^9 (A)The king's scribes were summoned at that time, in the third month, which is the month of Sivan, on the twenty-third day. And an edict was written, according to all that Mordecai commanded concerning the Jews, to ^(B)the satraps and the governors and the officials of the provinces ^(C)from India to Ethiopia, ^(D)127 provinces, ^(E)to each province in its own script and to each people in its own language, and also to the Jews in their script and their language. ^10 (F)And he wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus ^(G)and sealed it with the king's signet ring. Then he sent the letters by mounted couriers riding on ^(H)swift horses that were used in the king's service, bred from the royal stud, ¹¹ saying that the king allowed the Jews who were in every city ^(I)to gather and defend their lives, ^(J)to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate any armed force of any people or province that might attack them, children and women included, ^(K)and to plunder their goods,