Esther 9:20-32

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Esther 9:29

Then Esther the queen, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew, wrote with all authority ,.... Strongly pressing the observance of this festival; before, Mordecai only recommended it, but now the queen gave a sanction to it, and laid her obligation on the Jews to observe it; perhaps some of the Jews were backward to it, or neglected to observe it, and therefore Esther and Mordecai joined in a letter to them, to press them to it; the Jewish chronologer F24 Seder Olam Rabba, c. 29.... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Esther 9:30

And he sent letters unto all the Jews ,.... That is, Mordecai did, signed in the queen's name, and his own: to the hundred twenty and seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus ; among which was Judea, that was become a province, first of the Chaldean, now of the Persian empire, see Ezra 5:8 to whom also these letters were sent, directing and ordering the Jews there to observe these days, who were also concerned in the deliverance wrought: with words of peace and truth exhorting... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Esther 9:31

To confirm these days of Purim in their times appointed ,.... The fourteenth and fifteenth of Adar: according as Mordecai the Jew and Esther the queen had enjoined them ; in the letters written and signed by them both: and as they had decreed for themselves, and for their seed ; see Esther 9:27 , the matters of their fastings and their cry ; in commemoration of their deliverance from those distresses and calamities which occasioned fastings and prayers during the time of them;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Esther 9:32

And the decree of Esther confirmed these matters of Purim ,.... As a festival to be observed by the Jews in future generations: and it was written in the book ; either in this book of Esther; or in the public acts and chronicles of the kings of Persia; or in a book by itself, now lost, as Aben Ezra thinks, as many others are we read of in Scripture, as the books of the chronicles of the kings of Israel and Judah, &c.; read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Esther 9:20

Mordecai wrote these things - It has been supposed that thus far that part of the book of Esther, which was written by Mordecai extends: what follows to the end, was probably added either by Ezra, or the men of the Great Synagogue; though what is said here may refer only to the letters sent by Mordecai to the Jews of the provinces. From this to the end of the chapter is nothing else than a recapitulation of the chief heads of the preceding history, and an account of the appointment of... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Esther 9:23

The Jews undertook to do as they had begun - They had already kept the fifteenth day, and some of them in the country the fourteenth also, as a day of rejoicing: Mordecai wrote to them to bind themselves and their successors, and all their proselytes, to celebrate this as an annual feast throughout all their generations; and this they undertook to do. And it has been observed among them, in all places of their dispersion, from that day to the present time, without any... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Esther 9:26

They called these days Purim - That is from pari , the lot; because, as we have seen, Haman cast lots to find what month, and what day of the month, would be the most favorable for the accomplishment of his bloody designs against the Jews. See on Esther 3:7 ; (note). And of that which they had seen - The first letter to which this second refers, must be that sent by Mordecai himself. See Esther 9:20 . read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Esther 9:29

Esther - wrote with all authority - Esther and Mordecai had the king's license so to do: and their own authority was great and extensive. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Esther 9:31

As they had decreed for themselves and for their seed - There is no mention of their receiving the approbation of any high priest, nor of any authority beyond that of Mordecai and Esther; the king could not join in such a business, as he had nothing to do with the Jewish religion, that not being the religion of the country. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Esther 9:32

The decree of Esther confirmed these matters - It was received by the Jews universally with all respect, and they bound themselves to abide by it. The Vulgate gives a strange turn to this verse: Et omnia quae libri hujus, qui vocatur Esther, historia continentur ; "And all things which are contained in the history of this book, which is called Esther." The Targum says, And by the word of Esther all these things relative to Purim were confirmed; and the roll was transcribed... read more

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