asked from him letters to the congregations of Dammeseq, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, to bring them bound to Yerushalayim.
Then Herodes, having seen that he was fooled by the Magi, was greatly enraged, and he sent forth and slew all the male children in Bĕyth Leḥem and in all its borders, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had exactly learnt from the Magi.
Then Neḇuḵaḏnetstsar was filled with wrath, and the expression on his face changed toward Shaḏraḵ, Mĕyshaḵ, and Aḇĕḏ-Neḡo. He responded and gave orders that they heat the furnace seven times more than it was usual to heat it.
“Neḇuḵaḏretstsar the sovereign of Baḇel has devoured us, he has crushed us, he has made us an empty vessel, he has swallowed us up like a monster. He has filled his stomach with my delicacies, he has driven us away.
But it was despicable in his eyes to lay hands on Mordeḵai alone, for they had informed him of the people of Mordeḵai. Therefore Haman sought to destroy all the Yehuḏim who were throughout all the reign of Aḥashwĕrosh, the people of Mordeḵai.
