The Meaning of Esther 9:1 Explained

Esther 9:1

KJV: 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 turned to the contrary, that the Jews had rule over them that hated them;)

YLT: And in the twelfth month -- it is the month of Adar -- on the thirteenth day of it, in which the word of the king, even his law, hath come to be done, in the day that the enemies of the Jews had hoped to rule over them, and it is turned that the Jews rule over those hating them --

Darby: And in the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar, on the thirteenth day thereof, 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 (but it was turned to the contrary, that the Jews had power over them that hated them),

ASV: Now in the twelfth month, which 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, on the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to have rule over them, (whereas it was turned to the contrary, that the Jews had rule over them that hated them,)

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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 turned  to the contrary, that the Jews  had rule  over them that hated  them;) 

What does Esther 9:1 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 9:1 mean?

And in two and ten month it [is] the month of Adar on three day in when [the time] came for command of the king and his decree to be executed On the day that had hoped the enemies of the Jews to overpower them and was overturned it in that overpowered the Jews they those who hated them
וּבִשְׁנֵים֩ עָשָׂ֨ר חֹ֜דֶשׁ הוּא־ חֹ֣דֶשׁ אֲדָ֗ר בִּשְׁלוֹשָׁ֨ה יוֹם֙ בּ֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֨ר הִגִּ֧יעַ דְּבַר־ הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ וְדָת֖וֹ לְהֵעָשׂ֑וֹת בַּיּ֗וֹם אֲשֶׁ֨ר שִׂבְּר֜וּ אֹיְבֵ֤י הַיְּהוּדִים֙ לִשְׁל֣וֹט בָּהֶ֔ם וְנַהֲפ֣וֹךְ ה֔וּא אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִשְׁלְט֧וּ הַיְּהוּדִ֛ים הֵ֖מָּה בְּשֹׂנְאֵיהֶֽם

וּבִשְׁנֵים֩  And  in  two 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Number, md
Root: שְׁנַיִם  
Sense: two.
עָשָׂ֨ר  and  ten 
Parse: Number, masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂר 
Sense: ten, -teen (in combination with other numbers).
חֹ֜דֶשׁ  month 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֹדֶשׁ  
Sense: the new moon, month, monthly.
הוּא־  it  [is] 
Parse: Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
חֹ֣דֶשׁ  the  month 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: חֹדֶשׁ  
Sense: the new moon, month, monthly.
אֲדָ֗ר  of  Adar 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֲדָר  
Sense: twelfth month, corresponding to modern March–April.
בִּשְׁלוֹשָׁ֨ה  on  three 
Parse: Preposition-b, Number, masculine singular
Root: מִשְׁלֹשׁ 
Sense: three, triad.
יוֹם֙  day 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
הִגִּ֧יעַ  [the  time]  came  for 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָגַע  
Sense: to touch, reach, strike.
דְּבַר־  command 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ  of  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
וְדָת֖וֹ  and  his  decree 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּת  
Sense: decree, law, edict, regulation, usage.
לְהֵעָשׂ֑וֹת  to  be  executed 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Nifal, Infinitive construct
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
בַּיּ֗וֹם  On  the  day 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
אֲשֶׁ֨ר  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
שִׂבְּר֜וּ  had  hoped 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: שָׂבַר 
Sense: to inspect, examine, wait, hope, wait upon.
אֹיְבֵ֤י  the  enemies 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct
Root: אֹיֵב  
Sense: (Qal) enemy.
הַיְּהוּדִים֙  of  the  Jews 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: יְהוּדִי  
Sense: Jew.
לִשְׁל֣וֹט  to  overpower 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: שָׁלַט  
Sense: to domineer, exercise power over, dominate, have mastery, be master, lord it over.
וְנַהֲפ֣וֹךְ  and  was  overturned 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Infinitive absolute
Root: הָפַךְ  
Sense: to turn, overthrow, overturn.
אֲשֶׁ֨ר  in  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
יִשְׁלְט֧וּ  overpowered 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׁלַט  
Sense: to domineer, exercise power over, dominate, have mastery, be master, lord it over.
הַיְּהוּדִ֛ים  the  Jews 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: יְהוּדִי  
Sense: Jew.
בְּשֹׂנְאֵיהֶֽם  those  who  hated  them 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׂנֵא  
Sense: to hate, be hateful.