Esther 9 Footnotes

9:14 Esther’s request to have the bodies of Haman’s ten sons hung from the gallows is understandable in light of similar practices of her contemporaries. It was common in her day for a ruler to put on public display the bodies of those executed for certain crimes. The display served as a warning to others. Similarly, Esther’s request would serve as a warning to those who would seek to destroy the Jews. Today such a display of the dead is no longer considered appropriate for any reason.