The King’s Edict in Behalf of the Jews

That same day King Xerxes gave Queen Esther the estate of Haman,(A) the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai came into the presence of the king, for Esther had told how he was related to her. The king took off his signet ring,(B) which he had reclaimed from Haman, and presented it to Mordecai. And Esther appointed him over Haman’s estate.(C)

Esther again pleaded with the king, falling at his feet and weeping. She begged him to put an end to the evil plan of Haman the Agagite,(D) which he had devised against the Jews. Then the king extended the gold scepter(E) to Esther and she arose and stood before him.

“If it pleases the king,” she said, “and if he regards me with favor(F) and thinks it the right thing to do, and if he is pleased with me, let an order be written overruling the dispatches that Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, devised and wrote to destroy the Jews in all the king’s provinces. For how can I bear to see disaster fall on my people? How can I bear to see the destruction of my family?”(G)

King Xerxes replied to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, “Because Haman attacked the Jews, I have given his estate to Esther, and they have impaled(H) him on the pole he set up. Now write another decree(I) in the king’s name in behalf of the Jews as seems best to you, and seal(J) it with the king’s signet ring(K)—for no document written in the king’s name and sealed with his ring can be revoked.”(L)

At once the royal secretaries were summoned—on the twenty-third day of the third month, the month of Sivan. They wrote out all Mordecai’s orders to the Jews, and to the satraps, governors and nobles of the 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush.[a](M) These orders were written in the script of each province and the language of each people and also to the Jews in their own script and language.(N) 10 Mordecai wrote in the name of King Xerxes, sealed the dispatches with the king’s signet ring, and sent them by mounted couriers, who rode fast horses especially bred for the king.

11 The king’s edict granted the Jews in every city the right to assemble and protect themselves; to destroy, kill and annihilate the armed men of any nationality or province who might attack them and their women and children,[b] and to plunder(O) the property of their enemies. 12 The day appointed for the Jews to do this in all the provinces of King Xerxes was the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar.(P) 13 A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued as law in every province and made known to the people of every nationality so that the Jews would be ready on that day(Q) to avenge themselves on their enemies.

14 The couriers, riding the royal horses, went out, spurred on by the king’s command, and the edict was issued in the citadel of Susa.(R)

The Triumph of the Jews

15 When Mordecai(S) left the king’s presence, he was wearing royal garments of blue and white, a large crown of gold(T) and a purple robe of fine linen.(U) And the city of Susa held a joyous celebration.(V) 16 For the Jews it was a time of happiness and joy,(W) gladness and honor.(X) 17 In every province and in every city to which the edict of the king came, there was joy(Y) and gladness among the Jews, with feasting and celebrating. And many people of other nationalities became Jews because fear(Z) of the Jews had seized them.(AA)

On the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar,(AB) the edict commanded by the king was to be carried out. On this day the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, but now the tables were turned and the Jews got the upper hand(AC) over those who hated them.(AD) The Jews assembled in their cities(AE) in all the provinces of King Xerxes to attack those determined to destroy them. No one could stand against them,(AF) because the people of all the other nationalities were afraid of them. And all the nobles of the provinces, the satraps, the governors and the king’s administrators helped the Jews,(AG) because fear of Mordecai had seized them.(AH) Mordecai(AI) was prominent(AJ) in the palace; his reputation spread throughout the provinces, and he became more and more powerful.(AK)

The Jews struck down all their enemies with the sword, killing and destroying them,(AL) and they did what they pleased to those who hated them. In the citadel of Susa, the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men. They also killed Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai and Vaizatha, 10 the ten sons(AM) of Haman son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews.(AN) But they did not lay their hands on the plunder.(AO)

11 The number of those killed in the citadel of Susa was reported to the king that same day. 12 The king said to Queen Esther, “The Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men and the ten sons of Haman in the citadel of Susa. What have they done in the rest of the king’s provinces? Now what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request? It will also be granted.”(AP)

13 “If it pleases the king,” Esther answered, “give the Jews in Susa permission to carry out this day’s edict tomorrow also, and let Haman’s ten sons(AQ) be impaled(AR) on poles.”

14 So the king commanded that this be done. An edict was issued in Susa, and they impaled(AS) the ten sons of Haman. 15 The Jews in Susa came together on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar, and they put to death in Susa three hundred men, but they did not lay their hands on the plunder.(AT)

16 Meanwhile, the remainder of the Jews who were in the king’s provinces also assembled to protect themselves and get relief(AU) from their enemies.(AV) They killed seventy-five thousand of them(AW) but did not lay their hands on the plunder.(AX) 17 This happened on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar, and on the fourteenth they rested and made it a day of feasting(AY) and joy.

18 The Jews in Susa, however, had assembled on the thirteenth and fourteenth, and then on the fifteenth they rested and made it a day of feasting and joy.

19 That is why rural Jews—those living in villages—observe the fourteenth of the month of Adar(AZ) as a day of joy and feasting, a day for giving presents to each other.(BA)

Purim Established

20 Mordecai recorded these events, and he sent letters to all the Jews throughout the provinces of King Xerxes, near and far, 21 to have them celebrate annually the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar 22 as the time when the Jews got relief(BB) from their enemies, and as the month when their sorrow was turned into joy and their mourning into a day of celebration.(BC) He wrote them to observe the days as days of feasting and joy and giving presents of food(BD) to one another and gifts to the poor.(BE)

23 So the Jews agreed to continue the celebration they had begun, doing what Mordecai had written to them. 24 For Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite,(BF) the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them and had cast the pur(BG) (that is, the lot(BH)) for their ruin and destruction.(BI) 25 But when the plot came to the king’s attention,[c] he issued written orders that the evil scheme Haman had devised against the Jews should come back onto his own head,(BJ) and that he and his sons should be impaled(BK) on poles.(BL) 26 (Therefore these days were called Purim, from the word pur.(BM)) Because of everything written in this letter and because of what they had seen and what had happened to them, 27 the Jews took it on themselves to establish the custom that they and their descendants and all who join them should without fail observe these two days every year, in the way prescribed and at the time appointed. 28 These days should be remembered and observed in every generation by every family, and in every province and in every city. And these days of Purim should never fail to be celebrated by the Jews—nor should the memory of these days die out among their descendants.

29 So Queen Esther, daughter of Abihail,(BN) along with Mordecai the Jew, wrote with full authority to confirm this second letter concerning Purim. 30 And Mordecai sent letters to all the Jews in the 127 provinces(BO) of Xerxes’ kingdom—words of goodwill and assurance— 31 to establish these days of Purim at their designated times, as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had decreed for them, and as they had established for themselves and their descendants in regard to their times of fasting(BP) and lamentation.(BQ) 32 Esther’s decree confirmed these regulations about Purim, and it was written down in the records.

The Greatness of Mordecai

10 King Xerxes imposed tribute throughout the empire, to its distant shores.(BR) And all his acts of power and might, together with a full account of the greatness of Mordecai,(BS) whom the king had promoted,(BT) are they not written in the book of the annals(BU) of the kings of Media and Persia? Mordecai the Jew was second(BV) in rank(BW) to King Xerxes,(BX) preeminent among the Jews, and held in high esteem by his many fellow Jews, because he worked for the good of his people and spoke up for the welfare of all the Jews.(BY)

Footnotes

  1. Esther 8:9 That is, the upper Nile region
  2. Esther 8:11 Or province, together with their women and children, who might attack them;
  3. Esther 9:25 Or when Esther came before the king

27 Now you are the body of Christ,(A) and each one of you is a part of it.(B) 28 And God has placed in the church(C) first of all apostles,(D) second prophets,(E) third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing,(F) of helping, of guidance,(G) and of different kinds of tongues.(H) 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues[a]?(I) Do all interpret? 31 Now eagerly desire(J) the greater gifts.

Love Is Indispensable

And yet I will show you the most excellent way.

13 If I speak in the tongues[b](K) of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy(L) and can fathom all mysteries(M) and all knowledge,(N) and if I have a faith(O) that can move mountains,(P) but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor(Q) and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,[c](R) but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient,(S) love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.(T) It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking,(U) it is not easily angered,(V) it keeps no record of wrongs.(W) Love does not delight in evil(X) but rejoices with the truth.(Y) It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.(Z)

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies,(AA) they will cease; where there are tongues,(AB) they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part(AC) and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes,(AD) what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood(AE) behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror;(AF) then we shall see face to face.(AG) Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.(AH)

13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.(AI) But the greatest of these is love.(AJ)

Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 12:30 Or other languages
  2. 1 Corinthians 13:1 Or languages
  3. 1 Corinthians 13:3 Some manuscripts body to the flames

Psalm 37[a]

Of David.

Do not fret because of those who are evil
    or be envious(A) of those who do wrong;(B)
for like the grass they will soon wither,(C)
    like green plants they will soon die away.(D)

Trust in the Lord and do good;
    dwell in the land(E) and enjoy safe pasture.(F)
Take delight(G) in the Lord,
    and he will give you the desires of your heart.(H)

Commit your way to the Lord;
    trust in him(I) and he will do this:
He will make your righteous reward(J) shine like the dawn,(K)
    your vindication like the noonday sun.

Be still(L) before the Lord
    and wait patiently(M) for him;
do not fret(N) when people succeed in their ways,(O)
    when they carry out their wicked schemes.(P)

Refrain from anger(Q) and turn from wrath;
    do not fret(R)—it leads only to evil.
For those who are evil will be destroyed,(S)
    but those who hope(T) in the Lord will inherit the land.(U)

10 A little while, and the wicked will be no more;(V)
    though you look for them, they will not be found.
11 But the meek will inherit the land(W)
    and enjoy peace and prosperity.(X)

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 37:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, the stanzas of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.

23 Those who guard their mouths(A) and their tongues
    keep themselves from calamity.(B)

24 The proud and arrogant person(C)—“Mocker” is his name—
    behaves with insolent fury.

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