Esther 8, Race to Save the Jews

Haman, the enemy of the Jews, has been hung. The king has agreed with Esther in regards to punishing Haman and saving her people.  But previously Haman's decree had been sent across the nation.  Esther must work quickly to get it countermanded.

Esther 8: 1-2, Mordecai replaces Haman

That same day King Xerxes gave Queen Esther the estate of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai came into the presence of the king, for Esther had told how he was related to her.

The king took off his signet ring, which he had reclaimed from Haman, and presented it to Mordecai. And Esther appointed him over Haman's estate.

 

Mordecai is given Haman's estate. Haman's evil plans have led to complete reversal of status. 

But the genocide is still on the schedule.

Esther 8: 3-6, One more plea

Esther again pleaded with the king, falling at his feet and weeping. She begged him to put an end to the evil plan of Haman the Agagite, which he had devised against the Jews.

Then the king extended the gold scepter to Esther and she arose and stood before him. "If it pleases the king," she said, "and if he regards me with favor and thinks it the right thing to do, and if he is pleased with me, let an order be written overruling the dispatches that Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, devised and wrote to destroy the Jews in all the king's provinces. For how can I bear to see disaster fall on my people? How can I bear to see the destruction of my family?"

Esther goes before the king and begs him to overrule the decrees of Haman, identified once again as "the Agagite." This time the king's extended scepter is an indication of support for her wishes. 

Esther asks for the king to agree with her about the "right" thing to do; the Hebrew word translated "right" is a variant of kasher, the source of our modern word "kosher" (as noted by Huey.)

Esther 8: 7-9, King's decree

King Xerxes replied to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, "Because Haman attacked the Jews, I have given his estate to Esther, and they have hanged him on the gallows. Now write another decree in the king's name in behalf of the Jews as seems best to you, and seal it with the king's signet ring--for no document written in the king's name and sealed with his ring can be revoked."

At once the royal secretaries were summoned--on the twenty-third day of the third month, the month of Sivan. They wrote out all Mordecai's orders to the Jews, and to the satraps, governors and nobles of the 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush. These orders were written in the script of each province and the language of each people and also to the Jews in their own script and language.

The author claims that the king cannot overrule his previous decrees so instead the king writes a second decree, guided by Mordecai, that will allow the Jews to defend themselves.  Word will be sent out to every province; one version will go out in the Jews own language, that is, Hebrew.

Huey says that verse 9 is the longest of the Wisdom writings, consisting of 43 Hebrew words in 192 letters.

Esther 8: 10-14, New edict rushed to the people

Mordecai wrote in the name of King Xerxes, sealed the dispatches with the king's signet ring, and sent them by mounted couriers, who rode fast horses especially bred for the king. The king's edict granted the Jews in every city the right to assemble and protect themselves; to destroy, kill and annihilate any armed force of any nationality or province that might attack them and their women and children; and to plunder the property of their enemies.

The day appointed for the Jews to do this in all the provinces of King Xerxes was the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar. A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued as law in every province and made known to the people of every nationality so that the Jews would be ready on that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.

 

The couriers, riding the royal horses, raced out, spurred on by the king's command. And the edict was also issued in the citadel of Susa.

Couriers rush to get out the message, before the pogrom can begin.  The Jews are given the right to protect themselves, possibly even to go out and kill any opponents. Commentators raise a number of questions here: are Esther and her uncle seeking to annihilate their opponents, including women and children? Or do the Jews simply get to kill people in defense of their own women and children? In one case, the Jews seek to annihilate a significant portion of the Babylonian empire. In a less violent interpretation, the Jews merely seek to defend themselves, with the weight of the empire on their side.

Esther 8: 15-17, Joy

Mordecai left the king's presence wearing royal garments of blue and white, a large crown of gold and a purple robe of fine linen. And the city of Susa held a joyous celebration.

For the Jews it was a time of happiness and joy, gladness and honor. In every province and in every city, wherever the edict of the king went, there was joy and gladness among the Jews, with feasting and celebrating. And many people of other nationalities became Jews because fear of the Jews had seized them.

The city of Susa celebrates. Haman's decree had brought confusion; now (as Huey points out) there is joy in Susa. Indeed, the tables have turned and so some Babylonians decide it is better to identify as Jews!