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Jews, had plotted to crush and destroy them on
the date determined by casting lots (the lots
were called purim). 25 But when Esther came
before the king, he issued a decree causing Haman’s evil plot to backfire, and Haman and his
sons were impaled on a sharpened pole. 26 That
is why this celebration is called Purim, because
it is the ancient word for casting lots.
So because of Mordecai’s letter and because of what they had experienced, 27 the Jews
throughout the realm agreed to inaugurate this
tradition and to pass it on to their descendants
and to all who became Jews. They declared
they would never fail to celebrate these two
prescribed days at the appointed time each
year. 28 These days would be remembered and
kept from generation to generation and celebrated by every family throughout the provinces
and cities of the empire. This Festival of Purim
would never cease to be celebrated among the
Jews, nor would the memory of what happened
ever die out among their descendants.
29 Then Queen Esther, the daughter of Abihail,
along with Mordecai the Jew, wrote another letter putting the queen’s full authority behind
Mordecai’s letter to establish the Festival of
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Purim. 30 Letters wishing peace and security
were sent to the Jews throughout the 127 provinces of the empire of Xerxes. 31 These letters
established the Festival of Purim—an annual
celebration of these days at the appointed time,
decreed by both Mordecai the Jew and Queen
Esther. (The people decided to observe this festival, just as they had decided for themselves
and their descendants to establish the times of
fasting and mourning.) 32 So the command of
Esther confirmed the practices of Purim, and it
was all written down in the records.
The Greatness of Xerxes and Mordecai
King Xerxes imposed a tribute throughout his empire, even to the distant coastlands. 2 His great achievements and the full
account of the greatness of Mordecai, whom the
king had promoted, are recorded in The Book
of the History of the Kings of Media and Persia.
3 Mordecai the Jew became the prime minister,
with authority next to that of King Xerxes himself. He was very great among the Jews, who
held him in high esteem, because he continued
to work for the good of his people and to speak
up for the welfare of all their descendants.
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