Translations
Modern
By these letters the king permitted the Jews in each and every city the right to assemble and defend themselves, to destroy, kill, and annihilate all the forces of any people or province hostile to them, including women and children, and to plunder their possessions.
Traditional
Wherein the king granted the Jews which were in every city to gather themselves together, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province that would assault them, both little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey,
Literal
…that the king gave to the Jews who were in every city and city, to gather together and to stand for their soul, to destroy, and to kill, and to exterminate all of the strength of the people and province that would assault them, little children and women, and to plunder their spoil,
Latin
Quibus imperavit rex, ut convenirent Judæos per singulas civitates, et in unum præciperent congregari ut starent pro animabus suis, et omnes inimicos suos cum conjugibus ac liberis et universis domibus, interficerent atque delerent, et spolia eorum diriperent.
Original
Hebrew
English
By these letters the king permitted the Jews in each and every city the right to assemble and defend themselves, to destroy, kill, and annihilate all the forces of any people or province hostile to them, including women and children, and to plunder their possessions.
Notes
The king's decree allowed the Jewish people to defend themselves and take the property of their attackers. This reversed the earlier decree in Esther 3:13.
The phrase destroy, kill, and annihilate ironically repeats the words from Haman's original order (Esther 3:13; see also 9:5).
Theme notes and profiles
People
Judah: Israelite tribe, kingdom, and province