Esther Chapters 7,8,9,10 Commentary

ESTHER Chapters 7-10 Chapter 7

7:1-3 What Haman knew about Esther is not stated. Since he wasn’t hesitant to attend the first banquet, it seems that he was completely ignorant concerning the fact that Esther, the queen, was a close relative to Mordecai. This time Esther got right to the point and asked that her life might be spared along with the life of her people.

7:4 Esther explained that all her people had been sold into extinction.

Remember, Haman had offered 10,000 talents of sliver for the right to destroy the Jewish race. “Showing her subservient position to the king, she added that if they had merely been sold into slavery she certainly would not have bothered the king” (Bible Knowledge Comm. p. 710).

7:5 It is evident that the king was very upset over the plot to destroy his queen and her people. To this point the king still had not made the connection between the decree of death he had signed, and Esther’s danger. In addition, it appears that even up to this point he was ignorant concerning what particular people Haman intended to destroy, for the king knew that Mordecai was a Jew (6:10), and yet still wanted him honored.

7:6 Esther immediately reveals that Haman, the kings most trusted advisor, is the enemy who is trying to destroy Esther and her people. “Haman must have felt doomed immediately because he realized he had not condemned to death just a people from another land, for that had never bothered him. What was troubling was that the king’s favorite wife also was a Jew” (Breneman p. 347).

7:7 Apparently, the king was so angry because he had been tricked into making a decree that meant the death of his own beloved queen. Haman immediately falls at the feet of Esther asking for mercy, for he realized that Esther could have tremendous influence with the king. The king may have left to consider the appropriate punishment before speaking, or settle down before he spake or to

come up with some plan which would overrule the decree that he had signed into law.

7:8 Haman’s timing could not have been worse. Just as he fell on the couch where Esther was reclining to plead for his life, the king walked in. Apparently in a gesture of contrition he either seized Esther’s feet or perhaps even kissed them. Angrily he accused Haman of attempting to molest the queen even while she was with her husband. Immediately the king called for the guards and Haman was rushed away with his face covered. In Greek and Roman cultures criminals faces were covered before taking them away to be executed.

7:9 Apparently Haman didn’t have many friends either. “Harbona” (hahr BOE nuh), one of the kings servants standing by, immediately added the information that Haman had built a gallows 50 cubits high to hang Mordecai, the man who had saved the kings life! The high gallows Haman built had not gone unnoticed among the palace servants. Upon hearing such, the king immediately ordered Haman to be executed on his own gallows. Possibly Haman was hated by many people in the city of Susa, especially in government circles.

Point to Note: This section should serve as a warning to everyone who intends to do evil. Evil people tend to end up entrapped by their own evil devices. And when judgment falls, it may be too late to repent!

Chapter 8 8:1-2 Haman was considered a criminal, for his evil plan and his property were confiscated and given to Mordecai. What irony, the power that Haman had so coveted is given to the man who refused to bow before Haman, and while Haman had hoped to seize the property of the Jews, his own property was given to a Jew. These verses also tell us that Esther told the king that Mordecai was her relative. This probably would have included the fact that Mordecai had actually saved Esther’s life by informing her and encouraging her to approach the king, hence Mordecai had not only saved the life of the king, but had also saved the life of the queen whom he dearly loved.

8:3 Yet even though Haman was now dead, his plot was still very much alive.

“Haman’s overthrow and Mordecai’s elevation could not give Esther comfort so long as Haman’s decree against the Jews remained in force” (Gaebelein p. 829).

8:4 At this time the golden scepter is extended to Esther after her emotional plea, a gesture intended to encourage her to rise from her prostrate position before continuing to speak.

8:5-6 Clearly Esther wasn’t self-serving, for she was concerned about her people. Esther was also very careful to place the blame on Haman for the wicked plot, and not on the king.

8:7-8 The king responded by first reminding Esther and Mordecai that he had executed Haman and given his estate to her. Then the king told them to write another decree in his name. He gave them permission to word the decree as seemed best to them. Haman’s decree could not simply be revoked, for no prior document written by the kings’ authority and sealed with his ring could be removed, even by the king himself (Daniel 6:8,12,15). It could only be neutralized by another decree.

8:9 The royal scribes were summoned at once. Here we are given an indication of time, it was the twenty-third day of the third month, Sivan (May-June), two months and ten days after Haman had issued his order (3:12). The decree was written in every known language that existed in the Empire, including the Jews language, hence no one could plea ignorance.

8:10 This decree was then sent throughout the empire by mounted couriers.

The horses that the couriers rode had been especially bred for the king’s use.

The Persian Empire was known for it’s excellent postal and courier system.

8:11-14 Here we are given the contents of this new decree. The old decree could not be revoked, so the king gave the Jews permission to defend themselves and to use deadly force if necessary to protect their homes, businesses and families. Thus they were here given an eight months notice and plan for their collective defenses. Some view this verse as authorizing the Jews to take the offensive against their enemies, including killing the women and children that belonged to their enemies. But another way to take the verse is that the Jews were authorized to kill the entire army which might attack “them, their children and wives, and to plunder their spoil”. That is, the women, children, and spoil in verse 11 are Jewish women, children, and spoil.

8:12 Note, they could defend themselves on the day which Haman’s decree specified as the day permitted to attack the Jews.

8:15 Mordecai was vindicated and promoted and the city of Susa held a joyous celebration. It seems that Mordecai was very popular among Jews and nonJews alike.

8:16-17 As a result, many non-Jews converted to Judaism. Many non-Jews could see God’s providential protection of the Jewish people. “Many of the converts to Christ were ‘God-fearing Greeks’ (Acts 17:4) who had become disillusioned with the pagan religions and were attracted by the Jew’s faith in one God and their high ethical principles” (Breneman p. 356).

Chapter 9 9:1-2 When the thirteenth day of the twelfth month finally arrived, the Jews were able to gain the mastery over their enemies. Even government officials assisted the Jews in defending themselves. Evidently, there were many enemies of God’s people in the Persian Empire who wanted to see the Jews exterminated. In addition, despite the second decree, it appears that many people still tried to attack the Jews on this day.

9:3-4 Mordecai was not only powerful in Susa, but his power had become known and greatly respected in every part of the empire. In the eight or nine months that Mordecai had been prime minister, he had become very influential.

9:5-11 One may assume that most of these were the cronies of the former prime minister (Haman), men who still were trying to carry out his plan. The Jews killed these men, however they did not lay their hands on the plunder. This last statement makes it clear that the Jews were not hunting down their enemies and killing people who were defenseless, but they were only protecting themselves against attacks. The ten sons of Haman evidently were trying to avenge themselves for the death of their father and were just as wicked as he had been.

9:12-18 Esther requested that the Jews be given one more day to defend themselves. This isn’t vindictiveness on her part, but probably a precaution against rumored attacks upon the Jews on the following day. In Susa such an attack did happen (15). Secondly, she requested that the bodies of Haman’s sons be impaled. Hopefully the exposure of such bodies would serve as a warning and deterrent to any further bloodshed. Out in the provinces the casualties among those who attacked the Jews were 75,000. Again, no plunder was taken, for it wasn’t the purpose of the Jews to take the offensive, but merely to defend themselves. The fourteenth day of the month became a holiday devoted to feasting. In Susa, however, the celebration took place on the fifteenth. Hence, among the Jews, both days were subsequently observed as holidays. This seems to imply that the extra day requested by Esther only applied in the city of Susa.

9:19-21 At some time Mordecai determined that there should no longer be two separate holidays, the fourteen in the provinces, and the fifteenth in the capital.

He authorized the annual observance of both days. The days were to be celebrated by feasting, exchanging of gifts, and charity to the poor.

9:22-32 This holiday was called “Purim” because Haman had decided by the “pur” (that is the lot), the month and day in which he would destroy the Jews.

Queen Esther herself wrote letters to all the provinces concerning Purim.

Esther’s letter confirmed the time for the observance of Purim. It also authorized a time of fasting on the day preceding the two days of merry making.

Point to Note: Since this feast is found in an inspired writing, the necessary inference is that God, by including the book of Esther in the Old Testament, is giving His approval or authorization for this Feast. Remember, the Old Testament covenant was an open system. During the period of the Old Covenant, books were continually being written and prophets and inspired men were continually speaking. Hence, God did authorize some additional aspects of worship which are not found in the Law given at Sinai.

Chapter 10 10:1 The book ends on a note similar to that of its beginning, that is, the greatness, wealth, and splendor of King Xerxes. The writer emphasizes the great extent of his empire, “to its distant shores”. This statement refers to the coastlands of the Mediterranean area. As to why the author notes that King Ahasuerus placed his entire empire under tribute or taxation is unclear. It may imply that Moredecai was a factor in augmenting the king’s power over the other nations under his control (cf. Joseph in Genesis 41). It might be that King Ahasuerus felt that such taxation, equally distributed in the empire, would prevent evil policies from arising, like that of Haman, where a bad policy had been implemented because someone promised to pay a certain amount of money to have the policy enforced. It also reveals that the Persian king continued to prosper after he had helped God’s people, which teaches us that God is pleased to bless nations which are friendly to His people (Jeremiah 18:1ff).

10:2 The reader is told that the mighty acts of Xerxes, as well as a full account of the greatness of Mordecai, were recorded in the book of the official annals of the kings of Media and Persia. What this means is that secular records endorse the historical accuracy of the events in the book of Esther. “The authenticity of the material just narrated was a matter of public record, and subject to confirmation by anyone who cared to examine the chronicles of Ahasuerus. In the words used by Paul in his defense before Festus, ‘For this thing was not done in a corner’ (Acts 26:26)” (Winters p. 210).

10:3 Mordecai was greatly respected by his peers because he worked for their good, and spoke up for the welfare of all the Jews. “God needs servants today

who will speak up when His people are in danger or when injustice and corruption are rampant in society” (Breneman p. 370). “Though a man of tremendous wealth and influence, Mordecai never forgot his heritage. He sought constantly to improve the living conditions of the exiles, and encouraged a peaceful co-existence between Persian and Jew” (Winters p. 211).

Closing Comment Today, Christians have much in common with the world in which Mordecai and Esther lived. Christians are scattered throughout the world and often face opposition. Like in the days of Esther, today God does not directly intervene or work a miracle to deliver or act, and yet like the events in this book, God today is powerfully working behind the scenes.