Esther 9:1-19

Esther 9:1-19

[1] Now in the twelfth  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 turned  to the contrary, that the Jews  had rule  over them that hated  them;) [2] The Jews  gathered themselves together  in their cities  throughout all the provinces  of the king  Ahasuerus,  to lay  hand  on such as sought  their hurt:  and no man  could withstand  them;  for the fear  of them fell  upon all people.  [3] And all the rulers  of the provinces,  and the lieutenants,  and the deputies,  and officers  of the king,  helped  the Jews;  because the fear  of Mordecai  fell  [4] For Mordecai  was great  in the king's  house,  and his fame  went out  throughout all the provinces:  for this man  Mordecai  waxed  greater and greater.  [5] Thus the Jews  smote  all their enemies  with the stroke  of the sword,  and slaughter,  and destruction,  and did  what they would  unto those that hated  [6] And in Shushan  the palace  the Jews  slew  and destroyed  five  hundred  men.  [7] And Parshandatha,  and Dalphon,  and Aspatha,  [8] And Poratha,  and Adalia,  and Aridatha,  [9] And Parmashta,  and Arisai,  and Aridai,  and Vajezatha,  [10] The ten  sons  of Haman  the son  of Hammedatha,  the enemy  of the Jews,  slew  they; but on the spoil  laid  they not their hand.  [11] On that day  the number  of those that were slain  in Shushan  the palace  was brought  before  the king.  [12] And the king  said  unto Esther  the queen,  The Jews  have slain  and destroyed  five  hundred  men  in Shushan  the palace,  and the ten  sons  of Haman;  what have they done  in the rest  of the king's  provinces?  now what is thy petition?  and it shall be granted  thee: or what is thy request  further?  and it shall be done.  [13] Then said  Esther,  If it please  the king,  let it be granted  to the Jews  which are in Shushan  to do  to morrow  also according unto this day's  decree,  and let Haman's  ten  sons  be hanged  upon the gallows.  [14] And the king  commanded  it so to be done:  and the decree  was given  at Shushan;  and they hanged  Haman's  ten  sons.  [15] For the Jews  that were in Shushan  gathered themselves together  on the fourteenth  day  also of the month  Adar,  and slew  three  hundred  men  at Shushan;  but on the prey  they laid  not their hand.  [16] But the other  Jews  that were in the king's  provinces  gathered themselves together,  and stood  for their lives,  and had rest  from their enemies,  and slew  of their foes  seventy  and five  thousand,  but they laid  not their hands  on the prey,  [17] On the thirteenth  day  of the month  Adar;  and on the fourteenth  they, and made  it a day  of feasting  and gladness.  [18] But the Jews  that were at Shushan  assembled together  on the thirteenth  day thereof, and on the fourteenth  thereof; and on the fifteenth  and made  it a day  of feasting  and gladness.  [19] Therefore the Jews  of the villages,  that dwelt  in the unwalled  towns,  made  the fourteenth  day  of the month  Adar  a day of gladness  and feasting,  and a good  day,  and of sending  portions  one  to another. 

What does Esther 9:1-19 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

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 they initiated attack against those who they knew would destroy them. [1] 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 widespread at this time, but the Jews did not plunder their enemies ( Esther 9:15-16).
"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." [2]
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 ignore God"s commands, through Isaiah and Jeremiah , to return to the land ( Isaiah 48:20; Jeremiah 29:10; Jeremiah 50:8; Jeremiah 51:6; cf. Deuteronomy 28). They had pushed God aside in their lives, as Mordecai and Esther apparently had done to some extent. Nevertheless, God remained faithful to His promises, in spite of His people"s unfaithfulness (cf. 2 Timothy 2:13).
Evidently Esther had learned of a plot in Susa to attack the Jews on Adar14 (March8; Esther 9:13). The purpose of hanging the bodies of Haman"s10 executed sons on the gallows was to disgrace them and to discourage other enemies of the Jews from attacking them (cf. Deuteronomy 21:22-23; Numbers 16:27; Numbers 16:32-33; Numbers 25:4; Joshua 7:24-25; 1 Samuel 31:8-12; 2 Samuel 21:6). Almost twice as many people died in the royal precincts of Susa as in the rest of the city. The word "capital" in Esther 9:6 really refers to the acropolis, the royal section of the capital city of Susa.
Enemies killed by the JewsNumberPlaceDateReferences500 menin the acropolis of SusaAdar13 (March7) Esther 9:6; Esther 9:1275 ,000 peoplein other parts of the empireAdar13 (March7) Esther 9:16300 menin SusaAdar14 (March8) Esther 9:15