1 The order the king had commanded was to be done on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar. That was the day the enemies of the Jewish people had hoped to defeat them, but that was changed. So the Jewish people themselves defeated those who hated them.
2 The Jews met in their cities in all the empire of King Xerxes in order to attack those who wanted to harm them. No one was strong enough to fight against them, because all the other people living in the empire were afraid of them.
3 All the important men of the states, the governors, captains of the soldiers, and the king’s officers helped the Jewish people, because they were afraid of Mordecai.
4 Mordecai was very important in the king’s palace. He was famous in all the empire, because he was becoming a leader of more and more people.
5 And, with their swords, the Jewish people defeated all their enemies, killing and destroying them. And they did what they wanted with those people who hated them.
6 In the palace at Susa, they killed and destroyed five hundred men.