Esther 9:19

19. Therefore… the fourteenth day Because the Jews outside of Shushan did all their fighting on the thirteenth, and rested on the fourteenth, as stated in Esther 9:17, therefore they made the latter day their day of feasting and joy; but the Jews in Shushan, having fought both on the thirteenth and fourteenth, made the fifteenth their feast day, Esther 9:18. See also Esther 9:21.

Jews of the villages Rather, of the country places, that is, as distinguished from those who dwelt at the capital, Shushan. They are further defined as those that dwelt in cities of the country, (not unwalled towns, as our version has it, for some of these country towns may have had walls.) The writer of this was evidently a citizen of Shushan, and seems to have regarded the whole Persian empire outside of this capital city as country.

Sending portions Comp. Nehemiah 8:10, note.