The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month Chisleu, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace,

And it came to pass, when the king sat in his house, and the LORD had given him rest round about from all his enemies;

And I saw in a vision; and it came to pass, when I saw, that I {was} at Shushan {in} the palace, which {is} in the province of Elam; and I saw in a vision, and I was by the river of Ulai.

And also Solomon sitteth on the throne of the kingdom.

I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house, and flourishing in my palace:

And the king said unto Esther the queen, The Jews have slain and destroyed five hundred men in Shushan the palace, and the ten sons of Haman; what have they done in the rest of the king's provinces? now what {is} thy petition? and it shall be granted thee: or what {is} thy request further? and it shall be done.

Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which {is} not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish. {present: Heb. found}

And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the fair young virgins unto Shushan the palace, to the house of the women, unto the custody of Hege the king's chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their things for purification be given {them}: {unto the...: Heb. unto the hand} {Hege: also called, Hegai}

The posts went out, being hastened by the king's commandment, and the decree was given in Shushan the palace. And the king and Haman sat down to drink; but the city Shushan was perplexed.

The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month Chisleu, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace,

And I saw in a vision; and it came to pass, when I saw, that I {was} at Shushan {in} the palace, which {is} in the province of Elam; and I saw in a vision, and I was by the river of Ulai.

Then {wrote} Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions; the Dinaites, the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Susanchites, the Dehavites, {and} the Elamites, {companions: Chaldee, societies}

{Now} in Shushan the palace there was a certain Jew, whose name {was} Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite;

But when Herod's birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod. {before...: Gr. in the midst}

{So} the posts that rode upon mules {and} camels went out, being hastened and pressed on by the king's commandment. And the decree was given at Shushan the palace.