Esther 9

The Jews' Victory Over Their Enemies

¹Now in the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, on the thirteenth day of the month, when the king’s commandment and his decree came near to be put in execution, on the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to conquer them, (but it turned out that the opposite happened, that the Jews conquered those who hated them),

²the Jews gathered themselves together in their cities throughout all the provinces of the King Ahasuerus, to lay hands on those who wanted to harm them. No one could withstand them, because the fear of them had fallen on all the people.

³All the princes of the provinces, the local governors, the governors, and those who did the king’s business helped the Jews, because the fear of Mordecai had fallen on them.

⁴For Mordecai was great in the king’s house, and his fame went out throughout all the provinces, for the man Mordecai grew greater and greater.

⁵The Jews struck all their enemies with the stroke of the sword, and with slaughter and destruction, and did what they wanted to those who hated them.

⁶In the citadel of Susa, the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men.

⁷They killed Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha,

⁸Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha,

⁹Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai, and Vaizatha,

¹⁰the ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Jews’ enemy, but they didn’t lay their hand on the plunder.

The Slaughter in Susa and the Origin of Purim

¹¹On that day, the number of those who were slain in the citadel of Susa was brought before the king.

¹²The king said to Esther the queen, “The Jews have slain and destroyed five hundred men in the citadel of Susa, including the ten sons of Haman; what then have they done in the rest of the king’s provinces! Now what is your petition? It shall be granted you. What is your further request? It shall be done.”

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

¹⁴The king commanded this to be done. A decree was given out in Susa; and they hanged Haman’s ten sons.

¹⁵The Jews who were in Susa gathered themselves together on the fourteenth day also of the month Adar, and killed three hundred men in Susa; but they didn’t lay their hand on the plunder.

¹⁶The other Jews who were in the king’s provinces gathered themselves together, defended their lives, had rest from their enemies, and killed seventy-five thousand of those who hated them; but they didn’t lay their hand on the plunder.

¹⁷This was done on the thirteenth day of the month Adar; and on the fourteenth day of that month they rested and made it a day of feasting and gladness.

¹⁸But the Jews who were in Susa assembled together on the thirteenth and on the fourteenth days of the month; and on the fifteenth day of that month, they rested, and made it a day of feasting and gladness.

¹⁹Therefore the Jews of the villages, who live in the unwalled towns, make the fourteenth day of the month Adar a day of gladness and feasting, a holiday, and a day of sending presents of food to one another.

The Institution of Purim

²⁰Mordecai wrote these things, and sent letters to all the Jews who were in all the provinces of the King Ahasuerus, both near and far,

²¹to enjoin them that they should keep the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month Adar yearly,

²²as the days in which the Jews had rest from their enemies, and the month which was turned to them from sorrow to gladness, and from mourning into a holiday; that they should make them days of feasting and gladness, and of sending presents of food to one another, and gifts to the needy.

²³The Jews accepted the custom that they had begun, as Mordecai had written to them,

²⁴because Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast “Pur”, that is the lot, to consume them and to destroy them;

²⁵but when this became known to the king, he commanded by letters that his wicked plan, which he had planned against the Jews, should return on his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.

²⁶Therefore they called these days “Purim”, from the word “Pur.” Therefore because of all the words of this letter, and of that which they had seen concerning this matter, and that which had come to them,

²⁷the Jews established and imposed on themselves, on their descendants, and on all those who joined themselves to them, so that it should not fail that they would keep these two days according to what was written and according to its appointed time every year;

²⁸and 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 their memory perish from their offspring.

²⁹Then Esther the queen, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew wrote with all authority to confirm this second letter of Purim.

³⁰He sent letters to all the Jews in the hundred twenty-seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus with words of peace and truth,

³¹to confirm these days of Purim in their appointed times, as Mordecai the Jew and Esther the queen had decreed, and as they had imposed upon themselves and their descendants in the matter of the fastings and their mourning.

³²The commandment of Esther confirmed these matters of Purim; and it was written in the book.

Previous Esther 8

Next Esther 10

On the appointed day of destruction, the tables turn dramatically as the Jews throughout the Persian Empire successfully defend themselves against their enemies, killing 75,000 opponents including Haman's ten sons. The Jews notably refrain from taking plunder, demonstrating their motivation was defense rather than gain. This great deliverance becomes the foundation for the annual celebration of Purim, established by Mordecai and Esther as a perpetual reminder of God's protection of His people.

Context

This chapter brings the central conflict to its climactic resolution, fulfilling the reversal of fortune set in motion by Esther's brave intervention in chapters 7-8.

Key Themes

Outline

1-5
The Great Reversal The Jews successfully defend themselves throughout the empire as fear of Mordecai causes officials to support them.
6-10
Victory in Susa In the capital city, Jews kill 500 men including all ten sons of Haman, but take no plunder.
11-15
Esther's Additional Request The king grants Esther's petition for an extra day of defense in Susa, resulting in 300 more deaths.
16-19
Empire-wide Results Jews throughout the provinces kill 75,000 enemies and establish different days of celebration based on location.
20-32
Institution of Purim Mordecai and Esther formally establish the annual festival of Purim with feasting, gifts, and charity to commemorate their deliverance.

The Jews' Victory Over Their Enemies

9:1–9:10

narrative narration triumphant

On the appointed day, the Jews successfully defend themselves against their enemies throughout the Persian Empire, killing 500 men in Susa including Haman's ten sons. The tables are completely turned as the Jews triumph over those who sought their destruction.

person_contrast

King Ahasuerus, who typically appears in contexts of royal authority and divine providence, here uniquely enables Jewish vengeance—his only appearance linked directly to military victory.

The Slaughter in Susa and the Origin of Purim

9:11–9:19

narrative narration celebratory

The Jews continue their victory with additional killings in Susa, and establish days of feasting and celebration that become the foundation for the festival of Purim. The passage explains the origin of this Jewish holiday commemorating their deliverance from destruction.

person_contrast

Esther's final royal act transforms from personal deliverance to institutional memory, as she helps establish Purim's alternating pattern of rural versus urban celebration dates that still governs Jewish festival observance today.

The Institution of Purim

9:20–9:32

narrative narration celebratory

Mordecai establishes the festival of Purim to commemorate the Jews' deliverance from Haman's plot, instituting annual days of feasting, gift-giving, and charity. The passage formalizes this celebration as a perpetual observance for all Jewish generations.

person_contrast

Mordecai transforms from a figure of political deliverance into Judaism's architect of institutionalized joy, establishing the only biblical festival centered on charitable giving rather than divine commandment.

Insight Character Study

King Ahasuerus, who typically appears in contexts of royal authority and divine providence, here uniquely enables Jewish vengeance—his only appearance linked directly to military victory.

Insight Character Study

Cross-References

Connected passages across Scripture

Esther 9:1 5 references

Lexicals 5

Esther 3:13 Lexical

Letters were sent by couriers into all the king’s provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both…

5 shared words

Esther 2:12 Lexical

Each young woman’s turn came to go in to King Ahasuerus after her purification for twelve months (for so were the days o…

4 shared words

Esther 8:12 Lexical

on one day in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar.

4 shared words

Esther 4:3 Lexical

In every province, wherever the king’s commandment and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fas…

Esther 9

The Jews' Victory Over Their Enemies

The Slaughter in Susa and the Origin of Purim

The Institution of Purim

The Jews' Victory Over Their Enemies

The Slaughter in Susa and the Origin of Purim

The Institution of Purim

Insights

Cross-References

Esther 9:1 5 references

Esther 9:2 3 references

Esther 9:3 5 references

Esther 9:5 1 reference

Esther 9:6 4 references

Esther 9:10 3 references

Esther 9:12 5 references

Esther 9:13 5 references

Esther 9:14 1 reference

Esther 9:15 3 references

Esther 9:16 3 references

Esther 9:17 3 references

Esther 9:19 4 references

Esther 9:20 5 references

Esther 9:21 4 references

Esther 9:22 2 references

Esther 9:23 2 references

Esther 9:24 5 references

Esther 9:25 5 references

Esther 9:29 5 references

Esther 9:30 5 references

Esther 9:31 5 references

Esther 9:32 1 reference

Interlinear

Historical Context