t did the king's business, helped the Jews;
because the fear of Mordecai was fallen upon them. For Mordecai was
great in the king's house, and his fame went forth throughout all the
provinces: for the man Mordecai grew greater and greater. And the Jews
smote all their enemies with the stroke of the sword and with great
slaughter and destruction, and did what they would unto them that
hated them. And in Shushan the palace the Jews slew and destroyed five
hundred men. And the ten sons of Haman, the Jews' enemy, they slew;
but on the spoil they laid not their hand. On that day the number of
those that were slain in Shushan the palace was brought before the
king. And the king said unto Esther the queen, "The Jews have slain
and destroyed five hundred men in Shushan the palace, and the ten sons
of Haman; what have they done in the rest of the king's {77}
provinces! Now what is thy petition? and it shall be granted thee; or
what is thy request further? and it shall be done."

Then said Esther, "If it please the king, let it be granted to the
Jews which are in Shushan to do to-morrow also according unto this
day's decree, and let Haman's ten sons be hanged upon the gallows."

And the king commanded it so to be done: and a decree was given out in
Shushan; and they hanged Haman's ten sons. And the Jews that were in
Shushan gathered themselves together on the fourteenth day also of the
month Adar, and slew three hundred men in Shushan; but on the spoil
they laid not their hand. And the other Jews that were in the king's
provinces gathered themselves together, and stood for their lives, and
had rest from their enemies, and slew of them that hated them seventy
and five thousand; but on the spoil they laid not their hand. This was
done on the thirteenth day of the month Adar; and on the fourteenth
day of the same they rested, and made it a day of feasting and
gladness. But the Jews that were in Shushan assembled together on the
thirteenth day thereof, and on the fourteenth thereof; and on the
fifteenth day of the same they rested, and made it a day of feasting
and gladness. Therefore do the Jews of the villages, that dwell in the
unwalled towns, make the fourteenth day of the month Adar a day of
gladness and feasting, and a good day, and of sending gifts one to
another.

And Mordecai wrote these things, and sent letters unto all the Jews
that were in all the provinces of the king {78} Ahasuerus, both far
and near, to enjoin them