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Esther 9:28

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These days should be remembered and celebrated by every generation, family, province, and city, so that these days of Purim should not fail to be observed among the Jews, nor should the memory of them fade from their descendants.

Commentaries

Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.

Keil-Delitzsch Old Testament Commentaryv. 28

And that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city; and these days of Purim are not to pass away among the Jews, nor their remembrance to cease among their seed. The participles ונעשׂים נזכּרים still depend on להיות, Est 9:27. Not till the last clause does the construction change in להיות לא to the temp. finit. יעבור ולא is a periphrasis of the adverb: imperishably, inviolably. כּכתבם, secundum scriptum eorum, i.e., as Mordochai had written concerning them (Est 9:23). כּזמנּם, as he had appointed their time. מן סוּף, to come to an end from, i.e., to cease among their descendants.

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Matthew Henry Bible Commentaryv. 28

We left two royal edicts in force, both given at the court of Shushan, one bearing date the thirteenth day of the first month, appointing that on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month then next ensuing all the Jews should be killed; another bearing date the twenty-third day of the third month, empowering the Jews, on the day appointed for their slaughter, to draw the sword in their own defence and make their part good against their enemies as well as they could. Great expectation there was, no doubt, of this day, and the issue of it. The Jews' cause was to be tried by battle and the day was fixed for the combat by authority. Their enemies resolved not to lose the advantages given them by the first edict, in hope to overpower them by numbers; the Jews relied on the goodness of their God and the justice of their cause, and resolved to make their utmost efforts against their enemies. The day comes at length; and here we are told, I. What a glorious day it was, that year, to the Jews, and the two days following - a day of victory and triumph, both in the city Shushan and in all the rest of the king's provinces (v. 1-19). II. What a memorable day it was made to posterity, by an annual feast, in commemoration of this great deliverance, called "the feast of Purim," (Est 9:20-32).

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Original language

The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).

Strong's Concordancev. 28

יוֹם (yôwm, H3117) — a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to… זָכַר (zâkar, H2142) — properly, to mark (so as to be recognized), i.e. to remember; by implication, to mention;… עָשָׂה (ʻâsâh, H6213) — to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application דּוֹר (dôwr, H1755) — properly, a revolution of time, i.e. an age or generation; also a dwelling מִשְׁפָּחָה (mishpâchâh, H4940) — a family, i.e. circle of relatives; figuratively, a class (of persons), a species (of… מְדִינָה (mᵉdîynâh, H4082) — properly, a judgeship, i.e. jurisdiction; by implication, a district (as ruled by a… עִיר (ʻîyr, H5892) — a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere… פּוּר (Pûwr, H6332) — a lot (as by means of a broken piece) עָבַר (ʻâbar, H5674) — to cross over; used very widely of any transition (literal or figurative; transitive,… תָּוֶךְ (tâvek, H8432) — a bisection, i.e. (by implication) the centre יְהוּדִי (Yᵉhûwdîy, H3064) — a Jehudite (i.e. Judaite or Jew), or descendant of Jehudah (i.e. Judah) זֵכֶר (zêker, H2143) — a memento, abstractly recollection (rarely if ever); by implication, commemoration סוּף (çûwph, H5486) — to snatch away, i.e. terminate זֶרַע (zeraʻ, H2233) — seed; figuratively, fruit, plant, sowing-time, posterity

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