20 And Mordecai writeth these things, and sendeth letters unto all the Jews who `are' in all provinces of the king Ahasuerus, who are near and who are far off,
And Jehovah saith unto Moses, `Write this, a memorial in a Book, and set `it' in the ears of Joshua, that I do utterly wipe away the remembrance of Amalek from under the heavens;'
`And now, write for you this song, and teach it the sons of Israel; put it in their mouths, so that this song is to Me for a witness against the sons of Israel, and I bring them in unto the ground which I have sworn to their fathers -- flowing with milk and honey, and they have eaten, and been satisfied, and been fat, and have turned unto other gods, and they have served them, and despised Me, and broken My covenant. `And it hath been, when many evils and distresses do meet it, that this song hath testified to its face for a witness; for it is not forgotten out of the mouth of its seed, for I have known its imagining which it is doing to-day, before I bring them in unto the land of which I have sworn.' And Moses writeth this song on that day, and doth teach it the sons of Israel,
and sendeth letters unto all provinces of the king, unto province and province according to its writing, and unto people and people according to its tongue, for every man being head in his own house -- and speaking according to the language of his people.
And scribes of the king are called, on the first month, on the thirteenth day of it, and it is written according to all that Haman hath commanded, unto lieutenants of the king, and unto the governors who `are' over province and province, and unto the heads of people and people, province and province, according to its writing, and people and people according to its tongue, in the name of the king Ahasuerus it hath been written and sealed with the signet of the king,
And the scribes of the king are called, at that time, in the third month -- it `is' the month of Sivan -- in the three and twentieth of it, and it is written, according to all that Mordecai hath commanded, unto the Jews, and unto the lieutenants, and the governors, and the heads of the provinces, that `are' from Hodu even unto Cush, seven and twenty and a hundred provinces -- province and province according to its writing, and people and people according to its tongue, and unto the Jews according to their writing, and according to their tongue.
A Song of the Ascents, by David. Save `for' Jehovah -- who hath been for us, (Pray, let Israel say), Save `for' Jehovah -- who hath been for us, In the rising up of man against us, Then alive they had swallowed us up, In the burning of their anger against us,
Generation to generation praiseth Thy works, And Thy mighty acts they declare. The honour -- the glory of Thy majesty, And the matters of Thy wonders I declare. And the strength of Thy fearful acts they tell, And Thy greatness I recount. The memorial of the abundance of Thy goodness they send forth. And Thy righteousness they sing. Gracious and merciful `is' Jehovah, Slow to anger, and great in kindness. Good `is' Jehovah to all, And His mercies `are' over all His works. Confess Thee O Jehovah, do all Thy works, And Thy saints do bless Thee. The honour of Thy kingdom they tell, And `of' Thy might they speak, To make known to sons of men His mighty acts, The honour of the majesty of His kingdom.
who out of so great a death did deliver us, and doth deliver, in whom we have hoped that even yet He will deliver; ye working together also for us by your supplication, that the gift through many persons to us, through many may be thankfully acknowledged for us.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Esther 9
Commentary on Esther 9 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 9
We left two royal edicts in force, both given at the court of Shushan, one bearing date the thirteenth day of the first month, appointing that on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month then next ensuing all the Jews should be killed; another bearing date the twenty-third day of the third month, empowering the Jews, on the day appointed for their slaughter, to draw the sword in their own defence and make their part good against their enemies as well as they could. Great expectation there was, no doubt, of this day, and the issue of it. The Jews' cause was to be tried by battle and the day was fixed for the combat by authority. Their enemies resolved not to lose the advantages given them by the first edict, in hope to overpower them by numbers; the Jews relied on the goodness of their God and the justice of their cause, and resolved to make their utmost efforts against their enemies. The day comes at length; and here we are told,
Est 9:1-19
We have here a decisive battle fought between the Jews and their enemies, in which the Jews were victorious. Neither side was surprised; for both had notice of it long enough before, so that it was a fair trial of skill between them. Nor could either side call the other rebels, for they were both supported by the royal authority.
Est 9:20-32
We may well imagine how much affected Mordecai and Esther were with the triumphs of the Jews over their enemies, and how they saw the issue of that decisive day with a satisfaction proportionable to the care and concern with which they expected it. How were their hearts enlarged with joy in God and his salvation, and what new songs of praise were put into their mouths! But here we are told what course they took to spread the knowledge of it among their people, and to perpetuate the remembrance of it to posterity, for the honour of God and the encouragement of his people to trust in him at all times.