The day for Haman and Mordecai’s edicts to face off has arrived. In this Esther 9 commentary, watch the tables turn as the Jews get the upper hand. In just 11 months, they go from fearful fasting to joyful feasting, and out of this great reversal the Jewish holiday of Purim is born.
Previously on Bible Book Club
In our last chapter, there was a great reversal of fortune and power, and everything that Haman boasted about was given to Mordecai. Esther went to work again for her people and begged the king to do something about the death decree. So the king gave Esther and Mordecai the power to write a new decree that allowed the Jews to defend themselves.
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How did Haman’s and Mordecai’s edicts differ in the Book of Esther?
Haman and Mordecai’s edicts sound the same, but there are some distinct differences. Haman’s edict is offensive and unprovoked; it targets only the Jews for total annihilation. Mordecai’s edict is self-defensive and provoked; they can only kill those who attack them.
Haman’s edict also provides a financial incentive. If they kill the Jews, they can take their possessions. Mordecai’s edict allows the Jews to legally take the plunder of those who attack them. However, we will find they refuse to take plunder from the Persians, because this is a holy war to them.
How are Haman and Mordecai’s edicts the same?
It is surprising to see that Haman and Mordecai’s edicts are the same in that both permit the killing of women and children.Haman’s edict says:
Esther 3:13 Dispatches were sent by couriers to all the king’s provinces with the order to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews—young and old, women and children—on a single day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, and to plunder their goods.
So Haman’s edict permits the Persians to kill all Jews—young, old, women, and children—and to seize their possessions. Mordecai’s edict permits the Jews to kill the armed men of any nationality who attack them, to kill their women and children, and to seize their property and possessions. Mordecai’s edict says:
Esther 8:11 The king’s edict granted the Jews in every city the right to assemble and protect themselves; to destroy, kill and annihilate the armed men of any nationality or province who might attack them and their women and children, and to plunder the property of their enemies.
Why did Mordecai’s decree include the killing of women and children?
The scholars give 3 explanations of why Mordecai’s decree includes the killing of women and children:
- Lex Talionis. Mordecai’s decree has to be a mirror of Haman’s to carry the same weight. Lex Talionis, or the “law of retaliation,” was very prevalent in the reversals of this story. For example, Haman is impaled on the gallows intended for Mordecai. Mordecai’s retaliation decree in effect makes the decrees equal: “We can do what you can do.”
- Decrease the number of attacks. Mordecai’s inclusion of women and children provides a good reason for the Jews’ enemies to think twice before attacking. Certainly the women would put more pressure on their husbands to stand down. So the included threat could have helped decrease the attack.
- A biblical rematch. The ongoing conflict between Israel and Amalek, which began during Exodus, includes a promise from God that He will completely blot out the Amalekites. Haman, the Amalekite, is now dead, but his followers remain. Mordecai’s decree echoes God’s command from 1 Samuel:
1 Samuel 15:3 Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy all that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.
Saul’s Failure
Saul failed to obey the command, and it cost him the kingdom and the crown. Mordecai and Esther are both from the tribe of Benjamin and are descendants of Kish, the same family as King Saul. Because Saul didn’t fully obey, the Amalekites remained a threat to Israel. Now, centuries later during the Persian diaspora, Haman who is described as an Agagite (likely descended from King Agag whom Saul spared) plots to destroy all the Jews.
The conflict between Haman and Mordecai is presented as a continuation of the ancient Amalekite-Israelite conflict. In the eyes of biblical history, the events in the Book of Esther are a “rematch.” Mordecai is finishing the job his ancestor Saul failed to do. The text doesn’t describe a complete genocide of all Amalekites. Rather it’s the Jews defending themselves against those who sought to kill them. We can’t be sure that every single Amalekite attacked the Jews. However, Mordecai is credited with finishing the “mission” of the House of Kish, symbolized in the victory of the battle between Haman and Mordecai for power.
We can assume that any Amalekite who is considered a threat to the Jews and their families and would carry that hatred forward does not survive. And we will see that there is a substantial number of people who choose to attack the Jews. The alternative, if Haman’s plot had succeeded, would have been the annihilation of the Jews, which would have meant Jesus would not be born, and God’s plan of redemption would have been thwarted.
Scene 1: The D-Day Power Shift That No One Saw Coming
Esther 9:1–4
1 On the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, the edict commanded by the king was to be carried out. On this day the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, but now the tables were turned and the Jews got the upper hand over those who hated them.
2 The Jews assembled in their cities in all the provinces of King Xerxes to attack those determined to destroy them. No one could stand against them, because the people of all the other nationalities were afraid of them. 3 And all the nobles of the provinces, the satraps, the governors and the king’s administrators helped the Jews, because fear of Mordecai had seized them. 4 Mordecai was prominent in the palace; his reputation spread throughout the provinces, and he became more and more powerful.
What happened on the 13th day of Adar in the Persian Empire?
The D-day for Haman and Mordecai’s edicts to face off has arrived in Persia on the 13th day of Adar, eleven months after Haman cast lots or pur for the fate of the Jews. But the tables are turned, and the Jews have the upper hand.
Not only can the Jews defend themselves, the people of other nationalities living in Persia are too afraid to attack. The nobles, the satraps, the governors, and the king’s administrators are afraid of Mordecai and actually help the Jews. And Mordecai has risen to such a place of power that his reputation is known throughout all of Persia.
Scene 2: The Fall of Haman’s House
Esther 9:5–10
5 The Jews struck down all their enemies with the sword, killing and destroying them, and they did what they pleased to those who hated them. 6 In the citadel of Susa, the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men. 7 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 lay their hands on the plunder.
Who were Haman’s ten sons and what happened to them?
The names of Haman’s ten sons are of special interest because they are thought to be daiva names representing demonic forces. In the capital of Susa where Haman would have had the most influence and following, the Jews kill 500 men, 10 of whom are the 10 sons of Haman. So not one of Haman’s sons is left to carry on his legacy of hate.
The crazy Bible Bender about why these names are so obviously listed here: Many scholars believe the author of Esther is making a point that this is a war of good versus evil. In the Persian religion called Zoroastrianism, a daiva was originally a god. However, under decrees issued by Persian Kings like Xerxes, the daiva were reclassified as demons with demonic powers.
Since Haman is described as an Agagite in a Persian context, and the Daiva’s represent demonic or evil forces in Zoroastrian tradition, there’s a correlation: Haman and his sons represent the forces of evil and chaos (daiva-like forces) that are ultimately defeated by the forces of good and order (represented by Mordecai and Esther’s actions).
Why do the Jews refuse to take plunder from their enemies?
The Jews saw this battle as a holy war, and one of God’s rules for a holy war is that no one should personally profit. The description of Haman as an enemy of the Jews, the annihilation of Haman’s family, and the fact that no plunder was taken from Haman validate that this is why the Jews refuse to take plunder.
The Jews are not fighting on their own behalf but for the Lord, and the plunder is His, not theirs. Saul kept the best of the Amalekites’ possessions and never killed King Agag. The Jews of Susa do not make the same mistake. They succeeded where he failed.
The essence of holy war in the Old Testament is not about Israel versus another nation. It is about God warring against sin and evil on Earth. Until the arrival of Jesus, the ultimate warrior and king, God had to protect His people, the Israelites, with both offensive and defensive measures to ensure their existence.
With the death of Jesus, the ultimate battle is won. Jesus waged the final war against sin and evil on the cross. Holy war, therefore, takes on a new meaning. The church replaces the army of Israel in the fight against evil in the world, and the battle has moved to the heart where sin and evil reside. This is why the apostle Paul instructs us to put on the full armor of God in Ephesians 6:11, because we are warriors in the battle for the hearts of others. Our battle is not against flesh and blood as it was for the Israelites. Our battle is against the rulers and powers and spiritual forces of evil in Ephesians 6:12.
Scene 3: Esther Wants More and Makes a Bold Request
Esther 9:11–17
11 The number of those killed in the citadel of Susa was reported to the king that same day. 12 The king said to Queen Esther, “The Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men and the ten sons of Haman in the citadel of Susa. What have they done in the rest of the king’s provinces? Now what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request? It will also be granted.”
13 “If it pleases the king,” Esther answered, “give the Jews in Susa permission to carry out this day’s edict tomorrow also, and let Haman’s ten sons be impaled on poles.”
14 So the king commanded that this be done. An edict was issued in Susa, and they impaled the ten sons of Haman. 15 The Jews in Susa came together on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar, and they put to death in Susa three hundred men, but they did not lay their hands on the plunder.
16 Meanwhile, the remainder of the Jews who were in the king’s provinces also assembled to protect themselves and get relief from their enemies. They killed seventy-five thousand of them but did not lay their hands on the plunder. 17 This happened on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar, and on the fourteenth they rested and made it a day of feasting and joy.
How does Esther change throughout this book?
Wow, sweet little Hadassah has become a tough political strategist. The king now looks at his queen, not with desire for her, but with respect and a desire to please her. He wants to know what she thinks about the report. Is she satisfied?
No, she is not satisfied. She would like the Jews in Susa to have one more day to fight their enemies, and she wants Haman’s sons impaled as he was. This request seems barbaric, but it is the custom. King Saul and his son Jonathan were displayed in the same way. It is a gruesome display with an unforgettable message to all who see it.
Why is Esther so gruesomely thorough? Esther knows for sure now that she has been positioned for such a time as this, and Esther is not going to look back with regret. I suspect she has received reports that there are still a few of Haman’s followers remaining. Perhaps they hung back to see if they could muster a counterattack. Esther is not going to fall short as Saul had. She realizes that this is her opportunity to get the Jews back on track.
God’s ultimate plan for a future Messiah needs people. Her people. And she uses the power God has given her judiciously. So, there is another day of fighting in the capital, and another 300 men are added to the 500 enemies of God killed in Susa.
How many people are killed by the Jews in the Book of Esther?
A total of 75,800 people are killed by the Jews in the Book of Esther. On top of the 800 killed in the capital, 75,000 are killed in the Persian provinces. In all reports, no plunder is taken by the Jews.
Scene 4: The Fast That Became a Feast
Esther 9:18–19
18 The Jews in Susa, however, had assembled on the thirteenth and fourteenth, and then on the fifteenth they rested and made it a day of feasting and joy.
19 That is why rural Jews—those living in villages—observe the fourteenth of the month of Adar as a day of joy and feasting, a day for giving presents to each other.
What are the exact dates of the two days of fighting in Esther?
In the capital of Susa, the fighting occurs on the 13th and 14th of Adar. In the provinces, the fighting occurs on the 13th of Adar only. As a result, each has a victory celebration the next day with the provinces celebrating after one day of fighting on the 14th, and the capital of Susa celebrating after two days of fighting on the 15th.
In just 11 months, the Jews have gone from fasting in fear to feasting in joy. In a book where God is never mentioned, the journey from fasting to feasting becomes itself a witness to God’s providence. The Jews’ fasting was a prayer. An act of desperation with just a sliver of hope. Their deliverance comes through a reversal so unlikely that it points to divine providence, the hand of God working through two very unlikely humans—Mordecai and Esther.
Scene 5: Purim, A Feast to Remember
Esther 9:20–28
20 Mordecai recorded these events, and he sent letters to all the Jews throughout the provinces of King Xerxes, near and far, 21 to have them celebrate annually the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar 22 as the time when the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month when their sorrow was turned into joy and their mourning into a day of celebration. He wrote them to observe the days as days of feasting and joy and giving presents of food to one another and gifts to the poor.
23 So the Jews agreed to continue the celebration they had begun, doing what Mordecai had written to them. 24 For Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them and had cast the pur (that is, the lot) for their ruin and destruction. 25 But when the plot came to the king’s attention, he issued written orders that the evil scheme Haman had devised against the Jews should come back onto his own head, and that he and his sons should be impaled on poles. 26 (Therefore these days were called Purim, from the word pur.) Because of everything written in this letter and because of what they had seen and what had happened to them, 27 the Jews took it on themselves to establish the custom that they and their descendants and all who join them should without fail observe these two days every year, in the way prescribed and at the time appointed. 28 These days should be remembered and observed in every generation by every family, and in every province and in every city. And these days of Purim should never fail to be celebrated by the Jews—nor should the memory of these days die out among their descendants.
Why is the Book of Esther often called the book of banquets or feasts?
The book of Esther is often called the book of banquets or feasts because there are so many banquets and feasts in this book! We began with three feasts in Chapter 1. The big power play and reversal happened between Esther’s two banquets with Haman and the king, and now we are ending with two days of feasts.
Mordecai sends out the first letter about the annual celebration of Purim spelling it out for them.
What is the Feast of Purim?
The Feast of Purim is a celebration of the time when the Jews’ sorrow is turned into joy and their mourning into a day of celebration. Joy is mentioned seven times in the last chapters of Esther. And the Feast of Purim is just that, a celebration of joy because God’s divine providence saved them.
Purim is perhaps the most joyful of all the Feasts and Festivals celebrated in the Jewish calendar. To see a full list of the feasts and their meanings, check out our Feasts and Festivals in the Bible chart.
What is the origin and meaning of the name Purim?
The name “Purim” comes from the word “pur” meaning “lot.” Haman cast lots—like rolling dice—to determine when the Jews would be executed. The lots fell on the 13th of Adar, but God reversed everything. So the holiday is named after the very instrument of their doom, transforming it into a symbol of deliverance.
The Jews survived, and their enemies were destroyed. And it’s a final bit of irony that the method Haman used to seal their fate becomes the name of their salvation.
What are the four Mitzvot or requirements for celebrating Purim?
There are four Mitzvot or “must-dos” to celebrate Purim. It starts on the 13th with a fast commemorating Esther’s three-day fast and continues on the 14th of the month of Adar.
- Reading the Megillah. This is the reading of the Scroll or Book. The Book of Esther is read aloud in the synagogue twice, once in the evening and once the next morning. Every time the name “Haman” is mentioned people boo, stomp, and use noisemakers called graggers to “blot out” his name and the evil he represents.
- Giving gifts of food called Misloach Manot. Based on Esther 9:2, to build community unity, people exchange gift baskets containing at least two types of food with friends and neighbors.
- Giving to the Poor or Matanot L’evyonim. On Purim, everyone must give to at least two needy people. The goal is to ensure everyone has enough to celebrate.
- The Festive Meal or Se’udat Purim. A festive meal is held in the afternoon often with family and friends. It is a party of joy.
What modern traditions are associated with the holiday of Purim?
- Children and people dress in costumes or masks. This symbolizes how God’s hand was “masked” or hidden throughout the story.
- Hamantaschen: Iconic triangular cookies that represent Haman’s three-cornered hat.
- The “Purim Spiel”: A comedic play of the Esther story. People often rewrite the story of Esther to poke fun at current events and local leaders, keeping with the theme of “flipping the script.”
- Ad Lo Yada, a Drinking Custom. There is a famous (and often debated) saying in the Talmud that one should celebrate until they “cannot tell the difference” (Ad lo yada) between “Cursed is Haman” and “Blessed is Mordecai.”
Salvation Comes from the Jews
There is a reason Jewish Holidays like Purim are important to us, too. Our heritage as believers is tied up in the heritage of the Jews.
- The first Christians were Jewish believers.
- All of the apostles were Jewish.
- Almost all the books of the Bible were written by Jews. The only exceptions are the two books thought to be written by Luke (the book of Luke and Acts). Luke was a gentile.
- Jesus was Jewish.
- Jesus died on a Jewish holiday, Passover, and rose on another Jewish holiday, the Feast of Firstfruits.
- The Holy Spirit came upon Jewish believers on a Jewish Holiday, the Feast of Weeks which we call Pentecost.
Without the Jews, there would be no Jesus. Without Jesus there would be no church and no redemption for us. The saying “salvation is from the Jews” is 100% accurate.
Celebrating the Small Miracles
One more unique thing about Purim: It doesn’t involve big miracles like the Passover and the parting of the Red Sea. Purim celebrates the small miracles in the form of Divine Providence. God working behind the scenes in the lives of people. These are often seen as a series of coincidences.
In the story of Esther, God is showing us his hand. Nothing about the redemption of the Jews was a coincidence:
- Not the king getting drunk and banishing Vashti
- Not Esther finding favor and winning the queen competition
- Not Mordecai overhearing the assassination plot against the king
- Not the king’s insomnia and choice of reading material about Mordecai
- Not Haman’s appearance in the court the next morning and the humiliating parade with Mordecai
- Not the timing of Esther’s two banquets for the King and Mordecai
- Not even the gallows Haman built for himself
This is not a book of coincidences. God is not absent. This book is a lesson in Divine Providence for us.
The book of Esther is the story of how God’s providence works behind the scenes through the courage and wisdom of faithful individuals to save His people.
The questions for us are:
- Are you one of those faithful individuals?
- Is God working through your courage and wisdom to save His people?
- Can you see God working behind the scenes to put you in position for such a time as this?
Scene 6: The Queen Has a Voice
Esther 9:29–32
29 So Queen Esther, daughter of Abihail, along with Mordecai the Jew, wrote with full authority to confirm this second letter concerning Purim. 30 And Mordecai sent letters to all the Jews in the 127 provinces of Xerxes’ kingdom—words of goodwill and assurance— 31 to establish these days of Purim at their designated times, as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had decreed for them, and as they had established for themselves and their descendants in regard to their times of fasting and lamentation. 32 Esther’s decree confirmed these regulations about Purim, and it was written down in the records.
Why did Esther write letters?
Mordecai has already written letters; Esther follows up with letters to confirm the holiday. These letters are described as words of goodwill and assurance. Do the people need assurance? Perhaps that is why they need to hear from the queen. They need to be assured that their national status has indeed been raised from the ashes.
How the tables have turned. The book of Esther began with Esther and Mordecai hiding their identity. Yet now it states: Queen Esther, daughter of Abihail, along with Mordecai the Jew. She is the queen of Persia, but she is also the daughter of a Jew. And neither she nor Mordecai is hiding their nationality, because it is no longer a source of discrimination.
Additionally, the two of them together have full authority. Esther is no longer the unseen queen who must risk her life to approach the king. Esther has a voice, and now she is willing to use it. Think about this: Esther created a religious holiday that still exists today. There is no other woman in the Bible like her.
Lastly, the God that the Jews were hiding in Persia is now recognized and revered because of the people God moved into power. The name of God becomes feared as a powerful protector of His people, and yet His name is not even mentioned once.
Scene 7: Mordecai Gets the Final Word
Esther 10:1–3
1 King Xerxes imposed tribute throughout the empire, to its distant shores. 2 And all his acts of power and might, together with a full account of the greatness of Mordecai, whom the king had promoted, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Media and Persia? 3 Mordecai the Jew was second in rank to King Xerxes, preeminent among the Jews, and held in high esteem by his many fellow Jews, because he worked for the good of his people and spoke up for the welfare of all the Jews.
How was Mordecai’s status described at the end of the book?
Mordecai became preeminent among the Jews. So much of the focus in these last chapters has been on Esther, but Mordecai shares equally in the victory. The book closes with an epilogue about the king and Mordecai. With Mordecai in charge, the king prospers. The tribute, or tax, must have improved the economy of Persia, because the king’s book of annals lists acts of power and might.
Why? The last phrase of the Book of Esther answers simply: because he worked for the good of his people and spoke up for the welfare of all the Jews. And he did, whether that meant tearing his clothes and making a scene or reporting an assassination attempt on the king. Mordecai’s every action is for the good of the people. And the divine providence of God uses Mordecai to challenge Esther, unmask Haman, and redirect a foolish and impulsive king. Like Mordecai and Esther, we must trust in the power and presence of God.
How can we trust the power and presence of God today?
Even when God seems absent and the situation looks impossible, we know God can work through us and the world in creative and unexpected ways. If ever you need encouragement in a time of trial or if you ever need hope that the hand of God is working behind the scenes remember Esther and Mordecai and Proverbs 11:
Proverbs 11:8-10 8 The righteous person is rescued from trouble, and it falls on the wicked instead. 9 With their mouths the godless destroy their neighbors,
but through knowledge the righteous escape. 10 When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy.
God will rescue the righteous. Good will win. Evil will fall. And there will be a great feast, a banquet, a celebration of joy.
That concludes our commentary on the Book of Esther. And Esther is the last of the History Books of the Old Testament. Join us for Season 18, a very different story in the Book of Job.
Discussion Questions
- Esther is gruesomely thorough because she is not going to look back with regret. Is there a God-given assignment in your life right now that you’ve been holding back on finishing? What would it look like to see it all the way through?
- Purim celebrates divine providence: God working behind the scenes through what looks like a series of coincidences. Looking back at your own story, can you identify moments that felt random at the time but now look like the hand of God positioning you?
- Esther ends the book with her name on a royal decree that created a religious holiday still celebrated thousands of years later, yet the book began with her hiding her identity in fear. What does her arc say about how God can transform the very thing you’re most afraid to be known for into the source of your greatest impact?
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Feasts and Festivals in the Bible
