וּבִשְׁנֵים עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ הוּא־חֹדֶשׁ אֲדָר בִּשְׁלוֹשָׁה עָשָׂר יוֹם בּוֹ אֲשֶׁר הִגִּיעַ דְּבַר־הַמֶּלֶךְ וְדָתוֹ לְהֵעָשׂוֹת בַּיּוֹם אֲשֶׁר שִׂבְּרוּ אֹיְבֵי הַיְּהוּדִים לִשְׁלוֹט בָּהֶם וְנַהֲפוֹךְ הוּא אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁלְטוּ הַיְּהוּדִים הֵמָּה בְּשֹׂנְאֵיהֶם

In the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, on the thirteenth day of it, the date that Haman had set for the destruction of the Jews, when the time arrived for the king’s edict and his decree to be implemented, on the day that the enemies of the Jews had hoped to rule over them, it was in fact reversed, so that it was the Jews who ruled over those who hated them.

נִקְהֲלוּ הַיְּהוּדִים בְּעָרֵיהֶם בְּכָל־מְדִינוֹת הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ לִשְׁלֹחַ יָד בִּמְבַקְשֵׁי רָעָתָם וְאִישׁ לֹא־עָמַד לִפְנֵיהֶם כִּי־נָפַל פַּחְדָּם עַל־כָּל־הָעַמִּים

The Jews assembled in their cities in all the provinces of King Ahashverosh where there were Jewish communities, to do violence to those who sought their harm, and no man could withstand them, as fear of them had fallen upon all the peoples.

וְכָל־שָׂרֵי הַמְּדִינוֹת וְהָאֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנִים וְהַפַּחוֹת וְעֹשֵׂי הַמְּלָאכָה אֲשֶׁר לַמֶּלֶךְ מְנַשְּׂאִים אֶת־הַיְּהוּדִים כִּי־נָפַל פַּחַד־מָרְדֳּכַי עֲלֵיהֶם

All the princes of the provinces, the satraps, the governors, and the king’s administrators elevated or honored the Jews, because the fear of Mordekhai had fallen upon them. When the first missives were sent, Haman was chief minister to Ahashverosh. By this point, however, Mordekhai was the foremost of the king’s ministers, and therefore everyone granted the Jews the freedom of action they required.

כִּי־גָדוֹל מָרְדֳּכַי בְּבֵית הַמֶּלֶךְ וְשָׁמְעוֹ הוֹלֵךְ בְּכָל־הַמְּדִינוֹת כִּי־הָאִישׁ מָרְדֳּכַי הוֹלֵךְ וְגָדוֹל

For Mordekhai was great in status in the king’s palace, and his renown had spread in all the provinces, for the man Mordekhai was growing more and more powerful.

וַיַּכּוּ הַיְּהוּדִים בְּכָל־אֹיְבֵיהֶם מַכַּת־חֶרֶב וְהֶרֶג וְאַבְדָן וַיַּעֲשׂוּ בְשֹׂנְאֵיהֶם כִּרְצוֹנָם

The Jews smote all their enemies a blow of the sword, killing, and destruction, and they did to their enemies as they willed. Presumably this also took place in the province of Judah, which is not explicitly mentioned here, but whose Jewish residents were experiencing harassment during this time.

וּבְשׁוּשַׁן הַבִּירָה הָרְגוּ הַיְּהוּדִים וְאַבֵּד חֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת אִישׁ

In the Shushan citadel the Jews killed and eliminated five hundred men, their enemies who had planned to attack the Jews on that day, and who had perhaps taunted the Jews earlier and boasted of their heinous plans.

וְאֵת פַּרְשַׁנְדָּתָא וְאֵת דַּלְפוֹן וְאֵת אַסְפָּתָא

And Parshandata, Dalfon, Aspata,

וְאֵת פּוֹרָתָא וְאֵת אֲדַלְיָא וְאֵת אֲרִידָתָא

Porata, Adalya, Aridata,

וְאֵת פַּרְמַשְׁתָּא וְאֵת אֲרִיסַי וְאֵת אֲרִידַי וְאֵת וַיְזָתָא

Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai, and Vayzata,

עֲשֶׂרֶת בְּנֵי הָמָן בֶּן־הַמְּדָתָא צֹרֵר הַיְּהוּדִים הָרָגוּ וּבַבִּזָּה לֹא שָׁלְחוּ אֶת־יָדָם

the ten sons of Haman the son of Hamedata, the adversary of the Jews, they killed; but they did not extend their hands to the spoils. The Jews did not consider this conflict a war, but an act of self-defense, and since they wished to avoid provoking hatred against themselves they did not touch their enemies’ property, despite the fact that in his missive the king had granted the Jews permission to loot their enemies’ possessions.

בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא בָּא מִסְפַּר הַהֲרוּגִים בְּשׁוּשַׁן הַבִּירָה לִפְנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ

On that day, the number of those killed in the Shushan citadel came before the king, through his extensive intelligence network.

וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ לְאֶסְתֵּר הַמַּלְכָּה בְּשׁוּשַׁן הַבִּירָה הָרְגוּ הַיְּהוּדִים וְאַבֵּד חֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת אִישׁ וְאֵת עֲשֶׂרֶת בְּנֵי־הָמָן בִּשְׁאָר מְדִינוֹת הַמֶּלֶךְ מֶה עָשׂוּ וּמַה־שְּׁאֵלָתֵךְ וְיִנָּתֵן לָךְ וּמַה־בַּקָּשָׁתֵךְ עוֹד וְתֵעָשׂ

The king said to Queen Esther: The Jews have killed and eliminated five hundred men in the Shushan citadel, along with the ten sons of Haman; in the rest of the king’s provinces they presumably have done likewise. It can be assumed that the results are comparable in the other provinces, even though the numbers are not yet known. Your people have avenged themselves upon their enemies, as you wished. What is your wish and it will be granted to you. What else do you request? It will be done.

וַתֹּאמֶר אֶסְתֵּר אִם־עַל הַמֶּלֶךְ טוֹב יִנָּתֵן גַּם־מָחָר לַיְּהוּדִים אֲשֶׁר בְּשׁוּשָׁן לַעֲשׂוֹת כְּדָת הַיּוֹם וְאֵת עֲשֶׂרֶת בְּנֵי־הָמָן יִתְלוּ עַל־הָעֵץ

Esther said, realizing that the king wanted to make her happy and to fulfill her every desire: If it pleases the king, let tomorrow, too, be granted to the Jews who are in Shushan to do in accordance with today’s decree. Although this was not written in the original missives, I would like you to issue a verbal instruction permitting the Jews in Shushan, which was likely the center of Haman’s support, to complete the task, and have them hang Haman’s ten sons, who have already been killed, upon the gibbet, as a public display that the king and the authorities support the action that has been taken, and that they consider these men criminals, rather than random victims of indiscriminate rioting.

וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ לְהֵעָשׂוֹת כֵּן וַתִּנָּתֵן דָּת בְּשׁוּשָׁן וְאֵת עֲשֶׂרֶת בְּנֵי־הָמָן תָּלוּ

The king said to do so, and a decree was issued permitting another day of vengeance in Shushan, and they hanged Haman’s ten sons.

וַיִּקָּהֲלוּ הַיְּהוּדִים אֲשֶׁר־בְּשׁוּשָׁן גַּם בְּיוֹם אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר לְחֹדֶשׁ אֲדָר וַיַּהַרְגוּ בְשׁוּשָׁן שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת אִישׁ וּבַבִּזָּה לֹא שָׁלְחוּ אֶת־יָדָם

The Jews who were in Shushan assembled on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar as well, and killed another three hundred men in Shushan, but also in this instance they did not extend their hand to the spoils.

וּשְׁאָר הַיְּהוּדִים אֲשֶׁר בִּמְדִינוֹת הַמֶּלֶךְ נִקְהֲלוּ וְעָמֹד עַל־נַפְשָׁם וְנוֹחַ מֵאֹיְבֵיהֶם וְהָרוֹג בְּשֹׂנְאֵיהֶם חֲמִשָּׁה וְשִׁבְעִים אָלֶף וּבַבִּזָּה לֹא שָׁלְחוּ אֶת־יָדָם

The rest of the Jews who were in the king’s provinces assembled and defended themselves, and rested from their enemies. By the end of the day, they had killed seventy-five thousand of those who hated them, throughout the kingdom, but they did not extend their hand to the spoils.

בְּיוֹם־שְׁלוֹשָׁה עָשָׂר לְחֹדֶשׁ אֲדָר וְנוֹחַ בְּאַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר בּוֹ וְעָשֹׂה אֹתוֹ יוֹם מִשְׁתֶּה וְשִׂמְחָה

It, all this, was on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar, and the rest after the fighting was on the fourteenth of it, and it was made a day of banqueting and joy, in honor of the victory.

וְהַיְּהוּדִים אֲשֶׁר־בְּשׁוּשָׁן נִקְהֲלוּ בִּשְׁלוֹשָׁה עָשָׂר בּוֹ וּבְאַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר בּוֹ וְנוֹחַ בַּחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר בּוֹ וְעָשֹׂה אֹתוֹ יוֹם מִשְׁתֶּה וְשִׂמְחָה

But the Jews who were in Shushan assembled together to avenge themselves upon their enemies on the thirteenth of it and on the fourteenth of it, and rested after the fighting on the fifteenth of it, and it was made a day of banqueting and joy. They celebrated the victory one day later than the rest of the empire.

עַל־כֵּן הַיְּהוּדִים הַפְּרָזִים הַיֹּשְׁבִים בְּעָרֵי הַפְּרָזוֹת עֹשִׂים אֵת יוֹם אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר לְחֹדֶשׁ אֲדָר שִׂמְחָה וּמִשְׁתֶּה וְיוֹם טוֹב ומִשְׁלֹחַ מָנוֹת אִישׁ לְרֵעֵהוּ

Therefore, the unwalled Jews, that is, those who live in the unwalled cities, whose residents were exposed to great danger, observe the fourteenth day of the month of Adar as a day of joy, banqueting, and a holiday, and furthermore, a day of sending portions of food one to another, in order to increase joy and publicly express happiness. The date on which they spontaneously celebrated at that time was established as a day of rejoicing in the following years.

וַיִּכְתֹּב מָרְדֳּכַי אֶת־הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה וַיִּשְׁלַח סְפָרִים אֶל־כָּל־הַיְּהוּדִים אֲשֶׁר בְּכָל־מְדִינוֹת הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ הַקְּרוֹבִים וְהָרְחוֹקִים

It was Mordekhai who established the conversion of the spontaneous celebration into a permanent holiday: Mordekhai wrote these matters, the events that occurred, and he sent scrolls to all the Jews who were in all the provinces of King Ahashverosh, near and far, instructing them

לְקַיֵּם עֲלֵיהֶם לִהְיוֹת עֹשִׂים אֵת יוֹם אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר לְחֹדֶשׁ אֲדָר וְאֵת יוֹם־חֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר בּוֹ בְּכָל־שָׁנָה וְשָׁנָה

to establish for themselves to observe the victory celebrations of the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day of it, in each and every year, as permanent days of merriment and feasting:

כּיָּמִים אֲשֶׁר־נָחוּ בָהֶם הַיְּהוּדִים מֵאֹיְבֵיהֶם וְהַחֹדֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר נֶהְפַּךְ לָהֶם מִיָּגוֹן לְשִׂמְחָה וּמֵאֵבֶל לְיוֹם טוֹב לַעֲשׂוֹת אוֹתָם יְמֵי מִשְׁתֶּה וְשִׂמְחָה וּמִשְׁלֹחַ מָנוֹת אִישׁ לְרֵעֵהוּ וּמַתָּנוֹת לָאֶבְיֹנִים

In accordance with the dates of the days that the Jews of that generation had rested from their enemies, and the month that was transformed for them from sorrow to joy, and from mourning to holiday, to observe them as days of banquet and joy, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the indigent, so that the poor should also participate in the festivities.

וְקִבֵּל הַיְּהוּדִים אֵת אֲשֶׁר־הֵחֵלּוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת וְאֵת אֲשֶׁר־כָּתַב מָרְדֳּכַי אֲלֵיהֶם

The Jews as a people undertook, or committed to continuing, that which they had begun to practice at the time, and that which Mordekhai wrote to them.

כִּי הָמָן בֶּן־הַמְּדָתָא הָאֲגָגִי צֹרֵר כָּל־הַיְּהוּדִים חָשַׁב עַל־הַיְּהוּדִים לְאַבְּדָם וְהִפִּל פּוּר הוּא הַגּוֹרָל לְהֻמָּם וּלְאַבְּדָם

Mordekhai’s brief summary of the events, as he wrote to the Jews, went as follows: Because Haman son of Hamedata the Agagite, adversary of all the Jews, not only the enemy of Mordekhai alone, had plotted against the Jews to eliminate them, and he cast the pur, that is the lot, in order to determine a date on which to crush them, and eliminate them.

וּבְבֹאָהּ לִפְנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ אָמַר עִם־הַסֵּפֶר יָשׁוּב מַחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ הָרָעָה אֲשֶׁר־חָשַׁב עַל־הַיְּהוּדִים עַל־רֹאשׁוֹ וְתָלוּ אֹתוֹ וְאֶת־בָּנָיו עַל־הָעֵץ

But when she, Esther, came before the king; alternatively, when it, Haman’s intention, came before the king, he said: By means of the scroll, may his evil plot that he had devised against the Jews return upon his head. When he summarized what happened, Mordekhai was careful not to mention that Ahashverosh had initially signed Haman’s decree. Rather, he described the events in such a manner that it seemed that when the missives appeared, the king was surprised to discover that his minister had used his authority for reprehensible ends, and as a result he commanded that Haman be punished. Subsequently, they hanged him and his sons on the gibbet.

עַל־כֵּן קָרְאוּ לַיָּמִים הָאֵלֶּה פוּרִים עַל־שֵׁם הַפּוּר עַל־כֵּן עַל־כָּל־דִּבְרֵי הָאִגֶּרֶת הַזֹּאת וּמָה־רָאוּ עַל־כָּכָה וּמָה הִגִּיעַ אֲלֵיהֶם

Therefore, they called these days Purim, after the lot [pur] cast by Haman. Therefore, for all the matters of this epistle of Mordekhai’s, and what they saw about that matter, that is, what led them to establish these days: Haman’s pur, and what befell them, how they ultimately achieved victory and rest,

קִיְּמוּ וְקִבְּלֻ הַיְּהוּדִים עֲלֵיהֶם וְעַל־זַרְעָם וְעַל כָּל הַנִּלְוִים עֲלֵיהֶם וְלֹא יַעֲבוֹר לִהְיוֹת עֹשִׂים אֶת־שְׁנֵי הַיָּמִים הָאֵלֶּה כִּכְתָבָם וְכִזְמַנָּם בְּכָל־שָׁנָה וְשָׁנָה

the Jews established and accepted upon themselves, and upon their descendants, and as these days of Purim were established for the entire people throughout the generations, they were also accepted upon everyone associated with them, converts, despite the fact that their biological ancestors were not affected. And it was agreed that it will not be neglected, to observe these two days as they are written, and on their dates, each and every year.

וְהַיָּמִים הָאֵלֶּה נִזְכָּרִים וְנַעֲשִׂים בְּכָל־דּוֹר וָדוֹר מִשְׁפָּחָה וּמִשְׁפָּחָה מְדִינָה וּמְדִינָה וְעִיר וָעִיר וִימֵי הַפּוּרִים הָאֵלֶּה לֹא יַעַבְרוּ מִתּוֹךְ הַיְּהוּדִים וְזִכְרָם לֹא־יָסוּף מִזַּרְעָם

These days are remembered and observed in each and every generation, each and every family, each and every province, and each and every city. Celebration of the holiday spread through all Jewish communities. Therefore, these days of Purim will not pass from among the Jews, and their memory will not perish from their descendants; they will be commemorated forever. Often, national days of celebration are temporary, and forgotten over the passage of time. By contrast, because this episode involved a plot to destroy the entire nation, it must be commemorated by the entire people through all its generations.

וַתִּכְתֹּב אֶסְתֵּר הַמַּלְכָּה בַת־אֲבִיחַיִל וּמָרְדֳּכַי הַיְּהוּדִי אֶת־כָּל־תֹּקֶף לְקַיֵּם אֵת אִגֶּרֶת הַפֻּרִים הַזֹּאת הַשֵּׁנִית

Queen Esther daughter of Avihayil, and Mordekhai the Jew, wrote of all the significant events, alternatively, they wrote with all their authority, confirming this second letter of Purim. The first one, which contained a summary of the events, was sent by Mordekhai. Later they together wrote a revised epistle, signed by the queen.

וַיִּשְׁלַח סְפָרִים אֶל־כָּל־הַיְּהוּדִים אֶל־ שֶׁבַע וְעֶשְׂרִים וּמֵאָה מְדִינָה מַלְכוּת אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ דִּבְרֵי שָׁלוֹם וֶאֱמֶת

He, Mordekhai, sent scrolls to all the Jews, to one hundred and twenty-seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahashverosh, matters of peace and truth. These epistles were not binding orders, but inspirational instruction from the spiritual leader of the Jews.

לְקַיֵּם אֶת־ יְמֵי הַפֻּרִים הָאֵלֶּה בִּזְמַנֵּיהֶם כַּאֲשֶׁר קִיַּם עֲלֵיהֶם מָרְדֳּכַי הַיְּהוּדִי וְאֶסְתֵּר הַמַּלְכָּה וְכַאֲשֶׁר קִיְּמוּ עַל־נַפְשָׁם וְעַל־זַרְעָם דִּבְרֵי הַצּוֹמוֹת וְזַעֲקָתָם

The epistle was sent to establish these days of Purim on their dates, as Mordekhai the Jew and Queen Esther had established for them, and as they established the matters of the fasts and their lamentations for themselves and for their descendants. Just as all the Jews throughout the kingdom of Ahashverosh had taken part in the communal fast and prayers when the evil decree was issued, it was fitting that the entire people likewise share in the commemoration of the events.

וּמַאֲמַר אֶסְתֵּר קִיַּם דִּבְרֵי הַפֻּרִים הָאֵלֶּה וְנִכְתָּב בַּסֵּפֶר

The edict of Esther established these matters of Purim, and it was written in the scroll. As queen, Esther’s affirmation of the holiday by writing and signing the account of these events, i.e., this book, gave great force to the establishment of the holiday.