20 Then Mordecai recorded these events, and he sent letters to all the Jews who were in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, both near and far, 21 obliging them to celebrate the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth daykof the same month, annually, 22 because on those days the Jewslrid themselves of their enemies, and it was a month which was turned for them from sorrow into gladness and from mourning into amholiday; that they should make them days of feasting and rejoicing and sending portions of food to one another and gifts to the poor. | |
23 Thus the Jews undertook what they had started to do, and what Mordecai had written to them. 24 For Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the adversary of all the Jews, had schemed against the Jews to destroy them and had cast Pur, that is the lot, to disturb them and destroy them. 25 But when it camento the king’s attention, he commanded by letter that his wicked scheme which he hadodevised against the Jews, should return on his own head and that he and his sons should be hanged on thepgallows. 26 Therefore they called these days Purim after the name of Pur.qAnd because of the instructions in this letter, both what they had seen in this regard and what had happened to them, 27 the Jews established andrmade a custom for themselves and for theirsdescendants and for all those who allied themselves with them, so thattthey would not fail to celebrate these two days according to theiruregulation and according to their appointed time annually. 28 So these days were to be remembered and celebrated throughout every generation, every family, every province and every city; and these days of Purim were not tovfail from among the Jews, or their memorywfade from theirxdescendants. | |
29 Then Queen Esther, daughter of Abihail, with Mordecai the Jew, wrote with full authority to confirm this second letter about Purim. 30 He sent letters to all the Jews, to the 127 provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, namely, words of peace and truth, 31 to establish these days of Purim at their appointed times, just as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had established for them, and just as they had established for themselves and for theirydescendants withzinstructions for their times of fasting and their lamentations. 32 The command of Esther established theseaacustoms for Purim, and it was written in the book. |
After registering, you can subscribe to any Bible reading plan. Personalized settings and other services for registered users are planned, so we recommend registering now. Registration is free. | ||