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Esther Chapter
Nine
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)
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