ESTHER LESSON 9


     We will begin this lesson in Esther 9:1 "Now in the twelfth
month, that [is], the month Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same,
when the king's commandment and his decree drew near to be put in
execution, in the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to have power
over them, (though it was turned to the contrary, that the Jews had
rule over them that hated them;)"

     This was speaking of that specific day that Haman had set for
them to kill all of the Jews. The Jews had permission, through
Mordecai's edict, to fight and protect themselves.

     Esther 9:2 "The Jews gathered themselves together in their cities
throughout all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, to lay hand on
such as sought their hurt: and no man could withstand them; for the
fear of them fell upon all people."

     This was not speaking of just the Jewish cities, but all of the
cities where there were groups of Jews living. This second edict had
frightened the people, so that they could not withstand the Jews.

     Esther 9:3 "And all the rulers of the provinces, and the
lieutenants, and the deputies, and officers of the king, helped the
Jews; because the fear of Mordecai fell upon them."

     It was a fearful thing in all the provinces for the second in
command to be a Jew himself. The lieutenants, deputies, and officers
were afraid to fight against the Jews for fear of reprisal.

     Esther 9:4 "For Mordecai [was] great in the king's house, and his
fame went out throughout all the provinces: for this man Mordecai
waxed greater and greater."

     It was almost as if Mordecai was leading the country himself. It
appeared the king had turned much of his authority over to Mordecai.
He was not only the second in command, but was the relative of the
queen. He had power in Persia, as Joseph had in Egypt.

     Esther 9:5 "Thus the Jews smote all their enemies with the stroke
of the sword, and slaughter, and destruction, and did what they would
unto those that hated them." Esther 9:6 "And in Shushan the palace the
Jews slew and destroyed five hundred men."

     It appears, that the Jews were not just killing at random, but
were actually killing those who wanted to kill them. The palace area
was about 100 acres, and this was where the 500 were killed. These
were homes of prominent Persians. They, possibly, did not like the
idea of a Jew taking Haman's place.

     Esther 9:7 "And Parshandatha, and Dalphon, and Aspatha," Esther
9:8 "And Poratha, and Adalia, and Aridatha," Esther 9:9 "And
Parmashta, and Arisai, and Aridai, and Vajezatha," Esther 9:10 "The
ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews, slew
they; but on the spoil laid they not their hand."

     The ten sons of Haman were, probably, still a threat to Mordecai
and the Jews. The fact that the Jews did not take spoil from them
showed this was not done for self gain, but to stop an enemy.

     Esther 9:11 "On that day the number of those that were slain in
Shushan the palace was brought before the king." Esther 9:12  "And the
king said unto Esther the queen, The Jews have slain and destroyed
five hundred men in Shushan the palace, and the ten sons of Haman;
what have they done in the rest of the king's provinces? now what [is]
thy petition? and it shall be granted thee: or what [is] thy request
further? and it shall be done."

     This just meant that the leaders of the armies reported to the
king the number that had been killed. The king had offered Esther up
to half of the kingdom, so he told her of this great loss at the
palace, explaining to her that the numbers in all of the provinces
must be tremendous. He asked Esther if she was satisfied with this
number, or what else did she want to satisfy herself and the Jews.

     Esther 9:13 "Then said Esther, If it please the king, let it be
granted to the Jews which [are] in Shushan to do to morrow also
according unto this day's decree, and let Haman's ten sons be hanged
upon the gallows."

     This seems a little bloodthirsty from such a beautiful queen. Why
she wanted so many killed, I do not know. I can understand the hanging
of the ten sons of Haman, however.

     Esther 9:14 "And the king commanded it so to be done: and the
decree was given at Shushan; and they hanged Haman's ten sons."
Esther 9:15 "For the Jews that [were] in Shushan gathered themselves
together on the fourteenth day also of the month Adar, and slew three
hundred men at Shushan; but on the prey they laid not their hand."

     The Jews killed another 300 in Shushan, but they did not take
their valuables. Again, this was the killing of the people who hated
the Jews. The Jews were not killing them to get their possessions.

     Esther 9:16 "But the other Jews that [were] in the king's
provinces gathered themselves together, and stood for their lives, and
had rest from their enemies, and slew of their foes seventy and five
thousand, but they laid not their hands on the prey,"

     It appears, that the war in the provinces lasted for just the one
day. It was almost as if they were punishing those who had hated the
Jews. The one day they killed 75,000, but they did not do it to get
their possessions either. The Jews did not take their possessions.

     Esther 9:17 "On the thirteenth day of the month Adar; and on the
fourteenth day of the same rested they, and made it a day of feasting
and gladness."
     Immediately after their great victory, there was a time of
celebration. They rested and rejoiced in the fact that the LORD had
delivered their enemies into their hands. It was obvious that this was
not the work of man, but of God.

     Esther 9:18 "But the Jews that [were] at Shushan assembled
together on the thirteenth [day] thereof, and on the fourteenth
thereof; and on the fifteenth [day] of the same they rested, and made
it a day of feasting and gladness."

     The Jews in Shushan waited one more day to celebrate because the
killing of their enemies had lasted one more day. The feasting and
gladness was for the fact that those who hated the Jews were no more.

     Esther 9:19 "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, and a good day, and of sending portions one
to another."

     This time that was set aside for celebration from year to year is
still recognized by the Jews today. The 14th day Adar is about the
same as our March.

     Esther 9:20  "And Mordecai wrote these things, and sent letters
unto all the Jews that [were] in all the provinces of the king
Ahasuerus, [both] nigh and far," Esther 9:21 "To stablish [this] among
them, that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and
the fifteenth day of the same, yearly," Esther 9:22 "As the days
wherein the Jews rested from their enemies, and the month which was
turned unto them from sorrow to joy, and from mourning into a good
day: that they should make them days of feasting and joy, and of
sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor."

     These two days would be established as a day of festivity and
giving of gifts to the poor forever. Mordecai sent letters to the Jews
in all the provinces, so that they would keep these days each year in
memory of this event. This would be a time set aside for unselfish
giving to the poor, and a time of festivity throughout the land. God
had seen their terrible plight, and turned their sorrow into joy. We
must continue to remember, that the Jews had gone into sackcloth, and
ashes, and tore their clothes in mourning. They prayed and fasted. It
was the answer to these prayers that brought all of this about.

     Esther 9:23 "And the Jews undertook to do as they had begun, and
as Mordecai had written unto them;" Esther 9:24 "Because Haman the son
of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had devised
against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast Pur, that [is], the
lot, to consume them, and to destroy them;"

     "Pur" we remember was lots. This was established as a Jewish
holiday forever. It was called Purim.

     Esther 9:25 "But when [Esther] came before the king, he commanded
by letters that his wicked device, which he devised against the Jews,
should return upon his own head, and that he and his sons should be
hanged on the gallows."

     This was speaking of Haman's wicked device. He and his ten sons
were hanged for this evil they had tried to do.

     Esther 9:26 "Wherefore they called these days Purim after the
name of Pur. Therefore for all the words of this letter, and [of that]
which they had seen concerning this matter, and which had come unto
them,"

     Pur is the Persian name of the lots Haman had used. It is
interesting that a Jewish holiday would start with a Persian word. The
"im" on the end of the word is a Hebrew ending. They did not want to
forget the happenings, here.

     Esther 9:27 "The Jews ordained, and took upon them, and upon
their seed, and upon all such as joined themselves unto them, so as it
should not fail, that they would keep these two days according to
their writing, and according to their [appointed] time every year;"
Esther 9:28 "And [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 the memorial of them perish from their seed."

     It appears, that this was not an optional celebration. It was
required of all Jews for all generations. The day before Purim was a
day of fasting to celebrate the fact of Esther's fast. The book of
Esther was read at these celebrations.

     Esther 9:29 "Then Esther the queen, the daughter of Abihail, and
Mordecai the Jew, wrote with all authority, to confirm this second
letter of Purim."

     Perhaps, the reason that Esther mentioned that she was the
daughter of Abihail, was so that all of the people would realize that
she was Hebrew, also. She might be the queen of Persia, but she was
Jew by birth. It was unusual for a queen to be involved in such a
letter, but her authority as queen added to the authority of Mordecai
as second in command.

     Esther 9:30 "And he sent the letters unto all the Jews, to the
hundred twenty and seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, [with]
words of peace and truth,"

     The Jews were scattered in those days. They had not all come back
to their homeland, when they had been given that option. The fact that
they were in a foreign land did not give them the right to overlook
Purim. Mordecai and Esther wanted them to know there would be peace
for them during the reign of Xerxes and Esther.

     Esther 9:31 "To confirm these days of Purim in their times
[appointed], according as Mordecai the Jew and Esther the queen had
enjoined them, and as they had decreed for themselves and for their
seed, the matters of the fastings and their cry."

     Mordecai and Esther set the example by agreeing to keep the feast
of Purim themselves and for their descendents.

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

     This was written in the record book to make sure that it would
always be remembered. The book spoken of is the book of the
chronicles.

     We will continue this lesson on with Esther 10:1 "And the king
Ahasuerus laid a tribute upon the land, and [upon] the isles of the
sea."

     Possibly, this was a re-assessing of the tribute. The king of
Persia had lost part of his territory in a battle with Greece. This,
perhaps, is to re-adjust the tribute to a more fair amount.

     Esther 10:2 "And all the acts of his power and of his might, and
the declaration of the greatness of Mordecai, whereunto the king
advanced him, [are] they not written in the book of the chronicles of
the kings of Media and Persia?"

     It appears, that Mordecai became a very powerful second in
command. The record book for Persia, also, contains the events of
Media. This explains that Mordecai found favor with the king. The only
way the king could advance him was in the money he made and in the
authority. Since he was second in command, the only office left if he
were promoted would have been king.

     Esther 10:3 "For Mordecai the Jew [was] next unto king Ahasuerus,
and great among the Jews, and accepted of the multitude of his
brethren, seeking the wealth of his people, and speaking peace to all
his seed."

     Mordecai in Persia was much like Joseph in Egypt. As long as he
lived, he helped his people.



     Thank you for taking your time to study these books of Ezra,
Nehemiah and Esther. May God richly bless you, as you continue to read
and study His Word.



                          Your friend in Christ,



                          Louise Haney

                          Esther 9 Questions


1.  What was their 12th month?
2.  What did the Jews do on the day Haman had planned for the Jews to
    be killed?
3.  How did the Jews get permission to protect themselves?
4.  Why could the people not withstand the Jews?
5.  Why did the officers help the Jews?
6.  What happened to Mordecai, after he took office?
7.  Mordecai's power in Persia was compared to Joseph's power in
    ___________.
8.  Who did the Jews kill?
9.  How many were killed at Shushan?
10. How large was the palace area?
11. Who were the sons of Haman, who were killed?
12. Why do you suppose they did not take the spoil?
13. When the king heard the number killed at Shushan, what did he ask
    Esther?
14. What answer did she give the king?
15. How were Haman's sons killed?
16. How many more were killed in Shushan on the second day?
17. How many were killed in the provinces?
18. When did the Jews in the province begin to celebrate?
19. Who suggested this as a celebration for forever?
20. Who wrote letters to the provinces for this to be a celebration
    every year?
21. What does "pur" mean?
22. What would the festival be named?
23. Who wrote with Mordecai to the provinces the second time?
24. Why did Esther speak of herself as the daughter of Abihail?
25. Where was all of this recorded?