Esther 9
Jews slaughter their opponents
The 13th day of the 12th month (the month of Adar) was the day that the Jews’ enemies had hoped to conquer them, but what ended up happening was the exact opposite: the Jews conquered everyone who hated them. The Jews gathered all throughout their cities in King Ahasuerus’s kingdom ready to fight anyone who tried to harm them. No one could touch them because of how scared everyone was of them. All the officials, governors, leaders, and royal agents also helped the Jews because of how much respect they had for Mordecai. Mordecai had gained power in the king’s house and his fame spread throughout all the provinces as he grew stronger and stronger. The Jews sliced their enemies with swords, killing them and doing whatever they wanted to anyone who opposed them. In the Susa citadel the Jews killed 500 men including Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai, Vaizatha, and Haman’s ten sons, but they didn’t loot any of their belongings.
That same day the number of deaths in Susa’s citadel was reported to the king. The king told Queen Esther, “In the Susa citadel the Jews have killed 500 men plus Haman’s 10 sons. How many more would they have killed in the rest of my provinces! What would you like to do from here? Let me know what your request is and it will be fulfilled.”
So Esther said, “If you approve, I would like to extend the edict for the Jews in Susa to tomorrow . I’d also like to hang Haman’s ten sons on the gallows.”
So the king ordered for these things to be done: a decree went out in Susa and Haman’s ten sons were hanged. The Jews in Susa gathered on the 14th day of the month of Adar and they killed 300 men in Susa but didn’t loot any of their belongings.
Jews celebrate their victory
The rest of the Jews in the other provinces also gathered to fend for their lives and killed a total of 75,000 of their enemies. (But they didn’t loot any of their belongings.) That took place on the 13th day of Adar and on the 14th day they celebrated with a feast and rested. The Jews who were in Susa gathered on the 13th and 14th, and held their celebration on the 15th. The Jews in the rural villages hold the 14th of Adar as a holiday where they feast, celebrate, and exchange gifts of food with each other.
Mordecai declares it as an annual holiday
Mordecai recorded these things and sent letters to all the Jews throughout King Ahasuerus’ kingdom declaring the 14th and 15th of Adar as an annual holiday so they could remember how they found relief from their enemies and saw their sorrow turn into celebration. They were to make them days of feasting, partying, and giving gifts of food to each other and to the poor.
The Jews accepted Mordecai’s declaration. Haman (the Agagite, Hammedatha’s son, and the enemy of all Jews) had cast lots and plotted to destroy the Jews, but when the king realized his, he gave written orders that turned Haman’s own evil plan against him, resulting in the hanging of his own sons. They called this holiday “Purim” because of the “Pur” (or lots) that Haman cast. Because of everything that happened to the Jews described in this book, the Jews resolved to observe this holiday every year so that Purim would always be commemorated by every clan, province, and city for generations to come.
Then Queen Esther (Abihail’s daughter) and Mordecai (the Jew) used their authority and sent letters to all the Jews throughout the 127 provinces of the Ahasuerus’ kingdom. These letters confirmed their orders and recorded them in writing.