Esther 9:1-15
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 9
Triumph of the Jews.[a] 1 On the thirteenth day of the twelfth month of Adar, the edict of the king was to become effective. It was on this day that the enemies of the Jews had expected to become masters of them. But in a role reversal it was the Jews who became masters of their enemies. 2 The Jews assembled in their cities in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus to attack those seeking their destruction. No one could withstand them, because the people of all the other nationalities were afraid of them. 3 Moreover, all of the provinces, the satraps, the governors and the king’s administrators helped the Jews, out of fear of Mordecai. 4 Mordecai was powerful in the palace: his fame spread throughout the provinces, and his power kept on growing.
5 The Jews overcame all their enemies with the sword, killing and destroying them, and did what they pleased to their enemies. 6 In the citadel of Susa, they killed and destroyed five hundred men. 7 They also killed Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, 8 Porathai, Adalia, Aridatha, 9 Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai, and Vaizatha, 10 the ten sons of Haman, son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews. However, they did not engage in plundering.
11 On the same day, the number of those slain in the citadel of Susa was reported to the king. 12 He said to Queen Esther, “The Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men and the ten sons of Haman in the citadel of Susa. But what must they have done in the other royal provinces! You shall again be granted whatever you ask, and whatever you request will be honored.”
13 “If it pleases the king,” Esther replied, “let the Jews in Susa be permitted again to carry out this day’s edict tomorrow also, and let the ten sons of Haman be hanged on gibbets.”
14 The king then gave an order that this should be done. An edict was issued in Susa, and they hanged the ten sons of Haman. 15 The Jews in Susa came together on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar, and they put to death three hundred men in Susa. However, they did not engage in plundering.[b]
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Esther 9:1 This episode of blood, in which facts and numbers are certainly exaggerated, illustrates an idea frequently found in the Bible: sooner or later justice is rendered for the oppressed. It is noteworthy that the author thinks of a limited retaliation and excludes plundering. The evolution of conscience takes from the whole Bible, and especially from the New Testament, a sense of God and a respect for persons that were not yet attained at this epoch.
- Esther 9:15 This second massacre accounts for the two dates of the Purim celebration by Jews in Susa—thirteenth and fourteenth of Adar (see v. 18).
