Ladies Bible Class: Esther, Lesson 22

Esther Lesson 22

Chapter 9: 1 - 19

The book of Esther:  A study of God in action when nothing appears to be happening!

by Patsy Norwood (c) 2023 - 2024.  All Rights Reserved.

In our last lesson we saw the king give Mordecai and Esther permission to write a decree that would allow the Jews to defend themselves against anyone who would attempt to do them harm as a result of Haman’s evil decree.

Let’s see how that played out …

1Now in the twelfth month, that is, the month of Adar, on the thirteenth day, the time came for the king’s command and his decree to be executed. On the day that the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, the opposite occurred, in that the Jews themselves overpowered those who hated them.

The day has arrived for Haman’s evil plan to be carried out.  Instead, though, of the Jews being annihilated, per Haman’s plan and decree, they, per Mordecai and Esther’s decree not only defended themselves but overpowered their enemies.

2 The Jews gathered together in their cities throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus to lay hands on those who sought their harm. And no one could withstand them, because fear of them fell upon all people.

All over the king’s provinces, the Jews united and came together “to lay hands on those who sought their harm.”  It looks like the Jews though only attacked those who tried to do them harm.  

3 And all the officials of the provinces, the satraps, the governors, and all those doing the king’s work, helped the Jews, because the fear of Mordecai fell upon them.

Did you notice that the Jews had help, possibly military help … officials, satraps, governors and all those doing the king’s work!

“because the fear of Mordecai fell upon them” … It was clear by now that the king and Mordecai favored the Jews, hence attacking the Jews could have brought the king’s wrath upon them.  No one wanted that!

4 For Mordecai was great in the king’s palace, and his fame spread throughout all the provinces; for this man Mordecai became increasingly prominent.

Mordecai’s popularity grew, not only in Shushan, but in all the provinces.  Mordecai had received everything Haman had schemed to get.

5 Thus the Jews defeated all their enemies with the stroke of the sword, with slaughter and destruction, and did what they pleased with those who hated them.

“Thus the Jews defeated all their enemies with the stroke of the sword, with slaughter and destruction, and did what they pleased” … one has to wonder what was going through the Jew’s minds as they slaughtered and destroyed their enemies.  Was it a survival mindset?  Were they of the mindset of “kill or be killed?”

“those who hated them” … As is typical in this type of situation, there were some who hated the Jews so strongly that they took full advantage of the first decree, seemingly ignoring the second … 

6 And in Shushan the citadel the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men.

This had to have been a gruesome thing to behold!

 7-9 Also Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, 8 Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, 9 Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai, and Vajezatha—

These were the names of Haman’s ten sons.

10 the ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews—they killed; but they did not lay a hand on the plunder.

All ten of Haman’s sons were killed by the Jews, his immediate family line ended here.

“but they did not lay a hand on the plunder” … The Jews had the freedom and right to take the spoil, but they chose not to.  Some commentators think it was because they were fighting for survival and not for material gain.

The edict also gave them the freedom to kill women and children, but we have no record that that happened.

11 On that day the number of those who were killed in Shushan the citadel was brought to the king.

Do you imagine the king was eagerly waiting for news?  It seems he was as the number killed was brought to him on the very day of the conflict.

Do you think he was surprised at the large number that had been killed in Shushan alone?

12 And the king said to Queen Esther, “The Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men in Shushan the citadel, and the ten sons of Haman. What have they done in the rest of the king’s provinces? Now what is your petition? It shall be granted to you. Or what is your further request? It shall be done.”

“What have they done in the rest of the king’s provinces?” … it does indeed seem as if the king is a bit surprised and maybe in awe as well.

The king reports to Esther what he has been told, including the slaughter of Haman’s sons. He could have said, “Enough,” but he didn’t, instead he inquires of Esther, “what else do you want done, it shall be done?”  Is this the same king who banished Vashti?

By deferring to his wife, it seems that the king has developed great trust and respect for her.  Could her actions throughout this whole thing have had an impact on him?  It would seem so.  Could her actions be leading him to become a believer in the God of the Jews?  We have no record that he ever did or didn’t become a believer, but you can see that at this time God had his attention … and I’m going to say that it started with Esther.  Ladies, never, ever underestimate your influence!

13 Then Esther said, “If it pleases the king, let it be granted to the Jews who are in Shushan to do again tomorrow according to today’s decree, and let Haman’s ten sons be hanged on the gallows.”

At first thought it seems that Esther might have been a bit heartless in her further requests … let’s see what they were …

Esther wants another day for the Jews in Shushan to fight. 

Why a second day of fighting?  Maybe it was needed to wipe out the more devious and stronger bands of Jewish haters.

Esther wants something else also, even though Haman’s sons have been slaughtered, she wants their bodies hung on the gallows.

Why did Esther want the bodies of Haman’s already dead ten sons hung publicly on the gallows?  Maybe she was making an unspoken statement, maybe she was sending a silent message that the Jews were God’s people and if you contend with them, then you contend with God.  Maybe she was making a mark on history that would not be easily forgotten.  Maybe she was looking to the future of her people.  Maybe she was saying, “Never Again!”  Maybe she wanted every vestige of this evil removed.

14 So the king commanded this to be done; the decree was issued in Shushan, and they hanged Haman’s ten sons.

The king grants Esther everything she asked for and issues another decree, he gives her everything she wanted … just as he said he would!

With all that is happening and the witnessing of the behind-the-scenes workings, it seems the king doesn’t want to stand in Esther’s way.   Do you think God has his attention?

15 And the Jews who were in Shushan gathered together again on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar and killed three hundred men at Shushan; but they did not lay a hand on the plunder.

Three hundred more Jewish haters were killed and once again the Jews forgo their right to plunder.

16 The remainder of the Jews in the king’s provinces gathered together and protected their lives, had rest from their enemies, and killed seventy-five thousand of their enemies; but they did not lay a hand on the plunder.

The Jews killed 75,000 of their enemies – this was not Haman’s plan, was it?  The tables had turned, the offenders (Jewish haters) were now the offended.

“gathered together and protected their lives” … this was a well-orchestrated and thought out plan, most likely by Mordecai who was being guided by God.

“had rest from their enemies” … makes one think that the Jews had been being discriminated against for a while.

“but they did not lay a hand on the plunder” … they had to be committed to their plan as walking away from things that could/would have made life easier had to be hard.  Never-the-less, they did just that again and again!

17 This was on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar. And on the fourteenth of the month they rested and made it a day of feasting and gladness.

This was in the provinces … one day of fighting and then a day of feasting and gladness.

18 But the Jews who were at Shushan assembled together on the thirteenth day, as well as on the fourteenth; and on the fifteenth of the month they rested, and made it a day of feasting and gladness.

But in Shushan, there were two days of fighting and then a day of feasting and gladness.

19 Therefore the Jews of the villages who dwelt in the unwalled towns celebrated the fourteenth day of the month of Adar with gladness and feasting, as a holiday, and for sending presents to one another.

Out in the villages, away from the populated areas, the Jews celebrated on the 14^th day of Adar as did the Jews in the more populated areas of the king’s provinces.

We’ll learn more about this holiday in our final lesson next week as we wrap up our study of the book of Esther.

I hope you’ve enjoyed today's lesson.  Don't forget to leave a comment and if you're enjoying this study, please share the link with other ladies who you think might enjoy it as well.

We have one more lesson in this study, and I would love to get feedback regarding its format as well as any thoughts overall you would like to share.  As a student of God’s Word, I am always looking for ways to improve upon the methods I use in writing and do take into consideration any feedback to make future writings and studies more user friendly, easier to understand and navigate.  Thank you in advance.

Links to previous lessons can be found HERE.

Until the next class ...

patsy @ From This Heart of Mine; (c) 2023 - 2024 by Patsy Norwood ~ All Rights Reserved.