3. The leaders of the provinces, the rulers, the governors, and the court officials were afraid of Mordecai and took sides with the Jews.
4. Everyone in the provinces knew that the king had promoted him and had given him a lot of power.
5. The Jews took their swords and did away with their enemies, without showing any mercy.
6-10. They killed five hundred people in Susa, but they did not take anything that belonged to the ones they killed. Haman had been one of the worst enemies of the Jews, and ten of his sons were among those who were killed. Their names were Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai, and Vaizatha.
11. Later that day, someone told the king how many people had been killed in Susa.
12. Then he told Esther, “Five hundred people, including Haman's ten sons, have been killed in Susa alone. If that many were killed here, what must have happened in the provinces? Is there anything else you want done? Just tell me, and it will be done.”
13. Esther answered, “Your Majesty, please let the Jews in Susa fight to defend themselves tomorrow, just as they did today. And order the bodies of Haman's ten sons to be hanged in public.”