Now in the twelfthmonth, that is , the monthAdar, on the thirteenthdayof the same, whenthe king's commandmentand his decreedrew nearto be put in execution, in the daythatthe enemiesof the Jewshopedto have powerover them, (though itwas turned to the contrary, thatthe Jewshad rule overthemthat hatedthem;) The Jewsgathered themselves togetherin their citiesthroughout allthe provincesof the kingAhasuerus, to layhandon such as soughttheir hurt: and nomancould withstandthem; forthe fearof them felluponallpeople. And allthe rulersof the provinces, and the lieutenants, and the deputies, and officersofthe king, helpedthe Jews; becausethe fearof Mordecaifelluponthem. ForMordecai was greatin the king's house, and his famewent outthroughout allthe provinces: forthis manMordecaiwaxedgreater and greater. Thus the Jewssmotealltheir enemieswith the strokeof the sword, and slaughter, and destruction, and didwhat they wouldunto those that hatedthem. And in Shushanthe palacethe Jewsslewand destroyedfivehundredmen. And Parshandatha, and Dalphon, and Aspatha, And Poratha, and Adalia, and Aridatha, And Parmashta, and Arisai, and Aridai, and Vajezatha, The tensonsof Hamanthe sonof Hammedatha, the enemyof the Jews, slewthey; but on the spoillaidthey nottheir hand. On thatdaythe numberof those that were slainin Shushanthe palacewas broughtbeforethe king. And the kingsaidunto Estherthe queen, The Jewshave slainand destroyedfivehundredmenin Shushanthe palace, and the tensonsof Haman; whathave they donein the restof the king's provinces? now what is thy petition? and it shall be grantedthee: or what is thy requestfurther? and it shall be done. Then saidEsther, Ifit pleasethe king, let it be grantedto the Jewswhich are in Shushanto dotomorrowalsoaccording unto this day's decree, and let Haman's tensonsbe hangeduponthe gallows. And the kingcommandedit soto be done: and the decreewas givenat Shushan; and they hangedHaman's tensons. For the Jewsthat were in Shushangathered themselves togetheron the fourteenthdayalsoof the monthAdar, and slewthreehundredmenat Shushan; but on the preythey laidnottheir hand. But the otherJewsthat were in the king's provincesgathered themselves together, and stoodfortheir lives, and had restfrom their enemies, and slewof their foesseventyand fivethousand, but they laidnottheir handson the prey, On the thirteenthdayof the monthAdar; and on the fourteenthday of the same restedthey, and madeit a dayof feastingand gladness. But the Jewsthat were at Shushanassembled togetheron the thirteenth day thereof, and on the fourteenththereof; and on the fifteenth day of the same they rested, and madeit a dayof feastingand gladness. Thereforethe Jewsof the villages, that dweltin the unwalledtowns, madethe fourteenthdayof the monthAdar a day of gladnessand feasting, and a goodday, and of sendingportionsoneto another. And Mordecaiwrotethesethings, and sentlettersuntoallthe Jewsthat were in allthe provincesof the kingAhasuerus, both nighand far, To establish this amongthem, that they shouldkeepthe fourteenthdayof the monthAdar, and the fifteenthdayof the same, yearly, As the dayswhereinthe Jewsrestedfrom their enemies, and the monthwhichwas turnedunto them from sorrowto joy, and from mourninginto a goodday: that they should makethem daysof feastingand joy, and of sendingportionsoneto another, and giftsto the poor. And the Jewsundertookto doasthey had begun, and asMordecaihad writtenuntothem; BecauseHamanthe sonof Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemyof allthe Jews, had devisedagainstthe Jewsto destroythem, and had castPur, that is , the lot, to consumethem, and to destroythem; But when Esther camebeforethe king, he commandedbylettersthat his wickeddevice, whichhe devisedagainstthe Jews, should returnuponhis own head, and that he and his sonsshould be hangedonthe gallows. Whereforethey calledthesedaysPurimafterthe nameof Pur. Thereforeforallthe wordsof thisletter, and of that whichthey had seenconcerningthis matter, and whichhad comeuntothem, The Jewsordained, and tookuponthem, and upontheir seed, and uponallsuch as joined themselvesuntothem, so as it should notfail, that they would keepthesetwodaysaccording to their writing, and according to their appointedeveryyear; And that thesedays should be rememberedand keptthroughout everygeneration, every family, every province, and every city; and that thesedaysof Purimshould notfailfrom amongthe Jews, northe memorialof them perishfrom their seed. Then Estherthe queen, the daughterof Abihail, and Mordecaithe Jew, wrotewithallauthority, to confirmthissecondletterof Purim. And he sentthe lettersuntoallthe Jews, tothe hundredtwentyand sevenprovincesof the kingdomof Ahasuerus, with wordsof peaceand truth, To confirmthesedaysof Purimin their times appointed , according asMordecaithe Jewand Estherthe queenhad enjoinedthem, and asthey had decreedforthemselvesand fortheir seed, the mattersof the fastingsand their cry. And the decreeof Estherconfirmedthesemattersof Purim; and it was writtenin the book.