Esther 9:1-11

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.

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Esther 9:1-11 Meaning and Commentary

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.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 10

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

Footnotes 5

[a]. Lit "day in it"
[b]. Lit "drew near"
[c]. Lit "lifted up"
[d]. Lit "the stroke of"
[e]. Lit "came"