,from www4ebible4org with slight        
reformatting by ,martin ,ward4          
,book #ag ,esther  #jja3jja ,now it     
happened in the days of ,ahasuerus 7this
 is ,ahasuerus          who reigned from
 ,india even to ,ethiopia1 over one     
hundred twenty-seven provinces71        
#jja3jjb that in those days1 when the   
,king ,ahasuerus sat on the throne      
of his kingdom1 which was in ,shushan   
the palace1  #jja3jjc in the third year 
of his reign1 he made a feast for all   
his          princes and his servants2  
the power of ,persia and ,media1        
the nobles and princes of the provinces1
 being before him4  #jja3jjd ,he        
displayed the riches of his glorious    
kingdom and the honor          of his   
excellent majesty many days1 even one   
hundred eighty days4  #jja3jje ,when    
these days were fulfilled1 the king made
 a seven day          feast for all the 
people who were present in ,shushan     
the palace1 both great and small1 in the
 court of the garden          of the    

king's palace4  #jja3jjf ,there were    
hangings of white1 green1 and blue      
material1          fastened with cords  
of fine linen and purple to silver rings
          and marble pillars4  ,the     
couches were of gold and silver1        
on a pavement of red1 white1 yellow1 and
 black marble4  #jja3jjg ,they gave them
 drinks in golden vessels of various    
kinds1          including royal wine in 
abundance1 according to the bounty      
of the king4  #jja3jjh ,in accordance   
with the law1 the drinking was not      
compulsory2          for so the king had
 instructed all the officials of his    
house1          that they should do     
according to every man's pleasure4      
#jja3jji ,also ,vashti the queen made a 
feast for the women in the royal        
house which belonged to ,king           
,ahasuerus4  #jja3jaj ,on the seventh   
day1 when the heart of the king was     
merry          with wine1 he commanded  
,mehuman1 ,biztha1 ,harbona1 ,bigtha1   
and ,abagtha1 ,zethar1 and ,carcass1 the

 seven eunuchs who served          in   
the presence of ,ahasuerus the king1    
#jja3jaa to bring ,vashti the queen     
before the king with the royal crown1   
to show the people and the princes her  
beauty2          for she was beautiful4 
#jja3jab ,but the queen ,vashti refused 
to come at the king's commandment       
by the eunuchs4  ,therefore the king was
 very angry1 and his          anger     
burned in him4  #jja3jac ,then the king 
said to the wise men1 who knew the      
times1          7for it was the king's  
custom to consult those who knew        
law and judgment2  #jja3jad and the next
 to him were ,carshena1 ,shethar1       
,admatha1 ,tarshish1          ,meres1   
,marsena1 and ,memucan1 the seven       
princes of ,persia and ,media1          
who saw the king's face1 and sat first  
in the kingdom71  #jja3jae ,what shall  
we do to the queen ,vashti according to 
law1          because she has not done  
the bidding of the ,king ,ahasuerus     
by the eunuchs8  #jja3jaf ,memucan      

answered before the king and the        
princes1          ,vashti the queen has 
not done wrong to just the king1        
but also to all the princes1 and to all 
the people who are          in all the  
provinces of the ,king ,ahasuerus4      
#jja3jag ,for this deed of the queen    
will become known to all women1         
causing them to show contempt for their 
husbands1 when it          is reported1 
',king ,ahasuerus commanded ,vashti the 
queen          to be brought in before  
him1 but she didn't come4'  #jja3jah    
,today1 the princesses of ,persia and   
,media who have heard          of the   
queen's deed will tell all the king's   
princes4          ,this will cause much 
contempt and wrath4  #jja3jai ,if it    
please the king1 let a royal commandment
 go from him1          and let it be    
written among the laws of the ,persians 
and the ,medes1          so that it     
cannot be altered1 that ,vashti may     
never again          come before ,king  
,ahasuerus2 and let the king give her   

royal          estate to another who is 
better than she4  #jja3jbj ,when the    
king's decree which he shall make is    
published          throughout all his   
kingdom 7for it is great71 all the wives
          will give their husbands      
honor1 both great and small4  #jja3jba  
,this advice pleased the king and the   
princes1 and the king          did      
according to the word of ,memucan3      
#jja3jbb for he sent letters into all   
the king's provinces1 into every        
province according to its writing1 and  
to every people          in their       
language1 that every man should rule his
 own house1          speaking in the    
language of his own people4  #jjb3jja   
,after these things1 when the wrath of  
,king ,ahasuerus was pacified1          
he remembered ,vashti1 and what she had 
done1 and what was          decreed     
against her4  #jjb3jjb ,then the king's 
servants who served him said1 ,let      
beautiful          young virgins be     
sought for the king4  #jjb3jjc ,let the 

king appoint officers in all the        
provinces of his kingdom1          that 
they may gather together all the        
beautiful young          virgins to the 
citadel of ,susa1 to the women's house1 
to the custody of ,hegai the king's     
eunuch1 keeper of the women4            
,let cosmetics be given them2  #jjb3jjd 
and let the maiden who pleases the king 
be queen instead of ,vashti4            
,the thing pleased the king1 and he did 
so4  #jjb3jje ,there was a certain ,jew 
in the citadel of ,susa1 whose name     
was ,mordecai1 the son of ,jair1 the son
 of ,shimei1 the son          of ,kish1 
a ,benjamite1  #jjb3jjf who had been    
carried away from ,jerusalem with the   
captives          who had been carried  
away with ,jeconiah king of ,judah1     
whom ,nebuchadnezzar the king of        
,babylon had carried away4  #jjb3jjg ,he
 brought up ,hadassah1 that is1 ,esther1
 his uncle's daughter2          for she 
had neither father nor mother4  ,the    
maiden was fair          and beautiful2 

and when her father and mother were     
dead1          ,mordecai took her for   
his own daughter4  #jjb3jjh ,so it      
happened1 when the king's commandment   
and his decree          was heard1 and  
when many maidens were gathered together
          to the citadel of ,susa1 to   
the custody of ,hegai1 that ,esther     
was taken into the king's house1 to the 
custody of ,hegai1          keeper of   
the women4  #jjb3jji ,the maiden pleased
 him1 and she obtained kindness from    
him4          ,he quickly gave her      
cosmetics and her portions of food1     
and the seven choice maidens who were to
 be given her out          of the king's
 house4  ,he moved her and her maidens  
to the best          place in the       
women's house4  #jjb3jaj ,esther had not
 made known her people nor her          
relatives1          because ,mordecai   
had instructed her that she should not  
make it known4  #jjb3jaa ,mordecai      
walked every day in front of the court  
of the women's house1          to find  

out how ,esther did1 and what would     
become of her4  #jjb3jab ,each young    
woman's turn came to go in to ,king     
,ahasuerus after          her           
purification for twelve months 7for so  
were the days of          their         
purification accomplished1 six months   
with oil of myrrh1          and six     
months with sweet fragrances and with   
preparations          for beautifying   
women74  #jjb3jac ,the young woman then 
came to the king like this3  whatever   
she          desired was given her to go
 with her out of the women's house      
to the king's house4  #jjb3jad ,in the  
evening she went1 and on the next day   
she returned          into the second   
women's house1 to the custody of        
,shaashgaz1          the king's eunuch1 
who kept the concubines4  ,she came     
in to the king no more1 unless the king 
delighted in her1          and she was  
called by name4  #jjb3jae ,now when the 
turn of ,esther1 the daughter of        
,abihail the uncle          of          

,mordecai1 who had taken her for his    
daughter1 came to go in to          the 
king1 she required nothing but what     
,hegai the king's eunuch1          the  
keeper of the women1 advised4  ,esther  
obtained favor          in the sight of 
all those who looked at her4  #jjb3jaf  
,so ,esther was taken to ,king          
,ahasuerus into his royal house         
in the tenth month1 which is the month  
,tebeth1 in the seventh          year of
 his reign4  #jjb3jag ,the king loved   
,esther more than all the women1 and she
 obtained          favor and kindness in
 his sight more than all the virgins2   
so that he set the royal crown on her   
head1 and made her queen                
instead of ,vashti4  #jjb3jah ,then the 
king made a great feast for all his     
princes and his servants1          even 
,esther's feast2 and he proclaimed a    
holiday in the provinces1          and  
gave gifts according to the king's      
bounty4  #jjb3jai ,when the virgins were
 gathered together the second time1     

,mordecai was sitting in the king's     
gate4  #jjb3jbj ,esther had not yet made
 known her relatives nor her people1    
as ,mordecai had charged her2 for       
,esther obeyed ,mordecai1          like 
she did when she was brought up by him4 
#jjb3jba ,in those days1 while ,mordecai
 was sitting in the king's gate1        
two of the king's eunuchs1 ,bigthan and 
,teresh1 who were doorkeepers1          
were angry1 and sought to lay hands on  
the ,king ,ahasuerus4  #jjb3jbb ,this   
thing became known to ,mordecai1 who    
informed ,esther the queen2          and
 ,esther informed the king in           
,mordecai's name4  #jjb3jbc ,when this  
matter was investigated1 and it was     
found to be so1          they were both 
hanged on a tree2 and it was written in 
the book          of the chronicles in  
the king's presence4  #jjc3jja ,after   
these things ,king ,ahasuerus promoted  
,haman the son          of ,hammedatha  
the ,agagite1 and advanced him1 and set 
his seat          above all the princes 

who were with him4  #jjc3jjb ,all the   
king's servants who were in the king's  
gate bowed down1          and paid      
homage to ,haman2 for the king had so   
commanded          concerning him4  ,but
 ,mordecai didn't bow down or pay him   
homage4  #jjc3jjc ,then the king's      
servants1 who were in the king's gate1  
said to ,mordecai1 ,why do you disobey  
the king's commandment8  #jjc3jjd ,now  
it came to pass1 when they spoke daily  
to him1 and he didn't          listen to
 them1 that they told ,haman1 to see    
whether ,mordecai's          reason     
would stand2 for he had told them that  
he was a ,jew4  #jjc3jje ,when ,haman   
saw that ,mordecai didn't bow down1 nor 
pay him homage1          ,haman was full
 of wrath4  #jjc3jjf ,but he scorned the
 thought of laying hands on ,mordecai   
alone1          for they had made known 
to him ,mordecai's people4              
,therefore ,haman sought to destroy all 
the ,jews who were throughout           
the whole kingdom of ,ahasuerus1 even   

the ,mordecai's people4  #jjc3jjg ,in   
the first month1 which is the month     
,nisan1 in the twelfth          year of 
,king ,ahasuerus1 they cast ,pur1 that  
is1 the lot1          before ,haman from
 day to day1 and from month to month1   
and chose the twelfth month1 which is   
the month ,adar4  #jjc3jjh ,haman said  
to ,king ,ahasuerus1 ,there is a certain
 people          scattered abroad and   
dispersed among the peoples in all      
the provinces of your kingdom1 and their
 laws are different          than other 
people's4 ,they don't keep the king's   
laws4          ,therefore it is not for 
the king's profit to allow them to      
remain4  #jjc3jji ,if it pleases the    
king1 let it be written that they be    
destroyed2          and ,i will pay ten 
thousand talents of silver into the     
hands          of those who are in      
charge of the king's business1 to bring 
it into the king's treasuries4  #jjc3jaj
 ,the king took his ring from his hand1 
and gave it to ,haman          the son  

of ,hammedatha the ,agagite1 the ,jews' 
enemy4  #jjc3jaa ,the king said to      
,haman1 ,the silver is given to you1    
the people also1 to do with them as it  
seems good to you4  #jjc3jab ,then the  
king's scribes were called in on the    
first month1          on the thirteenth 
day of the month2 and all that ,haman   
commanded          was written to the   
king's satraps1 and to the governors who
          were over every province1 and 
to the princes of every people1         
to every province according its writing1
 and to every people          in their  
language4  ,it was written in the name  
of ,king ,ahasuerus1          and it was
 sealed with the king's ring4  #jjc3jac 
,letters were sent by couriers into all 
the king's provinces1          to       
destroy1 to kill1 and to cause to       
perish1 all ,jews1          both young  
and old1 little children and women1 in  
one day1          even on the thirteenth
 day of the twelfth month1 which is     
the month ,adar1 and to plunder their   

possessions4  #jjc3jad ,a copy of the   
letter1 that the decree should be given 
out in every province1 was published to 
all the peoples1          that they     
should be ready against that day4       
#jjc3jae ,the couriers went forth in    
haste by the king's commandment1        
and the decree was given out in the     
citadel of ,susa4          ,the king and
 ,haman sat down to drink2 but the city 
of          ,shushan was perplexed4     
#jjd3jja ,now when ,mordecai found out  
all that was done1 ,mordecai tore       
his clothes1 and put on sackcloth with  
ashes1 and went out          into the   
midst of the city1 and wailed loudly and
 a bitterly4  #jjd3jjb ,he came even    
before the king's gate1 for no one is   
allowed          inside the king's gate 
clothed with sackcloth4  #jjd3jjc ,in   
every province1 wherever the king's     
commandment and his          decree     
came1 there was great mourning among the
 ,jews1 and fasting1          and       
weeping1 and wailing2 and many lay in   

sackcloth and ashes4  #jjd3jjd ,esther's
 maidens and her eunuchs came and told  
her this1          and the queen was    
exceedingly grieved4  ,she sent clothing
          to ,mordecai1 to replace his  
sackcloth2 but he didn't receive it4    
#jjd3jje ,then ,esther called for       
,hathach1 one of the king's eunuchs1    
whom he had appointed to attend her1 and
 commanded him to go          to        
,mordecai1 to find out what this was1   
and why it was4  #jjd3jjf ,so ,hathach  
went out to ,mordecai1 to city square   
which was          before the king's    
gate4  #jjd3jjg ,mordecai told him of   
all that had happened to him1 and the   
exact          sum of the money that    
,haman had promised to pay to the king's
          treasuries for the destruction
 of the ,jews4  #jjd3jjh ,he also gave  
him the copy of the writing of the      
decree that was          given out in   
,shushan to destroy them1 to show it to 
,esther1          and to declare it to  
her1 and to urge her to go in to the    

king1          to make supplication to  
him1 and to make request before him1    
for her people4  #jjd3jji ,hathach came 
and told ,esther the words of ,mordecai4
  #jjd3jaj ,then ,esther spoke to       
,hathach1 and gave him a message to     
,mordecai3  #jjd3jaa ,all the king's    
servants1 and the people of the king's  
provinces1          know1 that whoever1 
whether man or woman1 comes to the king 
into the inner court without being      
called1 there is one law          for   
him1 that he be put to death1 except    
those to whom          the king might   
hold out the golden scepter1 that he may
 live4          ,i have not been called 
to come in to the king these thirty     
days4  #jjd3jab ,they told to ,mordecai 
,esther's words4  #jjd3jac ,then        
,mordecai asked them return answer to   
,esther1 ,don't think          to       
yourself that you will escape in the    
king's house any more          than all 
the ,jews4  #jjd3jad ,for if you remain 
silent now1 then relief and deliverance 

will come to the ,jews from another     
place1 but you and your                 
father's house will perish4  ,who knows 
if you haven't come          to the     
kingdom for such a time as this8        
#jjd3jae ,then ,esther asked them to    
answer ,mordecai1  #jjd3jaf ,go1 gather 
together all the ,jews who are present  
in ,shushan1          and fast for me1  
and neither eat nor drink three days1   
night or day4  ,i and my maidens will   
also fast the same way4          ,then  
,i will go in to the king1 which is     
against the law2          and if ,i     
perish1 ,i perish4  #jjd3jag ,so        
,mordecai went his way1 and did         
according to all that ,esther           
had commanded him4  #jje3jja ,now it    
happened on the third day that ,esther  
put on her          royal clothing1 and 
stood in the inner court of the king's  
house1          next to the king's      
house4  ,the king sat on his royal      
throne          in the royal house1 next
 to the entrance of the house4  #jje3jjb

 ,when the king saw ,esther the queen   
standing in the court1          she     
obtained favor in his sight2 and the    
king held          out to ,esther the   
golden scepter that was in his hand4    
,so ,esther came near1 and touched the  
top of the scepter4  #jje3jjc ,then the 
king asked her1 ,what would you like1   
queen ,esther8  ,what is          your  
request8  ,it shall be given you even to
 the half          of the kingdom4      
#jje3jjd ,esther said1 ,if it seems good
 to the king1 let the king and ,haman   
come today to the banquet that ,i have  
prepared for him4  #jje3jje ,then the   
king said1 ,bring ,haman quickly1 so    
that it may be done          as ,esther 
has said4  ,so the king and ,haman came 
to the banquet          that ,esther had
 prepared4  #jje3jjf ,the king said to  
,esther at the banquet of wine1 ,what is
          your petition8  ,it shall be  
granted you4  ,what is your request8    
,even to the half of the kingdom it     
shall be performed4  #jje3jjg ,then     

,esther answered and said1 ,my petition 
and my request is this4  #jje3jjh ,if ,i
 have found favor in the sight of the   
king1 and if it please          the king
 to grant my petition and to perform my 
request1          let the king and      
,haman come to the banquet that ,i will 
prepare          for them1 and ,i will  
do tomorrow as the king has said4       
#jje3jji ,then ,haman went out that day 
joyful and glad of heart1 but when      
,haman saw ,mordecai in the king's gate1
 that he didn't stand up          nor   
move for him1 he was filled with wrath  
against ,mordecai4  #jje3jaj            
,nevertheless ,haman restrained himself1
 and went home4          ,there1 he sent
 and called for his friends and ,zeresh 
his wife4  #jje3jaa ,haman recounted to 
them the glory of his riches1 the       
multitude          of his children1 all 
the things in which the king had        
promoted him1          and how he had   
advanced him above the princes and      
servants          of the king4  #jje3jab

 ,haman also said1 ,yes1 ,esther the    
queen let no man come in with           
the king to the banquet that she had    
prepared but myself2          and       
tomorrow ,i am also invited by her      
together with the king4  #jje3jac ,yet  
all this avails me nothing1 so long as  
,i see ,mordecai          the ,jew      
sitting at the king's gate4  #jje3jad   
,then ,zeresh his wife and all his      
friends said to him1          ,let a    
gallows be made fifty cubits high1 and  
in the          morning speak to the    
king about hanging ,mordecai on it4     
,then go in merrily with the king to the
 banquet4          ,this pleased ,haman1
 so he had the gallows made4  #jjf3jja  
,on that night1 the king couldn't sleep4
  ,he commanded the book          of    
records of the chronicles to be brought1
 and they were read          to the     
king4  #jjf3jjb ,it was found written   
that ,mordecai had told of ,bigthana    
and ,teresh1 two of the king's eunuchs1 
who were doorkeepers1          who had  

tried to lay hands on the ,king         
,ahasuerus4  #jjf3jjc ,the king said1   
,what honor and dignity has been        
bestowed on          ,mordecai for this8
  ,then the king's servants who attended
          him said1 ,nothing has been   
done for him4  #jjf3jjd ,the king said1 
,who is in the court8  ,now ,haman had  
come into          the outer court of   
the king's house1 to speak to the king  
about          hanging ,mordecai on the 
gallows that he had prepared for him4   
#jjf3jje ,the king's servants said to   
him1 ,behold1 ,haman stands in the      
court4          ,the king said1 ,let him
 come in4  #jjf3jjf ,so ,haman came in4 
,the king said to him1 ,what shall      
be done to the man whom the king        
delights to honor8          ,now ,haman 
said in his heart1 ,who would the king  
delight          to honor more than     
myself8  #jjf3jjg ,haman said to the    
king1 ,for the man whom the king        
delights to honor1  #jjf3jjh let royal  
clothing be brought which the king uses 

to wear1          and the horse that the
 king rides on1 and on the head         
of which a crown royal is set4  #jjf3jji
 ,let the clothing and the horse be     
delivered to the hand          of one of
 the king's most noble princes1 that    
they may          array the man whom the
 king delights to honor with them1      
and have him ride on horseback through  
the city square1          and proclaim  
before him1 ',thus shall it be done to  
the man          whom the king delights 
to honor6'  #jjf3jaj ,then the king said
 to ,haman1 ,hurry and take the clothing
 and          the horse1 as you have    
said1 and do this for ,mordecai the     
,jew1          who sits at the king's   
gate4  ,let nothing fail of all that    
you have spoken4  #jjf3jaa ,then ,haman 
took the clothing and the horse1 and    
arrayed ,mordecai1          and had him 
ride through the city square1 and       
proclaimed          before him1 ,thus   
shall it be done to the man whom the    
king          delights to honor6        

#jjf3jab ,mordecai came back to the     
king's gate1 but ,haman hurried         
to his house1 mourning and having his   
head covered4  #jjf3jac ,haman recounted
 to ,zeresh his wife and all his friends
 everything          that had happened  
to him4  ,then his wise men and ,zeresh 
his wife          said to him1 ,if      
,mordecai1 before whom you have begun to
 fall1          is of ,jewish descent1  
you will not prevail against him1       
but you will surely fall before him4    
#jjf3jad ,while they were yet talking   
with him1 the king's eunuchs came1      
and hurried to bring ,haman to the      
banquet that ,esther had prepared4      
#jjg3jja ,so the king and ,haman came to
 banquet with ,esther the queen4        
#jjg3jjb ,the king said again to ,esther
 on the second day at the banquet       
of wine1 ,what is your petition1 queen  
,esther8  ,it shall          be granted 
you4  ,what is your request8  ,even to  
the half          of the kingdom it     
shall be performed4  #jjg3jjc ,then     

,esther the queen answered1 ,if ,i have 
found favor in your sight1          ,o  
king1 and if it please the king1 let my 
life be given me          at my         
petition1 and my people at my request4  
#jjg3jjd ,for we are sold1 ,i and my    
people1 to be destroyed1 to be slain1   
and to perish4  ,but if we had been sold
 for bondservants          and          
bondmaids1 ,i would have held my peace1 
although the adversary          could   
not have compensated for the king's     
loss4  #jjg3jje ,then ,king ,ahasuerus  
said to ,esther the queen1 ,who is he1  
and where is he who dared presume in his
 heart to do so8  #jjg3jjf ,esther said1
 ,an adversary and an enemy1 even this  
wicked ,haman6  ,then ,haman was afraid 
before the king          and the queen4 
#jjg3jjg ,the king arose in his wrath   
from the banquet of wine and went       
into the palace garden4  ,haman stood up
 to make request          for his life  
to ,esther the queen2 for he saw that   
there was          evil determined      

against him by the king4  #jjg3jjh ,then
 the king returned out of the palace    
garden into the place          of the   
banquet of wine2 and ,haman had fallen  
on the couch          where ,esther was4
  ,then the king said1 ,will he even    
assault          the queen in front of  
me in the house8  ,as the word went     
out of the king's mouth1 they covered   
,haman's face4  #jjg3jji ,then          
,harbonah1 one of the eunuchs who were  
with the king said1          ,behold1   
the gallows fifty cubits high1 which    
,haman has          made for ,mordecai1 
who spoke good for the king1 is standing
          at ,haman's house4  ,the king 
said1 ,hang him on it6  #jjg3jaj ,so    
they hanged ,haman on the gallows that  
he had prepared          for ,mordecai4 
,then was the king's wrath pacified4    
#jjh3jja ,on that day1 ,king ,ahasuerus 
gave the house of ,haman1 the ,jews'    
enemy1 to ,esther the queen4  ,mordecai 
came before the king2          for      
,esther had told what he was to her4    

#jjh3jjb ,the king took off his ring1   
which he had taken from ,haman1         
and gave it to ,mordecai4  ,esther set  
,mordecai over the          house of    
,haman4  #jjh3jjc ,esther spoke yet     
again before the king1 and fell down at 
his feet1          and begged him with  
tears to put away the mischief of ,haman
          the ,agagite1 and his device  
that he had devised against the ,jews4  
#jjh3jjd ,then the king held out to     
,esther the golden scepter4          ,so
 ,esther arose1 and stood before the    
king4  #jjh3jje ,she said1 ,if it       
pleases the king1 and if ,i have found  
favor          in his sight1 and the    
thing seem right to the king1 and ,i am 
pleasing in his eyes1 let it be written 
to reverse the letters          devised 
by ,haman1 the son of ,hammedatha the   
,agagite1 which he wrote          to    
destroy the ,jews who are in all the    
king's provinces4  #jjh3jjf ,for how can
 ,i endure to see the evil that would   
come to my people8          ,how can ,i 

endure to see the destruction of my     
relatives8  #jjh3jjg ,then ,king        
,ahasuerus said to ,esther the queen and
 to ,mordecai          the ,jew1 ,see1  
,i have given ,esther the house of      
,haman1          and him they have      
hanged on the gallows1 because he laid  
his hand on the ,jews4  #jjh3jjh ,write 
also to the ,jews1 as it pleases you1 in
 the king's name1          and seal it  
with the king's ring2 for the writing   
which is          written in the king's 
name1 and sealed with the king's ring1  
may not be reversed by any man4         
#jjh3jji ,then the king's scribes were  
called at that time1 in the third       
month ,sivan1 on the twenty-third day of
 the month2          and it was written 
according to all that ,mordecai         
commanded          to the ,jews1 and to 
the satraps1 and the governors and      
princes of the provinces which are from 
,india to ,ethiopia1          one       
hundred twenty-seven provinces1 to every
 province according          to its     

writing1 and to every people in their   
language1          and to the ,jews in  
their writing1 and in their language4   
#jjh3jaj ,he wrote in the name of ,king 
,ahasuerus1 and sealed it with          
the king's ring1 and sent letters by    
courier on horseback1          riding on
 royal horses that were bread from swift
 steeds4  #jjh3jaa ,in those letters1   
the king granted the ,jews who were in  
every          city to gather themselves
 together1 and to defend their life1    
to destroy1 to kill1 and to cause to    
perish1 all the power          of the   
people and province that would assault  
them1 their little          ones and    
women1 and to plunder their possessions1
  #jjh3jab on one day in all the        
provinces of ,king ,ahasuerus1 on the   
thirteenth          day of the twelfth  
month1 which is the month ,adar4        
#jjh3jac ,a copy of the letter1 that the
 decree should be given          out in 
every province1 was published to all the
 peoples1          that the ,jews should

 be ready for that day to avenge        
themselves          on their enemies4   
#jjh3jad ,so the couriers who rode on   
royal horses went out1          hastened
 and pressed on by the king's           
commandment4          ,the decree was   
given out in the citadel of ,susa4      
#jjh3jae ,mordecai went out of the      
presence of the king in royal           
clothing of blue and white1 and with a  
great crown of gold1          and with a
 robe of fine linen and purple2 and the 
city of ,susa          shouted and was  
glad4  #jjh3jaf ,the ,jews had light1   
gladness1 joy1 and honor4  #jjh3jag ,in 
every province1 and in every city1      
wherever the king's commandment         
and his decree came1 the ,jews had      
gladness1 joy1 a feast1          and a  
good day4  ,many from among the peoples 
of the land          became ,jews2 for  
the fear of the ,jews was fallen on     
them4  #jji3jja ,now in the twelfth     
month1 which is the month ,adar1        
on the thirteenth day of the month1 when

 the king's          commandment and his
 decree drew near to be put in          
execution1          on the day that the 
enemies of the ,jews hoped to conquer   
them1          7but it was turned out   
the opposite happened1 that the ,jews   
conquered those who hated them71        
#jji3jjb the ,jews gathered themselves  
together in their cities throughout     
all the provinces of the ,king          
,ahasuerus1 to lay hands on             
those who wanted to harm them4  ,no one 
could withstand them1          because  
the fear of them had fallen on all the  
people4  #jji3jjc ,all the princes of   
the provinces1 the satraps1 the         
governors1          and those who did   
the king's business helped the ,jews1   
because the fear of ,mordecai had fallen
 on them4  #jji3jjd ,for ,mordecai was  
great in the king's house1 and his fame 
went          out throughout all the    
provinces2 for the man ,mordecai grew   
greater and greater4  #jji3jje ,the     
,jews struck all their enemies with the 

stroke of the sword1          and with  
slaughter and destruction1 and did what 
they wanted          to those who hated 
them4  #jji3jjf ,in the citadel of      
,susa1 the ,jews killed and destroyed   
five hundred men4  #jji3jjg ,they killed
 ,parshandatha1 ,dalphon1 ,aspatha1     
#jji3jjh ,poratha1 ,adalia1 ,aridatha1  
#jji3jji ,parmashta1 ,arisai1 ,aridai1  
and ,vaizatha1  #jji3jaj the ten sons of
 ,haman the son of ,hammedatha1 the     
,jew's enemy1          but they didn't  
lay their hand on the plunder4  #jji3jaa
 ,on that day1 the number of those who  
were slain in the citadel          of   
,susa was brought before the king4      
#jji3jab ,the king said to ,esther the  
queen1 ,the ,jews have slain            
and destroyed five hundred men in the   
citadel of ,susa1          including the
 ten sons of ,haman2 what then have they
 done in          the rest of the king's
 provinces6  ,now what is your petition8
          ,it shall be granted you4     
,what is your further request8          

,it shall be done4  #jji3jac ,then      
,esther said1 ,if it pleases the king1  
let it be granted          to the ,jews 
who are in ,shushan to do tomorrow also 
according          to this day's decree1
 and let ,haman's ten sons be hanged    
on the gallows4  #jji3jad ,the king     
commanded this to be done4  ,a decree   
was given out          in ,shushan2 and 
they hanged ,haman's ten sons4  #jji3jae
 ,the ,jews who were in ,shushan        
gathered themselves together          on
 the fourteenth day also of the month   
,adar1 and killed          three hundred
 men in ,shushan2 but they didn't lay   
their hand          on the spoil4       
#jji3jaf ,the other ,jews who were in   
the king's provinces gathered themselves
          together1 defended their      
lives1 had rest from their enemies1     
and killed seventy-five thousand of     
those who hated them2          but they 
didn't lay their hand on the plunder4   
#jji3jag ,this was done on the          
thirteenth day of the month ,adar2      

and on the fourteenth day of that month 
they rested and made          it a day  
of feasting and gladness4  #jji3jah ,but
 the ,jews who were in ,shushan         
assembled together on          the      
thirteenth and on the fourteenth days of
 the month2          and on the         
fifteenth day of that month1 they       
rested1          and made it a day of   
feasting and gladness4  #jji3jai        
,therefore the ,jews of the villages1   
who live in the unwalled towns1         
make the fourteenth day of the month    
,adar a day of gladness          and    
feasting1 a good day1 and a day of      
sending presents          of food to one
 another4  #jji3jbj ,mordecai wrote     
these things1 and sent letters to all   
the ,jews          who were in all the  
provinces of the king ,ahasuerus1       
both near and far1  #jji3jba to enjoin  
them that they should keep the          
fourteenth and fifteenth          days  
of the month ,adar yearly1  #jji3jbb as 
the days in which the ,jews had rest    

from their enemies1          and the    
month which was turned to them from     
sorrow to gladness1          and from   
mourning into a good day2 that they     
should make          them days of       
feasting and gladness1 and of sending   
presents          of food to one        
another1 and gifts to the needy4        
#jji3jbc ,the ,jews accepted the custom 
that they had begun1 as ,mordecai       
had written to them2  #jji3jbd because  
,haman the son of ,hammedatha1 the      
,agagite1 the enemy          of all the 
,jews1 had plotted against the ,jews to 
destroy them1          and had cast     
,pur1 that is the lot1 to consume them1 
and to destroy them2  #jji3jbe but when 
this became known to the king1 he       
commanded by letters          that his  
wicked device1 which he had devised     
against the ,jews1          should      
return on his own head1 and that he and 
his sons          should be hanged on   
the gallows4  #jji3jbf ,therefore they  
called these days ,purim1,purim is the  

,hebrew          plural for pur1 which  
means lot4 from the word ,pur4          
,therefore because of all the words of  
this letter1          and of that which 
they had seen concerning this matter1   
and that which had come to them1        
#jji3jbg the ,jews established1 and     
imposed on themselves1 and on           
their descendants1 and on all those who 
joined themselves          to them1 so  
that it should not fail1 that they would
 keep          these two days according 
to what was written1 and according      
to its appointed time1 every year2      
#jji3jbh and that these days should be  
remembered and kept throughout          
every generation1 every family1 every   
province1 and every city2          and  
that these days of ,purim should not    
fail from among the ,jews1          nor 
the memory of them perish from their    
seed4  #jji3jbi ,then ,esther the queen1
 the daughter of ,abihail1 and ,mordecai
          the ,jew1 wrote with all      
authority to confirm this second        

letter of ,purim4  #jji3jcj ,he sent    
letters to all the ,jews1 to the hundred
 twenty-seven          provinces of the 
kingdom of ,ahasuerus1 with words of    
peace and truth1  #jji3jca to confirm   
these days of ,purim in their appointed 
times1          as ,mordecai the ,jew   
and ,esther the queen had decreed1      
and as they had imposed upon themselves 
and their descendants1          in the  
matter of the fastings and their cry4   
#jji3jcb ,the commandment of ,esther    
confirmed these matters of ,purim2      
and it was written in the book4         
#jaj3jja ,king ,ahasuerus laid a tribute
 on the land1 and on the islands        
of the sea4  #jaj3jjb ,all the acts of  
his power and of his might1 and the full
 account          of the greatness of   
,mordecai1 to which the king advanced   
him1          aren't they written in the
 book of the chronicles of the kings    
of ,media and ,persia8  #jaj3jjc ,for   
,mordecai the ,jew was next to ,king    
,ahasuerus1 and great among          the

 ,jews1 and accepted by the multitude of
 his brothers1          seeking the good
 of his people1 and speaking peace to   
all his descendants4