2 Maccabees 15:34-36

Revised Standard Version

³⁴ And they all, looking to heaven, blessed the Lord who had manifested himself, saying, “Blessed is he who has kept his own place undefiled.” ³⁵ And he hung Nica′nor’s head from the citadel, a clear and conspicuous sign to every one of the help of the Lord. ³⁶ And they all decreed by public vote never to let this day go unobserved, but to celebrate the thirteenth day of the twelfth month— which is called Adar in the Syrian language—the day before Mor′decai’s day.