The Jews Destroy Their Tormentors

9 Now ain the twelfth month, that is, the month of Adar, on the thirteenth day, bthe time came for the king’s command and his decree to be executed. On the day that the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, the opposite occurred, in that the Jews themselves coverpowered those who hated them. 2 The Jews dgathered together in their cities throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus to lay hands on those who esought their harm. And no one could withstand them, fbecause fear of them fell upon all people. 3 And all the officials of the provinces, the satraps, the governors, and all those doing the king’s work, helped the Jews, because the fear of Mordecai fell upon them. 4 For Mordecai was great in the king’s palace, and his fame spread throughout all the provinces; for this man Mordecai gbecame increasingly prominent. 5 Thus the Jews defeated all their enemies with the stroke of the sword, with slaughter and destruction, and did what they pleased with those who hated them.

6 And in hShushan 1the 2citadel the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men. 7 Also Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, 8 Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, 9 Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai, and Vajezatha—10 ithe ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews—they killed; jbut they did not lay a hand on the 3plunder.

11 On that day the number of those who were killed in 4Shushan the 5citadel 6was brought to the king. 12 And the king said to Queen Esther, “The Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men in Shushan the citadel, and the ten sons of Haman. What have they done in the rest of the king’s provinces? Now kwhat is your petition? It shall be granted to you. Or what is your further request? It shall be done.”

13 Then Esther said, “If it pleases the king, let it be granted to the Jews who are in Shushan to do again tomorrow laccording to today’s decree, and let Haman’s ten sons mbe hanged on the gallows.”

14 So the king commanded this to be done; the decree was issued in Shushan, and they hanged Haman’s ten sons.

15 And the Jews who were in 7Shushan ngathered together again on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar and killed three hundred men at Shushan; obut they did not lay a hand on the plunder.

16 The remainder of the Jews in the king’s provinces pgathered together and protected their lives, had rest from their enemies, and killed seventy-five thousand of their enemies; qbut they did not lay a hand on the plunder. 17 This was on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar. And on the fourteenth of 8the month they rested and made it a day of feasting and gladness.