The King’s Decree Avenges the Jews

8 “Now you write to the Jews 1as you see fit, in the king’s name, and aseal it with the king’s signet ring; for a decree which is written in the name of the king and sealed with the king’s signet ring bmay not be revoked.”

9 aSo the king’s scribes were called at that time in the third month (that is, the month Sivan), on the twenty-third 1day; and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded to the Jews, the satraps, the governors and the princes of the provinces which extended bfrom India to 2Ethiopia, 127 provinces, to cevery province according to its script, and to every people according to their language as well as to the Jews according to their script and their language.

10 He wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus, and sealed it with the king’s signet ring, and sent letters by couriers on ahorses, riding on steeds sired by the royal stud.

11 1In them the king granted the Jews who were in each and every city the right ato assemble and to defend their lives, bto destroy, to kill and to annihilate the entire army of any people or province which might attack them, including children and women, and cto plunder their spoil,

12 on aone day in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month (that is, the month Adar).