VII. Epilogue: The Rise of Mordecai

Summary of the Story. ^24 (A)Haman, son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the foe of all the Jews, had planned to destroy them and had cast the pur, or lot, for the time of their defeat and destruction. ²⁵ Yet, when the plot became known to the king, the king ordered in writing that the wicked plan Haman had devised against the Jews should instead be turned against Haman and that he and his sons should be impaled on stakes.^{(B) 26} And so these days have been named Purim after the word pur.

Thus, because of all that was contained in this letter, and because of what they had witnessed and experienced in this event, ²⁷ the Jews established and adopted as a custom for themselves, their descendants, and all who should join them, the perpetual obligation of celebrating these two days every year in the manner prescribed by this letter, and at the time appointed.^{(C) 28} These days were to be commemorated and kept in every generation, by every clan, in every province, and in every city. These days of Purim were never to be neglected among the Jews, nor forgotten by their descendants.

Esther and Mordecai Act in Concert.^{[a] 29} Queen Esther, daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew, wrote to confirm with full authority this second letter about Purim, ³⁰ and Mordecai sent documents concerning peace and security to all the Jews in the hundred and twenty-seven provinces of Ahasuerus’ kingdom.^{(D) 31} Thus were established, for their appointed time, these days of Purim which Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had designated for the Jews, just as they had previously enjoined upon themselves and upon their descendants the duty of fasting and supplication. ³² The command of Esther confirmed these prescriptions for Purim and was recorded in the book.

³ The Jew Mordecai was next in rank to King Ahasuerus, in high standing among the Jews, popular with many of his kindred, seeking the good of his people and speaking out on behalf of the welfare of all its descendants.^(A)

Chapter F

Mordecai’s Dream Fulfilled. ^1 (B)Then Mordecai said: “This is the work of God. ² I recall the dream I had about these very things, and not a single detail has been left unfulfilled— ³ the tiny spring that grew into a river, and there was light, and sun, and many waters. The river is Esther, whom the king married and made queen. ⁴ The two dragons are myself and Haman. ⁵ The nations are those who assembled to destroy the name of the Jews, ⁶ but my people is Israel, who cried to God and was saved.

“The Lord saved his people and delivered us from all these evils. God worked signs and great wonders, such as have not occurred among the nations. ⁷ For this purpose he arranged two lots:^[a] one for the people of God, the second for all the other nations. ⁸ These two lots were fulfilled in the hour, the time, and the day of judgment before God and among all the nations. ⁹ God remembered his people and rendered justice to his inheritance.

^10 (C)“Gathering together with joy and happiness before God, they shall celebrate these days on the fourteenth and fifteenth of the month Adar throughout all future generations of his people Israel.”

Colophon.^{[b] 11} In the fourth year of the reign of Ptolemy and Cleopatra, Dositheus, who said he was a priest and Levite, and his son Ptolemy brought the present letter of Purim, saying that it was genuine and that Lysimachus, son of Ptolemy, of the community of Jerusalem, had translated it.