Esther 9

The Jews Destroy Their Enemies

1 Now ¹in the twelfth * month (that is, the month Adar ), on ²the thirteenth * day ³when the king's command and edict were about to be executed, on the day when the enemies of the Jews hoped to gain the mastery over them, it was turned to the contrary so that the Jews themselves gained the mastery over those who hated them.

2 ⁴The Jews assembled in their cities throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus to lay hands on those who sought their harm; and no one could stand before them, ⁵for the dread of them had fallen on all the peoples.

3 Even all the princes of the provinces, ⁶the satraps, the governors and those who were doing the king's business assisted the Jews, because the dread of Mordecai had fallen on them.

4 Indeed, Mordecai was great in the king's house, and his fame spread throughout all the provinces; for the man Mordecai ⁷became greater and greater.

5 Thus ⁸the Jews struck all their enemies with the sword, killing and destroying; and they did what they pleased to those who hated them.

6 At the citadel in Susa the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men,

7 and Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha,

8 Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha,

9 Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai and Vaizatha,

10 ⁹the ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Jews' enemy; but ¹⁰they did not lay their hands on the plunder.

11 On that day the number of those who were killed at the citadel in Susa was reported to the king.

12 The king said to Queen Esther, "The Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men and the ten sons of Haman at the citadel in Susa. What then have they done in the rest of the king's provinces! ¹¹Now what is your petition? It shall even be granted you. And what is your further request? It shall also be done."

13 Then said Esther, "If it pleases * the king, ¹²let tomorrow also be granted to the Jews who are in Susa to do according to the edict of today; and let Haman's ten sons be hanged on the gallows."

14 So the king commanded that it should be done so; and an edict was issued in Susa, and Haman's ten sons were hanged.

15 The Jews who were in Susa assembled also on the fourteenth * day of the month Adar and killed ¹³three hundred men in Susa, but ¹⁴they did not lay their hands on the plunder.

16 Now ¹⁵the rest of the Jews who were in the king's provinces ¹⁶assembled, to defend their lives and rid themselves of their enemies, and kill 75,000 * * of those who hated them; but they did not lay their hands on the plunder.

17 This was done on ¹⁷the thirteenth * day of the month Adar, and ¹⁸on the fourteenth * day they rested and made it a day of feasting and rejoicing.

18 But the Jews who were in Susa ¹⁹assembled on the thirteenth * and ²⁰the fourteenth * of the same month, and they rested on the fifteenth * day and made it a day of feasting and rejoicing.

19 Therefore * the Jews of the rural areas, who live in ²¹the rural towns, make the fourteenth * day of the month Adar a ²²holiday * for rejoicing and feasting and ²³sending portions of food to one another.

The Feast of Purim Instituted

20 Then Mordecai recorded these events, and he sent letters to all the Jews who were in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, both near and far,

21 obliging * them to celebrate the fourteenth * day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth * day of the same month, annually *,

22 because on those days the Jews rid themselves of their enemies, and it was a month which was ²⁴turned for them from sorrow into gladness and from mourning into a holiday *; that they should make them days of feasting and rejoicing and ²⁵sending portions of food to one another and gifts to the poor.

23 Thus the Jews undertook what they had started to do, and what Mordecai had written to them.

24 For Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the adversary of all the Jews, had schemed against the Jews to destroy them and ²⁶had cast Pur, that is the lot, to disturb them and destroy them.

25 But ²⁷when it came to the king's attention, he commanded by letter ²⁸that his wicked scheme which he had devised against the Jews, ²⁹should return on his own head and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.

26 Therefore * they called these days Purim after the name of Pur. And ³⁰because of the instructions in this letter, both what they had seen in this regard and what had happened to them,

27 the Jews established and made a custom for themselves and for their descendants and for ³¹all those who allied themselves with them, so that they would not fail ³²to celebrate these two days according to their regulation and according to their appointed time annually *.

28 So these days were to be remembered and celebrated throughout every generation, every family, every province and every city; and these days of Purim were not to fail from among the Jews, or their memory fade from their descendants.

29 Then Queen Esther, ³³daughter of Abihail, with Mordecai the Jew, wrote with full authority to confirm ³⁴this second letter about Purim.

30 He sent letters to all the Jews, ³⁵to the 127 * * provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, namely, words of peace and truth,

31 to establish these days of Purim at their appointed times, just as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had established for them, and just as they had established for themselves and for their descendants with instructions ³⁶for their times of fasting and their lamentations.

32 The command of Esther established these customs for ³⁷Purim, and it was written in the book.

Esther 9 Commentary

Chapter 9

The success of the Jews. (1-19) The feast of Purim in remembrance of this. (20-32)

Verses 1-19 The enemies of the Jews hoped to have power over them by the former edict. If they had attempted nothing against the people of God, they would not themselves have suffered. The Jews, acting together, strengthened one another. Let us learn to stand fast in one spirit, and with one mind, striving together against the enemies of our souls, who endeavour to rob us of our faith, which is more precious than our lives. The Jews, to the honour of their religion, showed contempt of wordly wealth, that they might make it appear they desired nothing except their own preservation. In every case the people of God should manifest humanity and disinterestedness, frequently refusing advantages which might lawfully be obtained. The Jews celebrated their festival the day after they had finished their work. When we have received great mercies from God, we ought to be speedy in making thankful returns to him.

Verses 20-32 The observance of the Jewish feasts, is a public declaration of the truth of the Old Testament Scriptures. And as the Old Testament Scriptures are true, the Messiah expected by the Jews is come long ago; and none but Jesus of Nazareth can be that Messiah. The festival was appointed by authority, yet under the direction of the Spirit of God. It was called the feast of Purim, from a Persian word, which signifies a lot. The name of this festival would remind them of the almighty power of the God of Israel, who served his own purposes by the superstitions of the heathen. In reviewing our mercies, we should advert to former fears and distresses. When our mercies are personal, we should not by forgetfulness lose the comfort of them, or withhold from the Lord the glory due to his name. May the Lord teach us to rejoice, with that holy joy which anticipates and prepares for the blessedness of heaven. Every instance of Divine goodness to ourselves, is a new obligation laid on us to do good, to those especially who most need our bounty. Above all, ( 2 Corinthians. 8:9 )

Cross References

• 1. Esther 8:12
• 2. Esther 9:17
• 3. Esther 3:13
• 4. Esther 8:11; Esther 9:15-18
• 5. Esther 8:17
• 6. Ezra 8:36
• 7. 2 Samuel 3:1; 1 Chronicles 11:9
• 8. Esther 3:13
• 9. Esther 5:11
• 10. Esther 8:11
• 11. Esther 5:6; Esther 7:2
• 12. Esther 8:11; Esther 9:15
• 13. Esther 9:12
• 14. Esther 9:10
• 15. Esther 9:2
• 16. Leviticus 26:7, 8; Esther 8:11
• 17. Esther 9:1
• 18. Esther 9:21
• 19. Esther 8:11; Esther 9:2
• 20. Esther 9:21
• 21. Deuteronomy 3:5; Zechariah 2:4
• 22. Esther 9:22
• 23. Nehemiah 8:10
• 24. Psalms 30:11
• 25. Nehemiah 8:12
• 26. Esther 3:7
• 27. Esther 7:4-10
• 28. Esther 3:6-15
• 29. Psalms 7:16
• 30. Esther 9:20
• 31. Esther 8:17
• 32. Esther 9:20, 21
• 33. Esther 2:15
• 34. Esther 9:20, 21
• 35. Esther 1:1
• 36. Esther 4:3
• 37. Esther 9:26

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "day in it"
• [b]. Lit "drew near"
• [c]. Lit "lifted up"
• [d]. Lit "the stroke of"
• [e]. Lit "came"
• [f]. Lit "have rest from"
• [g]. Lit "in it"
• [h]. Lit "in it"
• [i]. Lit "in it"
• [j]. Lit "rejoicing and feasting and a good day and sending"
• [k]. Lit "in it"
• [l]. Lit "had rest from"
• [m]. Lit "good day"
• [n]. Lit "before the king, he"
• [o]. Lit "schemed"
• [p]. Lit "tree"
• [q]. Lit "Therefore because of all the words"
• [r]. Lit "received"
• [s]. Lit "seed"
• [t]. Lit "it should not pass away"
• [u]. Lit "writing"
• [v]. Lit "pass away"
• [w]. Lit "end"
• [x]. Lit "seed"
• [y]. Lit "seed"
• [z]. Lit "words"
• [aa]. Lit "words"

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO ESTHER 9

In this chapter we have an account of the Jews gathering together, on the day fixed for their destruction, to defend themselves, which they did in all the provinces, and smote their enemies; Es 9:1-5. In Shushan the palace they slew the ten sons of Haman and five hundred men on that day, Es 9:6-11 and at the request of the queen they were allowed the next day to hang up his sons, when they slew three hundred men more, Es 9:12-15, in the provinces they slew 75,000 and those in one day only, and the following days they kept as a festival, but they in Shushan kept the two days following, Es 9:16-19, and which two days were established by Esther and Mordecai as festivals, to be observed as such in future ages, by the name of the days of Purim, Es 9:20-32.