This verse is complementary to the preceding two verses. This relationship is made clear in the original text by the repetition of key elements. Gathered here means, as in 9.16, “gathered to defend their lives.” Making that a day of feasting and gladness here refers to the fifteenth of Adar.

Although Today’s English Version‘s restructuring may provide greater clarity than Revised Standard Version‘s more literal translation, it may not be entirely fair to the author’s style of repetition and parallelism. Another way to achieve the same clarity is to say “But the Jews who were in Susa had gathered on the thirteenth day and on the fourteenth day, and they [for their part] rested on the fifteenth day, and they made that a day of feasting and gladness.”

Septuagint 9.18

Came together means that they united to fight against their enemies, as Today’s English Version makes explicit. The word also in the phrase also on the fourteenth means “in addition to coming together on the thirteenth day,” as Today’s English Version makes explicit: “on the thirteenth and fourteenth.” The Greek version says they did not rest on the fourteenth day, leaving it implicit that they had not rested on the thirteenth either, but implying that they did rest on the fifteenth (see Hebrew version above).

This verse is parallel to the preceding verse (Septuagint 9.17). Here “they kept [or, observed/held] the fifteenth [day] with joy and celebration.”

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Noss, Philip A. A Handbook on the Book of Esther — Deuterocanon: The Greek Text. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .