Esther 9:23-32

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Esther 9:20-32

We may well imagine how much affected Mordecai and Esther were with the triumphs of the Jews over their enemies, and how they saw the issue of that decisive day with a satisfaction proportionable to the care and concern with which they expected it. How were their hearts enlarged with joy in God and his salvation, and what new songs of praise were put into their mouths! But here we are told what course they took to spread the knowledge of it among their people, and to perpetuate the remembrance... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Esther 9:23

And the Jews undertook to do as they had begun, and as Mordecai had written unto them. They engaged to keep these two days as festivals annually, as they had at this time done; not in a religious but in a civil way, not as parts of religious worship, and as additions to and innovations of the law, but by way of commemoration of a civil benefit which they had received; and yet we find in later times that this was scrupled by some as an innovation; for we are told F18 T. Hieros. Megillah.... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 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 ,.... Had formed a design to exterminate them from the whole Persian empire in one day: and had cast Pur, (that is, the lot,) to consume them, and to destroy them ; had cast lots to find out what would be the most lucky day in the year for him to do it on, and the most unlucky and unfortunate to the Jews; and, according to the lot, the thirteenth of Adar was pitched... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Esther 9:25

But when Esther came before the king ,.... To request of him her life, and the life of her people: he commanded by letters, that his wicked device, which he devised against the Jews, should return upon his own head ; that whereas his wicked scheme was to destroy all the Jews, the king, by his second letter, gave orders that the Jews should have liberty to defend themselves, and destroy their enemies which rose up against them; and the friends and party of Haman were entirely cut off: ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Esther 9:26

Wherefore they called these days Purim, after the name of Pur ,.... The lot; because of the lots cast by Haman; see Esther 3:7 , therefore for all the words of this letter ; in obedience to what Mordecai wrote in his letter to the Jews, and because of the things contained in it: and of that which they had seen concerning this matter ; with their own eyes, in the several provinces where their enemies rose up to assault them, but were destroyed by them: and what had come unto them... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Esther 9:27

The Jews ordained, and took upon them, and upon their seed, and upon all such that joined themselves unto them ,.... Who became proselytes to their religion; that is, they appointed the above two days as festivals, and engaged for themselves, for their children, and all proselytes, to observe them as such; and one of their canons F19 Lebush & Schulchan, ib. (par. 1.) c. 689. sect. 1. runs thus,"all are obliged to read the Megillah (the book of Esther, which they always read on... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Esther 9:28

And that these days should be remembered, and kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city ,.... And accordingly these days are commemorated by them now, and by all their families, and all in their families capable of it; and these words, "every province", and "every city", are used, as Aben Ezra observes, lest a man should think he was not bound to keep this feast where there were no Jews; for, let him be where he may, he is obliged to keep it: and that... read more

John Gill

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

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