In the third year of his reign, he prepared a feast for all his officials and his servants. So the army commanders of Persia and Media, the nobles, and the officials of the provinces were before him.
All the deeds of his power and of his might, and the detailed record of the greatness of Mordecai, after the king promoted him, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia?
A grievous vision is declared to me; the treacherous one still deals treacherously, and the destroyer still destroys. Go up, O Elam. Lay siege, O Media. All her sighing I have made to cease.
For many nations and great kings will make slaves of them, even themselves. And I will recompense them according to their deeds and according to the works of their hands.
Sharpen the arrows. Gather the shields. The Lord has raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes. For His device is against Babylon, to destroy it; because it is the vengeance of the Lord, the vengeance of His temple.
Set up a standard in the land, blow the trumpet among the nations, prepare the nations against her, call together against her the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz; appoint a captain against her. Cause the horses to come up as the rough locusts.
So the land trembles and sorrows, for the purposes of the Lord will be performed against Babylon, to make the land of Babylon a desolation without an inhabitant.
Now, O king, establish the decree and sign the writing, that it not be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be altered.”