Esther 9: The thirteenth of Adar, and the days of Purim
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What happens?
On the thirteenth day of Adar, the day the enemies of the Jews had hoped to conquer them, the Jews gather in their cities and strike those who wanted to harm them, and the officials help them because fear of Mordecai has fallen on them. In Susa the citadel the Jews kill five hundred men and the ten sons of Haman; at Esther's request they act again the next day, killing three hundred more in Susa, and Haman's ten sons are hanged, while the other Jews in the king's provinces kill seventy-five thousand, and each time they do not lay their hand on the plunder. Mordecai writes to all the Jews to keep the fourteenth and fifteenth days of Adar every year, the Jews accept it, and Esther and Mordecai write a second letter to confirm these days of Purim.
Who is speaking?
God does not speak in this chapter, so nothing is in gold. The narrator tells the story. The king speaks to Esther in verse 12, and Esther answers him in verse 13. In verse 14 the king commands it to be done, and in verse 25 he commands by letter. Mordecai writes in verses 20 to 22, the Jews accept it in verse 23, and Esther and Mordecai write in verses 29 to 32. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
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),
In plain English: In the twelfth month, the month of Adar, on the thirteenth day, the day when the king's order and his decree came near to being carried out, the enemies of the Jews had hoped to conquer them. But it was turned around, and the Jews conquered those who hated them.
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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.
In plain English: The Jews gathered together in their cities in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, to lay hands on those who wanted to harm them. No one could stand against them, because fear of them had fallen on all the peoples.
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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.
In plain English: All the princes of the provinces, the local governors, the governors, and those who did the king's business helped the Jews, because fear of Mordecai had fallen on them.
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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.
In plain English: Mordecai was great in the king's house, and word of him went out through all the provinces. The man Mordecai kept growing greater and greater.
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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.
In plain English: The Jews struck all their enemies with the stroke of the sword, with slaughter and destruction, and did what they wanted to those who hated them.
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6In the citadel of Susa, the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men.
In plain English: In Susa the citadel (or: palace), the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men.
The Hebrew words: "Susa" is Shushan, which the dictionary gives as "a place in Persia". "Citadel" is birah, which the dictionary gives as "a castle or palace". It is in 10 verses of Esther, and the WEB says "citadel" in 8 of them and "palace" in 2.
What changes: With "citadel" the verse names the citadel of Susa. With "palace" it names the palace of Susa. The Hebrew word covers both, and the text does not say which is meant.
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7They killed Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha,
In plain English: They killed Parshandatha, Dalphon and Aspatha,
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8Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha,
In plain English: Poratha, Adalia and Aridatha,
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9Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai, and Vaizatha,
In plain English: Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai and Vaizatha,
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10the ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Jews’ enemy, but they didn’t lay their hand on the plunder.
In plain English: the ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews. But they did not lay their hand on the plunder.
Good to know: The Hebrew word for plunder here, bizzah, is in 3 verses of Esther: this one, and . Each of the three says that they did not lay their hand on the plunder.
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11On that day, the number of those who were slain in the citadel of Susa was brought before the king.
In plain English: On that day the number of those killed in Susa the citadel was brought before the king.
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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.”
In plain English: The king said to Esther the queen, "The Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men in Susa the citadel, and the ten sons of Haman. What then have they done in the rest of the king's provinces! Now what is your petition? It will be given to you. And what more is your request? It will be done."
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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.”
In plain English: Esther said, "If it is good to the king, let the Jews who are in Susa be allowed to do tomorrow also as today's decree says, and let Haman's ten sons be hanged on the gallows."
The Hebrew words: "Hanged" is talah, which the dictionary gives as "to suspend (especially to gibbet)". "Gallows" is ets, which the dictionary gives as "a tree", and "wood".
How it is translated: Ets is in 8 verses of Esther, and the WEB says "gallows" in all 8. Talah is in 9 verses of Esther, and the WEB says "hang", "hanged" or "hanging" in all 9. The same two words are used of Haman in .
What changes: With "tree" or "wood", the verse speaks of hanging Haman's sons on a tree or on wood. The text says in verse 10 that they were killed and in verses 13 and 14 that they were hanged, and it does not say more about how.
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14The king commanded this to be done. A decree was given out in Susa; and they hanged Haman’s ten sons.
In plain English: The king commanded that it be done. A decree was given out in Susa, and they hanged Haman's ten sons.
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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.
In plain English: The Jews who were in Susa gathered together also on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar, and they killed three hundred men in Susa. But they did not lay their hand on the plunder.
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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.
In plain English: The rest of the Jews who were in the king's provinces gathered together and defended their lives. They had rest from their enemies, and they killed seventy-five thousand of those who hated them. But they did not lay their hand on the plunder.
Good to know: The numbers in this part of the chapter are the text's own: five hundred men in Susa in , three hundred more in Susa in , and seventy-five thousand in the king's provinces here. The text does not add them up.
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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.
In plain English: This was on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar. On the fourteenth day they rested and made it a day of feasting and gladness.
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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.
In plain English: But the Jews who were in Susa gathered together on the thirteenth day and on the fourteenth day. On the fifteenth day they rested and made it a day of feasting and gladness.
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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.
In plain English: That is why the Jews of the villages, who live in the unwalled towns, keep the fourteenth day of the month of Adar as a day of gladness and feasting, a holiday (the Hebrew says: a good day), and a day for sending portions of food to one another.
The Hebrew words: "A holiday" is, in the Hebrew, yom tov, "a good day". The dictionary gives tov as "good". It is in 17 verses of Esther, and the WEB says "holiday" in 3 of them and "good" in 3. has the same words.
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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,
In plain English: Mordecai wrote these things down and sent letters to all the Jews in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, near and far,
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21to enjoin them that they should keep the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month Adar yearly,
In plain English: to require them to keep the fourteenth day and the fifteenth day of the month of Adar every year,
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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.
In plain English: as the days when the Jews had rest from their enemies, and the month that was turned for them from sorrow to gladness and from mourning to a holiday (a good day). They were to make them days of feasting and gladness, of sending portions of food to one another, and of gifts to the needy.
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23The Jews accepted the custom that they had begun, as Mordecai had written to them,
In plain English: The Jews accepted what they had begun to do, and what Mordecai had written to them,
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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;
In plain English: because Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had planned against the Jews to destroy them. He had cast Pur, that is, the lot, to consume them (or: throw them into confusion) and to destroy them.
The Hebrew word: "Pur" is pur, which the dictionary gives as "a lot (as by means of a broken piece)". The text itself says "that is, the lot". Pur is first named in .
How it is translated: The WEB keeps the Hebrew word and does not translate it. Pur or Purim is in 7 verses of Esther. The WEB has "Pur" in 3 of them and "Purim" in 5 (verse 26 has both).
Good to know: Verse 26 gives the name of the days from this word: "they called these days Purim, after the word Pur". The text makes the link itself.
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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.
In plain English: But when it (or: she, that is, Esther) came before the king, he commanded by letter that Haman's evil plan, which he had planned against the Jews, should come back on his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.
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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,
In plain English: Therefore they called these days Purim, after the name Pur. Because of all the words of this letter, and of what they had seen about this matter, and of what had come to them,
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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;
In plain English: the Jews set up and took on themselves, and their descendants, and all who joined themselves to them, that they would not fail to keep these two days as written and at their appointed time every year.
The Hebrew words: The WEB says the Jews "established and imposed". The Hebrew has two words here: qum, which the dictionary gives as "to rise", and qabal, which the dictionary gives as "to admit, i.e. take". Qabal is in 3 verses of Esther. The WEB says "accepted" for it in .
What changes: With "set up and took on", the Jews take these days on themselves. With "established and imposed", they lay them on themselves. Either way, the verse says it is for themselves, their descendants and all who joined them.
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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.
In plain English: These days were to be remembered and kept in every generation, every family, every province and every city. These days of Purim were never to pass away from among the Jews, and the memory of them was never to end among their descendants.
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29Then Esther the queen, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew wrote with all authority to confirm this second letter of Purim.
In plain English: Then Esther the queen, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew wrote with all authority (or: full might) to confirm this second letter about Purim.
The Hebrew word: "Authority" is toqef, which the dictionary gives as "might or (figuratively) positiveness". It is in 2 verses of Esther: this one, where the WEB says "authority", and , where it says "power".
What changes: With "authority" the letter is written with their authority behind it. With "might" it is written with strength. The text does not say which is meant.
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30He sent letters to all the Jews in the hundred twenty-seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus with words of peace and truth,
In plain English: He sent letters to all the Jews, to the 127 provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, with words of peace and truth,
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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.
In plain English: to confirm these days of Purim at their appointed times, as Mordecai the Jew and Esther the queen had decreed, and as they had set up for themselves and their descendants, in the matter of the fasts and their outcry (or: mourning).
The Hebrew words: "Fasts" is tsom, which the dictionary gives as "a fast". It is in 2 verses of Esther: and this one. "Outcry" is zaaq, which the dictionary gives as "a shriek or outcry"; the WEB says "mourning".
Good to know: In Esther, fasting is named in , in and here. The WEB of Esther has none of the words God, Lord or prayer (0 of its 167 verses), and the Hebrew has neither Elohim nor Yahweh (0 verses). The text says what it says about the fasts and stops.
Church tradition: Jewish and Christian traditions read the book's silence about God and prayer in different ways. This study says what the text says and does not rule on them.
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32The commandment of Esther confirmed these matters of Purim; and it was written in the book.
In plain English: Esther's command confirmed these matters of Purim, and it was written in the book.
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