² in those days when King Ahasuerus ^(A)sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in ^(B)Shushan^[a] the ^[b]citadel,

¹⁵ The couriers went out, hastened by the king’s command; and the decree was proclaimed in ^[a]Shushan the ^[b]citadel. So the king and Haman sat down to drink, but ^(A)the city of Shushan was ^[c]perplexed.

¹⁶ “Go, gather all the Jews who are present in ^[a]Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for ^(A)three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; ^(B)and if I perish, I perish!”