Esther 9:26
in Esther 9Therefore these days are called Purim, from the word Pur. Because of all the instructions in this letter, and because of all they had seen and experienced,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Wherefore they called these days Purim, after the name of Pur. Therefore because of all the words of this letter, and of that which they had seen concerning this matter, and that which had come unto them,
KJV
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,
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This verse in Esther 9
Commentary
6 notes on this verseThey called these days Purim - That is from pari, the lot; because, as we have seen, Haman cast lots to find what month, and what day of the month, would be the most favorable for the accomplishment of his bloody designs against the Jews. See on Est 3:7 (note). And of that which they had seen - The first letter to which this second refers, must be that sent by Mordecai himself. See Est 9:20.
This site's exposition
had cast Pur, that is, the lot
on Esther 9:24-28
The recap names the feast: Haman cast Pur, the lot, to consume them, and the days are called PURIM after the very instrument of the plot, chance enthroned as a calendar of deliverance, the mockery built into the name itself. The ordinance binds their seed and all such as joined themselves unto them, the proselyte door open in the feast's own charter, and 9:28 reaches as far as any verse in the book: these days should not fail from among the Jews, nor the memorial of them perish from their seed. It has not; Purim is kept to this day with this book read aloud, and the page says so under the site's honoring rule.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
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.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
13 ), frustrating the tokens of the liars and making the diviners mad, Isa. xliv. By whom it was instituted and enacted. It was not a divine institution, and therefore it is not called a holy day, but a human appointment, by which it was made a good day,
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-citation-number+unbalanced-parens
Wherefore they called these days Purim, after the name of Pur,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
But this was remedied by authority, which fixed the fourteenth and fifteenth of Adar. It became a season of sunny memories to the universal body of the Jews; and, by the letters of Mordecai, dispersed through all parts of the Persian empire, it was established as an annual feast, the celebration of which is kept up still.
How the passage was read
On Esther 9:20-32On Esther 9:20-32
The feast this book founds
These verses are the founding charter of Purim, the one feast instituted inside the canon's own narrative books. Its name comes from the “pur,” the lot Haman cast for Israel's destruction. The text itself names the three practices that still define the day: feasting and gladness, sending portions of food to one another, and gifts to the poor (9:22). To this day the whole book of Esther, called the Megillah (“scroll”), is read aloud in the synagogue, with the congregation drowning out Haman's name with noisemakers; the day is kept with costumes, feasting, food baskets to friends, and charity.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Sources: Mishnah Megillah 1:1 (the scroll reading) · Esther 9:22 (the three practices, in the text itself)
The words behind it
23 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| עַל־ | ʾal- | there- | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| כֵּ֡ן | ken | -fore | H3651 → | 771 times |
| קָֽרְאוּ֩ | kareu | people called | H7121 → | 733 times |
| לַיָּמִ֨ים | laiyamim | <to> the days | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| הָאֵ֤לֶּה | haeleh | <the> these | H428 → | 746 times |
| פוּרִים֙ | furim | Purim | H6332 → | 8 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| שֵׁ֣ם | shem | [the] name of | H8034 → | 864 times |
| הַפּ֔וּר | hapur | the Pur | H6332 → | 8 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | there- | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| כֵּ֕ן | ken | -fore | H3651 → | 771 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| דִּבְרֵ֖י | divrei | [the] words of | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| הָאִגֶּ֣רֶת | haigeret | the letter | H107 → | |
| הַזֹּ֑את | hazot | <the> this | H2063 → | 603 times |
| וּמָֽה־ | umah- | and whatever | H4100 → | 752 times |
| רָא֣וּ | rau | they had seen | H7200 → | 1300 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| כָּ֔כָה | kakhah | thus | H3602 → | 37 times |
| וּמָ֥ה | umah | and whatever | H4100 → | 752 times |
| הִגִּ֖יעַ | higia' | it had happened | H5060 → | 150 times |
| אֲלֵיהֶֽם׃ | ʾaleihem | to them | H413 → | 5510 times |
עַל־there-
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
כֵּ֡ן-fore
kenH3651 →771 times
קָֽרְאוּ֩people called
kareuH7121 →733 times
לַיָּמִ֨ים<to> the days
laiyamimH3117 →2304 times
הָאֵ֤לֶּה<the> these
haelehH428 →746 times
פוּרִים֙Purim
furimH6332 →8 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
שֵׁ֣ם[the] name of
shemH8034 →864 times
הַפּ֔וּרthe Pur
hapurH6332 →8 times
עַל־there-
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
כֵּ֕ן-fore
kenH3651 →771 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
דִּבְרֵ֖י[the] words of
divreiH1697 →1440 times
הָאִגֶּ֣רֶתthe letter
haigeretH107 →
הַזֹּ֑את<the> this
hazotH2063 →603 times
וּמָֽה־and whatever
umah-H4100 →752 times
רָא֣וּthey had seen
rauH7200 →1300 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
כָּ֔כָהthus
kakhahH3602 →37 times
וּמָ֥הand whatever
umahH4100 →752 times
הִגִּ֖יעַit had happened
higia'H5060 →150 times
אֲלֵיהֶֽם׃to them
ʾaleihemH413 →5510 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Numbers 16:40just as the LORD commanded him through Moses. This was to be a reminder to the Israelites that no outsider who is not a descendant of Aaron should approach to offer incense before the…
it leads to
- Numbers 3:10
So you shall appoint Aaron and his sons to carry out the duties of the priesthood; but any outsider who approaches the tabernacle must be put to death.”
- 2 Chronicles 26:16–21
But when Uzziah grew powerful, his arrogance led to his own destruction. He was unfaithful to the LORD his God, for he entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar…
- Numbers 18:4–7
They are to join you and attend to the duties of the Tent of Meeting, doing all the work at the Tent; but no outsider may come near you.
- Numbers 3:10
Through
Esther 9:20Mordecai recorded these events and sent letters to all the Jews in all the provinces of King Xerxes, both near and far,
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 31:19–22
Now therefore, write down for yourselves this song and teach it to the Israelites; have them recite it, so that it may be a witness for Me against them.
- 2 Corinthians 1:10–11
He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and He will deliver us. In Him we have placed our hope that He will yet again deliver us,
- Esther 3:12
On the thirteenth day of the first month, the royal scribes were summoned and the order was written exactly as Haman commanded the royal satraps, the governors of each province, and the officials of…
- Psalms 124:1–3
If the LORD had not been on our side— let Israel now declare—
- Exodus 17:14
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Write this on a scroll as a reminder and recite it to Joshua, because I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.”
- Deuteronomy 31:19–22
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies2
On this verse
On this chapter
About Esther
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Alfred Edersheim, Bible History: Old Testament; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil, The Books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.