The Meaning of Esther 9:10 Explained

Esther 9:10

KJV: 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.

YLT: ten sons of Haman son of Hammedatha, adversary of the Jews, they have slain, and on the prey they have not put forth their hand.

Darby: the ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the oppressor of the Jews, they slew; but they laid not their hands on the prey.

ASV: the ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Jew's enemy, slew they; but on the spoil they laid not their hand.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Esther 9:10 Mean?

Context Summary

Esther 9:1-32 - Deliverance By The Sword
When the fateful day arrived, the Jews throughout the empire stood on the defense. As it appears from Esther 9:16, seventy-five thousand of their assailants fell in the provinces and five hundred in Susa alone. Among these were the ten sons of Haman. No attempt at plunder was made by the victors. The second day was asked for probably to confirm the settled policy of Ahasuerus, and the exposure of the bodies of Haman's sons was rendered necessary by the virulent hatred entertained towards the Jews. Decisive measures were demanded to show their enemies the risk they would incur by pursuing Haman's policy. Haman was an Amalekite, and in this light we may recall Exodus 17:14; Exodus 17:16; Deuteronomy 25:19. In all this, especially in this terrible act of vengeance, we are reminded repeatedly of the change that Christ's coming made in the world, even among religious people. Contrast Esther and Mary of Bethany! [source]

Chapter Summary: Esther 9

1  The Jews slay their enemies, with the ten sons of Haman
12  Xerxes, at the request of Esther,
14  grants another day of slaughter, and Haman's sons to be hanged
20  The two days of Purim are instituted

What do the individual words in Esther 9:10 mean?

the ten sons of Haman son of Hammedatha the enemy of the Jews they killed but on the plunder not they did lay - a hand
עֲ֠שֶׂרֶת בְּנֵ֨י הָמָ֧ן בֶּֽן־ הַמְּדָ֛תָא צֹרֵ֥ר הַיְּהוּדִ֖ים הָרָ֑גוּ וּבַ֨בִּזָּ֔ה לֹ֥א שָׁלְח֖וּ אֶת־ יָדָֽם

עֲ֠שֶׂרֶת  the  ten 
Parse: Number, masculine singular construct
Root: עֶשֶׂר 
Sense: ten.
בְּנֵ֨י  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
הָמָ֧ן  of  Haman 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: הָמָן  
Sense: chief minister of Ahasuerus, enemy of Mordecai and the Jews, who plotted to kill the Jews but, being foiled by Esther, was hanged, with his family, on the gallows he had made for Mordecai.
בֶּֽן־  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
הַמְּדָ֛תָא  of  Hammedatha 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: הַמְּדָתָא  
Sense: father of Haman.
צֹרֵ֥ר  the  enemy 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: צָרַר 
Sense: to bind, be narrow, be in distress, make narrow, cause distress, besiege, be straitened, be bound.
הַיְּהוּדִ֖ים  of  the  Jews 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: יְהוּדִי  
Sense: Jew.
הָרָ֑גוּ  they  killed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: הָרַג  
Sense: to kill, slay, murder, destroy, murderer, slayer, out of hand.
וּבַ֨בִּזָּ֔ה  but  on  the  plunder 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: בִּזָּה  
Sense: spoil, booty.
שָׁלְח֖וּ  they  did  lay 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
יָדָֽם  a  hand 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.