eng_aiv Amundson Interpretive Version Esther Esther Esther Esth Esther id=eng_aiv name=Amundson Interpretive Version (AIV) status=draft spec=USFM-USX 3.1.1 export=2026-11-02 char:add=translator-addition-italic char:wj=words-of-Jesus-as-received-unmapped note:f=footnotes para:r=parallel-passage-references para:d=psalm-superscriptions Ahasuerus’ Royal Feast And it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus—1.1 Or Xerxes; here and throughout Esther he was the Ahasuerus reigning from India and as far as Cush,1.1 That is, the upper Nile region seven and twenty and a hundred provinces— in those days, when King Ahasuerus sat upon the throne of his kingdom, which was in Susa the citadel, in the third year of his reigning, he made a feast for all his officials and his servants; the strength of Persia and Media, the nobles, and the officials of the provinces were before his face in his showing the riches of the glory of his kingdom, and the splendor of the beauty of his greatness many days—eighty and a hundred days. And in the fullness of these days, the king made for all the people, the ones found in Susa the citadel, from great even to small, a feast for seven days in the court of the garden of the palace of the king. White linen and blue hangings were fastened with cords of fine linen and purple on rings of silver and pillars of marble, and couches of gold and silver were on a pavement of porphyry, and marble, and pearl, and precious stone. And serving drinks in vessels of gold, and the vessels were varying vessels, and the wine of royalty was abundant, according to the hand of the king. And the drinking was according to the law—there is no compulsion—for so the king had established upon every overseer of his house, to do according to the pleasure of man by man. Queen Vashti’s Refusal Also, Vashti the Queen made a feast for the women in the house of royalty that belonged to King Ahasuerus. On the seventh day, as the heart of the king was good with the wine, he said to Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven eunuchs ministering before the face of King Ahasuerus, to bring Vashti the queen before the face of the king in a crown of royalty, to show the peoples and the officials her beauty, for she was beautiful of appearance. And Queen Vashti refused to come at the word of the king that was by the hand of the eunuchs. And the king was very angry, and his rage burned within him. Queen Vashti Deposed And the king said to the wise men knowing the times—for thus was the manner of the king before the face of all those knowing law and judgment, and those near to him—Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, seven officials of Persia and Media, those seeing the face of the king, those sitting first in the kingdom— “According to the law, what is to be done with Queen Vashti, upon that she did not perform the command of King Ahasuerus by the hand of the eunuchs?” And Memucan said before the faces of the king and the officials, “Not against the king alone has Vashti the Queen done perversely, but against all the officials and against all the peoples who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus. For the matter of the queen will go forth upon all the women, to despise their husbands in their eyes, when they say, ‘King Ahasuerus said to bring Vashti the queen before his face, and she did not come.’ And this day the noblewomen of Persia and Media who have heard the matter of the queen will speak to all the officials of the king, and there will be enough contempt and anger. So if upon the king it is good, let go out a word of royalty from before his face, and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media, and it shall not pass away, that Vashti shall not come before the face of King Ahasuerus, and let the king give her royalty to her female neighbor, the one better than she. And the edict of the king that he makes will be heard in all his kingdom—for it is great—and all the women will give honor to their husbands, from the great even to the small.” And the word was good in the eyes of the king and the officials, and the king did according to the word of Memucan, and he sent letters to all the provinces of the king, to province by province according to its writing, and to people by people according to its tongue, that every man should be ruling in his house, and speaking according to the tongue of his people. Seeking Vashti’s Successor After these things, at the subsiding of the rage of King Ahasuerus, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what had been decreed against her, and the young men of the king who ministered to him said, “Let them seek for the king young women, virgins, beautiful of appearance. And let the king appoint overseers in all the provinces of his kingdom, and they shall gather every young woman, virgin, beautiful of appearance, to Susa the citadel, to the house of the women, into the hand of Hegai the eunich of the king, the keeper of the women, and to give their cosmetics. And the young woman who is good in the eyes of the king shall be queen in place of Vashti.” And this word was good in the eyes of the king, and he did so. Esther Finds Favor There was a man, a Jew,2.5 Or Judean; The term is not limited to the ancestral tribe of Judah, but refers more broadly to the exilic/post-exilic people dispersed throughout the Persian Empire in Susa the citadel—and his name was Mordecai, son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, a man of Benjamin— who had been removed from Jerusalem with the exiles who had been removed with Jeconiah2.6 Jeconiah is a variant of Jehoiachin; see 2 Kings 24:12. king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had removed. And he was supporting Hadassah—she is Esther—daughter of his uncle, for there was not unto her father or mother, and the young woman was lovely of form and beautiful of appearance, and at the death of her father and her mother, Mordecai had taken her to himself for a daughter. And it came to pass, in the hearing of the word of the king and his law, that many young women were gathered to Susa the citadel, into the hand of Hegai, and Esther was taken into the house of the king, into the hand of Hegai, the keeper of the women. And the young woman was good in his eyes, and she lifted up kindness before his face, and he hurried to give her cosmetics, and he gave her portions to her, and seven young women chosen to give to her, from the house of the king, and he changed her and her young women for the good of the house of the women. Esther had not declared her people and her kindred, for Mordecai had laid a charge on her that she should not declare it. And in every day by day, Mordecai was going about before the face of the court of the house of the women to know the peace of Esther, and what was being done with her. And in the approaching of the turn of young woman by young woman to come in to King Ahasuerus, from the end of her being there, according to the law of the women, two and ten months—for thus were filled the days of their beautification: Six months with the oil of myrrh, and six months with the spices and with the cosmetics of women. And at this the young woman would go to the king. All that she said was given to her, to come with her from the house of the women to the house of the king. In the evening she would go in, and in the morning she would return to the second house of the women,2.14 Or to another part of the harem into the hand of Shaashgaz the eunuch of the king, keeper of the concubines. She would not come in again to the king, except if the king delighted in her and called for her by name. And in the approaching of the turn of Esther daughter of Abihail uncle of Mordecai, whom he had taken to himself for a daughter, to come in to the king, she did not seek a thing except for that which Hegai the eunuch of the king, keeper of the women, had said. And Esther lifted up favor in the eyes of all seeing her. And Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus, into the house of royalty, in the tenth month—it is the month of Tebeth2.16 Tebeth is the tenth month of the Hebrew lunar calendar, usually occurring within the months of December and January.—in the seventh year of his reign. Esther Becomes Queen And the king loved Esther more than all the women, and she lifted favor and kindness before his face more than all the virgins. And he set a crown of royalty on her head and made her queen in place of Vashti. And the king made a great feast for all his officials and servants—the feast of Esther—and he made a time of rest for the provinces, and he gave gifts according to the hand of the king. And the virgins were gathered a second time, and Mordecai was sitting at the gate of the king.2.19 Or and Mordecai had become a palace official Esther was not declaring her kindred and her people, as Mordecai had laid a charge on her, and the command of Mordecai Esther did as when she was in her being brought up by him. Mordecai Uncovers a Conspiracy And in those days, Mordecai was sitting at the gate of the king, Bigthan became angry, and Teresh—two of the eunuchs of the king, from the keepers of the threshold—and they sought to stretch out a hand against King Ahasuerus. 2.21 Bigthan is a variant of Bigthana; see Esther 6:2. And the matter became known to Mordecai, and he declared it to Esther the queen. And Esther spoke to the king in the name of Mordecai. And the matter was sought out and was found, and the two of them were hanged on a tree, and it was written in the Book of the Words of the Days2.23 Or the Book of the Annals or the Book of the Historical Events or the Book of the Chronicles before the face of the king. Haman’s Plot against the Jews After these things, King Ahasuerus made great Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and he lifted him up and he set his seat above all the officials who were with him. And all the servants of the king who were at the gate of the king were bowing and prostrating themselves to Haman, for thus the king had commanded concerning him; and Mordecai would not bow and would not prostrate himself. And the servants of the king who were at the gate of the king said to Mordecai, “Why are you passing over the command of the king?” And it came to pass, in their speaking to him day by day, and he would not listen to them. And they declared it to Haman, to see if the words of Mordecai would stand, for he had declared to them that he was a Jew.3.4 Or Judean(s); The term is not limited to the ancestral tribe of Judah, but refers more broadly to the exilic/post-exilic people dispersed throughout the Persian Empire; here and throughout the chapter And Haman saw that Mordecai was not bowing and prostrating himself to him, and Haman was filled with rage. And it was despised in his eyes to stretch out a hand against Mordecai alone, for they had made known to him the people of Mordecai. And Haman sought to destroy all the Jews who were in all the kingdom of Ahasuerus—the people of Mordecai. In the first month—it is the month of Nisan3.7 Nisan is the first month of the Hebrew lunar calendar, usually occurring within the months of March and April.—in the two and tenth year of King Ahasuerus, they cast Pur (that is, the lot) before the face of Haman from day to day and from month to month, until month two and ten, it is the month of Adar.3.7 LXX before the face of Haman—a day and month—and the lot fell on the fourteenth of the month of Adar; the month of Adar (also in verse 13) is the twelfth month of the Hebrew lunar calendar, usually occurring within the months of February and March. And Haman said to king Ahasuerus, “There is one people scattered and separated between the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom, and their laws are different from all people, and the laws of the king they are not doing, and for the king it is not fitting to let them remain. If upon the king it is good, let it be written for them to perish, and ten thousand talents of silver3.9 10,000 talents is approximately 377 tons or 342 metric tons of silver. I will weigh out into the hands of those doing the work, to bring it into the treasuries of the king.” And the king removed his signet ring from upon his hand, and he gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews. And the king said to Haman, “The silver is given to you, and the people, to do with them as is good in your eyes.” And the scribes of the king were called in the first month, on the three and tenth day of it, and it was written according to all that Haman commanded to the satraps of the king, and to the governors who were over province and province, and to the officials of people and people, province by province according to its writing, and people by people according to its tongue. In the name of King Ahasuerus it was written, and it was sealed with the signet ring of the king. And the letters were sent by the hand of the runners to all the provinces of the king, to destroy, to kill, and to exterminate all of the Jews from young even to old, little children and women, in a single day, on the three and tenth day of the two and tenth month, it is the month of Adar, and to plunder their spoils. A copy of the writing was to be given as law in every province and province, being revealed to all the peoples, to be ready for this day. The runners went forth, hurrying by the word of the king, and the law was given in Susa the citadel. And the king and Haman sat down to drink, and the city of Susa was in confusion. Mordecai Appeals to Esther And Mordecai knew all that had been done, and Mordecai tore his clothes, and he put on sackcloth and ashes, and he went out into the midst of the city, and he cried out with a cry great and bitter. And he came as far as before the face of the gate of the king, for no one was to come into the gate of the king in a garment of sackcloth. And in every province and province, any place to which the word of the king and his law reached, there was great mourning for the Jews,4.3 Or Judeans; The term is not limited to the ancestral tribe of Judah, but refers more broadly to the exilic/post-exilic people dispersed throughout the Persian Empire; here and throughout the chapter and fasting, and weeping, and wailing—sackcloth and ashes were spread out for many. And the yougn women of Esther and her eunuchs came in, and they told it to her, and the queen writhed exceedingly. And she sent garments to clothe Mordecai and to remove his sackcloth from him, and he would not receive them. And Esther called to Hathach from the eunuchs of the king, whom he had caused to stand before her face, and she commanded him concerning Mordecai, to know what this was, and on account of what this was. And Hathach went out to Mordecai to the open square of the city, which was before the face of the gate of the king. And Mordecai told to him all that had happened to him, and the exact amount of the silver that Haman had said to weigh out upon the treasuries of the king for the Jews, to destroy them. And a copy of the writing of the law that was given in Susa to destroy them he gave to him to show Esther, and to tell it to her, and to lay the charge upon her to come in to the king, to implore favor from him, and to seek from before his face concerning her people. And Hathach came and told to Esther the words of Mordecai. And Esther spoke to Hathach and commanded him unto Mordecai: “All the servants of the king and the people of the provinces of the king know that any man or woman who comes in to the king, into the inner court, who has not been called—there is one law: to put him to death, except to whom the king extends to him the golden scepter, and he shall live. And I—I have not been called to come in to the king these thirty days.” And they told to Mordecai the words of Esther. And Mordecai said to return to Esther, “You should not think in your soul to escape in the house of the king more than all the Jews. For if you surely remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, and you and the house of your father will perish. And who knows if perhaps for a time like this you have come to the kingdom?” And Esther said to return to Mordecai: “Go, gather all the Jews who are found in Susa, and fast over me, and you⁺ shall not eat and you⁺ shall not drink for three days, night and day. Also I and my young women will fast likewise, and with this I will go to the king, which is not according to the law. And if I perish, I perish!4.16 Or if I am destroyed, then I will be destroyed!” And Mordecai passed by and did according to all that Esther commanded to him. Esther Approaches the King And it came to pass on the third day that Esther clothed herself in royalty, and she stood in the inner court of the house of the king, opposite to the house of the king. And the king was sitting on the throne of his royalty in the house of royalty, opposite to the entrance of the house. And it came to pass, as the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, she lifted up favor in his eyes. And the king extended to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand, and Esther came near, and she touched the head of the scepter. And the king said to her, “What is it to you, Esther the queen? And what is your request? As much as half of the kingdom, and it shall be given to you.” And Esther said, “If upon the king it is good, let the king come, and Haman, today, to the feast that I have made for him.” And the king said, “Hasten Haman, to do the word of Esther.” And the king came, and Haman, to the feast that Esther had made. And the king said to Esther at the feast of the wine, “What is your petition? And it shall be given to you. And what is your request? As much as half of the kingdom, and it shall be done.” And Esther answered and said, “My petition and my request: If I have found favor in the eyes of the king, and if upon the king it is good to grant my petition and to perform my request, let the king come, and Haman, to the feast that I will make for them, and tomorrow I will do according to the word of the king.” Haman’s Plot against Mordecai And Haman went forth on that day joyful and good of heart; and as Haman saw Mordecai at the gate of the king, and he did not rise and did not tremble from him, Haman was filled with rage against Mordecai. And Haman restrained himself, and he came to his house, and he sent and brought his loved ones and Zeresh his wife. And Haman recounted to them the glory of his wealth and the multitude of his sons and everything in which the king had made him great, and that he had lifted him up over the officials and servants of the king. And Haman said, “Even Esther the Queen did not bring with the king to the feast that she made, except for me. And also for tomorrow I am called to her with the king. And all this, none of it is equal to me with every time that I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the gate of the king.” And Zeresh his wife said to him, and all his loved ones, “Let them make a tree fifty cubits high,5.14 50 cubits is approximately 75 feet or 22.9 meters high. and in the morning say to the king that they should hang Mordecai upon it; and go with the king to the feast joyfully.” And this word was good before the face of Haman, and he made the tree. Mordecai Is Honored On that night, the sleep of the king fled away, and he said to bring the Book of the Records of Events of the Days,6.1 Or the Book of Memorials, the Annals or the Book of Records of Historical Events or the Book of Records, the Chronicles and they were called out before the face of the king. And it was found written that Mordecai had declared concerning Bigthan and Teresh, two eunuchs of the king, from the keepers of the threshold, who sought to stretch out a hand against King Ahasuerus. 6.2 Bigthana is a variant of Bigthan; see Esther 2:21. And the king said, “What honor and greatness has been done for Mordecai over this?” And the young men of the king who attended him said, “Not a thing has been done with him.” And the king said, “Who is in the court?” And Haman had come into the outer court of the house of the king to say to the king to hang Mordecai on the tree that he had prepared for him. And the young men of the king said to him, “Behold, Haman is standing in the court.” And the king said, “Let him come in.” And Haman came in, and the king said to him, “What is to be done for the man whom the king delights to honor?” And Haman said in his heart, “For whom would the king delight to do honor more than me?” And Haman said to the king, “The man whom the king delights to honor, let them bring a garment of royalty that the king has clothed himself, and a horse that the king has ridden upon it, and that a crown of royalty has been given on its head, And let the garment and the horse be given upon the hand of a man from officials of the king, the nobles, and let them clothe the man whom the king delights to honor, and have him ride on the horse in the open square of the city, and let them call out before his face, ‘Thus shall it be done for the man whom the king delights to honor.’” And the king said to Haman, “Hurry, take the garment and the horse, as you have spoken, and do so for Mordecai the Jew,6.10 Or Judean; The term is not limited to the ancestral tribe of Judah, but refers more broadly to the exilic/post-exilic people dispersed throughout the Persian Empire the one sitting at the gate of the king. You shall not let fall a word from all that you have spoken.” And Haman took the garment and the horse, and he clothed Mordecai, and he led him in the open square of the city, and he called out before his face, “Thus shall it be done from the man whom the king delights to honor!” And Mordecai returned to the gate of the king, and Haman hurried to his house, mourning and covered his head. And Haman recounted to Zeresh his wife and to all his loved ones all that had happened to him. And his wise men and Zeresh his wife said to him, “If Mordecai is from the seed of the Jews, whom you have begun to fall before his face, you will not prevail against him, but you will surely fall before his face.” They were still speaking with him, and the eunuchs of the king arrived, and they hastened to bring Haman to the feast that Esther had made. Esther Pleads for Her People And the king came in, and Haman, to drink with Esther the queen. And the king said to Esther also on the second day at the feast of the wine, “What is your petition, Esther the queen? And it shall be given to you. And what is your request? As much as half of the kingdom, and it shall be done.” And Esther the queen answered and said, “If I have found favor in your eyes, O king, and if upon the king it is good, let my soul be given to me at my petition, and my people at my request; for we have been sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be killed, and to be exterminated. And if for menservants and for maidservants we had been sold, I would have kept silent, for the adversary is not equal in the damage of the king.” And King Ahasuerus spoke and he said to Esther the queen, “Who is he, this one? And where is this one—he who has filled his heart to do thus?” And Esther said, “A man, an adversary, and enemy is this, the evil Haman.” And Haman was terrified from before the faces of the king and the queen. The Hanging of Haman And the king arose in his anger from the feast of the wine to the garden of the palace, and Haman stood to beg for his soul from Esther the queen, for he saw that the evil was determined against him from the king. And the king returned from the garden of the palace to the house of the feast of the wine, and Haman was falling upon the couch that Esther was on. And the king said, “Is it also to subdue the queen with me in the house?” The word went forth from the mouth of the king, and they covered the face of Haman. And Harbonah, one from the eunuchs, said before the face of the king, “Also behold, the tree that Haman made for Mordecai, who spoke good over the king, is standing at the house of Haman, fifty cubits high.”7.9 50 cubits is approximately 75 feet or 22.9 meters high. And the king said, “Hang him on it.” And they hanged Haman on the tree that he had prepared for Mordecai, and the rage of the king subsided. Esther Appeals for the Jews On that day King Ahasuerus gave to Esther the queen the house of Haman, the enemy of the Jews,8.1 Or Judeans; The term is not limited to the ancestral tribe of Judah, but refers more broadly to the exilic/post-exilic people dispersed throughout the Persian Empire; here and throughout the chapter and Mordecai came before the face of the King, for Esther had declared what he was to her. And the king removed his signet ring which he had caused to pass from Haman, and he gave it to Mordecai, and Esther appointed Mordecai over the house of Haman. And Esther added, and she spoke before the face of the king, and she fell down before the face of his feet, and she wept, and she sought favor from him, to make pass away the evil of Haman the Agagite and his plotting which he had plotted against the Jews. And the king extended to Esther the golden scepter, and Esther rose, and she stood before the face of the king, and she said, “If upon the king it is good, and if I have found favor before his face, and if the thing is proper before the face of the king, and I am good in his eyes, let it be written to revoke the letters—the plot of Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite—which he wrote to destroy the Jews who are in all the provinces of the king. For how could I bear when I have looked on the evil that would find my people? And how could I bear when I have looked on the destruction of my kindred?” The Decree of Xerxes And King Ahasuerus said to Esther the queen and to Mordecai the Jew, “Behold, the house of Haman I have given to Esther, and they have hanged him upon the tree, on account that he stretched out his hand against the Jews. And may you⁺ write concerning the Jews as is good in your⁺ eyes in the name of the king, and seal it with the signet ring of the king. For a writing that is written in the name of the king and is sealed with the signet ring of the king, there is no revoking.” And the scribes of the king were called at that time, in the third month (it is the month of Sivan),8.9 Sivan is the third month of the Hebrew lunar calendar, usually occurring within the months of May and June. on the three and twentieth day in it, and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded to the Jews, and to the satraps, and the governors, and the officials of the provinces that are from India even as far as Cush,8.9 That is, to the upper Nile region seven and twenty and a hundred provinces—province by province according to its writing, and people by people according to its tongue, and to the Jews according to their writing and according to their tongue. And he wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus, and he sealed it with the signet ring of the king, and he sent letters by the hand of the runners on the horses, riders of the royal steeds, sons of the mares, that the king gave to the Jews who were in every city and city, to gather together and to stand for their soul, to destroy, and to kill, and to exterminate all of the strength of the people and province that would assault them, little children and women, and to plunder their spoil, on a single day in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, on the three and tenth day of the two and tenth month, it is, the month of Adar.8.12 Adar is the twelfth month of the Hebrew lunar calendar, usually occurring within the months of February and March. A copy of the writing, to be given as law in every province and province, was revealed to all the peoples, and for the Jews to be ready for this day to avenge themselves from their enemies. The runners, riding the royal steeds, went forth, being hurried and driven by the word of the king, and the law was given in Susa the citadel. And Mordecai went forth from before the face of the king in a garment of royalty of blue and white, and a great crown of gold, and a robe of fine linen and purple; and the city of Susa shouted and rejoiced. For the Jews there was light and joy and gladness and honor. And in every province and province, and in every city and city, the place to which the word of the king and his law reached, there was joy and gladness for the Jews, a feast and a good day, and many from the people of the land were making themselves Jews, for the fear of the Jews had fallen upon them. The Jews Destroy Their Enemies And in the two and tenth month (it is the month of Adar),9.1 Adar is the twelfth month of the Hebrew lunar calendar, usually occurring within the months of February and March; also in verses 15, 17, 19, and 21. on the three and tenth day in it, on which the word of the king and his decree had reached to be done, in the day that the enemies of the Jews9.1 Or Judean(s); The term is not limited to the ancestral tribe of Judah, but refers more broadly to the exilic/post-exilic people dispersed throughout the Persian Empire; here and througout the chapter had hoped to gain power over them, this was overturned, that the Jews themselves gained power over those hating them. The Jews gathered together in their cities in all of the provinces of King Ahasuerus, to stretch out a hand against those seeking their evil. And no man could stand before their faces, because the fear of them had fallen upon all the peoples. And all the officials of the provinces, and the satraps, and the governors, and those doing the work that were to the king were lifting up the Jews, because the fear of Mordecai had fallen upon them. For Mordecai was great in the house of the king, and the report of him went forth in all the provinces, for the man Mordecai was going on and becoming great. And the Jews struck in all their enemies a blow of the sword, and slaughter, and destruction, and they did to those hating them according to their pleasure. And in Susa the citadel the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men. And Parshandatha, and Dalphon, and Aspatha, and Poratha, and Adalia, and Aridatha, and Parmashta, and Arisai, and Aridai, and Vaizatha,9.9 Or Vajezatha ten sons of Haman son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews, they killed. And on the plunder they did not stretch out their hand. Haman’s Sons Hanged In that day, the number of the slain in Susa the citadel was brought before the face of the king. And the king said to Esther the queen, “In Susa the citadel, the Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men, and ten sons of Haman. In the rest of the provinces of the king, what have they done? And what is your petition? And it will be given to you. And what is your request again? And it will be done.” And Esther said, “If upon the king it is good, let it be given also tomorrow to the Jews who are in Susa to do according to the law of today; and let ten sons of Haman be hanged on the tree.” And the king said to do so, and the law was given in Susa, and they hanged ten sons of Haman. And the Jews who were in Susa gathered together again on the four and tenth day of the month of Adar, and in Susa they killed three hundred men, and on the plunder they did not stretch out their hand. And the rest of the Jews who were in the provinces of the king gathered together and stood for their soul, and they had rest from their enemies. And they killed five and seventy thousand of those hating them, and on the plunder they did not stretch out their hand— on the three and tenth day of the month of Adar—and they rested on the four and tenth of it, and they made it a day of feasting and joy. The Feast of Purim Instituted And the Jews who were in Susa assembled on the three and tenth of it, and on the four and tenth of it, then they rested on the five and tenth of it, and they made it a day of feasting and joy. Upon thus the Jews of the villages, the ones dwelling in the cities of the open country, were making the four and tenth day of the month of Adar for joy and feasting, and a good day, and sending portions, each man to his neighbor. And Mordecai wrote these words, and he sent letters to all the Jews who were in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, those near and those far away, to establish for them to be keeping the four and tenth day of the month of Adar, and the five and tenth day of it, in every year and year, as the days on which the Jews had rest on them from their enemies, and the month that was turned for them from sorrow to joy, and from mourning to a good day, to make them days of feasting and joy, and for sending portions, each man to his neighbor, and gifts to the needy. And the Jews received that which they had begun to do, and what Mordecai wrote to them, for Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them, and had caused to fall Pur (that is, the lot) to throw them into confusion and to destroy them. And when she came in before the face of the king, he said with the letter that his evil plot, which he had plotted against the Jews, should return back upon his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the tree. Upon thus they called these days Purim, on account of the name Pur. Upon thus, on account of all the words of this letter, and what they had seen concerning this matter, and what had come to them, the Jews established and received it upon themselves and upon their seed and upon all those joining upon them, and it shall not pass away to be keeping these two days, according to their writing and according to their appointed time in every year and year, and these days shall be remembered and kept in every generation and generation, family and family, province and province, and city and city. And these days of Purim shall not pass away from the midst of the Jews, and their remembrance shall not cease among their seed. And Esther the queen, daughter of Abihail, wrote, and Mordecai the Jew, with full authority, to establish this second letter of Purim. And he sent letters to all the Jews, to the seven and twenty and a hundred provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, with words of peace and truth, to establish these days of Purim in their appointed times, as Mordecai the Jew and Esther the queen established upon them, and as they established upon their souls and upon their seed, the matters of the fasts and their outcry. And the command of Esther established these matters of Purim, and it was written in the book. Tribute to Ahasuerus and Mordecai And King Ahasuerus set tribute upon the land and the islands of the sea. And all the work of his power and his strength, and the account of the greatness of Mordecai by which the king made him great, are they not written in the Book of the Words of the Days of the Kings of Media and Persia? For Mordecai the Jew was second to King Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews and was favored by the multitude of his brothers, seeking good for his people and speaking peace to all his seed. Or Judean; The term is not limited to the ancestral tribe of Judah, but refers more broadly to the exilic/post-exilic people dispersed throughout the Persian Empire