Esther Chapter Nine
The Jews are Victorious
1 Now in the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, when the king’s command and edict were about to be carried out, on the very day when the enemies of the Jews hoped to gain the mastery over them, the reverse occurred: the Jews gained mastery over those who hated them.
The author now jumps to the 13th of Adar, the date of the both decrees. One of the edicts commanded the destruction of the Jews and the other edict allowed the Jews to defend themselves. The author tells us in advance that the Jews were victorious!
2 The Jews gathered in their cities throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus to lay hands on those who sought their harm. And no one could stand against them, for the fear of them had fallen on all peoples. 3 All the officials of the provinces and the satraps and the governors and the royal agents also helped the Jews, for the fear of Mordecai had fallen on them.
The Jews gathered together to fight anyone who would fight against them. As a unified force they were apparently effective as no one could stand against them. The author notes that the people feared the Jews and further noted that all of the officials, satraps, governors, and royal agents (widely translated, essentially everybody who worked for the king) also aided the Jews because they feared Mordecai who was now a high-ranking official in King Ahasuerus’ kingdom.
4 For Mordecai was great in the king’s house, and his fame spread throughout all the provinces, for the man Mordecai grew more and more powerful.
With Mordecai now in a prominent position in the kingdom, he became well known throughout the kingdom, which, being neither Persian or Mede, undoubtedly upset the previous political structure. Mordecai steadily increased in political influence and power (see Ezra 2:2 and Nehemiah 7:7).
5 The Jews struck all their enemies with the sword, killing and destroying them, and did as they pleased to those who hated them. 6 In Susa the citadel itself the Jews killed and destroyed 500 men, 7 and also killed Parshandatha and Dalphon and Aspatha 8 and Poratha and Adalia and Aridatha 9 and Parmashta and Arisai and Aridai and Vaizatha, 10 the ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews, but they laid no hand on the plunder.
Looking back at the confrontation, the author tells us that the Jews struck their enemies with swords. The author, reporting from Susa, records that the Jews killed 500 men and all ten sons of Haman. Even though the edict allowed the victor to loot any valuables, the Jews did not claim or touch any plunder.
11 That very day the number of those killed in Susa the citadel was reported to the king. 12 And the king said to Queen Esther, “In Susa the citadel the Jews have killed and destroyed 500 men and also the ten sons of Haman. What then have they done in the rest of the king’s provinces! Now what is your wish? It shall be granted you. And what further is your request? It shall be fulfilled.”
The king reports to Esther the results of those killed in Susa and then wonders what the tally was in the rest of the king’s provinces. The king then asks her what she wishes, essentially asking if these results satisfied her request (see Esther 7:3-4), adding that whatever else she desires it will be done.
13 And Esther said, “If it please the king, let the Jews who are in Susa be allowed tomorrow also to do according to this day’s edict. And let the ten sons of Haman be hanged on the gallows.” 14 So the king commanded this to be done. A decree was issued in Susa, and the ten sons of Haman were hanged.
Esther responds asking the king to extend the decree one more day in Susa and to disgrace Haman’s family, have his ten sons, even though already dead, hanged in public.
15 The Jews who were in Susa gathered also on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar and they killed 300 men in Susa, but they laid no hands on the plunder. 16 Now the rest of the Jews who were in the king’s provinces also gathered to defend their lives, and got relief from their enemies and killed 75,000 of those who hated them, but they laid no hands on the plunder.
The Jews in Susa gathered together for a second day to defend themselves. An additional 300 men were killed that day, a strong statement on just how extensive the Jews were hated. The results of the encounters throughout the kingdom reported that a total of 75,000 men were killed in the other Persian provinces combined, from the Jews defending themselves on the 13th day of Adar (only the people of Susa fought on the second day). None of the Jews on either day claimed the plunder for themselves. The intense hatred for the Jewish people, especially for those in Haman’s family, cost many their lives.
17 This was on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar, and on the fourteenth day they rested and made that a day of feasting and gladness. 18 But the Jews who were in Susa gathered on the thirteenth day and on the fourteenth, and rested on the fifteenth day, making that a day of feasting and gladness. 19 Therefore the Jews of the villages, who live in the rural towns, hold the fourteenth day of the month of Adar as a day for gladness and feasting, as a holiday, and as a day on which they send gifts of food to one another.
In the other provinces the Jews rested on the 14th day and made it a day of feasting and gladness. The Jews in Susa rested on the 15th day and made it also a day of feasting and joy. The author emphasizes that the Jews living in remote villages (typically referring to those without walls) observed the occasion as a holiday on the 14th day of the month of Adar.
The Feast of Purim
20 And Mordecai recorded these things and sent letters to all the Jews who were in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, both near and far, 21 obliging them to keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar and also the fifteenth day of the same, year by year, 22 as the days on which the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month that had been turned for them from sorrow into gladness and from mourning into a holiday; that they should make them days of feasting and gladness, days for sending gifts of food to one another and gifts to the poor. 23 So the Jews accepted what they had started to do, and what Mordecai had written to them.
Mordecai recorded everything that occurred and sent letters to all the Jews that they are to celebrate the salvation of their people on both the fourteenth and fifteenth day of Adar every year. The month that was scheduled for unspeakable sorrow had turned into a time of great joy. Only the hand of God could provide such a remarkable reversal! It became a time to give gifts to each other and to the poor. A holiday was born; the first non-Mosaic custom[1] of celebration was created.
24 For Haman the Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast Pur (that is, cast lots), to crush and to destroy them. 25 But when it came before the king, he gave orders in writing that his evil plan that he had devised against the Jews should return on his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.
Mordecai appropriately vilifies Haman and even though not mentioning her by name, emphasizes the role Esther played in saving her people. Mordecai also notes how Haman’s plot to exterminate the Jews ended up having himself and his sons killed. The author returns to how Haman selected the day by casting lots, called ‘Pur’ (see commentary under Esther 3:7).
26 Therefore they called these days Purim, after the term Pur. Therefore, because of all that was written in this 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 all who joined them, that without fail they would keep these 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, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew gave full written authority, confirming this second letter about Purim.
The holiday known as ‘Purim’ was born. All Jews were instructed, regardless where they live, were to celebrate these two days every year. The words Mordecai wrote and dispatched in letters and now endorsed by Esther, carried the same weight as any other irrevocable Persian law. It should be noted that Purim continues to be celebrated today (usually in March).
30 Letters were sent to all the Jews, to 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 their fasts and their lamenting.
The letters were sent to all 127 provinces of the Persian kingdom. Along with the letters decreeing a celebration came also the instructions that they were to teach their children to continue the tradition and to remember to prepare for this celebration with the appropriate fasting and lamenting.
32 The command of Esther confirmed these practices of Purim, and it was recorded in writing.
The Jewish celebration of Purim was now officially recognized in Persian law.
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[1] The seven festivals ordained by God given to Moses are known as the ‘Mosaic’ feasts or festivals (Passover, Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits, Weeks, Trumpets, Day of Atonement, and Booths).