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Esther Chapter Nine

 

Esther 9 Outlines

The Jews Destroy Their Tormentors (v. 1~16)

The Feast of Purim (v. 17~

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

Esther 9:1.  Now in the twelfth month that is the month of Adar on the thirteenth day the time came for the king’s command and his decree to be executed. On the day that the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them the opposite occurred in that the Jews themselves overpowered those who hated them.

   YLT 1And 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 –

Now in the twelfth month that is the month Adar on the thirteenth day of the same ....

Of which see Esther 3:13

when the king's commandment and his decree drew near to be put in execution;

even both his commandments and decrees the one empowering the enemies of the Jews on that day to destroy them and the other empowering the Jews to act both defensively and offensively against their enemies:

in the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to have power over them;

by virtue of the first decree of the king; and notwithstanding the second they might hope to have it because of their superior numbers:

though it was turned to the contrary that the Jews had rule over them that hated them;

it proved the reverse partly through the second decree in favour of the Jews and partly through the fear of them that fell upon their enemies; because the court was on their side and the officers everywhere and especially their God filled them with courage and their enemies with terror.

 

Esther 9:2.  2 The Jews gathered together in their cities throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus to lay hands on those who sought their harm. And no one could withstand them because fear of them fell upon all people.

   YLT 2the Jews have been assembled in their cities in all provinces of the king Ahasuerus to put forth a hand on those seeking their evil and no man hath stood in their presence for their fear hath fallen on all the peoples.

The Jews gathered themselves together in their cities throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus ....

Wherever they lived:

to lay hand on such as sought their hurt;

who not only threatened them what they would do on this day but were risen up in arms in quest of them:

and no man could withstand them for the fear of them fell upon all people;

when they understood that Haman was hanged and Mordecai the Jew advanced and that the queen herself was a Jew and that the Jews had the royal grant to act both defensively and offensively; and no doubt but the panic was of God.

 

Esther 9:3.  3 And all the officials of the provinces the satraps the governors and all those doing the king’s work helped the Jews because the fear of Mordecai fell upon them.

   YLT 3And all heads of the provinces and the lieutenants and the governors and those doing the work that the king hath are lifting up the Jews for a fear of Mordecai hath fallen upon them;

And all the rulers of the provinces and the lieutenants and the deputies and officers of the king blessed the Jews ....

Countenanced them and encouraged them and gave them all assistance in their power; extolled them as the word signifies lifted them up and spoke well of them or praised them as the Targum:

because the fear of Mordecai was upon them;

he being now chief minister they might fear if they took part with the enemies of the Jews against them they might be turned out of their places.

 

Esther 9:4.  4 For Mordecai was great in the king’s palace and his fame spread throughout all the provinces; for this man Mordecai became increasingly prominent.

   YLT 4for great [is] Mordecai in the house of the king and his fame is going into all the provinces for the man Mordecai is going on and becoming great.

For Mordecai was great in the king's house ....

Not only over Esther's affairs but was one of the king's counsellors and was the chief minister of state:

and his fame went out throughout all the provinces;

what a favourite he was of the king as well as a relation of the queen and how wise and just his administrations were:

for this man Mordecai waxed greater and greater

was more and more in the king's favour and had offices of honour and trust heaped upon him and increased both in wealth and power.

 

Esther 9:5.  5 Thus the Jews defeated all their enemies with the stroke of the sword with slaughter and destruction and did what they pleased with those who hated them.

   YLT 5And the Jews smite among all their enemies -- a smiting of the sword and slaughter and destruction -- and do with those hating them according to their pleasure

Thus the Jews smote all their enemies with the stroke of the sword and slaughter and destruction ....

Some with swords and others with clubs and staves; as the Targum; and such like slaughtering weapons of destruction:

and did what they would unto those that hated them;

being then entirely at their will and under their power.

 

Esther 9:6.  6 And in Shushan the citadel the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men.

   YLT 6and in Shushan the palace have the Jews slain and destroyed five hundred men;

And in Shushan the palace the Jews slew and destroyed five hundred men.

Not in the royal palace where it cannot be thought the Jews had so many enemies or such a bloody slaughter of them should be made there; but in the city where the palace was: and this may seem somewhat wonderful that there should so many rise there against the Jews so near the court now altogether in the interest of the Jews; but these were men no doubt of Haman's faction and enraged at his disgrace and death and headed by his ten sons who took the advantage of the decree to avenge his death; the Targum says these were princes of the house of Amalek.

 

Esther 9:7.  7 Also Parshandatha Dalphon Aspatha

   YLT 7and Parshandatha and Dalphon and Aspatha

Verses 7-10

And Parshandatha and Dalphon and Aspatha and Poratha and Adalia and Aridatha and Parmashta and Arisai and Aridai and Vajezatha the ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha the enemy of the Jews slew they ....

Along with the five hundred men at the head of which they were:

 

Esther 9:8.  8 Poratha Adalia Aridatha

   YLT 8and Poratha and Adalia and Aridatha

 

Esther 9:9.  9 Parmashta Arisai Aridai and Vajezatha—

   YLT 9and Parmashta and Arisai and Aridai and Vajezatha

 

Esther 9:10.  10 the ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha the enemy of the Jews—they killed; but they did not lay a hand on the plunder.

   YLT 10ten sons of Haman son of Hammedatha adversary of the Jews they have slain and on the prey they have not put forth their hand.

but on the spoil laid they not their hands;

though they were allowed by the edict to do it Esther 8:11 but this they did not that it might appear that they did not take away their lives from a covetous desire of their estates but purely in self-defence; and they might do this the more to ingratiate themselves to the king to whom the goods and estates of those men would be confiscated.

 

Esther 9:11.  11 On that day the number of those who were killed in Shushan the citadel was brought to the king.

   YLT 11On that day hath come the number of the slain in Shushan the palace before the king

On that day the number of those that were slain in Shushan the palace was brought before the king.

Either by order of the king that he might know how many enemies the Jews had in the city and how many of subjects had been slain; or officiously by others with an intention to irritate the king against the Jews.

 

Esther 9:12.  12 And the king said to Queen Esther “The Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men in Shushan the citadel and the ten sons of Haman. What have they done in the rest of the king’s provinces? Now what is your petition? It shall be granted to you. Or what is your further request? It shall be done.”

   YLT 12and the king saith to Esther the queen `In Shushan the palace have the Jews slain and destroyed five hundred men and the ten sons of Haman; in the rest of the provinces of the king what have they done? and what [is] thy petition? and it is given to thee; and what thy request again? and it is done.'

And the king said unto Esther the queen ....

After the account had been brought in to him:

the Jews have slain and destroyed five hundred men in Shushan the palace;

the Targum adds of the seed of Amalek:

and the ten sons of Haman:

which very probably were all he had; though the Targum in Esther 9:14 makes mention of seventy sons that Zeresh his wife fled with:

what have they done in the rest of the king's provinces?

that could not be said; but it might be concluded that if so many were slain in Shushan the number must be great in all the provinces:

now what is thy petition and it shall be granted thee:

or "what is thy request further? and it shall be done"; if this was not sufficient and satisfactory whatever else she should ask for should be granted.

 

Esther 9:13.  13 Then Esther said “If it pleases the king let it be granted to the Jews who are in Shushan to do again tomorrow according to today’s decree and let Haman’s ten sons be hanged on the gallows.”

   YLT 13And Esther saith `If to the king [it be] good let it be given also to-morrow to the Jews who [are] in Shushan to do according to the law of to-day; and the ten sons of Haman they hang on the tree.'

Then said Esther if it please the king ....

For she was all submission to his will:

let it be granted to the Jews which are in Shushan;

for no further did she desire the grant to be extended:

to do tomorrow also according to this days decree;

one Targum makes the request only that they might keep the morrow as a festival but the other more rightly to do according to the decree of this day; which was to slay as many of their enemies as rose up against them; and whereas many might flee and hide themselves who were implacable enemies of the Jews Esther moves for a grant that the decree might be continued for the next day that these might be found out and slain; in which she sought the glory of divine justice in their righteous destruction and the peace of the people of God and not private revenge or to indulge malice:

and let Haman's ten sons be hanged upon the gallows;

on which their father was; this was deferred though they were already slain for their greater reproach and for a terror to others not to injure the people of God; and it was usual with the Persians to hang persons on a gallows or fix them to a cross after they were dead; as Polycrates was by OroitesF9Herodot. Thalia sive l. 3. c. 125. and Bagspates by ParysatisF11Ctesias in Persicis c. 58. .

 

Esther 9:14.  14 So the king commanded this to be done; the decree was issued in Shushan and they hanged Haman’s ten sons.

   YLT 14And the king saith -- `to be done so;' and a law is given in Shushan and the ten sons of Haman they have hanged.

And the king commanded it so to be done: and the decree was given at Shushan ....

That the Jews might have leave to seek out and slay the rest of their enemies in Shushan on the fourteenth day in like manner as they had on the thirteenth:

and they hanged Haman's ten sons;

on the same gallows very probably their father was hanged; the Targum gives us the distance between each person hanged thereon.

 

Esther 9:15.  15 And the Jews who were in Shushan gathered together again on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar and killed three hundred men at Shushan; but they did not lay a hand on the plunder.

   YLT 15And the Jews who [are] in Shushan are assembled also on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar and they slay in Shushan three hundred men and on the prey they have not put forth their hand.

For the Jews that were in Shushan gathered themselves together on the fourteenth day also of the month Adar ....

As they had on the thirteenth:

and slew three hundred men at Shushan;

the Targum adds of the family of Amalek: but there is no reason to confine it to them; it respects all such as were the enemies of the Jews and rose up against them; so that the whole number slain in Shushan were eight hundred persons besides the sons of Human:

but on the prey they laid not their hand;

See Gill on Esther 9:7.

 

Esther 9:16.  16 The remainder of the Jews in the king’s provinces gathered together and protected their lives had rest from their enemies and killed seventy-five thousand of their enemies; but they did not lay a hand on the plunder.

   YLT 16And the rest of the Jews who [are] in the provinces of the king have been assembled even to stand for their life and to rest from their enemies and to slay among those hating them five and seventy thousand and on the prey they have not put forth their hand;

But the other Jews that were in the king's provinces gathered themselves together ....

In a body in their respective provinces and cities:

and stood for their lives;

defended themselves against those that attacked them:

and had rest from their enemies;

that selfsame day; all being destroyed by them and none daring to appear against them:

and slew of their foes 75 000 men;

that is in all the provinces put together:

but they laid not their hands on the prey;

See Gill on Esther 9:7.

 

Esther 9:17.  17 This was on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar. And on the fourteenth of the month[a] they rested and made it a day of feasting and gladness.

   YLT 17on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar even to rest on the fourteenth of it and to make it a day of banquet and of joy.

On the thirteenth day of the month Adar ....

This belongs to the preceding verse; and the meaning is that on this day the Jews gathered together and slew so many thousand of their enemies as before related:

and on the fourteenth day of the same rested they and made it a feast of gladness:

rejoicing that they were delivered out of the hand of their enemies who hoped and expected on that day to have made an utter end of them; according to the Jewish canonsF12Lebush c. 697. Schulchan Aruch par. 1. c. 697. mourning and fasting on this day were forbidden but feasting and gladness were to be multiplied.

 

Esther 9:18.  18 But the Jews who were at Shushan assembled together on the thirteenth day as well as on the fourteenth; and on the fifteenth of the month[b] they rested and made it a day of feasting and gladness.

   YLT 18And the Jews who [are] in Shushan have been assembled on the thirteenth day of it and on the fourteenth of it even to rest on the fifteenth of it and to make it a day of banquet and of joy.

But the Jews that were at Shushan assembled together on the thirteenth day thereof and on the fourteenth day thereof ....

Of the month Adar; that is they gathered together to defend themselves and destroy their enemies on both these days having the decree renewed for the fourteenth as they had for the thirteenth:

and on the fifteenth day of the same they rested and made it a day of feasting and gladness;

as the Jews in the provinces did on the fourteenth.

 

Esther 9:19.  19 Therefore the Jews of the villages who dwelt in the unwalled towns celebrated the fourteenth day of the month of Adar with gladness and feasting as a holiday and for sending presents to one another.

   YLT 19Therefore the Jews of the villages who are dwelling in cities of the villages are making the fourteenth day of the month of Adar -- joy and banquet and a good day and of sending portions one to another.

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 ....

Jarchi observes that those in the villages who are they that do not dwell in walled towns observed the fourteenth and they in towns surrounded with walls the fifteenth as Shushan; and this circumvallation he says must be what was from the days of Joshua; according to the Jewish canons every place that was walled from the days of Joshua the son of Nun whether in the land of Israel or out of it though not now walled they read (i.e. the book of Esther) on the fifteenth of Adar and this is called a walled town; but a place which was not walled in the days of Joshua though now walled they read in the fourteenth and this is called a city; but the city Shushan though it was not walled in the days of Joshua they read on the fifteenth because in it was done a miracleF13Maimon. Hilchot. Megillah c. 1. sect. 4. 5. T. Bab. Megillah fol. 2. 2. and each of these was kept as a day of public rejoicing for their great deliverance and freedom from their enemies:

and a good day:

as the Jews usually call the several days of the passover pentecost and tabernacles:

and of sending portions one to another:

expressive of mutual joy and congratulating one another upon the happiness they shared in; see Revelation 11:10 and particularly this may respect sending gifts to the poor who had not that to rejoice and make merry with others had; see Nehemiah 8:10 though these seem to be distinct from them Esther 9:22.

 

Esther 9:20.  20 And Mordecai wrote these things and sent letters to all the Jews near and far who were in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus

   YLT 20And Mordecai writeth these things and sendeth letters unto all the Jews who [are] in all provinces of the king Ahasuerus who are near and who are far off

And Mordecai wrote these things ....

The transactions of those two days and the causes of them as well as the following letter; some conclude from hence that he was the penman of the book; and so he might be but it does not necessarily follow from hence:

and sent letters unto all the Jews that were in all the provinces of the King Ahasuerus both nigh and far;

such as were near the city Shushan and those that were at the greatest distance from it; these were more especially the things he wrote.

 

Esther 9:21.  21 to establish among them that they should celebrate yearly the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar

   YLT 21to establish on them to be keeping the fourteenth day of the month of Adar and the fifteenth day of it in every year and year

To stablish this among them ....

That it might be a settled thing and annually observed in all future generations what they had now done:

that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar and the fifteenth day of the same yearly;

as the former had been observed by the Jews in the provinces and both by those in Shushan Esther 9:17 as festivals in commemoration of their great deliverance; hence the fourteenth of Adar is called the day of Mordecai being established by him;"And they ordained all with a common decree in no case to let that day pass without solemnity but to celebrate the thirtieth day of the twelfth month which in the Syrian tongue is called Adar the day before Mardocheus' day.' (2 Maccabees 15:36)

 

Esther 9:22.  22 as the days on which the Jews had rest from their enemies as the month which was turned from sorrow to joy for them and from mourning to a holiday; that they should make them days of feasting and joy of sending presents to one another and gifts to the poor.

   YLT 22as days on which the Jews have rested from their enemies and the month that hath been turned to them from sorrow to joy and from mourning to a good day to make them days of banquet and of joy and of sending portions one to another and gifts to the needy.

As the days wherein the Jews rested from their enemies ....

Having slain all those that rose up against them and assaulted them:

and the month which was turned unto them from sorrow to joy and from mourning unto a good day;

for in this month Adar on the thirteenth day of it they expected to have been all destroyed which had occasioned great sorrow and mourning in them; but beyond their expectation in the same month and on the selfsame day of the month they had deliverance and freedom from their enemies; which was matter of joy and made this day a good day to them:

that they should make them days of feasting and joy;

keep both the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month as festivals eating and drinking and making all tokens of joy and gladness though not in the Bacchanalian way in which they now observe them; for they sayF14T. Bab. Megillah fol. 7. 2. Lebush par. 1. c. 695. sect. 2. Schulchan Aruch par. 1. c. 695. sect. 2. a man is bound at the feast of Purim to exhilarate or inebriate himself until he does not know the difference between `cursed be Haman' and `blessed be Mordecai:'

and of sending portions one to another;

and these now consist of eatables and drinkables; and according to the Jewish canonsF15Lebush & Schulchan ib. sect. 4. a man must send two gifts to his friend at least; and they that multiply them are most commendable; and those are sent by men to men and by women to women and not on the contrary:

and gifts to the poor;

alms money as the Targum to purchase food and drink with nor may they use it to any other purpose; though some say they may do what they will with itF16Ib. c. 694. sect. 1. 2. ; and a man must not give less than two gifts to the poor; these are called the monies of PurimF17Ib. sect. 2. 3. .

 

Esther 9:23.  23 So the Jews accepted the custom which they had begun as Mordecai had written to them

   YLT 23And the Jews have received that which they had begun to do and that which Mordecai hath written unto them

And the Jews undertook to do as they had begun and as Mordecai had written unto them.

They engaged to keep these two days as festivals annually as they had at this time done; not in a religious but in a civil way not as parts of religious worship and as additions to and innovations of the law but by way of commemoration of a civil benefit which they had received; and yet we find in later times that this was scrupled by some as an innovation; for we are toldF18T. Hieros. Megillah. fol. 70. 4. that there were eighty five elders and more than thirty of them prophets who were distressed about this matter fearing it was an innovation.

 

Esther 9:24.  24 because Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite the enemy of all the Jews had plotted against the Jews to annihilate them and had cast Pur (that is the lot) to consume them and destroy them;

   YLT 24because Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite adversary of all the Jews had devised concerning the Jews to destroy them and had caused to fall Pur -- that [is] the lot -- to crush them and to destroy them;

Because Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite the enemy of all the Jews had devised against the Jews to destroy them ....

Had formed a design to exterminate them from the whole Persian empire in one day:

and had cast Pur (that is the lot ) to consume them and to destroy them;

had cast lots to find out what would be the most lucky day in the year for him to do it on and the most unlucky and unfortunate to the Jews; and according to the lot the thirteenth of Adar was pitched upon; this and the following verse give the reasons for observing the above two days as festivals.

 

Esther 9:25.  25 but when Esther[c] came before the king he commanded by letter that this[d] wicked plot which Haman had devised against the Jews should return on his own head and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.

   YLT 25and in her coming in before the king he said with the letter `Let his evil device that he devised against the Jews turn back upon his own head ' and they have hanged him and his sons on the tree

But when Esther came before the king ....

To request of him her life and the life of her people:

he commanded by letters that his wicked device which he devised against the Jews should return upon his own head;

that whereas his wicked scheme was to destroy all the Jews the king by his second letter gave orders that the Jews should have liberty to defend themselves and destroy their enemies which rose up against them; and the friends and party of Haman were entirely cut off:

and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows;

which he had prepared for Mordecai; not that they were ordered to be hanged together nor were they; Haman was hanged before on the twenty third day of the month but his sons not till the fourteenth day of the twelfth month; Esther 7:10.

 

Esther 9:26.  26 So they called these days Purim after the name Pur. Therefore because of all the words of this letter what they had seen concerning this matter and what had happened to them

   YLT 26therefore they have called these days Purim -- by the name of the lot -- therefore because of all the words of this letter and what they have seen concerning this and what hath come unto them

Wherefore they called these days Purim after the name of Pur ....

The lot; because of the lots cast by Haman; see Esther 3:7

therefore for all the words of this letter;

in obedience to what Mordecai wrote in his letter to the Jews and because of the things contained in it:

and of that which they had seen concerning this matter;

with their own eyes in the several provinces where their enemies rose up to assault them but were destroyed by them:

and what had come unto them:

by report; as the fall of Haman and advancement of Mordecai and the favours shown to Esther and her people; all this belongs to the following verse containing the reasons of the Jews' appointment and engagement to observe the days of Purim.

 

Esther 9:27.  27 the Jews established and imposed it upon themselves and their descendants and all who would join them that without fail they should celebrate these two days every year according to the written instructions and according to the prescribed time

   YLT 27the Jews have established and received upon them and upon their seed and upon all those joined unto them and it doth not pass away to be keeping these two days according to their writing and according to their season in every year and year;

The Jews ordained and took upon them and upon their seed and upon all such that joined themselves unto them ....

Who became proselytes to their religion; that is they appointed the above two days as festivals and engaged for themselves for their children and all proselytes to observe them as such; and one of their canonsF19Lebush & Schulchan ib. (par. 1.) c. 689. sect. 1. runs thus "all are obliged to read the Megillah (the book of Esther which they always read on those days) priests Levites Nethinims Israelites men women and proselytes and servants made free and they train up little ones to read it:"

so as it should not fail;

of being observed so as no man should transgress it or pass it over:

that they should keep these two days;

the fourteenth and fifteenth of the month Adar or February:

according to their writing;

in this book the book of Esther which was to be read as Aben Ezra; written in the Hebrew character as the Targum; that is in the Assyrian character as Jarchi; the square character as they call it:

and according to their appointed time every year;

whether simple or intercalated as Aben Ezra observes: in an intercalary year the Jews have two Adars and though they keep the feast of Purim on the fourteenth of the first Adar yet not with so much mirth and call it the lesser Purim; but in the second Adar they observe it with all its ceremoniesF20Vid. Buxtorf. Synagog. Jud. c. 29. p. 563. ; so in their canon they do not keep Purim but in Adar that is next to Nisan or March that redemption might be near redemption; the redemption of Mordecai near the redemption of MosesF21Lebush par. 1. c. 6 7. sect. 1. .

 

Esther 9:28.  28 that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation every family every province and every city that these days of Purim should not fail to be observed among the Jews and that the memory of them should not perish among their descendants.

   YLT 28and these days are remembered and kept in every generation and generation family and family province and province and city and city and these days of Purim do not pass away from the midst of the Jews and their memorial is not ended from their seed.

And that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation every family every province and every city ....

And accordingly these days are commemorated by them now and by all their families and all in their families capable of it; and these words "every province" and "every city" are used as Aben Ezra observes lest a man should think he was not bound to keep this feast where there were no Jews; for let him be where he may he is obliged to keep it:

and that these days of Purim should not fail among the Jews;

or the observance of them be neglected and cease:

nor the memorial of them perish from their seed;

neither the memorial of them nor of the reason of keeping them; wherefore on those days they read the whole book of Esther fairly written on a roll of parchment and are careful that none omit the reading of it; rather they sayF23Lebush & Schulchan ib. (par. 1.) c. 687. sect. 2. the reading and learning the law should be omitted and all commands and service than the reading this volume that so all might be acquainted with this wonderful deliverance and keep it in mind.

 

Esther 9:29.  29 Then Queen Esther the daughter of Abihail with Mordecai the Jew wrote with full authority to confirm this second letter about Purim.

   YLT 29And Esther the queen daughter of Abihail writeth and Mordecai the Jew with all might to establish this second letter of Purim

Then Esther the queen the daughter of Abihail and Mordecai the Jew wrote with all authority ....

Strongly pressing the observance of this festival; before Mordecai only recommended it but now the queen gave a sanction to it and laid her obligation on the Jews to observe it; perhaps some of the Jews were backward to it or neglected to observe it and therefore Esther and Mordecai joined in a letter to them to press them to it; the Jewish chronologerF24Seder Olam Rabba c. 29. p. 87. says this was written the year following; the former Targum is they wrote this whole volume and the strength of the miracle or set the miraculous deliverance in the strongest light with this view:

to confirm this second letter of Purim;

that it might have its weight and influence upon them to engage them to keep it as the latter Targum adds; that when it was an intercalary year they might not read the Megillah (or book of Esther) in the first Adar but in the second Adar.

 

Esther 9:30.  30 And Mordecai sent letters to all the Jews to the one hundred and twenty-seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus with words of peace and truth

   YLT 30and he sendeth letters unto all the Jews unto the seven and twenty and a hundred provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus -- words of peace and truth –

And he sent letters unto all the Jews ....

That is Mordecai did signed in the queen's name and his own:

to the hundred twenty and seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus;

among which was Judea that was become a province first of the Chaldean now of the Persian empire see Ezra 5:8 to whom also these letters were sent directing and ordering the Jews there to observe these days who were also concerned in the deliverance wrought:

with words of peace and truth

exhorting them to live in peace with one another and their neighbours and to constancy in the true religion; or wishing them all peace and prosperity in the most loving and sincere manner.

 

Esther 9:31.  31 to confirm these days of Purim at their appointed time as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had prescribed for them and as they had decreed for themselves and their descendants concerning matters of their fasting and lamenting.

   YLT 31to establish these days of Purim in their seasons as Mordecai the Jew hath established on them and Esther the queen and as they had established on themselves and on their seed -- matters of the fastings and of their cry.

To confirm these days of Purim in their times appointed ....

The fourteenth and fifteenth of Adar:

according as Mordecai the Jew and Esther the queen had enjoined them;

in the letters written and signed by them both:

and as they had decreed for themselves and for their seed; see Esther 9:27

the matters of their fastings and their cry;

in commemoration of their deliverance from those distresses and calamities which occasioned fastings and prayers during the time of them; and to this sense is the former Targum; though it is certain the Jews observe the thirteenth day the day before the two days as a fast and which they call the fast of EstherF25Lebush & Schulchan ut supra (par. 1.) c. 686. sect. 1. and have prayers on the festival days peculiar to them; but the sense Aben Ezra gives seems best that as the Jews had decreed to keep the fasts mentioned in Zechariah 7:5 so they now decreed to rejoice in the days of Purim.

 

Esther 9:32.  32 So the decree of Esther confirmed these matters of Purim and it was written in the book.

   YLT 32And a saying of Esther hath established these matters of Purim and it is written in the Book.

And the decree of Esther confirmed these matters of Purim ....

As a festival to be observed by the Jews in future generations:

and it was written in the book;

either in this book of Esther; or in the public acts and chronicles of the kings of Persia; or in a book by itself now lost as Aben Ezra thinks as many others are we read of in Scripture as the books of the chronicles of the kings of Israel and Judah &c.

 

──John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible

 

New King James Version (NKJV)

Footnotes:

a.    Esther 9:17 Literally it

b.    Esther 9:18 Literally it

c.Esther 9:25 Literally she or it

d.    Esther 9:25 Literally his