Глава 9

1–5. Bloody day throughout the empire. 6–11. Bloody day in Susa. 12–15. Continued bloodshed in Susa the next day. 16. Results of murders in the provinces. 17–32. Establishment of the time and order of the celebration of Purim, Esther 9:1. In the twelfth month, that is, in the month of Adar, on its thirteenth day, on which the time came for the king’s command and his decree to be fulfilled, on that day when the enemies of the Jews hoped to take power over them, but it turned out the other way around, that the Jews themselves took power over their enemies - “Take power over them”, or better – “take over them”, triumph, overcome, overcome. Esther 9:2. The Jews gathered in their cities throughout all the regions of King Artaxerxes to lay hands on their evil-wishers; and no one could stand before them, because the fear of them fell upon all the nations. Esther 9:3. And all the princes in the regions, and the satraps, and the regional governors, and the executors of the king’s affairs supported the Jews, because the fear of Mordecai fell upon them. “The Jews gathered together in their cities” – i.e. each rallied with other Jews in the city in which he lived and which was “his own” for him. These were probably cities with a predominantly Jewish population. It was this predominance, with the assistance of the fear of Mordecai and the Jews in general that attacked everyone (especially the princes, satraps and other officials), and helped the latter so safely fight off their enemies. Esther 9:4. For Mordecai was great in the king’s house, and his fame spread throughout all the regions, because this man, Mordecai, rose higher and higher. “His fame spread throughout all regions, since this man, Mordecai, rose higher and higher.” Another translation of this passage: a rumor spread throughout all regions that Mordecai was exalted and exalted. Esther 9:5. And the Jews slew all their enemies, beating with the sword, killing and destroying, and dealt with their enemies according to their own will. “They dealt with their enemies according to their own will,” that is, as they wanted.. Esther 9:13. And Esther said: If it pleases the king, then let the Jews who are in Susa be allowed to do the same tomorrow as today, and let the ten sons of Haman be hanged on a tree. Esther asks the king for permission to “do the same” on the 14th of Adar as on the 13th (i.e., “gather together and stand in defense of your life” (Esth 8.11)) - because it is likely that their opponents in Susa wanted to resume their attacks the next day against those whom they hated not only for their nationality, but also for their religion (which is why the text of the decree also prescribes leave the Jews to “use their own laws” (Esth.8:12)). This greatly mitigates the accusation of cruelty and vindictiveness against the Jews, if they were not the attacking side, but only an energetically defending party and, along with their lives, defended their most sacred property - religion. Esther 9:14. And the king ordered this to be done; and a decree was given to this effect in Susa, and the ten sons of Haman were hanged. The murdered 10 sons of Haman were also hanged (at the request of Esther) as insulters to the royal majesty. This was supposed to justify the Jews in the eyes of the people for everything else, indicating that their reprisal was reprisal against the accomplices of the royal enemies. Esther 9:15. And the Jews who were in Susa also gathered together on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar and killed three hundred people in Susa, but did not stretch out their hands to plunder. Esther 9:16. And the rest of the Jews who were in the royal regions gathered to defend their lives and be at peace from their enemies, and they killed seventy-five thousand of their enemies, but did not stretch out their hands to plunder. The death toll in Susa - in two days of massacre - is 800 people, and in all regions - up to 75,000 people. For all its horror, this number does not represent anything incredible, since it is spread over the entire vast expanse of the empire. The threefold remark about the Jews that they “did not stretch out their hands to plunder” (Esth. 9:10, 15-16) is meant to show that the Jews were guided by a higher idea than enrichment with booty. On the other hand, they also wanted to show their exceptional honesty in relation to the state, in whose favor the estates of those executed were transferred. Esther 9:17. This was on the thirteenth day of the month Adar; and on the fourteenth day of the same month they calmed down and made it a day of feasting and rejoicing. Esther 9:18. The Jews who were in Susa gathered together on the thirteenth day thereof and on the fourteenth day thereof, and on the fifteenth day they calmed down and made it a day of feasting and rejoicing. Esther 9:19. Therefore, rural Jews living in open villages spend the fourteenth day of the month of Adar in fun and feasting, as a holiday, sending gifts to each other; [those living in metropolises also spend the fifteenth day of Adar in good fun, sending gifts to their neighbors]. Esther 9:20. And Mordecai described these events and sent letters to all the Jews who were in the regions of King Artaxerxes, to those near and far, Esther 9:21. that they establish an annual celebration of the fourteenth day of the month of Adar and its fifteenth day, Esther 9:22. as such days in which the Jews became calm from their enemies, and as such a month in which their sorrow turned into joy, and lamentation - on a holiday - so that they could become days of feasting and joy, sending gifts to each other and alms to the poor. Esther 9:23. And the Jews accepted what they themselves had already begun to do, and what Mordecai wrote to them, Esther 9:24. how Haman, the son of Hamadath, the Bougite, the enemy of all the Jews, thought to destroy the Jews and cast lots for their destruction and destruction, Esther 9:25. and how Esther reached the king, and how the king ordered with a new letter that the evil plan of Haman, which he had conceived against the Jews, should be turned on his head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on a tree. Esther 9:26. That is why these days were called Purim, from the name: pur [lot, for in their language the lots are called Purim]. Therefore, in accordance with all the words of this letter and with what they themselves saw and what they reached, Esther 9:27. The Jews decreed and took upon themselves and their children and all who joined them, irrevocably, to celebrate these two days, according to what was prescribed for them and at their own time, every year; Esther 9:28. and that these days be remembered and celebrated throughout all generations in every tribe, in every region and in every city; and so that these days of Purim are not canceled among the Jews, and the memory of them does not disappear from their children. Esther 9:29. Queen Esther, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Judah also wrote with all perseverance to fulfill this new letter about Purim; Esther 9:30. so that they firmly observe these days of Purim in their own time, as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther set about them, and as they themselves appointed them for themselves and for their children on the days of fasting and crying. Esther 9:31. So the command of Esther confirmed this word about Purim, and it is inscribed in the book. The second half of Esther 9 speaks of the establishment of the holiday of Purim in memory of the described event of the deliverance of the Jews from their enemies. This establishment took place unanimously and simultaneously throughout all regions of the kingdom at the initiative of the Jews themselves, in an abundance of feelings of understandable joy, having been preceded by special instructions about this from Mordecai and Esther, who, for the better perpetuation of the celebrated event, also spoke in detail about it in special letters to all the Jews in one hundred and twenty-seven regions of the kingdom of Artaxerxes. You might be interested in: