9:1 In the twelfth month (that is, the month of Adar), on its thirteenth day, the edict of the king and his law were to be executed. It was on this day that the enemies of the Jews had supposed that they would gain power over them. But contrary to expectations, the Jews gained power over their enemies.
December 13th arrived, but the Gentiles were not able to defeat the Jews.
9:2 The Jews assembled themselves in their cities throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus to strike out against those who were seeking their harm. No one was able to stand before them, for dread of them fell on all the peoples.
These Gentiles who attacked the Jews were violating the Abrahamic Covenant. They would all to be cursed kind-for-kind.
9:3 All the officials of the provinces, the satraps, the governors and those who performed the king’s business were assisting the Jews, for the dread of Mordecai had fallen on them.
The Persian army was able to choose their side. They feared Mordecai, so they assisted the Jews. There is one tradition that states it was only the Amalekites who actually tried to slay the Jews.
9:4 Mordecai was of high rank in the king’s palace, and word about him was spreading throughout all the provinces. His influence continued to become greater and greater.
The throne of Persia was now protecting the Jews. According to Romans 8:33-34. the throne of God protects the Christian today. When anyone attacks a Christian, he must deal with the Creator God who sits on the throne in heaven.
9:5 The Jews struck all their enemies with the sword, bringing death and destruction, and they did as they pleased with their enemies.
Everyone who tried to kill the Jews with the sword ended up dying by the sword. They received the kind-for-kind judgment of the Abrahamic Covenant.
9:6 In Susa the citadel the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men.
At the capital of Persia, 500 Gentiles all attempted to kill the Jews. They received the kind-for-kind judgment of the Abrahamic Covenant.
9:7 In addition, they also killed Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, 8 Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, 9 Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai, and Vaizatha, 10 the ten sons of Haman son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews. But they did not confiscate their property.
The ten sons of Haman combined and attempted to kill the Jews. Instead, all ten of these sons received the kind-for-kind judgments of the Abrahamic Covenant.
9:11 On that same day the number of those killed in Susa the citadel was brought to the king’s attention.
A report was given to the King about the attack on the Jews at the capital city.
9:12 Then the king said to Queen Esther, “In Susa the citadel the Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men and the ten sons of Haman! What then have they done in the rest of the king’s provinces? What is your request? It shall be given to you. What other petition do you have? It shall be done.”
Xerxes shared this report with Esther and asked her if she had any more requests.
9:13 Esther replied, “If the king is so inclined, let the Jews who are in Susa be permitted to act tomorrow also according to today’s law, and let them hang the ten sons of Haman on the gallows.”
Esther asked that the ten sons of Haman be impaled on the gallows. This could have been intended as a sign to remaining Gentiles to leave the Jews alone.
9:14 So the king issued orders for this to be done. A law was passed in Susa, and the ten sons of Haman were hanged.
This was a demonstration to the Kingdom of Persia of what happens when a Gentile attempts to violate the Abrahamic Covenant.
9:15 The Jews who were in Susa then assembled on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar, and they killed three hundred men in Susa. But they did not confiscate their property.
The Jews did not confiscate the property of the Gentiles. although the Persian Law gave them the authority to do so. This was a witness to the Gentile world of the character of the Jews compared to the character of the anti-semitic Gentiles.
9:16 The rest of the Jews who were throughout the provinces of the king assembled in order to stand up for themselves and to have rest from their enemies. They killed seventy-five thousand of their adversaries, but they did not confiscate their property.
The Jews killed 75,000 anti-semitic Gentiles in one day.
9:17 All of this happened on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar. They then rested on the fourteenth day and made it a day for banqueting and happiness.
December 13 was a black day for the Jews, but God turned it into a good day by getting rid of the most hostile anti-semites in the Persian Kingdom. The next day was called as a day of celebration.
9:18 But the Jews who were in Susa assembled on the thirteenth and fourteenth days, and rested on the fifteenth, making it a day for banqueting and happiness.
The Jews in the capital city of Persia had to fight for two days, so they celebrated one day later than the rest of the Jews of the other provinces.
9:19 This is why the Jews who are in the rural country—those who live in rural cities—set aside the fourteenth day of the month of Adar as a holiday for happiness, banqueting, holiday, and sending gifts to one another.
The city boys and country boys celebrated this new holiday on different days.
9:20 Mordecai wrote these matters down and sent letters to all the Jews who were throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, both near and far,
This verse is strong internal evidence that Mordecai wrote the Book of Esther.
9:21 to have them observe the fourteenth and the fifteenth day of the month of Adar each year
This holiday is still celebrated today by Orthodox Jews. It is called the Day of Purim.
9:22 as the time when the Jews gave themselves rest from their enemies—the month when their trouble was turned to happiness and their mourning to a holiday. These were to be days of banqueting, happiness, sending gifts to one another, and providing for the poor.
The Book of Esther is read at the conclusion of this holiday. Every time Haman’s name is mentioned, the Jewish congregation shouts out “Let his name be blotted out,” or “Let him be accursed.”
9:23 So the Jews committed themselves to continue what they had begun to do and to what Mordecai had written to them. 24 For Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had devised plans against the Jews to destroy them. He had cast pur (that is, the lot) in order to afflict and destroy them.
“Pur” means “lots.” Haman threw lots with the devil to find out which day that he was to kill the Jews. Instead, the anti-semitic Gentiles were killed.
9:25 But when the matter came to the king’s attention, the king gave written orders that Haman’s evil intentions that he had devised against the Jews should fall on his own head. He and his sons were hanged on the gallows.
It was not the Jews, but the family of Haman who was impaled on the gallows.
9:26 For this reason these days are known as Purim, after the name of pur.
The meaning of the Day of Purim was explained.
9:27 Therefore, because of the account found in this letter and what they had faced in this regard and what had happened to them, the Jews established as binding on themselves, their descendants, and all who joined their company that they should observe these two days without fail, just as written and at the appropriate time on an annual basis.
This celebration became a two-day holiday for the Jews.
9:28 These days were to be remembered and to be celebrated in every generation and in every family, every province, and every city. The Jews were not to fail to observe these days of Purim; the remembrance of them was not to cease among their descendants.
The holiday still continues to this day. This holiday was not invented after a myth, but it was commemorated after an actual historical event.
9:29 So Queen Esther, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew wrote with full authority to confirm this second letter about Purim.
Queen Esther confirmed the holiday with her royal authority.
9:30 Letters were sent to all the Jews in the hundred and twenty-seven provinces of the empire of Ahasuerus—words of true peace—
This law was sent to Jews all over the 127 provinces of the Persian Kingdom.
9:31 to establish these days of Purim in their proper times, just as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had established, and just as they had established both for themselves and their descendants, matters pertaining to fasting and lamentation.
The holiday was now an official Persian holiday.
9:32 Esther’s command established these matters of Purim, and the matter was officially recorded.
The court reporters filed this law in the Persian records. The Jews pray three different prayers at the Feast of Purim. First, they thank Jehovah that they are counted worthy. Second, they thank Him for preserving their ancestors. Third, they thank Him for living to enjoy another festival.