Esther 9:23-25

Contemporary English Version

²³ They followed Mordecai's instructions and set aside these two days every year as a time of celebration.

The Reason for the Festival of Purim

^24 (A) Haman was the son of Hammedatha and a descendant of Agag. He hated the Jews so much that he planned to destroy them, but he wanted to find out the best time to do it. So he cast lots.^[a]

²⁵ Esther went to King Xerxes and asked him to save her people. Then the king gave written orders for Haman and his sons to be punished in the same terrible way that Haman had in mind for the Jews. So they were hanged.