Esther 8:11
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By these letters the king permitted the Jews in each and every city the right to assemble and defend themselves, to destroy, kill, and annihilate all the forces of any people or province hostile to them, including women and children, and to plunder their possessions.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
Mordochai Advanced to Haman's Position. Counter-Edict for the Preservation of Jews - Esther 8 The king bestowed the house of Haman on Esther, and advanced Mordochai to Haman's place of prime minister (vv. 1 and 2). Esther then earnestly besought the king for the abolition of the edict published by Haman against the Jews, and the king permitted her and Mordochai to send letters in the king's name to all the Jews in his kingdom, commanding them to stand for their life, and to slay their enemies, on the day appointed for their own extermination (Est 8:3-14). These measures diffused great joy throughout the kingdom (Est 8:15-17).
Open source ↗We left the plotter hanging, and are now to see what becomes of his plot. I. His plot was to raise an estate for himself; and all his estate, being confiscated for treason, is given to Esther and Mordecai (Est 8:1, Est 8:2). II. His plot was to ruin the Jews; and as to that, 1. Esther earnestly intercedes for the reversing of the edict against them (Est 8:3-6). 2. It is in effect done by another edict, here published, empowering the Jews to stand up in their own defence against their enemies (Est 8:7-14). III. This occasions great joy to the Jews and all their friends (Est 8:15-17).
Open source ↗8:11 The king’s decree did not permit the Jewish people to start a war but to defend themselves and plunder the property of those who attacked them (reversing the decree in 3:13). • The phrase kill, slaughter, and annihilate is an ironic repetition of the words in Haman’s original edict (3:13; see also 9:5).
Open source ↗Cross-references
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And the letters were sent by couriers to each of the royal provinces with the order to destroy, kill, and annihilate all the Jews—young and old, women and children—and to plunder their possessions on a single day, the thirteenth day of Adar, the twelfth month.
They will not gather wood from the countryside or cut it from the forests, for they will use the weapons for fuel. They will loot those who looted them and plunder those who plundered them, declares the Lord GOD.
O Daughter of Babylon, doomed to destruction, blessed is he who repays you as you have done to us.
But the righteous will be glad and rejoice before God; they will celebrate with joy.
I will send him against a godless nation; I will dispatch him against a people destined for My rage, to take spoils and seize plunder, and to trample them down like clay in the streets.