Est 9:1 Now in the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, when the king's commandment and his decree drew near to be put in execution, in the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to have power over them, (though it was turned to the contrary, that the Jews had rule over them that hated them;)
Est 9:2 The Jews gathered themselves together in their cities throughout all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, to lay hand on such as sought their hurt: and no man could withstand them; for the fear of them fell upon all people.
God put fear in their hearts as he did when Israel came to the promise land. Rahab the harlot explained this fear to the spies sent by Joshua.
Josh 2:9 And she said unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you.
Josh 2:10 For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed.
Josh 2:11 And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.
The problem with many is their god is possessions. They do foolish things for the desires of their hearts.
Est 9:3 And all the rulers of the provinces, and the lieutenants, and the deputies, and officers of the king, helped the Jews; because the fear of Mordecai fell upon them.
The Jews had help from the rulers, and probably the military, they were not alone.
Est 9:4 For Mordecai was great in the king's house, and his fame went out throughout all the provinces: for this man Mordecai waxed greater and greater.
Est 9:5 Thus the Jews smote all their enemies with the stroke of the sword, and slaughter, and destruction, and did what they would unto those that hated them.
Fear of Mordecai also helped the Jews. It was evil Haman who encouraged the people to kill the Jews. Evil begats evil, but when God's servant comes into power, evil must flee. Like Joseph in Egypt, Mordecai grew in power and favor with the king.
Est 9:6 And in Shushan the palace the Jews slew and destroyed five hundred men.
Even in the city of the kings palace 500 were slain. I suppose around the place of wealth there are those seeking easy money and seeking power. It is about hate, money and power.
Est 9:7 And Parshandatha, and Dalphon, and Aspatha,
Est 9:8 And Poratha, and Adalia, and Aridatha,
Est 9:9 And Parmashta, and Arisai, and Aridai, and Vajezatha,
Est 9:10 The ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews, slew they; but on the spoil laid they not their hand
The number of those slain was reported. Note, that among the slain enemies were the ten son's of Haman. His evil brought evil upon his house. The son's had attacked the Jews, because the Jews were only to defend themselves. They brought upon themselves their own destruction.
Est 9:11 On that day the number of those that were slain in Shushan the palace was brought before the king.
Est 9:12 And the king said unto Esther the queen, The Jews have slain and destroyed five hundred men in Shushan the palace, and the ten sons of Haman; what have they done in the rest of the king's provinces? now what is thy petition? and it shall be granted thee: or what is thy request further? and it shall be done.
The king wishes to give Esther all that she requested.
Est 9:13 Then said Esther, If it please the king, let it be granted to the Jews which are in Shushan to do to morrow also according unto this day's decree, and let Haman's ten sons be hanged upon the gallows.
Est 9:14 And the king commanded it so to be done: and the decree was given at Shushan; and they hanged Haman's ten sons.
The ten sons of Haman hung as "scarecrows" as a warning to those who would make war on the Jews. They were already dead, put they were hung as examples on the gallows. Esther also requested that one more day be given so that the remaining enemies should be killed, who had come against the Jews.
Est 9:15 For the Jews that were in Shushan gathered themselves together on the fourteenth day also of the month Adar, and slew three hundred men at Shushan; but on the prey they laid not their hand.
Est 9:16 But the other Jews that were in the king's provinces gathered themselves together, and stood for their lives, and had rest from their enemies, and slew of their foes seventy and five thousand, but they laid not their hands on the prey,
So many died because they chose to attack the Jews. If you are an enemy of God and his people you will die without hope. The Jews were only defending themselves, they did not take anything of value from the possessions of those who came against them. Greed was one of the reasons the people attacked the Jews, they wanted their belongings, the spoil. People do foolish things for the desire of riches. This was covetousness, wanting what another has.
Gen 22:17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;
Purim
Est 9:17 On the thirteenth day of the month Adar; and on the fourteenth day of the same rested they, and made it a day of feasting and gladness.
Est 9:18 But the Jews that were at Shushan assembled together on the thirteenth day thereof, and on the fourteenth thereof; and on the fifteenth day of the same they rested, and made it a day of feasting and gladness.
It took Shushan two days to defeat the enemy who came against them. Throughout the rest of the 120+ provinces it took one day to defeat the enemy.
Est 9:19 Therefore the Jews of the villages, that dwelt in the unwalled towns, made the fourteenth day of the month Adar a day of gladness and feasting, and a good day, and of sending portions one to another.
Est 9:20 And Mordecai wrote these things, and sent letters unto all the Jews that were in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, both nigh and far,
Est 9:21 To stablish this among them, that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day of the same, yearly,
Est 9:22 As the days wherein the Jews rested from their enemies, and the month which was turned unto them from sorrow to joy, and from mourning into a good day: that they should make them days of feasting and joy, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor.
This time would be remembered always by the Jews, a time of celebration and sharing.
Est 9:23 And the Jews undertook to do as they had begun, and as Mordecai had written unto them;
Est 9:24 Because Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had devised against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast Pur, that is, the lot, to consume them, and to destroy them;
Est 9:25 But when Esther came before the king, he commanded by letters that his wicked device, which he devised against the Jews, should return upon his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.
Est 9:26 Wherefore they called these days Purim after the name of Pur. Therefore for all the words of this letter, and of that which they had seen concerning this matter, and which had come unto them,
Est 9:27 The Jews ordained, and took upon them, and upon their seed, and upon all such as joined themselves unto them, so as it should not fail, that they would keep these two days according to their writing, and according to their appointed time every year;
Est 9:28 And that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city; and that these days of Purim should not fail from among the Jews, nor the memorial of them perish from their seed.
The days of Purim, after the throwing of Pur ordered by Haman after consulting the astrologers to find the day of the destruction of the Jews in the Persian empire. At night in the Synagogue the book of Esther would be read and when the name of Haman was read, the congregation would say "Let his name be blotted out!" And the children would make all kinds of noise with noisemakers and rattles. The following day, the 14th day, they would celebrate in the suburbs and the 15th day in the city.
We are to remember important days in our nations past. Some are celebrations, some are for fasting and prayer, like the remembering of the hurricane Katrina. Sometimes it is no more than a day off, a time to have fun or relax. Holidays should be remembered for what they stand for. The word holiday comes from holy day.
Est 9:29 Then Esther the queen, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew, wrote with all authority, to confirm this second letter of Purim.
Est 9:30 And he sent the letters unto all the Jews, to the hundred twenty and seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, with words of peace and truth,
Est 9:31 To confirm these days of Purim in their times appointed, according as Mordecai the Jew and Esther the queen had enjoined them, and as they had decreed for themselves and for their seed, the matters of the fastings and their cry.
Est 9:32 And the decree of Esther confirmed these matters of Purim; and it was written in the book.
Letters were sent throughout the kingdom from queen Esther, confirming the days of Purim for all to celebrate yearly.
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