So the king's recorders were called in the first month, on the thirteenth [day], and they wrote as Haman commanded to the captains and governors in every province, from India even to Ethiopia, to a hundred and twenty-seven provinces, and to the rulers of the nations according to their [many] languages, in the name of King Artaxerxes.

[In the second year of reign of Artaxerxes the great king, on the first [day] of Nisan, Mordecai the [son] of Jair, the [son] of Shimei, the [son] of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Jew dwelling in the city of Susa, a great man, serving in the king's palace, saw a vision. Now he was of the captivity which Nebuchaznezzar king of Babylon had carried captive from Jerusalem, with Jeconiah the king of Judea. And this [was] his dream: Behold, voices and a noise, thunders and an earthquake, and tumult upon the earth. And behold, two great serpents came forth, both ready for conflict, and there came from them a great voice, and by their voice of every nation was prepared for battle, even to fight against the nation of the just. And behold, a day of darkness and blackness, tribulation and anguish, affliction and great tumult upon the earth. And all the righteous nation was troubled, fearing their own afflictions; and they prepared to die, and cried to God. And from their cry there came as it were a great river from a little fountain, [even] much water. And light and the sun arose, and the lowly were exalted, and devoured the honorable. And Mordecai, who had seen this vision and what God designed to do, having awoke, kept in his heart, and desired by all means to interpret it, even till night. And Mordecai rested quiet in the palace with Gabatha and Tharrha, the king's two chamberlains, eunuchs who guarded the palace. And he heard their reasonings and searched out their plans, and learned that they were preparing to lay hands on King Artaxerxes. And he informed the king concerning them. And the king examined the two chamberlains, and they confessed, and were executed. And the king wrote these things for a memorial; also Mordecai wrote concerning these matters. And the king commanded Mordecai to attend in the palace, and gave him gifts for this service. And Haman the son of Hammedatha the Bugaean was honorable in the sight of the king, and he endeavored to hurt Mordecai and his people, because of the two eunuchs of the king.] [ 1:1] And it came to pass after these things in the days of Artaxerxes (this Artaxerxes ruled over a hundred and twenty-seven provinces from India),

and sent into all his kingdom through the several provinces, according to their language, in order that men might be feared in their own houses.

So the king's recorders were called in the first month, on the thirteenth [day], and they wrote as Haman commanded to the captains and governors in every province, from India even to Ethiopia, to a hundred and twenty-seven provinces, and to the rulers of the nations according to their [many] languages, in the name of King Artaxerxes.

And [the message] was sent by posts throughout the kingdom of Artaxerxes, to utterly destroy the race of the Jews on the first day of the twelfth month, which is Adar, and to plunder their goods. And the following is the copy of the letter: The great King Artaxerxes writes thus to the rulers and inferior governors of a hundred and twenty-seven provinces, from India even to Ethiopia, who hold authority under [him]. Ruling over many nations, and having obtained dominion over the whole world, I was minded, (not elated by the confidence of power but ever conducting [myself] with great moderation and with gentleness) to make the lives of [my] subjects continually tranquil, desiring both to maintain the kingdom quite and orderly to [its] utmost limits, and to restore the peace desired by all men. But when I had inquired of my counselors how this should be brought to pass, Haman, who excels in sound judgment among us, and has been manifestly well inclined without wavering and with unshaken fidelity, and has obtained the second post in the kingdom, informed us that a certain ill-disposed people is mixed up with all the tribes throughout the world, opposed in their laws to every [other] nation, and continually neglecting the commands of the kings, so that the united government blamelessly administered by us is not quietly established. Having then conceived that this nation alone [of all others] is continually set in opposition to every man, introducing as a change a foreign code of laws, and injuriously plotting to accomplish the worst of evils against our interests, and against the happy establishment of the monarchy; we have accordingly appointed those who are signified to you in the letters written by Haman, who is set over [the public] affairs and is our second governor, to utterly destroy them all with their wives and children by the swords of the enemies, without pitying or sparing any, on the fourteenth day of the twelfth month (which is Adar) of the present year; that the people aforetime and now ill-disposed [to us] having been violently consigned to death in one day, may hereafter secure to us continually a well- constituted and quiet [state of] affairs.

And it pleased Darius, and he set over the kingdom a hundred and twenty satraps, to be in all his kingdom;

and sent into all his kingdom through the several provinces, according to their language, in order that men might be feared in their own houses.

So the king's recorders were called in the first month, on the thirteenth [day], and they wrote as Haman commanded to the captains and governors in every province, from India even to Ethiopia, to a hundred and twenty-seven provinces, and to the rulers of the nations according to their [many] languages, in the name of King Artaxerxes.

And Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, Shebna, and Joah said to Rabshakeh, Speak now to your servants in the Syrian language, for we understand it; and speak not with us in the Jewish language; and why do you speak in the ears of the people that are on the wall?

King Nebuchadnezzar, to all nations, tribes, and tongues that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you.

So also you, [if you] do not give a clear word by the tongue, how will it be known what is being spoken? For you will be speaking into the air.

Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the sound, I shall be as a foreigner to the [one] speaking, and the [one] speaking [shall be] as a foreigner to me.