THE JEWS DEFEAT THEIR ENEMIES

Esther 9:1-19 / Keywords 9:2

The Jews assembled in their cities in all the provinces of King Xerxes to attack those seeking their destruction. No one could stand against them, because the people of all the other nationalities were afraid of them.

9:1 On the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, the edict commanded by the king was to be carried out. On this day the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, but now the tables were turned and the Jews got the upper hand over those who hated them. 2 The Jews assembled in their cities in all the provinces of King Xerxes to attack those determined to destroy them. No one could stand against them, because the people of all the other nationalities were afraid of them. 3 And all the nobles of the provinces, the satraps, the governors and the king’s administrators helped the Jews, because fear of Mordecai had seized them. 4 Mordecai was prominent in the palace; his reputation spread throughout the provinces, and he became more and more powerful.

5 The Jews struck down all their enemies with the sword, killing and destroying them, and they did what they pleased to those who hated them. 6 In the citadel of Susa, the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men. 7 They also killed Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, 8 Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, 9 Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai and Vaizatha, 10 the ten sons of Haman son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews. But they did not lay their hands on the plunder.

11 The number of those killed in the citadel of Susa was reported to the king that same day. 12 The king said to Queen Esther, “The Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men and the ten sons of Haman in the citadel of Susa. What have they done in the rest of the king’s provinces? Now what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request? It will also be granted.”

13 “If it pleases the king,” Esther answered, “give the Jews in Susa permission to carry out this day’s edict tomorrow also, and let Haman’s ten sons be impaled on poles.”

14 So the king commanded that this be done. An edict was issued in Susa, and they impaled the ten sons of Haman. 15 The Jews in Susa came together on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar, and they put to death in Susa three hundred men, but they did not lay their hands on the plunder.

16 Meanwhile, the remainder of the Jews who were in the king’s provinces also assembled to protect themselves and get relief from their enemies. They killed seventy-five thousand of them but did not lay their hands on the plunder. 17 This happened on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar, and on the fourteenth they rested and made it a day of feasting and joy.

18 The Jews in Susa, however, had assembled on the thirteenth and fourteenth, and then on the fifteenth they rested and made it a day of feasting and joy.

19 That is why rural Jews—those living in villages—observe the fourteenth of the month of Adar as a day of joy and feasting, a day for giving presents to each other.

 

1. The thirteenth day of the twelfth month was the day Haman had plotted to destroy the Jews at the hands of many who hated the Jews. However, the king sided with the Jews and sent out another edict to allow Jews to defend themselves against those who were determined to destroy them (2). As the day broke out, the enemies could not match up against the Jews. When the king sided with the Jews, no one stood against them as they struck down their enemies (10). When we have the Lord on our side, we have nothing to fear (Heb 13:6).

 

2. As the day wrapped up, the king invited Esther to make another request, and she asked for a day's extension of the edict for the Jews in Susa. When the king permitted this, the Jews impaled the dead sons of Haman and killed another three hundred men. One may be disturbed by such violence. But those who got killed were the ones ready to destroy and annihilate the Jews along with their women and children despite the king's second edict (3:13) (8:11). Under the strong leadership of Mordecai, the Jews did not lay their hands on the plunder (10,15,16). After they cried out for deliverance, they did not abuse the victory the Lord had given to them by indulging themselves.

 

Prayer Father, help me to be on your side as I depend on your power and authority so that I may experience victory in you.

One Word The Lord is my strength