Esther 9:24

24 how Aman the son of Amadathes the Macedonian fought against them, how he made a decree and cast lots to destroy them utterly;

Esther 9:24 Meaning and Commentary

Esther 9:24

Because Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of
all the Jews, had devised against the Jews to destroy them
Had formed a design to exterminate them from the whole Persian empire in one day:

and had cast Pur, (that is, the lot,) to consume them, and to destroy
them;
had cast lots to find out what would be the most lucky day in the year for him to do it on, and the most unlucky and unfortunate to the Jews; and, according to the lot, the thirteenth of Adar was pitched upon; this and the following verse give the reasons for observing the above two days as festivals.

Esther 9:24 In-Context

22 for on these days the Jews obtained rest from their enemies; and the month, which was Adar, in which a change was made for them, from mourning to joy, and from sorrow to a good day, to spend the whole of it good days of feasting and gladness, sending portions to their friends, and to the poor.

23 And the Jews consented accordingly as Mardochaeus wrote to them,

24 how Aman the son of Amadathes the Macedonian fought against them, how he made a decree and cast lots to destroy them utterly;

25 also how he went in to the king, telling to hang Mardochaeus: but all the calamities he tried to bring upon the Jews came upon himself, and he was hanged, and his children.

26 Therefore these days were called Phrurae, because of the lots; (for in their language they are called Phrurae;) because of the words of this letter, and all they suffered on this account, and all that happened to them.

Footnotes

• [a]. lot.