¹⁶ Meanwhile, the remainder of the Jews who were in the king’s provinces also assembled to protect themselves and get relief^(A) from their enemies.^(B) They killed seventy-five thousand of them^(C) but did not lay their hands on the plunder.^(D)

¹¹ The king’s edict granted the Jews in every city the right to assemble and protect themselves; to destroy, kill and annihilate the armed men of any nationality or province who might attack them and their women and children,^[a] and to plunder^(A) the property of their enemies.

² The Jews assembled in their cities^(A) in all the provinces of King Xerxes to attack those determined to destroy them. No one could stand against them,^(B) because the people of all the other nationalities were afraid of them.

⁷ You will pursue your enemies,^(A) and they will fall by the sword before you. ⁸ Five^(B) of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand, and your enemies will fall by the sword before you.^(C)