Esther chapter 9
9:1-3. The fateful day was March 7, 473 B.C. It was turned to the contary was an obvious reference to the providence
of God, even though the name of God still does not appear!
9:5-10. Nevertheless, many Persian citizens took full advantage of the first decree to attack their hated Jewish
neighbors. The phrase did what they would (v. 5) indicates that the Jews were given a free hand without official
interference. But on the spoil laid they not their hand (v. 10; cf. 3:13; 8:11; 9:15, 16) indicates the purity of their
motives, which thus is evident to all.
9:17-19. Jews in the provinces celebrated their victory on the fourteenth day of Adar, while Jews in Susa waited until
the fifteenth (because of the events of v. 15). Eventually Mordecai ordered that both days should be observed
annually as the Feast of Purim (vv. 26-28).
9:23-28. These verses contain the third account of the institution of the feast and explain how it got its name, Purim.
Esther Chapter 10
10:1-3. Mordecai held the office of first minister no longer than eight years. Secular history records that another man
was in that office in 465 B.C.