Now in the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, on the thirteenth day of the month, when the king’s commandment and his decree came near to be put in execution, on the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to conquer them, (but it turned out that the opposite happened, that the Jews conquered those who hated them),
On the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar (note: Adar is the twelfth month of the Hebrew lunar calendar, usually occurring within the months of February and March; also in verses 15, 17, 19, and 21.), the king’s command and edict were to be executed. On this day the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, but their plan was overturned and the Jews overpowered those who hated them.