1. The order the king had commanded was to be done on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month. That was the month of Adar. That was the day the enemies of the Jews had hoped to defeat them. But that was changed. So the Jews themselves defeated those who hated them.
2. The Jews met in their cities in all the empire of King Xerxes. They met in order to attack those who wanted to harm them. And no one was strong enough to fight against them. This was because all the other people living in the empire were afraid of the Jews.
3. And all the important men of the areas, the governors, captains of the soldiers, and the king’s officers helped the Jews. They helped because they were afraid of Mordecai.
4. Mordecai was very important in the king’s palace. He was famous in all the empire. This was because he was becoming a leader of more and more people.
5. And, with their swords, the Jews defeated all their enemies, killing and destroying them. And the Jews did what they wanted with those people who hated them.
6. In the palace at Susa, they killed and destroyed 500 men.
7. They also killed these men: Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha,
8. Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha,
9. Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai and Vaizatha.
10. They were the ten sons of Haman, son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews. But the Jews did not take their belongings.
11. And on that day the number of the men killed in the palace at Susa was reported to the king.
12. The king said to Queen Esther, “The Jews have killed and destroyed 500 men in the palace at Susa. And they have also killed Haman’s ten sons. What have they done in the rest of the king’s empire! Now what else are you asking? I will do it! And what else do you want? It will be done.”
13. Esther answered, “If it pleases the king, give the Jews who are in Susa permission to do this. Let them do again tomorrow what the king ordered for today. And let the bodies of Haman’s ten sons be hanged on the platform built for hanging people to death.”