembled again on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar and killed 300 men in Shushan. But they did not lay their hands on the plunder.
16	But the other Jews that were in the king's provinces gathered themselves together, and stood for their lives, and had rest from their enemies, and slew of their foes seventy and five thousand, but they laid not their hands on the prey,	The rest of the Jews in the king's provinces assembled and defended themselves, gaining relief from their enemies. They killed 75,000 of those who hated them. But they did not lay their hands on the plunder.
17	On the thirteenth day of the month Adar; and on the fourteenth day of the same rested they, and made it a day of feasting and gladness.	This was on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar. On the fourteenth day they rested and made it a day of feasting and rejoicing.
18	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 rested, and made it a day of feasting and gladness.	But the Jews in Shushan had assembled on the thirteenth and fourteenth days of the month. They rested on the fifteenth day and made it a day of feasting and rejoicing.
19	Therefore the Jews of the villages, that dwelt in the unwalled towns, made the fourteenth day of the month Adar a day of gladness and feasting, and a good day, and of sending portions one to another.	This is why the rural Jews — those who live in villages without walls — celebrate the fourteenth day of the month of Adar as a day of gladness and feasting, a holiday, and a time for sending gifts of food to one another.
20	And Mordecai wrote these things, and sent letters unto all the Jews that were in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, both nigh and far,	Mordecai recorded these events and sent letters to all the Jews in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, both near and far,
21	To stablish this among them, that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day of the same, yearly,	Directing them to celebrate the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar each year
22	As the days wherein the Jews rested from their enemies, 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.	As the days on which the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month in which their sorrow was turned into joy and their mourning into a holiday — so that they should make them days of feasting and joy, of sending gifts of food to one another and presents to the poor.
23	And the Jews undertook to do as they had begun, and as Mordecai had written unto them;	So the Jews agreed to what they had already begun to practice and to what Mordecai had written to them.
24	Because Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had devised against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast Pur, that is, the lot, to consume them, and to destroy them;	For Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them and had cast the Pur — that is, the lot — to crush and destroy them.
25	But when Esther 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.	But when Esther came before the king, he ordered by letter that his wicked device which he had devised against the Jews should turn back on his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.
26	Wherefore they called these 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,	Therefore these days are called Purim, from the word Pur. Because of all the instructions in this letter and of what they had seen and experienced concerning this matter,
27	The Jews ordained, and took upon them, and upon their seed, and upon all such as joined themselves unto them, so as it should not fail, that they would keep these two days according to their writing, and according to their appointed time every year;	The Jews established and accepted as a custom for themselves, their descendants, and all who joined them, that without fail they would celebrate these two days every year as written and at the appointed time.
28	And that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city; and that these days of Purim should not fail from among the Jews, nor the memorial of them perish from their seed.	These days of Purim are to be remembered and celebrated by every generation, every family, every province, and every city. These days of Purim will never cease among the Jews, nor will the memory of them fade from their descendants.
29	Then Esther the queen, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew, wrote with all authority, to confirm this second letter of Purim.	Then Queen Esther daughter of Abihail, together with Mordecai the Jew, wrote with full authority to confirm this second letter about Purim.
30	And he sent the letters unto all the Jews, to the hundred twenty and seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, with words of peace and truth,	Letters were sent to all the Jews in the 127 provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus with words of peace and truth,
31	To confirm these days of Purim in their times appointed, according as Mordecai the Jew and Esther the queen had enjoined them, and as they had decreed for themselves and for their seed, the matters of the fastings and their cry.	To establish these days of Purim at their appointed times as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had decreed for them, and as they had established for themselves and their descendants, with regulations for fasting and lamentation.
32	And the decree of Esther confirmed these matters of Purim; and it was written in the book.	The command of Esther established these customs for Purim. It was recorded in writing.