31. "If your parents or children were here, I would have them prepared as a lavish meal for wild animals instead of the Jews. They are blameless as far as I’m concerned, and have demonstrated constant loyalty above all others toward my ancestors.
32. Indeed, if it weren’t for the affection of our common upbringing and your service, you would’ve been deprived of life instead of them."
33. So Hermon endured an unexpected and dangerous threat, and his eyes and face showed his dismay.
34. One by one the king’s friends slipped away sullenly, and the guests were dismissed, each to his own business.
35. Now when the Jews heard about what the king had said, they praised God, the Lord, the king of kings, who had made his power apparent in giving them this assistance.
36. Now the king resumed the entire banquet, according to the same rules, and began inviting the guests to return to their celebration.
37. He summoned Hermon and said with a threat, "How often, you sorry creature, must I command you concerning these same matters?
38. Equip the elephants yet again for the destruction of the Jews tomorrow."
39. But the king’s officials, who were reclining at the table with him, were taken aback by his unstable mind and began to protest as follows:
40. "Your Majesty, how long will you test us, as though we were fools, giving an order a third time to destroy the Jews and again reversing your decisions?
41. As a result, the city is in an uproar because of its expectation. It is already swarming with mobs and is very much at risk of being plundered."