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Esther 9:1

in Esther 9

On the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, the king’s command and edict were to be executed. On this day the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, but their plan was overturned and the Jews overpowered those who hated them.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

Now in the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, when the king’s commandment and his decree drew near to be put in execution, on the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to have rule over them (whereas it was turned to the contrary, that the Jews had rule over them that hated them),

KJV

Now in the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, when the king’s commandment and his decree drew near to be put in execution, in the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to have power over them, (though it was turned to the contrary, that the Jews had rule over them that hated them;)

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This verse in Esther 9

Commentary

10 notes on this verse

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

Now in the twelfth month - What a number of providences, and none of them apparently of an extraordinary nature, concurred to preserve a people so signally, and to all human appearance so inevitably, doomed to destruction! None are ever too low for God to lift up, or too high for God to cast down. Must not these heathens have observed that the uncontrollable hand of an Almighty Being had worked in behalf of the Jews? And must not this have had a powerful tendency to discredit the idolatry of the country?

This site's exposition

On the thirteenth day

on Esther 9:1-4

The day the lot chose eleven months earlier arrives. The enemies of the Jews "had hoped to overpower them, but their plan was overturned". The satraps, governors and administrators now help the people they were ordered to destroy, "because the fear of Mordecai had fallen upon them".

The record, by era

The Medieval Church2 voices

A commentator

Rabanus Maurus

Commentary on Esther · Written before 856.

proposed

The twelfth month, as we said before, symbolizes the last era of our world when the Redeemer has been made incarnate and the preaching of the Gospel itself has spread throughout the entire world. And in the same way, the thirteenth day declares the light …

A commentator

Rabanus Maurus

EXPLANATION ON THE BOOK OF ESTHER 12 · Written before 856.

proposed

The twelfth month, as we have said above, signifies the last age of the world when our Redeemer became incarnate and the preaching of the gospel spread over the entire world. In a similar way, the thirteenth day proclaims the light of faith and good …

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

Now in the twelfth month, that is the month Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same,....

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

YOU are probably aware that some persons have denied the Inspiration of the Book of Esther because the name of God does not occur in it. They might, with equal justice, deny the Inspiration of a great number of chapters in the Bible, and of a far greater number of verses. Although the name of God does not occur in the Book of Esther, the Lord Himself is there most conspicuously in every incident which it relates.

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

proposed

in the twelfth month, . . . on the thirteenth day of the same--This was the day which Haman's superstitious advisers had led him to select as the most fortunate for the execution of his exterminating scheme against the Jews [Es 3:7].

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase

3 more voices on this verse

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

YOU are probably aware that some persons have denied the Inspiration of the Book of Esther because the name of God does not occur in it. They might, with equal justice, deny the Inspiration of a great number of chapters in the Bible, and of a far greater number of verses. Although the name of God does not occur in the Book of Esther, the Lord Himself is there most conspicuously in every incident which it relates. I have seen portraits bearing the names of persons for whom they were intended, and they certainly needed them, but we have all seen others which required no name because they were such striking likenesses that the moment you looked upon them you knew them. In the Book of Esther, as much as in any other part of the Word of God, and I had almost committed myself by saying—more than anywhere else—the hand of Providence is manifestly to be seen. To condense the whole of the story of the Book of Esther into one sermon would be impossible and, therefore, I must rely upon your previous acquaintance with it. I must also ask your patience if there should be more of history in the sermon than is usual with me. All Scripture is given by Inspiration and is profitable, whether it is history or doctrine. God never meant the Book of Esther to lie dumb—whatever it seemed good to Him to teach us by it, it ought to be our earnest endeavor to learn. The Lord intended, by the narrative of Esther's history, to set before us a wonderful instance of His Providence, so that when we had viewed it with interest and pleasure, we might praise His name and then go on to acquire the habit of observing His hand in other histories, and especially in our own lives. Well does Flavel say that he who observes Providence will never be long without a Providence to observe.
Drew near - Or, “arrived,” or “reached the time” specified Est 3:13; Est 8:12.

Modern Voices1 voice

In the book of Esther, we read the Purim story, where Haman's decree of death and destruction of the Jews is turned around and God gives His people power over their would-be assassins.

The words behind it

30 Hebrew words

Every 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.

  • וּבִשְׁנֵים֩and in two [plus]

    uvishneimH8147 →768 times

  • עָשָׂ֨רten

    ʾasarH6240 →338 times

  • חֹ֜דֶשׁmonth

    chodeshH2320 →284 times

  • הוּא־that

    hu'-H1931 →1879 times

  • חֹ֣דֶשׁ[is] [the] month of

    chodeshH2320 →284 times

  • אֲדָ֗רAdar

    ʾadarH143 →8 times

  • בִּשְׁלוֹשָׁ֨הon thir-

    bishloshahH7969 →432 times

  • עָשָׂ֥רteen

    ʾasarH6240 →338 times

  • יוֹם֙day

    yomH3117 →2304 times

  • בּ֔וֹin it

    bo

  • אֲשֶׁ֨רwhen

    ʾasherH834 →5497 times

  • הִגִּ֧יעַit approached

    higia'H5060 →150 times

  • דְּבַר־[the] word of

    devar-H1697 →1440 times

  • הַמֶּ֛לֶךְthe king

    hamelekhH4428 →2525 times

  • וְדָת֖וֹand law his

    vedatoH1881 →22 times

  • לְהֵעָשׂ֑וֹתto be done

    leheasotH6213 →2628 times

  • בַּיּ֗וֹםon the day

    baiyomH3117 →2304 times

  • אֲשֶׁ֨רwhen

    ʾasherH834 →5497 times

  • שִׂבְּר֜וּthey had hoped

    siberuH7663 →

  • אֹיְבֵ֤י[the] enemies of

    ʾoyeveiH341 →282 times

  • הַיְּהוּדִים֙the Jews

    haiyehudimH3064 →75 times

  • לִשְׁל֣וֹטto domineer

    lishlotH7980 →

  • בָּהֶ֔םover them

    bahem

  • וְנַהֲפ֣וֹךְand it was reversed

    venahafokhH2015 →

  • ה֔וּאit

    hu'H1931 →1879 times

  • אֲשֶׁ֨רthat

    ʾasherH834 →5497 times

  • יִשְׁלְט֧וּthey domineered

    yishletuH7980 →

  • הַיְּהוּדִ֛יםthe Jews

    haiyehudimH3064 →75 times

  • הֵ֖מָּהthey

    hemahH1992 →553 times

  • בְּשֹׂנְאֵיהֶֽם׃over [those who] hated them

    besoneeihemH8130 →146 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

15 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Esther 3:13And 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.8 worksEsther 8:12The single day appointed throughout all the provinces of King Xerxes was the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar.6 worksPhilippians 1:12Now I want you to know, brothers, that my circumstances have actually served to advance the gospel.6 worksPsalms 30:11You turned my mourning into dancing; You peeled off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,5 worksRevelation 11:18The nations were enraged, and Your wrath has come. The time has come to judge the dead and to reward Your servants the prophets, as well as the saints and those who fear Your name, both small and great—and to destroy those who destroy the earth.”4 worksIsaiah 60:14–16The sons of your oppressors will come and bow down to you; all who reviled you will fall facedown at your feet and call you the City of the LORD, Zion of the Holy One of Israel.3 works
The other 9 cross-references, with their words ▾
2 Samuel 22:41You have made my enemies retreat before me; I put an end to those who hated me.3 worksIsaiah 14:1–2For the LORD will have compassion on Jacob; once again He will choose Israel and settle them in their own land. The foreigner will join them and unite with the house of Jacob.3 worksEsther 9:17This was done on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar, and on the fourteenth day they rested, making it a day of feasting and joy.3 worksDeuteronomy 32:36For the LORD will vindicate His people and have compassion on His servants when He sees that their strength is gone and no one remains, slave or free.2 worksEsther 3:7In the twelfth year of King Xerxes, in the first month, the month of Nisan, the Pur (that is, the lot) was cast before Haman to determine a day and month. And the lot fell on the twelfth month, the month of Adar.2 worksActs 12:11Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I know for sure that the Lord has sent His angel and rescued me from Herod’s grasp and from everything the Jewish people were anticipating.”2 worksEsther 9:18The Jews in Susa, however, had assembled on the thirteenth and the fourteenth days of the month. So they rested on the fifteenth day, making it a day of feasting and joy.2 worksEzra 6:15And this temple was completed on the third day of the month of Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.2 worksEsther 8:6For how could I bear to see the disaster that would befall my people? How could I bear to see the destruction of my kindred?”2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each 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

    Psalms 30:11

    You turned my mourning into dancing; You peeled off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,

    it leads to

    • Jeremiah 31:4

      Again I will build you, and you will be rebuilt, O Virgin Israel. Again you will take up your tambourines and go out in joyful dancing.

    • Ecclesiastes 3:4

      a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,

    • Jeremiah 31:13–14

      Then the maidens will rejoice with dancing, young men and old as well. I will turn their mourning into joy, and give them comfort and joy for their sorrow.

    • 2 Chronicles 20:12

      Our God, will You not judge them? For we are powerless before this vast army that comes against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.”

    • Isaiah 25:8

      He will swallow up death forever. The Lord GOD will wipe away the tears from every face and remove the disgrace of His people from the whole earth. For the LORD has spoken.

  • Through

    Revelation 11:18

    The nations were enraged, and Your wrath has come. The time has come to judge the dead and to reward Your servants the prophets, as well as the saints and those who fear Your…

    it leads to

    • Revelation 20:12

      And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne. And there were open books, and one of them was the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their…

    • Revelation 19:5

      Then a voice came from the throne, saying: “Praise our God, all you who serve Him, and those who fear Him, small and great alike!”

    • Revelation 6:10–11

      And they cried out in a loud voice, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You avenge our blood and judge those who dwell upon the earth?”

Where this verse is studied

About Esther

Esther Before the King, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
Esther Before the King, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
Esther: the study guide →Read Esther 9 →
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 1201: “Providence—as Seen in the Book of Esther” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jane Hamon, The House of Haman: Reversals That Position God's People for Influence; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil, The Books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Rabanus Maurus, Commentary on Esther and Rabanus Maurus, EXPLANATION ON THE BOOK OF ESTHER 12.

Read on in Esther 9 →