Esther 9
Lutheran reading notes
In Esther chapter 9, the account continues the story of God’s providential preservation of the Jewish people. Lutheran interpretation frequently highlights how these events reveal both human sinfulness and God’s faithful promises. The chapter demonstrates the tension between human failure and God’s ongoing grace working through history.
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;)
Esther 9:1 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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.
Esther 9:2 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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. {officers...: Heb. those which did the business that belonged to the king}
Esther 9:3 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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.
Esther 9:4 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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. {what...: Heb. according to their will}
Esther 9:5 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
6
And in Shushan the palace the Jews slew and destroyed five hundred men.
Esther 9:6 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
7
And Parshandatha, and Dalphon, and Aspatha,
Esther 9:7 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
8
And Poratha, and Adalia, and Aridatha,
Esther 9:8 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
9
And Parmashta, and Arisai, and Aridai, and Vajezatha,
Esther 9:9 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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.
11
On that day the number of those that were slain in Shushan the palace was brought before the king. {was...: Heb. came}
Esther 9:11 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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.
Esther 9:12 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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. {let Haman's...: Heb. let men hang, etc}
Esther 9:13 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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 9:14 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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.
Esther 9:15 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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,
Esther 9:16 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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. {of the same: Heb. in it}
Esther 9:17 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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.
Esther 9:18 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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.
Esther 9:19 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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 9:20 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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 9:21 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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.
Esther 9:22 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
23
And the Jews undertook to do as they had begun, and as Mordecai had written unto them;
Esther 9:23 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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; {consume: Heb. crush}
Esther 9:24 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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. {when...: Heb. when she came}
Esther 9:25 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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: that is, Lot}
Esther 9:26 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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; {fail: Heb. pass}
Esther 9:27 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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. {fail: Heb. pass} {perish: Heb. be ended}
29
Then Esther the queen, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew, wrote with all authority, to confirm this second letter of Purim. {authority: Heb. strength}
Esther 9:29 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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,
Esther 9:30 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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. {themselves: Heb. their souls}
Esther 9:31 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
32
And the decree of Esther confirmed these matters of Purim; and it was written in the book.
Esther 9:32 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.