Text -- Esther 9:1-12 (NET)

The Jews Prevail over Their Enemies

9:1 In the twelfth month (that is, the month of Adar), on its thirteenth day, the edict of the king and his law were to be executed. It was on this day that the enemies of the Jews had supposed that they would gain power over them. But contrary to expectations, the Jews gained power over their enemies. 9:2 The Jews assembled themselves in their cities throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus to strike out against those who were seeking their harm. No one was able to stand before them, for dread of them fell on all the peoples. 9:3 All the officials of the provinces, the satraps, the governors and those who performed the king’s business were assisting the Jews, for the dread of Mordecai had fallen on them. 9:4 Mordecai was of high rank in the king’s palace, and word about him was spreading throughout all the provinces. His influence continued to become greater and greater. 9:5 The Jews struck all their enemies with the sword, bringing death and destruction, and they did as they pleased with their enemies. 9:6 In Susa the citadel the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men. 9:7 In addition, they also killed Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, 9:8 Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, 9:9 Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai, and Vaizatha, 9:10 the ten sons of Haman son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews. But they did not confiscate their property. 9:11 On that same day the number of those killed in Susa the citadel was brought to the king’s attention. 9:12 Then the king said to Queen Esther, “In Susa the citadel the Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men and the ten sons of Haman! What then have they done in the rest of the king’s provinces? What is your request? It shall be given to you. What other petition do you have? It shall be done.”

Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)

Wesley: Est 9:2

Their enemies, though they did take up arms against them, yet were easily conquered and destroyed by them.

Wesley: Est 9:6

In the city so called.

Wesley: Est 9:6

Whom they knew to be such as would watch all opportunities to destroy them; which also they might possibly now attempt to do.

Wesley: Est 9:10

_Because they would leave it to their children, that it might appear what they did was not done out of malice, or covetousness, but out of mere necessity, and by that great law of self - preservation.

Wesley: Est 9:12

In which doubtless many more were slain. So that I have fully granted thy petition. And yet, if thou hast any thing farther to ask, I am ready to grant it.

JFB: Est 9:1

This was the day which Haman's superstitious advisers had led him to select as the most fortunate for the execution of his exterminating scheme against the Jews [Est 3:7].

JFB: Est 9:2

The tables were now turned in their favor; and though their enemies made their long meditated attack, the Jews were not only at liberty to act on the defensive, but through the powerful influence enlisted on their side at court together with the blessing of God, they were everywhere victorious.

JFB: Est 9:2

This impression arose not alone from the consciousness of the all-powerful vizier being their countryman, but from the hand of God appearing so visibly interposed to effect their strange and unexpected deliverance.|| 12840||1||12||0||@Thus the Jews smote all their enemies==--The effect of the two antagonistic decrees was, in the meantime, to raise a fierce and bloody war between the Jews and their enemies throughout the Persian empire; but through the dread of Esther and Mordecai, the provincial governors universally favored their cause, so that their enemies fell in great numbers.

Clarke: Est 9:1

Now in the twelfth month - What a number of providences, and none of them apparently of an extraordinary nature, concurred to preserve a people so signally, and to all human appearance so inevitably, doomed to destruction! None are ever too low for God to lift up, or too high for God to cast down. Must not these heathens have observed that the uncontrollable hand of an Almighty Being had worked in behalf of the Jews? And must not this have had a powerful tendency to discredit the idolatry of the country?

Clarke: Est 9:3

And all the rulers of the provinces - Mordecai being raised to the highest confidence of the king, and to have authority over the whole realm, these officers assisted the Jews, no doubt, with the troops under their command, to overthrow those who availed themselves of the former decree to molest the Jews. For it does not appear that the Jews slew any person who did not rise up to destroy them. See Est 9:5.

Clarke: Est 9:6

And in Shushan - It is strange that in this city, where the king’ s mind must have been so well known, there should be found five hundred persons to rise up in hostility against those whom they knew the king befriended!

Clarke: Est 9:10

The ten sons of Haman - Their names are given above. And it is remarked here, and in Est 9:16, where the account is given of the number slain in the provinces, that the Jews laid no hands on the spoil. They stood for their lives, and gave full proof that they sought their own personal safety, and not the property of their enemies, though the decree in their favor gave them authority to take the property of all those who were their adversaries, Est 8:11.

Defender: Est 9:3

Two contradictory, but irrevocable, decrees had been issued, one sponsored by Haman, bent on annihilating the Jews, the other sponsored by Mordecai, authorizing protection for the Jews and destruction of those who would attack them. The Persian military was thus faced with choosing which decree to help implement. Since Mordecai had now become second to the king in place of Haman (Est 8:2; Est 10:3), most decided the wisest choice would be to favor Esther, Mordecai, and the Jews. One tradition relates that it was only the Amalekites, or Agagites, of the same lineage of Haman, who actually tried to slay the Jews as Haman had planned."

TSK: Est 9:1

am 3552, bc 452

in the twelfth : Est 3:7, Est 3:13, Est 8:12

hoped : Act 12:11

though it was turned : Deu 32:36; 2Sa 22:41; Psa 30:11; Isa 14:1, Isa 14:2, Isa 60:14-16; Rev 11:18

TSK: Est 9:2

gathered : Est 9:10, Est 9:16, Est 8:11

as sought : Deu 2:30; Jos 11:20; Psa 71:13, Psa 71:24; Isa 8:9

the fear : Est 8:17; Gen 35:5; Exo 23:27; Jos 2:9

TSK: Est 9:3

the rulers : Est 3:12, Est 8:9; Ezr 8:36; Dan 3:2, Dan 6:1, Dan 6:2

officers of the king : Heb. those which did the business that belonged to the king

the fear : Est 3:2-6, Est 8:5

TSK: Est 9:4

was great : Psa 18:43

his fame : Jos 6:27; 1Sa 2:30; 1Ch 14:17; Zep 3:19; Mat 4:24

waxed : 2Sa 3:1; 1Ch 11:9; Psa 1:3; Pro 4:18; Isa 9:7

TSK: Est 9:5

smote : Psa 18:34-40, Psa 18:47, Psa 18:48, Psa 20:7, Psa 20:8, Psa 149:6-9; 2Th 1:6

the stroke : Jer 18:21

what they would : Heb. according to their will, The Chaldee paraphrast says that none appeared against the Jews but Amalekites only, who were infatuated, and had their hearts hardened, as Pharaoh’ s against Israel, to take up arms to their own destruction. Some had such an inveterate, implacable malice against the Jews, that Haman’ s fall and Mordecai’ s advancement, instead of convincing, seemed only to exasperate them the more. How have the most dreadful scourges ravaged a country, and yet the inhabitants are unmindful of the Almighty Disposer of events, and that the cause of his righteous displeasure is their continual provocation! Forty years long was he grieved with one generation, who learned not his ways, although daily fed and clothed by a miracle.

TSK: Est 9:6

Shushan : Est 3:15

TSK: Est 9:10

ten sons : Est 5:11; Exo 20:5; Job 18:18, Job 18:19, Job 27:13-15; Psa 21:10, Psa 109:12, Psa 109:13

enemy : Est 3:1, Est 7:4, Est 7:6; Exo 17:16

but on the spoil : It does not appear that the Jews slew any person who did not rise up to destroy themcaps1 . tcaps0 hey stood for their lives; and gave full proof that they sought their own personal safety, and not the property of their enemiescaps1 . tcaps0 hough the decree in their favour gave them authority to take the property of all their adversaries. Est 9:15, Est 9:16; Est 8:11; Gen 14:23; Rom 12:17; Phi 4:8

TSK: Est 9:11

was brought : Heb. came, Est 9:11

TSK: Est 9:12

what is thy petition : Est 5:6, Est 7:2

Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)

Barnes: Est 9:1

Drew near - Or, "arrived,"or "reached the time"specified Est 3:13; Est 8:12.

Barnes: Est 9:3

All the rulers ... helped the Jews - i. e. the Persians, who formed the standing army which kept the Empire in subjection, and were at the disposal of the various governors of provinces, took the Jews’ side. The enemies of the Jews (e. g. Est 9:16) were almost entirely to be found among the idolatrous people of the subject nations, for whose lives neither the Persians generally, nor their monarchs, cared greatly.

Barnes: Est 9:6

By "Shushan the palace (or the fort),"is probably meant the whole of the upper town, which occupied an area of more than 100 acres, and contained many residences besides the actual palace. The Jews would not have ventured to shed blood within the palace-precincts.

Barnes: Est 9:7-10

Most of these names are Persian, and readily traceable to Old Persian roots.

Est 9:10

On the spoil laid they not their hand - As they might have done (see the margin reference).

Poole: Est 9:2

No man could withstand them their enemies, though they did and were allowed to take up arms against them, yet were easily conquered and destroyed by the Jews.

The fear of them who had such potent friends at court, and so great a God on their side, who by such unusual and prodigious methods (whereof doubtless they had been particularly informed) had brought about such a mighty and unexpected deliverance.

Poole: Est 9:3

And officers of the king Heb. and all them that did the king’ s business , i.e. not only the chief persons designed by the foregoing words, but all his other ministers or officers, of what quality soever.

Poole: Est 9:4

Mordecai was great i.e. the greatest in place, and power, and favour with the king, both for his near relation to his beloved queen, and for his good service done to him in preserving his life and managing his affairs, and for those excellent abilities and virtues which he discovered in him, and especially by the disposition of the heart-ruling God.

Poole: Est 9:6

In Shushan the palace i.e. in the city so called, as was noted before, Est 1:2 ; it not being probable either that they would make such a slaughter in the king’ s palace, or that they would be suffered so to do.

Five hundred men whom by long experience they knew to be their constant and inveterate enemies, and such as would watch all opportunities to destroy them; which also they might possibly now attempt to do. Part of them also might be friends and allies of Haman, and therefore the avowed enemies of Mordecai.

Poole: Est 9:10

Either because they were desirous it should come into the king’ s treasury; or because they would leave it to their children, that it might appear that what they did that day was not done out of malice to their persons and families, or covetousness of their estates, but out of mere necessity, and by that great and approved law of self-preservation, and that they were ready to mix mercy with judgment and would not deal with their enemies so ill as it was apparent that their enemies intended to do against them.

Poole: Est 9:11

Possibly with evil design to incense thee king against the Jews.

Poole: Est 9:12

What have they done in the rest of the king’ s provinces? in which doubtless many more were slain. So that I have fully granted thy petition. And yet, if thou hast any thing further to ask, I am here ready to grant it.

Haydock: Est 9:1

As. Hebrew, "(which is the month of Adar) when the king's command and edict drew near to be executed, in that day when the enemies of the Jews hoped to have power over them, (though it turned out that the Jews had dominion over those who hated them)" (Haydock) ---

To revenge, &c. The Jews, on this occasion, by authority from the king, were made executioners of the public justice, for punishing by death a crime worthy of death, viz., a malicious conspiracy for extripating their whole nation; (Challoner) so inscrutable are the judgments of God, who never wholly abandoned his people! The old Vulgate passes over the first 19 verses, with the 24th, 25th, and 28th. (Calmet) ---

In this whole history we cannot but admire the Providence of God. (Worthington)

Haydock: Est 9:3

Extolled. Protestants, "helped." Septuagint, "the king's secretaries honoured the Jews." (Haydock)

Haydock: Est 9:6

Sons. It seems as if they had been slain with their father, ver. 10. See chap. vii. 9. (Calmet) ---

Yet, as the contrary would appear from chap. xvi. 18, we may suppose that they were at least (Haydock) imprisoned till this time, for a more exemplary punishment, while all the rest of the family perished with Aman. (Serarius) (Salien) (Menochius) ---

These are the kindred, specified nine months before, chap. xvi. (Tirinus) ---

Some Masorets childishly (Haydock) write these ten names one over another, and with greater and lesser letters, to shew that they were hung one above another, and that the guilt of all was not the same, but the youngest son was the most malicious. (Kennicott)

Haydock: Est 9:10

Goods, in any place, (Tirinus) that they might not appear to be actuated by the desire of riches, (Calmet) to fall upon the innocent. How often does this fatal cause blind Christian conquerors! The sons of Aman were married, and had separate establishments, chap. viii. 1.

Gill: Est 9:1

Now in the twelfth month, that is the month Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same,.... Of which see Est 3:13,

when the king's commandment and his decree drew near to be put in execution; even both his commandments and decrees, the one empowering the enemies of the Jews on that day to destroy them, and the other empowering the Jews to act both defensively and offensively against their enemies:

in the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to have power over them; by virtue of the first decree of the king; and notwithstanding the second, they might hope to have it because of their superior numbers:

though it was turned to the contrary, that the Jews had rule over them that hated them; it proved the reverse, partly through the second decree in favour of the Jews, and partly through the fear of them that fell upon their enemies; because the court was on their side, and the officers everywhere, and especially their God filled them with courage, and their enemies with terror.

Gill: Est 9:2

The Jews gathered themselves together in their cities, throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus,.... Wherever they lived:

to lay hand on such as sought their hurt; who not only threatened them what they would do on this day, but were risen up in arms in quest of them:

and no man could withstand them, for the fear of them fell upon all people; when they understood that Haman was hanged, and Mordecai the Jew advanced, and that the queen herself was a Jew, and that the Jews had the royal grant to act both defensively and offensively; and no doubt but the panic was of God.

Gill: Est 9:3

And all the rulers of the provinces, and the lieutenants, and the deputies, and officers of the king, blessed the Jews,.... Countenanced them and encouraged them, and gave them all assistance in their power; extolled them, as the word signifies, lifted them up, and spoke well of them, or praised them, as the Targum:

because the fear of Mordecai was upon them; he being now chief minister, they might fear, if they took part with the enemies of the Jews against them, they might be turned out of their places.

Gill: Est 9:4

For Mordecai was great in the king's house,.... Not only over Esther's affairs, but was one of the king's counsellors, and was the chief minister of state:

and his fame went out throughout all the provinces; what a favourite he was of the king, as well as a relation of the queen, and how wise and just his administrations were:

for this man Mordecai waxed greater and greater, was more and more in the king's favour, and had offices of honour and trust heaped upon him, and increased both in wealth and power.

Gill: Est 9:5

Thus the Jews smote all their enemies with the stroke of the sword, and slaughter, and destruction,.... Some with swords, and others with clubs, and staves; as the Targum; and such like slaughtering weapons of destruction:

and did what they would unto those that hated them; being then entirely at their will, and under their power.

Gill: Est 9:6

And in Shushan the palace the Jews slew and destroyed five hundred men. Not in the royal palace, where it cannot be thought the Jews had so many enemies, or such a bloody slaughter of them should be made there; but in the city, where the palace was: and this may seem somewhat wonderful, that there should so many rise there against the Jews, so near the court, now altogether in the interest of the Jews; but these were men no doubt of Haman's faction, and enraged at his disgrace and death, and headed by his ten sons, who took the advantage of the decree to avenge his death; the Targum says, these were princes of the house of Amalek.

Gill: Est 9:7-10

And Parshandatha, and Dalphon, and Aspatha, and Poratha, and Adalia, and Aridatha, and Parmashta, and Arisai, and Aridai, and Vajezatha, the ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews, slew they,.... Along with the five hundred men, at the head of which they were:

but on the spoil laid they not their hands; though they were allowed by the edict to do it, Est 8:11, but this they did not, that it might appear that they did not take away their lives from a covetous desire of their estates, but purely in self-defence; and they might do this, the more to ingratiate themselves to the king, to whom the goods and estates of those men would be confiscated.

Gill: Est 9:11

On that day the number of those that were slain in Shushan the palace was brought before the king. Either by order of the king, that he might know how many enemies the Jews had in the city, and how many of subjects had been slain; or officiously by others, with an intention to irritate the king against the Jews.

Gill: Est 9:12

And the king said unto Esther the queen,.... After the account had been brought in to him:

the Jews have slain and destroyed five hundred men in Shushan the palace; the Targum adds, of the seed of Amalek:

and the ten sons of Haman: which very probably were all he had; though the Targum, in Est 9:14, makes mention of seventy sons that Zeresh his wife fled with:

what have they done in the rest of the king's provinces? that could not be said; but it might be concluded, that if so many were slain in Shushan, the number must be great in all the provinces:

now what is thy petition and it shall be granted thee: or "what is thy request further? and it shall be done"; if this was not sufficient and satisfactory, whatever else she should ask for should be granted.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Est 9:4

¹ tn Heb “great”; NRSV “powerful”; NIV “prominent”; NCV “very important.”

² tn Heb “the man Mordecai” (so NASB, NRSV).

Geneva Bible: Est 9:1

Now in the twelfth month, that [is], the month Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, when the king's commandment and his decree drew near to be put in execution, in the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to have power over them, (though it was ^{( a )} turned to the contrary, that the Jews had rule over them that hated them;)

^{( a )} This was by God's great providence, who turns the joy of the wicked into sorrow, and the tears of the godly into gladness.

Geneva Bible: Est 9:3

And all the rulers of the provinces, and the lieutenants, and the deputies, and officers of the king, ^{( b )} helped the Jews; because the fear of Mordecai fell upon them.

^{( b )} Honoured them and befriended them.

Geneva Bible: Est 9:5

Thus the Jews smote all their ^{( c )} enemies with the stroke of the sword, and slaughter, and destruction, and did what they would unto those that hated them.

^{( c )} Who had conspired their death by the permission of the wicked Haman.

Geneva Bible: Est 9:6

And in Shushan the palace the Jews slew and destroyed ^{( d )} five hundred men.

^{( d )} Besides the three hundred that they slew the second day, (Est 9:15).

Geneva Bible: Est 9:10

The ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews, slew they; but ^{( e )} on the spoil laid they not their hand.

^{( e )} By which they declared that this was God's just judgment on the enemies of his Church as they fought not for their own gain, but to execute his vengeance.

Commentary -- Verse Range Notes

TSK Synopsis: Est 9:1-32

1 The Jews slay their enemies, with the ten sons of Haman.

12 Ahasuerus, at the request of Esther, grants another day of slaughter, and Haman's sons to be hanged.

20 The two days of Purim are made festival.

MHCC: Est 9:1-19

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.

Matthew Henry: Est 9:1-19

We have here a decisive battle fought between the Jews and their enemies, in which the Jews were victorious. Neither side was surprised; for both had notice of it long enough before, so that it was a fair trial of skill between them. Nor could either side call the other rebels, for they were both supported by the royal authority.

I. The enemies of the Jews were the aggressors. They hoped, notwithstanding the latter edict, to have power over them, by virtue of the former (Est 9:1), and made assaults upon them accordingly; they formed themselves into bodies, and joined in confederacy against them, to seek their hurt, Est 9:2. The Chaldee paraphrase says that none appeared against the Jews but Amalekites only, who were infatuated, and had their hearts hardened, as Pharaoh's against Israel, to take up arms to their own destruction. Some had such an inveterate implacable malice against the Jews that Haman's fall and Mordecai's advancement, instead of convincing them, did but exasperate them, and make them the more outrageous and resolute to cut all their throats. The sons of Haman, particularly, vowed to avenge their father's death, and pursue his designs, which they call noble and brave, whatever hazards they run; and a strong party they had formed both in Shushan and in the provinces in order hereunto. Fight they would, though they plainly saw Providence fight against them; and thus they were infatuated to their own destruction. If they would have sat still, and attempted nothing against the people of God, not a hair of their head would have fallen to the ground: but they cannot persuade themselves to do that; they must be meddling, though it prove to their own ruin, and roll a burdensome stone, which will return upon them.

II. But the Jews were the conquerors. That very day when the king's decree for their destruction was to be put in execution, and which the enemies thought would have been their day, proved God's day, Psa 37:13. It was turned to the contrary of what was expected, and the Jews had rule over those that hated them, Est 9:1. We are here told,

1. What the Jews did for themselves (Est 9:2): They gathered themselves together in their cities, embodied, and stood upon their defence, offering violence to none, but bidding defiance to all. If they had not had an edict to warrant them, they durst not have done it, but, being so supported, they strove lawfully. Had they acted separately, each family apart, they would have been an easy prey to their enemies; but acting in concert, and gathering together in their cities, they strengthened one another, and durst face their enemies. Vis unita fortior - forces act most powerfully when combined. Those that write of the state of the Jews at this day give this as a reason why, though they are very numerous in many parts, and very rich, they are yet so despicable, because they are generally so selfish that they cannot incorporate, and, being under the curse of dispersion, they cannot unite, nor (as here) gather together, for, if they could, they might with their numbers and wealth threaten the most potent states.

2. What the rulers of the provinces did for them, under the influence of Mordecai. All the officers of the king, who, by the bloody edict, were ordered to help forward their destruction (Est 3:12, Est 3:13), conformed to the latter edict (which, being an estopel against an estopel, had set the matter at large, and left them at liberty to observe which they pleased) and helped the Jews, which turned the scale on their side, Est 9:3. The provinces would generally do as the rulers of the provinces inclined, and therefore their favouring the Jews would greatly further them. But why did they help them? Not because they had any kindness for them, but because the fear of Mordecai fell upon them, he having manifestly the countenance both of God and the king. They all saw it their interest to help Mordecai's friends because he was not only great in the king's house, and caressed by the courtiers (as many are who have no intrinsic worth to support their reputation), but his fame for wisdom and virtue went out thence throughout all the provinces: in all places he was extolled as a great man. He was looked upon also as a thriving man, and one that waxed greater and greater (Est 9:4), and therefore for fear of him all the king's officers helped the Jews. Great men may, by their influence, do a great deal of good; many that fear not God will stand in awe of them.

3. What God did for them: he struck all people with a fear of them (Est 9:2), as the Canaanites were made afraid of Israel (Jos 2:9, Jos 5:1), so that, though they had so much hardiness as to assault them, yet they had not courage to prosecute the assault. Their hearts failed them when they came to engage, and none of the men of might could find their hands.

4. What execution they did hereupon: No man could withstand them (Est 9:2), but they did what they would to those that hated them, Est 9:5. So strangely were the Jews strengthened and animated, and their enemies weakened and dispirited, that none of those who had marked themselves for their destruction escaped, but they smote them with the stroke of the sword. Particularly, (1.) On the thirteenth day of the month Adar they slew in the city Shushan 500 men (Est 9:6) and the ten sons of Haman, Est 9:10. The Jews, when on the feast of Purim they read this book of Esther, oblige themselves to read the names of Haman's ten sons all in one breath, without any pause, because they say that they were all killed together, and all gave up the ghost just in the same moment. - Buxt. Synag. Jud. c. 24. The Chaldee paraphrase says that, when these ten were slain, Zeresh, with seventy more of his children, escaped, and afterwards begged their bread from door to door. (2.) On the fourteenth day they slew in Shushan 300 more, who had escaped the sword on the former day of execution, Est 9:15. This Esther obtained leave of the king for them to do, for the greater terror of their enemies, and the utter crushing of that malignant party of men. The king had taken account of the numbers that were put to the sword the first day (Est 9:11), and told Esther (Est 9:12), and asked her what more she desired. "Nothing,"says she, "but commission to do such another day's work."Esther surely was none of the blood-thirsty, none of those that delight in slaughter, but she had some very good reasons that moved her to make this request. She also desired that the dead bodies of Haman's ten sons might be hanged up on the gallows on which their father was hanged, for the greater disgrace of the family and terror of the party (Est 9:13), and it was done accordingly, Est 9:14. It is supposed that they were hanged in chains and left hanging for some time. (3.) The Jews in the country kept to their orders, and slew no more of their enemies than what were slain the thirteenth day, which were in all, among all the provinces, 75,000, Est 9:16. If all these were Amalekites (as the Jews say), surely now it was that the remembrance of Amalek was utterly put out, Exo 17:14. However, that which justifies them in the execution of so many is that they did it in their own just and necessary defence; they stood for their lives, authorized to do so by the law of self-preservation, as well as by the king's decree. (4.) In these several executions it is taken notice of that on the prey they laid not their hand, Est 9:10, Est 9:15, Est 9:16. The king's commission had warranted them to take the spoil of their enemies for a prey (Est 8:11), and a fair opportunity they had of enriching themselves with it; if Haman's party had prevailed, no doubt, they would have made use of their authority to seize the goods and estates of the Jews, Est 3:13. But the Jews would not do so by them, [1.] That they might, to the honour of their religion, evidence a holy and generous contempt of worldly wealth, in imitation of their father Abraham, who scorned to enrich himself with the spoils of Sodom. [2.] That they might make it appear that they aimed at nothing but their own preservation, and used their interest at court for the saving of their lives, not for the raising of their estates. [3.] Their commission empowered them to destroy the families of their enemies, even the little ones and the women, Est 8:11. But their humanity forbade them to do that, though that was designed against them. They slew none but those they found in arms; and therefore they did not take the spoil, but left it to the women and little ones, whom they spared, for their subsistence; otherwise as good slay them as starve them, take away their lives as take away their livelihoods. Herein they acted with a consideration and compassion well worthy of imitation.

5. What a satisfaction they had in their deliverance. The Jews in the country cleared themselves of their enemies on the thirteenth day of the month, and they rested on the fourteenth day (Est 9:17), and made that a thanksgiving day, Est 9:19. The Jews in Shushan, the royal city, took two days for their military execution, so that they rested on the fifteenth day, and made that their thanksgiving-day, Est 9:18. Both of them celebrated their festival the very day after they had finished their work and gained their point. When we have received signal mercies from God we ought to be quick and speedy in making our thankful returns to him, while the mercy is fresh and the impressions of it are most sensible.

Keil-Delitzsch: Est 9:1-10

The Jews avenged of their enemies. - Est 9:1. In the twelfthmonth, on the thirteenth day of the same - the Jews gathered themselvestogether in their cities, etc. Several parenthetical clauses succeed thisdefinition of time, so that the statement of what then took place does notfollow till נקהלוּ , Est 9:2. These parenthetical clauses state notonly the meaning of the day just named, but also give a general notice ofthe conflict between the Jews and their enemies. The first runs: "when theword of the king drew nigh and his decree to be done,"i.e., when theexecution of the royal decree approached. The second is: "on the day thatthe enemies of the Jews hoped to have the mastery of them, and it waschanged (i.e., the contrary occurred), that the Jews had the mastery overthem that hated them." בּ שׁלט , to rule, to have the masteryover. נהפוך is infin. abs., used instead of the imperf . הוּא is referred by Bertheau to יום : the day was changed froma day of misfortune to a day of prosperity for the Jews, alluding to Est 9:22;but it is not a change of the day which is here spoken of, but a change ofthe hope of the enemies into its opposite; hence we must regard הוּא as neuter: it was changed, i.e., the contrary occurred. The pronoun המּה serves to emphasize the subject; comp. Ewald, §314, a ,who in this and similar cases takes הוּא המּה in thesense of ipse, ipsi .

Est 9:2-3

בּעריהם , in their cities, i.e., the cities in which theydwelt in all the dominions of the king. יד לשׁלח , tostretch out the hand (as also in Est 2:21; Est 3:6, for the purpose of killing)against those who sought their hurt, i.e., sought to destroy them. "And noone stood before them ( בּפני עמד , like Jos 10:8;Jos 21:42, and elsewhere), because the fear of them fell upon all people (seerem. on Est 8:17). And all the rulers of the provinces, and the satraps andgovernors (comp. Est 8:9), and those that did the king's business ( המּלאכה עשׁי , see rem. on Est 3:9), supported the Jews ( נשּׂא like Ezr 1:4), because the fear of Mordochai fell upon them."

Est 9:4

"For Mordochai was great in the king's house (was muchesteemed by the king), and his fame went through all the provinces( שׁמעו as in Jos 6:27; Jos 9:9; Jer 6:24); for this man Mordochaibecame continually greater;"comp. 2Ch 17:12, where the partic. גּדל stands instead of the inf. abs. גּדול .

Est 9:5

Thus supported, the Jews inflicted defeat upon their enemieswith the sword, and with slaughter and destruction. הכּה with בּ ,to deal a blow upon or against some one, to cause or bring about uponenemies a defeat; comp. e.g., 2Sa 23:10; 2Sa 24:17; Num 22:6. The notion isstrengthened by וגו מכּת־חרב , literally, to strike a stroke of thesword, and of slaughter, and of destruction, in accordance with the decree,Est 8:11. "And did according to their will to those that hated them,"i.e.,retaliated upon their enemies at their discretion.

Est 9:6

In the citadel of Susa they destroyed (in round numbers) 500men.

Est 9:7-10

Also they slew the ten sons of Haman, whose names aregiven, Est 9:7-9;

(Note: The peculiar position of the names of the sons of Haman ineditions of the Bible, grounded as it is upon the ancient mode ofwriting, must originally have been intended merely to giveprominence to the names, and facilitate their computation. The laterRabbis, however, have endeavoured to discover therein some deepermeaning. This mode of writing the names has been said to be signum voti, ut a ruina sua nunquam amplius resurgant , or also a sign quod sicut hi decem filii in linea perpendiculari, unus supra alterum, suspensi fuerint . Comp. Buxtorf, Synagoga jud . pp. 157-159 of the Basle edit. 1580. What is indicated by the smaller forms of the letters ת , שׁ , and ז , in the first, seventh, and tenth names, is not known;the larger ו in the tenth may have been meant to give prominence,by the character employed, to this name as the last.)

but on the spoil they laid not their hand, though this was allowed to them,Est 8:11, as it had been commanded to their enemies by Haman's edict,Est 3:13, ut ostenderent, se non aliud quam vitae suae incolumitatem quaerere;hanc enim perdere volebant ii qui occidebantur . C. a Lapide.

Keil-Delitzsch: Est 9:11-12

When on the same day an account was given to the king of the result of theconflict, and the number of those slain in Susa reported, he announced toQueen Esther: the Jews have slain in the citadel of Susa 500 men and theten sons of Haman; "what have they done in the rest of the king'sprovinces?"i.e., if they have killed 500 men in Susa, how many may theynot have slain in other parts of the kingdom? and then asked her what elseshe wished or required. With respect to the words, comp. Est 5:6, and Est 7:2.

Constable: Est 8:1--9:20

C. The Jews' Deliverance 8:1-9:19

Even though Haman was dead the Jews were not yet safe. This section of the text records what Esther and Mordecai did to insure the preservation of the Jews who then lived throughout the vast Persian Empire.

Constable: Est 9:1-19

5. The Jews' self-defense 9:1-19

The king gave the Jews permission to defend themselves by killing their enemies. Evidently this meant that they not only met attack with resistance but in some cases initiated attack against those who they knew would destroy them.⁹⁷ These would have been people such as Haman's sons who would have sought retaliation for their father's death in typical ancient Near Eastern fashion. Anti-Semitism has a very ancient history. Apparently it was wide-spread at this time, but the Jews did not plunder their enemies (vv. 15-16).

"The deliberate decision not to enrich themselves at the expense of their enemies would not go unnoticed in a culture where victors were expected to take the spoil. The very novelty of such self-denial would be remarked upon and remembered, and taken as proof of the upright motives of the Jewish communities."⁹⁸

The absence of explicit reference in the text to God helping His people does not deny His help. Instead it reflects the attitude of the Jews who chose to refuse God's commands through Isaiah and Jeremiah to return to the land (Isa. 48:20; Jer. 29:10; 50:8; 51:6; cf. Deut. 28). They had pushed God aside in their lives as had Mordecai and Esther. Nevertheless God remained faithful to His promises in spite of His people's unfaithfulness (cf. 2 Tim. 2:13).

Evidently Esther had learned of a plot in Susa to attack the Jews on Adar 14 (March 8; v. 13). The purpose of hanging the bodies of Haman's 10 executed sons on the gallows was to disgrace them and to discourage other enemies of the Jews from attacking them (cf. Deut. 21:22-23; Num. 25:4; 1 Sam. 31:8-12; 2 Sam. 21:6; Num. 16:27, 32-33; Josh. 7:24-25). Almost twice as many people died in the royal precincts of Susa as in the rest of the city. The word "capital" in verse 6 really refers to the acropolis, the royal section of the capital city of Susa.

Enemies killed by the Jews
Number	Place	Date	References
500 men	in the acropolis of Susa	Adar 13 (March 7)	9:6, 12
75,000 people	in other parts of the empire	Adar 13 (March 7)	9:16
300 men	in Susa	Adar 14 (March 8)	9:15

Guzik: Est 9:1-32

Esther 9 - Victory for the Jews

A. They defeat their enemies.

1. (1-5) Victory, with the help of the king.

Now in the twelfth month, that is, the month of Adar, on the thirteenth day, the time came for the king's command and his decree to be executed. On the day that the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, the opposite occurred, in that the Jews themselves overpowered those who hated them. The Jews gathered together in their cities throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus to lay hands on those who sought their harm. And no one could withstand them, because fear of them fell upon all people. And all the officials of the provinces, the satraps, the governors, and all those doing the king's work, helped the Jews, because the fear of Mordecai fell upon them. For Mordecai was great in the king's palace, and his fame spread throughout all the provinces; for this man Mordecai became increasingly prominent. Thus the Jews defeated all their enemies with the stroke of the sword, with slaughter and destruction, and did what they pleased with those who hated them.

a. On the day that the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, the opposite occurred: The Jews definitely had their enemies, those who wished to destroy them. Yet they had someone great on their side: the king, with all his resources. With the king for them, it didn't matter who was against them.

b. Thus the Jews defeated all their enemies: We have our own enemies to deal with; but with the King of Kings on our side, we have no reason to fear - What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31)

2. (6-10) Cities where they fought their enemies.

And in Shushan the citadel the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men. Also Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai, and Vajezatha; the ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews; they killed; but they did not lay a hand on the plunder.

3. (11-17) At the king's invitation, Esther asks for the complete defeat of all the enemies of the Jews.

On that day the number of those who were killed in Shushan the citadel was brought to the king. And the king said to Queen Esther, "The Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men in Shushan the citadel, and the ten sons of Haman. What have they done in the rest of the king's provinces? Now what is your petition? It shall be granted to you. Or what is your further request? It shall be done." Then Esther said, "If it pleases the king, let it be granted to the Jews who are in Shushan to do again tomorrow according to today's decree, and let Haman's ten sons be hanged on the gallows." So the king commanded this to be done; the decree was issued in Shushan, and they hanged Haman's ten sons. And the Jews who were in Shushan gathered together again on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar and killed three hundred men at Shushan; but they did not lay a hand on the plunder. The remainder of the Jews in the king's provinces gathered together and protected their lives, had rest from their enemies, and killed seventy-five thousand of their enemies; but they did not lay a hand on the plunder. This was on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar. And on the fourteenth day of the month they rested and made it a day of feasting and gladness.

a. If it pleases the king, let it be granted to the Jews who are in Shushan to do again tomorrow according to today's decree, and let Haman's ten sons be hanged on the gallows: Many have criticized Esther for this, saying it showed a lack of love towards her enemies. Yet she displays the same principle found so often in Joshua - she would not settle for less than total victory.

b. And they hanged Haman's ten sons: Haman and his sons were descendents of the ancient Amalekites (comparing Esther 3:1 and 1 Samuel 15:8-33). God commanded Saul, the son of Kish, to execute the full extend of God's judgment against the Amalekites (1 Samuel 15:2-3). Samuel failed; but this later descendent of the tribe of Benjamin and a son of Kish named Mordecai (Esther 2:5-6) completed God's judgment against the Amalekites.

i. "Now it was God's intent that a last conflict should take place between Israel and Amalek: the conflict which began with Joshua in the desert was to be finished by Mordecai in the king's palace." (Spurgeon)

B. The feast of Purim established.

1. (18-19) A great celebration among the Jews of the Persian Empire.

But the Jews who were at Shushan assembled together on the thirteenth day, as well as on the fourteenth; and on the fifteenth of the month they rested, and made it a day of feasting and gladness. Therefore the Jews of the villages who dwelt in the unwalled towns celebrated the fourteenth day of the month of Adar with gladness and feasting, as a holiday, and for sending presents to one another.

2. (20-32) The institution of the feast of Purim.

And Mordecai wrote these things and sent letters to all the Jews, near and far, who were in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, to establish among them that they should celebrate yearly the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar, as the days on which the Jews had rest from their enemies, as the month which was turned from sorrow to joy for them, and from mourning to a holiday; that they should make them days of feasting and joy, of sending presents to one another and gifts to the poor. So the Jews accepted the custom which they had begun, as Mordecai had written to them, because Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to annihilate them, and had cast Pur (that is, the lot), to consume them and destroy them; but when Esther came before the king, he commanded by letter that this wicked plot which Haman had devised against the Jews should return on his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows. So they called these days Purim, after the name Pur. Therefore, because of all the words of this letter, what they had seen concerning this matter, and what had happened to them, the Jews established and imposed it upon themselves and their descendants and all who would join them, that without fail they should celebrate these two days every year, according to the written instructions and according to the prescribed time, that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city, that these days of Purim should not fail to be observed among the Jews, and that the memory of them should not perish among their descendants. Then Queen Esther, the daughter of Abihail, with Mordecai the Jew, wrote with full authority to confirm this second letter about Purim. And Mordecai sent letters to all the Jews, to the one hundred and twenty-seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, with words of peace and truth, to confirm these days of Purim at their appointed time, as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had prescribed for them, and as they had decreed for themselves and their descendants concerning matters of their fasting and lamenting. So the decree of Esther confirmed these matters of Purim, and it was written in the book.

a. Mordecai wrote these things and sent letters to all the Jews, near and far, who were in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, to establish among them that they should celebrate yearly: The principle of remembering God's great deliverance is good; we too often forget His great works.

b. So the decree of Esther confirmed these matters of Purim: Today, Purim is one of the more popular Jewish feasts, with costumes, games and noise.

© 2006 David Guzik - No distribution beyond personal use without permission

Introduction / Outline

JFB: Esther (Book Introduction)

ESTHER derives its name from the Jewess, who, having become wife of the king of Persia, employed her royal influence to effect a memorable deliverance for the persecuted Church of God. Various opinions are embraced and supported as to the authorship of this book, some ascribing it to Ezra, to Nehemiah, or to Mordecai. The preponderance of authorities is in favor of the last. The historical character of the book is undoubted, since, besides many internal evidences, its authenticity is proved by the strong testimony of the feast of Purim, the celebration of which can be traced up to the events which are described in this book. Its claim, however, to canonical authority has been questioned on the ground that the name of God does not once occur in it. But the uniform tradition both of the Jewish and the Christian Churches supports this claim, which nothing in the book tends to shake; while it is a record of the superintending care of divine providence over his chosen people, with which it is of the utmost importance the Church should be furnished. The name of God is strangely enough omitted, but the presence of God is felt throughout the history; and the whole tone and tendency of the book is so decidedly subservient to the honor of God and the cause of true religion that it has been generally received by the Church in all ages into the sacred canon.

JFB: Esther (Outline)

• AHASUERUS MAKES ROYAL FEASTS. (Est. 1:1-22)
• ESTHER CHOSEN TO BE QUEEN. (Est. 2:1-20)
• MORDECAI, DISCOVERING A TREASON, IS RECORDED IN THE CHRONICLES. (Est 2:21-23)
• HAMAN, ADVANCED BY THE KING, AND DESPISED BY MORDECAI, SEEKS REVENGE ON ALL THE JEWS. (Est 3:1-15)
• MORDECAI AND THE JEWS MOURN. (Est 4:1-14)
• ESTHER INVITES THE KING AND HAMAN TO A BANQUET. (Est 5:1-14)
• AHASUERUS REWARDS MORDECAI FOR FORMER SERVICE. (Est 6:1-14)
• ESTHER PLEADS FOR HER OWN LIFE AND THE LIFE OF HER PEOPLE. (Est 7:1-6)
• THE KING CAUSES HAMAN TO BE HANGED ON HIS OWN GALLOWS. (Est 7:7-10)
• MORDECAI ADVANCED. (Est 8:1-6)
• AHASUERUS GRANTS TO THE JEWS TO DEFEND THEMSELVES. (Est 8:7-14)
• MORDECAI'S HONORS, AND THE JEWS' JOY. (Est 8:15-17)
• THE JEWS SLAY THEIR ENEMIES WITH THE TEN SONS OF HAMAN. (Est. 9:1-19)
• THE TWO DAYS OF PURIM MADE FESTIVAL. (Est 9:20-32)
• AHASUERUS' GREATNESS. MORDECAI'S ADVANCEMENT. (Est 10:1-3)

TSK: Esther (Book Introduction)

This Book, which derives its name from the person whose history it chiefly relates, is termed in Hebrew, מגלה [Strong’s 04039] אסתר [Strong’s 0635], megillath Esther , " the volume of Esther." Concerning its author there are various opinions: some attribute it to Ezra; some to Joachim, the son of Joshua the high priest; others to the men of the great synagogue; and others to Mordecai, which seems the most probable opinion. The events here related probably refer to the time of Artaxerxes Longimanus, who, according to Prideaux, was the Ahasuerus of Esther, agreeably to Josephus (Ant. 1 xi. c. 6), the Septuagint version, and the apocryphal additions to this book. The history, therefore, comes in between the sixth and seventh chapters of Ezr 6:22, commencing about am 3540, and continuing through a period of twelve years. it relates the royal feast of Ahasuerus; the disgrace of Vashti (Esther 1); the elevation of Esther to the Persian throne; the essential service rendered to the king by Mordecai, in detecting a plot against his life (Esther 2); the promotion of Haman, and his purposed destruction of the Jews (Est 3:1-15); the consequent affliction of the Jews, and the measures pursued by them (Esther 4); the defeat of Haman’s plot, through the instrumentality of Esther, against Mordecai (Esther 5-7); and also the defeat of his general plot against the Jews (Esther 8, Est 9:1-15); the institution of the feast of Purim to commemorate this deliverance (Esther 9:16-32); and the advancement of Mordecai (Est 10:1-3); and though some Christians have hesitated to receive this book into the sacred canon, yet it has always been received by the Jews, not only as perfectly authentic, but also as one of the most excellent of their sacred books. That it is a genuine and faithful description of a real fact, the observation of the feast of Purim, to the present day, is a sufficient evidence; since it is impossible, and in fact inconceivable, that a nation should institute, and afterwards continue to celebrate without interruption, through every generation of that people, in a long succession of ages, in whatever places they may have sojourned, this solemn annual festival, merely because one of their nation had written an agreeable fable or romance. It has been remarked, as an objection to this book, that the name of God no where occurs in it: His superintending providence, however, is frequently illustrated. It is shewn, indeed, in every part of the work; disconcerting evil designs, and producing great events, by means seemingly inadequate. It also presents an interesting description of mortified pride, and of malice baffled to the destruction of its possessors; and exhibits a very lively representation of the vexations and troubles, the anxieties, treachery, and dissimulation of a corrupt court.

TSK: Esther 9 (Chapter Introduction)

Overview

Est 9:1, The Jews slay their enemies, with the ten sons of Haman; Est 9:12, Ahasuerus, at the request of Esther, grants another day of slaughter, and Haman’s sons to be hanged; Est 9:20, The two days of Purim are made festival.

Poole: Esther 9 (Chapter Introduction)

CHAPTER 9

The Jews slay their enemies, Est 9:1-9 , with the ten sons of Haman, Est 9:10 . Ahasuerus, at the request of Esther, granteth another day of slaughter, Est 9:12-19 . The days of Purim made festival, Est 9:20-32 .

In that day which was selected by Haman with great industry and art, as the most lucky day, and which their enemies had ofttimes formerly thought of, and no doubt threatened the Jews with it.

MHCC: Esther (Book Introduction)

We find in this book, that even those Jews who were scattered in the province of the heathen, were taken care of, and were wonderfully preserved, when threatened with destruction. Though the name of God be not in this book, the finger of God is shown by minute events for the bringing about his people's deliverance. This history comes in between Ezra chapters 6 and 7.

MHCC: Esther 9 (Chapter Introduction)

(v. 1-19) The success of the Jews.

(Est 9:20-32) The feast of Purim in remembrance of this.

Matthew Henry: Esther (Book Introduction)

An Exposition, with Practical Observations, of The Book of Esther

How the providence of God watched over the Jews that had returned out of captivity to their own land, and what great and kind things were done for them, we read in the two foregoing books; but there were many who staid behind, having not zeal enough for God's house, and the holy land and city, to carry them through the difficulties of a removal thither. These, one would think, should have been excluded the special protection of Providence, as unworthy the name of Israelites; but our God deals not with us according to our folly and weakness. We find in this book that even those Jews who were scattered in the provinces of the heathen were taken care of, as well as those who were gathered in the land of Judea, and were wonderfully preserved, when doomed to destruction and appointed as sheep for the slaughter. Who drew up this story is uncertain. Mordecai was as able as any man to relate, on his own knowledge, the several passages of it; quorum pars magna fuit - for he bore a conspicuous part in it; and that he wrote such an account of them as was necessary to inform his people of the grounds of their observing the feast of Purim we are told (Est 9:20, Mordecai wrote these things, and sent them enclosed in letters to all the Jews), and therefore we have reason to think he was the penman of the whole book. It is the narrative of a plot laid against the Jews to cut them all off, and which was wonderfully disappointed by a concurrence of providences. The most compendious exposition of it will be to read it deliberately all together at one time, for the latter events expound the former and show what providence intended in them. The name of God is not found in this book; but the apocryphal addition to it (which is not in the Hebrew, nor was ever received by the Jews into the can on), containing six chapters, begins thus, Then Mordecai said, God has done these things. But, though the name of God be not in it, the finger of God is, directing many minute events for the bringing about of his people's deliverance. The particulars are not only surprising and very entertaining, but edifying and very encouraging to the faith and hope of God's people in the most difficult and dangerous times. We cannot now expect such miracles to be wrought for us as were for Israel when they were brought out of Egypt, but we may expect that in such ways as God here took to defeat Haman's plot he will still protect his people. We are told, I. How Esther came to be queen and Mordecai to be great at court, who were to be the instruments of the intended deliverance, ch. 1, 2. II. Upon what provocation, and by what arts, Haman the Amalekite obtained an order for the destruction of all the Jews, Est 3:1-15. III. The great distress the Jews, and their patriots especially, were in thereupon, ch. 4. IV. The defeating of Haman's particular plot against Mordecai's life, ch. 5-7. V. The defeating of his general plot against the Jews, ch. 8. VI. The care that was taken to perpetuate the remembrance of this, ch. 9, Est 10:1-3. The whole story confirms the Psalmist's observation (Psa 37:12, Psa 37:13), The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth. The Lord shall laugh at him; he sees that his day is coming.

Matthew Henry: Esther 9 (Chapter Introduction)

We left two royal edicts in force, both given at the court of Shushan, one bearing date the thirteenth day of the first month, appointing that on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month then next ensuing all the Jews should be killed; another bearing date the twenty-third day of the third month, empowering the Jews, on the day appointed for their slaughter, to draw the sword in their own defence and make their part good against their enemies as well as they could. Great expectation there was, no doubt, of this day, and the issue of it. The Jews' cause was to be tried by battle and the day was fixed for the combat by authority. Their enemies resolved not to lose the advantages given them by the first edict, in hope to overpower them by numbers; the Jews relied on the goodness of their God and the justice of their cause, and resolved to make their utmost efforts against their enemies. The day comes at length; and here we are told, I. What a glorious day it was, that year, to the Jews, and the two days following - a day of victory and triumph, both in the city Shushan and in all the rest of the king's provinces (v. 1-19). II. What a memorable day it was made to posterity, by an annual feast, in commemoration of this great deliverance, called " the feast of Purim," (Est 9:20-32).

Constable: Esther (Book Introduction)

Introduction

Title

The title of this book comes from its principle character, Esther. In this it is similar to many other Old Testament books (e.g., Joshua, Ruth, Samuel, Ezra, Nehemiah, Job, et al.).

Writer and Date

The writer did not identify himself in the text. References in the book show that he was familiar with Persian culture and literature (2:23; 10:2). The writer also wrote as though he was an eyewitness of the events he recorded. He was pro-Jewish and was probably a Jew. It is possible, though not certain, that Mordecai wrote the book.¹ The idea that the writer was Esther has not found support mainly because female writers were uncommon in ancient patriarchal societies such as Israel.

This book would have been a source of encouragement to the Jews who had returned to the Promised Land after the Exile. Consequently many scholars believe a Jew may have written it for this purpose. Perhaps he was a Jew who had returned to the land from Susa, the site of the events recorded in the book.

The writer could have written it any time after 473 B.C., the year the Jews defended themselves and instituted the Feast of Purim, the last historical events in the book (9:27-28). If a contemporary of these events composed it, he probably did so within a generation or two of this date. The first extra-biblical reference to the book is in 2 Maccabees 15:36, which dates from late in the second century B.C.

Genre

"From the literary point of view, the book ranks high as an outstanding example of narrative art."²

"The genre of the Book of Esther is historical narrative. As such, biblical narrative is characterized by the cooperation of three components: ideology (socioreligious perspective), historiography (use of historical persons and events in a narrative), and aesthetic appeal (its influence and persuasion of the reader).³ Each of these three elements can be readily seen in Esther. The ideology is the orthodox faith of ancient Israel. The book is theological in that its primary purpose is to teach about God and his continuing relationship with his people. It is historiographical in that it is an account of historical persons and historical events as they occurred. It is aesthetic because it is full of drama and suspense and draws its readers to anticipate happenings and events that often are the reverse of what the reader expects."⁴

Most scholars today regard the Book of Esther as a historical novel.⁵ However, bear in mind that most scholars are not conservative in their view of Scripture.

"I believe it would be true to say that a study of literary themes has done more to promote an understanding of the book than all the discussion about historicity, which so occupied scholars earlier this century."⁶

Scope

The events of the Book of Esther took place during the Persian period of ancient history (539-331 B.C.) and during the reign of King Ahasuerus in particular (486-464 B.C.).

Chronology of the Book of Esther
483	Ahasuerus' military planning session in Susa
482	The deposition of Vashti
481	The beginning of Ahasuerus' unsuccessful expedition against Greece
480	Esther's arrival in Susa
479	Ahasuerus' return to SusaEsther's coronation
478
477
476
475
474	The issuing of Ahasuerus' decrees affecting the Jews
473	The Jews' defense of themselvesThe establishment of the Feast of Purim

The first historical event to which the writer alluded seems to be Ahasuerus' military planning session at which he plotted the strategy for his ill-fated campaign against Greece (1:3-21). The king held this planning session in the winter of 483-482 B.C. The last recorded event in Esther is the institution of the Feast of Purim that took place in 473 B.C. Therefore the events recorded in the book spanned a period of about 10 years.⁷

By the time Esther opens many Jews had returned from the Exile to Palestine to reestablish the institutions of Judaism (Ezra 1-6). Most of the Jews in exile did not return even though their law (Deut. 28) and the prophets (Isa. 48:20; Jer. 50:8; 51:6) encouraged them to do so. They preferred the comfort and convenience of life as they had come to know it outside the Promised Land to the discomfort and privation involved in obeying God. Esther and Mordecai were among those who chose not to return.⁸

The events of Esther fit chronologically between chapters 6 and 7 of Ezra.

Purpose

There seem to be at least two purposes for the book. First, it demonstrates God's providential care of His people even when they were outside the Promised Land because of disobedience. Second, it explains the origin of the feast of Purim with a view to commending its observance to the Jews (9:24-28).⁹ Ancient histories, the Greek history of Herodotus being one, were often written "for public recitation at private gatherings or public festivals."¹⁰ Esther was evidently written for the same purpose. The Jews retold the story of Esther at Purim each year.

"The importance of the book for modern historians can be gauged by the fact that, whereas Josephus included the Esther story in his Antiquities of the Jews, Martin Noth in his History of Israel makes no mention of it, and Geo Widengren dismisses it in thirteen lines. It is without much historical value.'¹¹ John Bright mentions the book by name but that is all.¹² Whatever others say, in practice historians ignore the book of Esther. Whatever the reason for this neglect of the book may be, we are justified in assuming that present-day historians do not take seriously the threat it records to the very existence of the Jewish race."¹³

A third purpose may be to warn readers against anti-Semitism (cf. Gen. 12:1-3).

"Esther says to the Christian that anti-Jewish hostility is intolerable to God."¹⁴

"It is easy to see why the book is valued by Jews, who have suffered so much through the ages and have clung to the assurance implied by Purim that, however severe the threat upon their race, they have a future."¹⁵

Message¹⁶

The events of this book took place between those recorded in Ezra 6 and 7. They have nothing to do with the people who returned from exile in Babylon. They deal with those who remained behind. Remember the dates of the three returns: 537, 458, and 444. The events in Esther took place about 482-473 B.C.

Esther's Jewish name was Hadasseh, which means myrtle. The myrtle tree was native to Babylonia, but the returning exiles took the myrtle tree with them to Palestine. There this tree became a symbol of the nation of Israel transplanted from Babylon in Palestine. Zechariah used the myrtle tree as a symbol of Israel in Zechariah 1:7-11. Esther's parents probably named her for this beautiful tree. Most of the students of this book have recognized her as a symbol of the Jewish people living among Gentiles.

Esther's Persian name was Esther, which means star. Another view is that she was named in honor of Ishtar, a pagan goddess. The myrtle tree bears a beautiful star-like flower. Esther may have received her Persian name because she was the flower of the myrtle tree, full of beauty and grace. In life she became just that, the flower of Israel, its loveliest production. She was not just physically beautiful, but she became a great blessing to her people and a great blessing to the Gentiles as well. She became what God intended Israel to be.

This book is unique in the Old Testament in several respects. The writer did not mention God's name once in its pages. E. J. Young wrote in his Introduction to the Old Testament, "Since these Jews were no longer in the theocratic line, so to speak, the name of the covenant God is not associated with them."¹⁷ Matthew Henry wrote, "But, though the name be not in it, the finger of God is, directing many minute events for the bringing about of his people's deliverance."¹⁸ There are no references to the Law of Moses, the temple, or Jewish worship. There is one reference to a fast and one to a feast that are very general and show only that the Jews in exile maintained some religious habits. There is also no reference to Jerusalem, except the one in 2:6 that says Mordecai's great-grandfather went into exile from Jerusalem. Yet even without these familiar references it is impossible to read this book without being conscious of God. The great value of this book is its revelation of God acting in providence.

There are several other unique features of Esther. No New Testament writer quoted or referred to it. No church father wrote a commentary on it. It never mentions prayer. It mentions nothing explicitly supernatural. Martin Luther wrote that he wished it had never been written. It is the only Old Testament historical book that records a history of the Jews outside their land during the times of the Gentiles. The "times of the Gentiles" (Luke 21:24) began with Nebuchadnezzar's defeat of Jerusalem and will continue until Christ's second coming. It is the time when Israel's fortunes and fate are in the hands of Gentiles.

Like Ruth, the Book of Esther is an illustration. It records a slice of life out of the exilic period that illustrates a great revelation. Ruth illustrates redemption. Esther illustrates providence.

Let me clarify this term. This is a term that many Christians have abused and misunderstood. Providence means foresight. Our word comes from Latin (pro video) and means to see the affairs of life before they happen. The acquired meaning of providence, what it has come to mean through usage, is activity resulting from foresight. We can see at once that people can never exercise providence as God can. We have very limited powers of foresight. We do not know what a day will bring forth (Prov. 27:1). God, on the other hand, foresees all things and can act because of that foreknowledge.

The theological doctrine of providence is that God both possesses and exercises absolute power over all the works of His hands. Psalm 11 is a great passage that sets forth this revelation. The Book of Esther illustrates God's providence. The writer did not speak of God directly, but His acting as a result of His foresight is obvious in what he wrote. God hid Himself but was at work in Esther.

Esther reveals three things about divine providence.

First, it reveals the method of providence.

It shows that even though people do not acknowledge God's presence He is always at work. His control becomes especially clear at the end of the book (10:3). Events had turned around completely from the way they were at the beginning of the book. Instead of being in peril, the Jews were now at peace. God not only rules over the major issues in life, but He also uses the trivialities of life to accomplish His purposes. Some of these trivialities were: the king's decision to summon Vashti after he got drunk, Vashti's refusal, Haman's hatred for Mordecai, the king's insomnia, and the passage his servant read to him.

God's providence is all-inclusive. That is part of its method. No person or detail of life escapes God's control (Rom. 8:28). "All things" includes all individuals and all events.

Second, Esther reveals the principles of providence.

God proceeds on the basis of perfect knowledge: intimate, accurate, absolute knowledge (Ps. 11:4).

Another principle of His providence is His undeviating righteousness. God's providence works in harmony with man's freedom. It never coerces people. The king made his own decisions; God did not compel him to act as he did. Haman plotted his own intrigues, made his own arrangements, built his own gallows. The same was true of Mordecai and Esther. Yet the sphere in which they made their decisions was God's sovereignty (Acts 17:28a). Haman built his gallows, but God hanged him on it.

A third principle of God's providence is that of absolute power. God is great enough to give people genuine freedom and yet cause things to turn out the way He wants them to. God causes human freedom to contribute to His divine purpose. We cannot comprehend this truth completely. We cannot contain revelation within reason. That is why it is impossible to bring all of revelation into a comprehensive philosophy. Philosophy is what is reasonable, but revelation goes beyond reason. Not that it is irrational; it simply transcends reason.

Third, Esther reveals the results of providence.

On the human level there are two results. To those who recognize divine providence comes great confidence and courage. However to those who do not come panic and punishment. We can see this most clearly in the characters of Esther and Mordecai, and in Haman.

On the divine level the result of providence is that God progresses toward His ultimate goal. Throughout all of Scripture we see this identical mighty movement.

The message of this book is that God is, and God acts through history to accomplish His purposes regardless of whether humans acknowledge Him or not.

There are many arguments for the existence of God. The argument from providence is one of these, though apologists do not usually give it as much emphasis as some other arguments. The fact that human events are harmonizing with God's ultimate purposes as He has revealed these in Scripture testifies to God's existence. When people forget God, He still molds history and governs life in harmony with His purposes. We cannot escape God's hand; we only change our destiny. We become His friends or His foes by our attitude toward Him (Dan. 5:22-23).

The great application of the message of this book is take God into account. This is the essence of biblical wisdom, by the way. Trust Him and cooperate with Him or you will suffer destruction. God's providence may seem very impersonal and austere. However William Cowper has reminded us that, "Behind a frowning providence, He hides a smiling face."¹⁹ Romans 8:28 is perhaps the most concise word on the providence of God that the Scriptures contain. God will complete His plans. We determine our own destiny as we cooperate with His will or oppose it. Our choice affects our destiny, but it does not frustrate His plan. Consequently it is very important that we know God's plans and make them known to others. He has revealed His plans in His promises in Scripture. Therefore we should pay very careful attention to the promises of God. The biblical covenants are his comprehensive formal promises. Even though many people in the world today ignore God, His plans will become reality eventually. This fact should make us confident and optimistic in the present.

Constable: Esther (Outline)

Outline

I. God's preparations 1:1-2:20

A. Vashti deposed ch. 1

1. The king's feast 1:1-9

2. The queen's dismissal 1:10-22

B. Esther elevated 2:1-20

1. The plan to replace Vashti 2:1-4

2. Esther's selection 2:5-11

3. The choice of Esther as queen 2:12-20

II. Haman's plot 2:21-4:3

A. Background considerations 2:21-3:6

1. Mordecai's loyalty 2:21-23

2. Haman's promotion 3:1-6

B. Haman's proposal 3:7-15

1. The casting of lots 3:7

2. Haman's request 3:8-9

3. The king's permission 3:10-15

C. Mordecai's reaction 4:1-3

III. Esther's intervention 4:4-9:19

A. Mordecai's instruction 4:4-17

B. The plot exposed chs. 5-7

1. Esther's preparations ch. 5

2. Mordecai's exaltation ch. 6

3. Haman's fall ch. 7

C. The Jews' deliverance 8:1-9:19

1. The rewarding of Esther and Mordecai 8:1-2

2. Esther's request for her people 8:3-8

3. The royal decree 8:9-14

4. The joy of the Jews 8:15-17

5. The Jews' self-defense 9:1-19

IV. The Jews' rejoicing 9:20-32

V. Mordecai's greatness ch. 10

Constable: Esther

Esther

Bibliography

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Armerding, Carl. Esther: For Such a Time as This. Chicago: Moody Press, 1955.

Baker, Carl A. "An Investigation of the Spirituality of Esther." M.Div. thesis, Grace Theological Seminary, 1977.

Baldwin, Joyce G. Esther. Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries series. Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1984.

_____. "The Message of Esther for Today." Evangel 5:3 (Autumn 1987):9.

Baxter, J. Sidlow. Explore the Book. 6 vols. London: Marshall, Morgan, and Scott, 1965.

Breneman, Mervin. Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther. The New American Commentary series. N.c.: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1993.

Bright, John A. A History of Israel. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1959.

Bury, J. B.; S. A. Cook; and F. E. Adcock, eds. The Cambridge Ancient History. 12 vols. 2nd ed. reprinted. Cambridge, Eng.: University Press, 1928.

Bush, Frederic W. Ruth, Esther. Word Biblical Commentary series. Dallas: Word Books, 1996.

Clines, David J. A. The Esther Scroll: The Story of the Story. JSOT Supplement 30. Sheffield, Eng.: Journal for the Study of the Old Testament, 1984.

_____. Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther. New Century Bible Commentary series. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., and London: Marshall, Morgan, and Scott, 1984.

Cohan, A. The Five Megilloth. London: Soncino Press, 1946.

Constable, Thomas L. "Analysis of the Bible Books--Old Testament." Paper submitted for course 685 Analysis of Bible Books--Old Testament. Dallas Theological Seminary, January 1967.

Cowper, William. Olney Hymns, 35. In The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations. 2nd ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 1955.

Darby, John Nelson. Synopsis of the Books of the Bible. 5 vols. Revised ed. New York: Loizeaux Brothers Publishers, 1942.

Fox, Michael V. Character and Ideology in the Book of Esther. Columbia, S.C.: University of South Carolina, 1991.

_____. "The Religion of the Book of Esther." Judaism 39:2 (Spring 1990):135-47.

Gaebelein, Arno C. The Annotated Bible. 4 vols. Reprint ed. Chicago: Moody Press, and New York: Loizeaux Brothers, Inc., 1970.

Gordis, Robert. "Studies in the Esther Narrative." Journal of Biblical Literature 95:1 (March 1976):43-58.

Hallo, W. W. "The First Purim." Biblical Archaeologist 46:1 (1983):19-27.

Hayes, J. H., and J. M. Miller, eds. Israelite and Judean History. London: SCM, 1977.

Henry, Matthew. "An Exposition, with Practical Observations, of the Book of Esther." In Commentary on the Whole Bible. New One Volume Edition. Edited by Leslie F. Church. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1974.

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Horine, Steven. "Esther's Organizing Metaphor: The Feasting Motif." A paper presented to the Annual Meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society, Nov. 15, 2000, Nashville, Tenn.

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International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, 1949 ed. S.v. "Esther, Book of," by John Urquhart.

Ironside, Harry A. Notes on the Books of Ezra, Nehemiah & Esther. New York: Loizeaux Brothers, n.d.

Josephus, Flavius. The Works of Flavius Josephus. Translated by William Whitson. Antiquities of the Jews. London: T. Nelson and Sons, 1866.

Keil, C. F. The Books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther. Translated by Sophia Taylor. Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., n.d.

Kitchen, K. A. The Bible in Its World. Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1977.

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Lange, John Peter, ed. Commentary on the Holy Scriptures. 12 vols. Reprint ed., Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1960. Vol. 4: Chronicles-Job, by Otto Zockler, Fr. W. Schultz, and Howard Crosby. Translated, enlarged, and edited by James G. Murphy, Charles A. Briggs, James Strong, and L. J. Evans.

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Moore, Carey A. "Archaeology and the Book of Esther." Biblical Archaeologist 38:3&4 (September, December 1975):62-79.

_____. "Eight Questions Most Frequently Asked About the Book of Esther." Bible Review 3:1 (Spring 1987):16-31.

_____. Esther. Anchor Bible series. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday and Co., 1971.

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Wright, J. Stafford. "The Historicity of Esther." In New Perspective on the Old Testament, pp. 37-47. Edited by J. Barton Payne. Waco: Word Books, 1970.

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_____. "The Archaeological Background of Esther." Bibliotheca Sacra 137:546 (April-June 1980):99-117.

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Copyright 2003 by Thomas L. Constable

Haydock: Esther (Book Introduction)

THE BOOK OF ESTHER.

INTRODUCTION.

This Book takes its name from queen Esther; whose history is here recorded. The general opinion of almost all commentators on the Holy Scripture, make Mardochai the writer of it: which also may be collected below from chap. ix. 20. (Challoner) --- He and the queen were certainly authors of the letter, (Haydock) enjoining the celebration of the feast of Purim, or "lots," which is the ground-work (Calmet) of the present narration. (Du Hamel) --- The compiler has also had recourse to the archives of the kingdom of Persia: so that his work has all the authority that can be required of a profane historian; and being moreover inspired in all its parts, we cannot refuse to receive it with the utmost respect. Those additions which are not now in Hebrew, (Calmet) though they were perhaps formerly, (Worthington; Origen; Du Hamel) have been carefully preserved by St. Jerome, and were recognized by the ancient Vulgate, as they are at present by the Greek, without any distinction. Lysimachus, the Greek translator, was probably the author of them, chap. xi. 1. (Calmet) --- The objections of Capellus against this "Greek scribbler," as he is pleased to style him, despising the judgment of both Jews and Christians, are in general very unaccountably borrowed (Haydock) from the Latin version, and are easily refuted. (Houbigant) --- Those Jews, who have rejected this work entirely, with Melito, (Eusebius, Hist. iv. 26.; St. Gregory of Nazianzus, &c.) ought not to prevail against the consent of the majority, (Calmet) expressed in the Councils of Laodicea, Carthage, Trent, session 4, &c. To read this book according to the order of time, we should begin [with] chap. xi., ver. 2, &c., chap. i., ii., and xii., and iii., to ver. 14; then we find the distress of the Jews in the rest of that chapter, and in chap. xiii., to ver. 8, and their delivery in chap. iv. to ix., ver. 17, and chap. xiii. ver. 8, &c., and chap. xiv., xv., and xvi. The consequences of these events are recorded [in] chap. ix., ver. 17, &c., to chap. xi. 1., (Worthington) with which verse the book ends, in the Greek editions. (Haydock) --- They vary considerably, as did the copies of the ancient Vulgate, which called forth the complaints of St. Jerome, Preface. But the Church has distinguished what was spurious from the genuine word of God; so that the doubts of Lyran, Sixtus, (Bib. viii.) &c., respecting the fragments at the end of the book being not canonical, ought no longer to be indulged; much less can the boldness of many Lutherans, (Calmet) and particularly of Le Clerc, (Houbigant) be tolerated, who represent the whole work as a mere fiction. The Jews have a greater respect for it than for any of the prophets; whose works, they say, will perish at the coming of the Messias: whereas this will subsist with the books of Moses, and the feast of Purim will never be abolished, chap. ix. 28. (Maimonides) --- Ben. Gorion (ii. 2.) admits the additions. But Josephus is silent about them, as he probably did not find them in his copy. (Calmet) --- He recites, however, both the epistles of Assuerus. (Antiquities xi. 6.) (Du Hamel) --- It is not agreed whether these events happened before or after the captivity. But it is now most commonly supposed, that Esther was married to Darius Hystaspes, the year of the world 3489, about the time of the dedication of the temple, chap. xiv. 9. He had been on the throne six years, and reigned other thirty. See Herodotus vii. 4. (Calmet) --- Josephus thinks that Esther was the queen of Artaxerxes Longimanus, who was a great friend of the Jews. (Du Hamel) --- The Thalmud attributes this work to the great Synagogue, consisting of Esdras, Mardochai, Joachim, &c., and, as various persons might write the same history, the Greek, with the additions, seems to be taken from one copy, and the Hebrew from another rather more concise, (Huet; Du Hamel) but equally inspired. (Haydock)

Gill: Esther (Book Introduction)

INTRODUCTION TO ESTHER

This book has its name from the person who is the principal subject of it; it is by Clemens of Alexandria ^a called the Book of Mordecai also; it is commonly called, in the Hebrew copies, "Megillah Esther", the Volume of Esther; and sometimes in the Jewish writings only "Megillah", by way of eminency, "the Volume". It was written, according to the Talmudists ^b, by the men of the great synagogue, composed by Ezra; and some think it was written by Ezra himself ^c; but Aben Ezra is of opinion it was written by Mordecai, since he was concerned in, and had perfect knowledge of, all things related in it; which is rejected by Spinosa ^d, who conceits that this, and the books of Daniel, Ezra, and Nehemiah, were written by one and the same historian long after the times of Judas Maccabaeus: as to the canonical authority of it, it has been generally received by Jews and Christians; our wise men, says Maimonides ^e, openly and plainly affirm of the book of Esther, that it was dictated by the Holy Spirit; so Aben Ezra on Est 6:6, and he himself ^f affirms, that

"all the books of the prophets, and all the Hagiographa (or holy writings), shall cease in the days of the Messiah, except the volume of Esther; and, lo, that shall be as stable as the Pentateuch, and as the constitutions of the oral law, which shall never cease.''

Though the versions of other books of Scripture might not be read in the synagogues, versions of this book might to those who did not understand Hebrew ^g; and so Luther ^h says, the Jews more esteem the book of Esther than any of the prophets. Whence Mr. Baxter ⁱ had that notion, I can not devise, that the Jews used to cast to the ground the book of Esther before they read it, because the name of God was not in it: nor is that any objection to its authenticity, since the hand and providence of God may be most clearly seen in it; in raising Esther to such grandeur, and that for the deliverance of the people of the Jews, and in counter working and bringing to nought the plots of their enemies, and in saving them: nor that it is not quoted in the New Testament; it is sufficient there is no disagreement between them, yea, an entire agreement, particularly in the account of the captivity of Jeconiah, which is expressed almost in the same words in Est 2:6 as in Mat 1:11. It stands in Origen's catalogue ^k of the books of the Old Testament; nor is it any material objection that it appears not in the catalogue of Melito ^l, since in that list is comprehended under Ezra not Nehemiah only, but Esther also, which Jerom ^m mentions along with it. This book is not only of use to the Jews, as it shows the original and foundation of a feast of theirs, still kept up by them, the feast of Purim, and makes for the glory of their nation, and therefore it is no wonder it should be so highly esteemed by them; but serves to show the singular providence of God in taking care of his people in adversity, in humbling the proud, and exalting the lowly, and saving those that pray to him, and trust in him; it furnishes out various instructions in the conduct of the several persons herein mentioned; it is a history but of ten or eleven years at most, from the third of Ahasuerus, to the twelfth of his reign, Est 1:3.

Gill: Esther 9 (Chapter Introduction)

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; Est 9:1. In Shushan the palace they slew the ten sons of Haman and five hundred men on that day, Est 9:6 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, Est 9:12, 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, Est 9:16, 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, Est 9:20.