Esther 9:26-32

26 Therefore they called these days Purim, after the term ¹Pur. Therefore, because of all that was written in ²this letter, and of what they had faced in this matter, and of what had happened to them,

27 the Jews firmly obligated themselves and their offspring and ³all who joined them, that without fail they would keep ⁴these two days according to what was written and at the time appointed every year,

28 that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, in every clan, province, and city, and that these days of Purim should never fall into disuse among the Jews, nor should the commemoration of these days cease among their descendants.

29 Then Queen Esther, ⁵the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew gave full written authority, confirming ⁶this second letter about Purim.

30 Letters were sent to all the Jews, ⁷to the 127 provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, in words of peace and truth,

31 that these days of Purim should be observed at their appointed seasons, as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther obligated them, and as they had obligated themselves and their offspring, with regard to ⁸their fasts and their lamenting.

32 The command of Queen Esther confirmed these practices of ⁹Purim, and it was recorded in writing.

Esther 9:26-32 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.

Cross References

• 1. [See ver. 24 above]
• 2. ver. 20
• 3. [Isaiah 56:3, 6; Zechariah 2:11]
• 4. ver. 21
• 5. Esther 2:15
• 6. ver. 20; Esther 8:10
• 7. Esther 1:1; Esther 8:9
• 8. Esther 4:3
• 9. ver. 26