The Ammonites marched out and were deployed for battle at the entrance to the city, while the kings who had come were by themselves in the field.

When Joab saw that the battle would be fought on two fronts, he chose some of Israel’s best men and deployed them against the Arameans. ¹ 

The Arameans fled before Israel. David killed 7,000 ¹  Aramean charioteers and 40,000 infantrymen; he also killed Shophach ²  the commanding general.

(2:1) Solomon had ¹  70,000 common laborers ²  and 80,000 stonecutters ³  in the hills, in addition to 3,600 supervisors. ⁴ 

“When someone is accused of sinning against his neighbor and the latter pronounces a curse on the alleged offender before your altar in this temple, ¹ 

Abijah and his army thoroughly defeated them; ¹  500,000 well-trained Israelite men fell dead. ² 

Did not the Cushites and Libyans have a huge army with chariots and a very large number of horsemen? But when you relied on the Lord, he handed them over to you!

Jehoram crossed over to Zair with his officers and all his chariots. The Edomites, who had surrounded him, attacked at night and defeated him and his chariot officers. ¹ 

They commanded an army of 307,500 skilled and able warriors who were ready to defend ¹  the king against his enemies.

And now you are planning ¹  to enslave ²  the people ³  of Judah and Jerusalem. Yet are you not also guilty before the Lord your God?

After these faithful deeds were accomplished, King Sennacherib of Assyria invaded Judah. He besieged the fortified cities, intending to seize them. ¹ 

The king of Egypt prevented him from ruling in Jerusalem and imposed on the land a special tax ¹  of one hundred talents ²  of silver and a talent of gold.

Let the king also be aware that if this city is built and its walls are completed, no more tax, custom, or toll will be paid, and the royal treasury ¹  will suffer loss.

Powerful kings have been over Jerusalem who ruled throughout the entire Trans-Euphrates ¹  and who were the beneficiaries of ²  tribute, custom, and toll.

I also discovered that the grain offerings for the Levites had not been provided, and that as a result the Levites and the singers who performed this work had all gone off to their fields.

There were no restrictions on the drinking, ¹  for the king had instructed all of his supervisors ²  that they should do as everyone so desired. ³ 

The couriers who were riding the royal horses went forth with the king’s edict without delay. ¹  And the law was presented in Susa the citadel as well.

So Queen Esther, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew wrote with full authority to confirm this second ¹  letter about Purim.

“Does not humanity have hard service ¹  on earth? Are not their days also like the days of a hired man? ² 

You bring new witnesses ¹  against me, and increase your anger against me; relief troops ²  come against me.