Esther 9
At the time of the planned genocide of the Jews, their enemies were destroyed  1
Haman's sons to the gallows; and more  12
Feast of the Jews 18
The holiday of Purim established  20
Confirmation by Esther  27


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Text
Explanation
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 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 upon them.
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.
  1 - Power Or "mastery," as in da0624.
  2 - Fear fell Although God is not mentioned directly in the book of Esther, His hand may be seen. Satan would have wiped out the people who had an understanding of the true God.
.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 them.
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.
  5 - Smote [struck] all their enemies This experience in Jewish history no doubt helped fuel later rebellion against Roman occupation. The Jews had been the "chosen people" but, having broken their part of the covenant, the promises are no longer for the nation. Of course individuals may choose to be true followers of the Messiah.
  6 - Shushan the palace This may have referred to the area around the palace as well as the palace itself.
.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.
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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 day of the same rested they, and made it a day of feasting and gladness.
 16 - Seventy and five thousand The Septuagint (translation into Greek) shows 15,000 which seems more realistic. Of course the message for us is the same.
.18  But the Jews that were at Shushan assembled together on the thirteenth day thereof, and on the fourteenth thereof; and on the fifteenth day of the same they rested, 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.
  19 - The Jews of the villages Or perhaps better, "the Jews of the country who lived in the towns."
.20 ¶ And Mordecai wrote these things, and sent letters unto all the Jews that were in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, both nigh and far,
21  To stablish this among them, that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day of the same, yearly,
22  As the days wherein the Jews rested from their enemies, and the month which was turned unto them from sorrow to joy, and from mourning into a good day: that they should make them days of feasting and joy, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor.
23  And the Jews undertook to do as they had begun, and as Mordecai had written unto them;
24  Because Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had devised against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast Pur, that is, the lot, to consume them, and to destroy them;
  24 - Pur ... the lot This must have been what we know today as casting spells. Having lived in Haiti for several years, I have no doubt that such evil practices are real. God has power over Satan and so the tables were turned.
25  But when Esther came before the king, he commanded by letters that his wicked device, which he devised against the Jews, should return upon his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.
.26  Wherefore they called these days Purim after the name of Pur. Therefore for all the words of this letter, and of that which they had seen concerning this matter, and which had come unto them,

  26 - Purim Although not divinely appointed, the experience of this celebration will be similar to what we may expect at the end in the final conflict. The righteous, however, will not be killing the wicked. That work is for the "armies of heaven" lead by Christ, symbolized as the One the white horse re1911.
.27  The Jews ordained, and took upon them, and upon their seed, and upon all such as joined themselves unto them, so as it should not fail, that they would keep these two days according to their writing, and according to their appointed time every year;
28  And that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city; and that these days of Purim should not fail from among the Jews, nor the memorial of them perish from their seed.
  27 - The Jews ordained Today they sing the seventh psalm which reflects the sentiments of this feast ps007.
  28 - These days remembered Incorporation of the dates into the Jewish ecclesiastical calendar would have assured this.
29  Then Esther the queen, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew, wrote with all authority, to confirm this second letter of Purim.
30  And he sent the letters unto all the Jews, to the hundred twenty and seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, with words of peace and truth,
31  To confirm these days of Purim in their times appointed, according as Mordecai the Jew and Esther the queen had enjoined them, and as they had decreed for themselves and for their seed, the matters of the fastings and their cry.
32  And the decree of Esther confirmed these matters of Purim; and it was written in the book.
  29 - Authority That is "strength."
  29 - Second letter Written to confirm the plan of observances. Notice that it is not a royal edict.
  30 - The letters The text should read simply, "letters" or "letters sent."
  32 - Decree of Esther Or "a commandment of Esther." It could have been an order not otherwise known.
  32 - Written in the book Possibly this OT book we are reading.

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