Esther Chapter 9

 

Est 9:1 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;)

Est 9:2 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.

 

Vs 1,2  The Jews are gathering themselves together, per the new decree of        Mordecai on

the 13th day of the 12th month. Remember the decree states that the Jews must

gather and that they are allowed to defend themselves, if attacked.

 

                        Est 9:3 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.

Est 9:4 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.

 

Vs 3,4  The decree of the King is now protecting the Jews. The throne that once

condemned the Jews is now protecting, and defending the Jews.  Mordecai, the

Jew, is by the side of the King, (just as Christ is on the right hand of God). God

protects us the same way. His law states “that the soul that sinneth  must die.” 

But He gave an additional command to save us, “Ye must be born again”. We

are to birthed into His kingdom through the blood of Jesus Christ. We must

believe His Word and by faith receive Christ as our Savior, to escape the

punishment of sin. Christ paid our sin debt upon the cross. After saving us

and reconciling us back to God, He is our protector and our shield. He sends the

Holy Ghost to live inside us. “If God be for us, who can be against us?” Rom.

8:31

 

Est 9:5 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.

 

Vs 5     There are peoples that came against the Jews and attacked them, (we will have

adversity at times as well). But the Jews defended themselves according to the

new decree, and the Jews smote all of their enemies. The Jews used a sword for

defense and offense, we have a sword as well, the Word of God (Heb 4:12) we

 must use it.

 

            Est 9:6 And in Shushan the palace the Jews slew and destroyed

five hundred men. 

 

Vs 6     In the city of Shushan alone, 500 of the enemies men were slain by the Jews.

 

                        Est 9:7 And Parshandatha, and Dalphon, and Aspatha,

Est 9:8 And Poratha, and Adalia, and Aridatha,

Est 9:9 And Parmashta, and Arisai, and Aridai, and Vajezatha,

Est 9:10 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.

 

Vs 7-10 In Shusan the palace, Hamans 10 sons attacked the Jews. Naturally, these 10

            sons hated the Jews greatly. They all attacked the Jews and all of Hamans sons

            were killed, but the Jews would not touch the spoil. The fact that the Jews would

            not take of the spoil shows how pure the motives of the Jews were. They were not

            killing anyone for greed, they only killed folks who attacked them, according to

            the law.

 

                        Est 9:11 On that day the number of those that were slain

in Shushan the palace was brought before the king.

Est 9:12 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.

 

Vs 11-12 The number of the slain was brought before the king.  The king came to Esther,

his queen, with this report and asked if there was anything more that remained to

be done. Just ask and I will do it for you and your people, says the king.  God, has

done something for us as well, He has saved us from our sins and then God

wants our requests to be made known unto Him as well.  He tells us in His Word,

“Ask and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be

opened unto you.”   (Matt 7:7)

 

 

                        Est 9:13 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.

Est 9:14 And the king commanded it so to be done: and the

decree was given at Shushan; and they hanged Haman's ten sons.

 

Vs 13,14 Esther’s response was, “Give us tomorrow to stand and defend ourselves as you

            allowed us to do today, and please allow us to hang Haman’s 10 wicked sons

            upon the gallows like Haman was.” This would be a reminder not to oppose

            God’s people. The king commanded this to be done at once.

 

Est 9:15 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.

 

Vs 15   The next day, the 14th of the 12th month, the Jews gather themselves together

again, and in Shushan, 300 of the enemy began to attack the Jews and were

quickly slain. The Jews, again, took nothing of the spoil.

 

                        Est 9:16 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,

Est 9:17 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.

 

Vs 16,17 The other Jews, throughout the kingdom, gathered themselves together as well,

and defended their lives, while slaying 75,000 men of the enemy. Even these Jews

did not take spoil from the enemy.

On the 13th and 14th day of the 12th month (Adar), the Jews of the kingdom had

great victory and rest from their enemy. They began a day of feasting and

gladness throughout the kingdom.

 

                        Est 9:18 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.

 

Vs 18   The Jews, in Shushan, had victory and rest as well. But their feasting was on the

            13th , 14th and 15th day of the 12th month.

 

                        Est 9:19 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.

 

Vs 19   The Jews, that dwelt in unwalled villages, had their feast on the 14th day of the

12th month.

 

                        Est 9:20 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,

Est 9:21 To stablish this among them, that they should keep

the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day

of the same, yearly,

Est 9:22 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.

 

Vs 20-22 Mordecai, sent letters unto all the Jews, to establish the 14th and 15th day of the

12th month as days of feasting and joy, for the Jews had victory and rest from their

enemies. The days that once stood for sorrow, shame and death were turned into

joy, gladness and life. Mordecai also allows for the sending of gifts to each other

and extends mercy to the poor, by the giving of gifts. It should be noted that the

Jewish month of Adar (the 12th month) falls on our calendar between Febraury

and March, one month before Passover.

 

                        Est 9:23 And the Jews undertook to do as they had begun,

and as Mordecai had written unto them;

Est 9:24 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;

Est 9:25 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.

 

Vs 23-25 These verses restate the events leading up to Mordecai’s writings to the people.

The Jews undertook this message of Mordecai, because of the victory that was

given to them, by the Providential Hand of God.

 

Est 9:26 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,

Est 9:27 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;

Est 9:28 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.

 

 

Vs 26-28 You see, the day was picked by Haman’s wicked men by the casting of the lot

Pur, to find the perfect day to kill all of the Jews. But God overruled, (Prov 16:33)

“The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord.”

and turned these days of death into victory. Now the Jews will call these days the

feast of Purim, days for feasting and joy, because of God’s deliverance to the

Jews. The Jews still celebrate this time of feasting each year, for God gave the

Jews rest from their enemies. On the eve of Purim, they fast and gather to read the

book of Esther. The two following days are a time of  Holiday and celebration

with feasting and singing of great joy.

 

                        Est 9:29 Then Esther the queen, the daughter of Abihail,

and Mordecai the Jew, wrote with all authority, to confirm

this second letter of Purim.

Est 9:30 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,

Est 9:31 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.

Est 9:32 And the decree of Esther confirmed these matters of Purim;

and it was written in the book.

 

Vs 29-32 Esther confirms Mordecai’s letter and makes it a decree to all of the Jews

throughout all the kingdom, to all generations, to keep these days of Purim. For it

was God, by His Divine Providence, that gave the Jews rest from their enemies.