Commentaries Dictionaries Concordances

Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

Esther 9

Esther 9:1

ESTHER CHAPTER 9 The Jews slay their enemies, ESTHER 9:1, with the ten sons of Haman, ESTHER 9:10. Ahasuerus, at the request of Esther, granteth another day of slaughter, ESTHER 9:12. The days of Purim made festival, ESTHER 9:20. In that day which was selected by Haman with great industry and art, a... [ Continue Reading ]

Esther 9:2

NO MAN COULD WITHSTAND THEM; their enemies, though they did and were allowed to take up arms against them, yet were easily conquered and destroyed by the Jews. THE FEAR OF THEM; who had such potent friends at court, and so great a God on their side, who by such unusual and prodigious methods (whereo... [ Continue Reading ]

Esther 9:3

AND OFFICERS OF THE KING, Heb. _and all them that did the king's business_, i.e. not only the chief persons designed by the foregoing words, but all his other ministers or officers, of what quality soever.... [ Continue Reading ]

Esther 9:4

MORDECAI WAS GREAT, i.e. the greatest in place, and power, and favour with the king, both for his near relation to his beloved queen, and for his good service done to him in preserving his life and managing his affairs, and for those excellent abilities and virtues which he discovered in him, and es... [ Continue Reading ]

Esther 9:6

IN SHUSHAN THE PALACE, i.e. in the city so called, as was noted before, ESTHER 1:2; it not being probable either that they would make such a slaughter in the king's palace, or that they would be suffered so to do. FIVE HUNDRED MEN; whom by long experience they knew to be their constant and inveterat... [ Continue Reading ]

Esther 9:10

Either because they were desirous it should come into the king's treasury; or because they would leave it to their children, that it might appear that what they did that day was not done out of malice to their persons and families, or covetousness of their estates, but out of mere necessity, and by... [ Continue Reading ]

Esther 9:12

WHAT HAVE THEY DONE IN THE REST OF THE KING'S PROVINCES? in which doubtless many more were slain. So that I have fully granted thy petition. And yet, if thou hast any thing further to ask, I am here ready to grant it.... [ Continue Reading ]

Esther 9:13

ACCORDING TO THIS DAY'S DECREE, i.e. to kill their implacable enemies. For it is not improbable that the greatest and worst of them had politicly withdrawn or hidden themselves for that day; after which, the commission granted to the Jews being expired, they confidently returned to their homes, wher... [ Continue Reading ]

Esther 9:17

ON THE THIRTEENTH DAY: this belongs not to the feast, but to the work done before it. The meaning is, This they did, i.e. they slew their foes, as was now said, ESTHER 9:16, upon the thirteenth day.... [ Continue Reading ]

Esther 9:19

THEREFORE, to wit, because they did their whole work upon the thirteenth day, as was noted ESTHER 9:17, to which this manifestly relates, the 18th verse coming in as it were by way of parenthesis. IN THE UNWALLED TOWNS, Heb. _in the cities of the villages_, i.e. in the lesser cities and villages, wh... [ Continue Reading ]

Esther 9:20

MORDECAI WROTE THESE THINGS; either, 1. The letters here following. But that is distinctly mentioned in the next words. Or, 2. The history of these things, which was the ground of the feast; which Mordecai knew very well ought to be had in remembrance, and to be told to their children and posterit... [ Continue Reading ]

Esther 9:21

Because both these days had been set apart this year, the latter at Shushan, the former in other parts; and because that great work of God, which was the ground of this solemnity, had been done both upon the thirteenth and the fourteenth day.... [ Continue Reading ]

Esther 9:23

Having by this means opportunity to gather themselves together upon any occasion, the chief of them assembled together, and freely and unanimously consented to Mordecai's desire in this matter, and bound it upon themselves and posterity.... [ Continue Reading ]

Esther 9:26

i.e. Both for the respect which they justly bore to Mordecai's letter, and because they themselves had seen and felt this wonderful work of God on their behalf.... [ Continue Reading ]

Esther 9:27

ALL SUCH AS JOINED THEMSELVES UNTO THEM, i.e. Gentile proselytes; who were obliged to submit to other of the Jewish laws, and therefore to this also; the rather, because they enjoyed the benefit of this day's deliverance; without which the Jewish nation and religion had been in a great measure, if n... [ Continue Reading ]

Esther 9:29

WROTE WITH ALL AUTHORITY: the former letter, ESTHER 9:20, did only recommend, but this enjoins the observation of this solemnity; because this was not only Mordecai's act, who yet had by the king's grant a great power and authority over the subjects of that kingdom, and consequently over the Jews, b... [ Continue Reading ]

Esther 9:30

Or, even _words of peace and truth_; which may respect either, 1. The form of the writing, wherein after the custom he saluted them with hearty wishes of their true peace or prosperity, or of the continuance of those two great blessings of God, TRUTH, i.e. the true religion; and peace, either among... [ Continue Reading ]

Esther 9:31

For or about those great and overwhelming calamities which were decreed to all the Jews, and for the removing of which, not only Esther, and the Jews in Shushan, but all other Jews in all places, as soon as they heard those dismal tidings, did doubtless according to the precepts of Scripture, and th... [ Continue Reading ]

Esther 9:32

ESTHER had received authority and commission from the king to impose this upon all the Jews. IN THE BOOK; either in the public registers of that kingdom; or rather, in the records which the Jews kept of their most memorable passages.... [ Continue Reading ]

Continues after advertising